Throughout this week, various cases concerning journalism and freedom of expression will continue to be heard.
MLSATrial Monitoring Unit will share updates from the hearings in Turkish and English via @MLSADavaTakip.
Monday, May 20
10:00 – The second hearing of the case where 30 defendants, including the administrators of the "Ajans Muhbir" account, Süha Çardaklı and Serkan Kafkas, are being tried on charges of "inciting hatred and enmity or degrading," "threatening to create fear and panic among the public," and "publicly disseminating misleading information" under the so-called "censorship law" for sharing "anti-refugee news" on the X platform will be held at Ankara 7th Criminal Court of First Instance.
Tuesday, May 21
09:08 – The 12th hearing of the trial where journalist Sonya Bayık is being tried alongside 30 activists on charges of "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911" for covering a press statement in Hasankeyf will be held at Batman 1st Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:20 – The second hearing of the trial where lawyer Süleyman Şahin is being tried on charges of "being a member of an organization" based on his legal activities will be held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
10:05 – The trial of journalist Ferit Arslan, who is being tried under the "censorship law" for his report titled "A judge raided a school with police in Mardin and had three students detained," will be held at Mardin 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:45 – The second hearing of the trial where artist Ali Baran is being tried on charges of "insulting the president" will be held at Istanbul 7th Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:15 – The second hearing of the trial where journalist Emre Orman, defended by MLSA, is being tried on charges of "resisting the police to prevent them from performing their duty" while covering the commemoration of the Madımak Massacre for a news report will be held at Istanbul Anatolian 20th Criminal Court of First Instance.
02:00 – The second hearing of the trial where Akif Beki, a columnist for Karar newspaper, is being tried on charges of "insult" following a complaint by Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü, known as "Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca," will be held at Anatolian 26th Criminal Court of First Instance.
Wednesday, May 22
09:25 – The retrial of journalist Mehmet Ali Ertaş, who was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison on charges of "making propaganda for an organization," will continue at Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court following a violation ruling by the Constitutional Court.
11:10 – The retrial of the Gezi case concerning Mücella Yapıcı, Ali Hakan Altınay, and Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi will continue at Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. The retrial began in February following the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation's reversal decision for the three individuals.
Thursday, May 23
09:20 – The second hearing of the trial where former Diyarbakır Bar Association President lawyer Mehmet Emin Aktar is being tried on charges of "targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism" for sharing a report on social media about an illegal search conducted in the office of a lawyer staying in the same office as him will be held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
09:30 – The sixth hearing of the Charlie Hebdo trial, where foreign journalists are being tried for the first time on charges of "insulting the president," will be held at Ankara 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:30 – The first hearing of the trial where lawyer Şerzan Yelboğa, who was detained for 28 days based on the statements of a confessor witness, is being tried on charges of "being a member of an organization" due to his professional activities will be held at Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court.
10:10 – The first hearing of the trial where lawyer Adile Salman is being tried on charges of "being a member of an organization" due to her professional activities will be held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
11:00 – The trial of journalist Furkan Karabay, who faces a 250,000 TL non-pecuniary damage claim for "unjust attack on personal rights" based on a social media post, filed by the lawyers of President Erdoğan's son, Bilal Erdoğan, will be heard at Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance.
11:15 – The compensation case filed by the MLSA Legal Unit against the Ministry of Finance on behalf of Tuncay Özdamar, the WDR Cosmo Turkish Manager, who was detained for 14 hours at the airport in Ankara, will be heard at Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court.
02:00 – The third hearing of the trial where journalist Gözde Bedeloğlu is being tried on charges of "insulting a public official due to their duty" following a complaint by Sermet Atay, a Member of Parliament for the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in Gaziantep, will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
01:10 – The trial of journalist Hamidiye Çiftçi, defended by MLSA, who was detained for two years and later released, will continue at Hakkari 1st High Criminal Court under the 'KCK case.'
