Feyza Nur Çalıkoğlu, a reporter for the daily Karar, is facing trial for a report on allegations of ill-treatment at deportation centers.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment against Çalıkoğlu over the article published on Nov 7, 2024, titled “Striking allegations from lawyers about deportation center: ‘Silent Room’ and ‘Cold Room’ torture.”
Describing several lawyers' claims in the report as “provocative and one-sided,” the Interior Ministry had filed a complaint against the journalist.
The Press Crimes Investigation Bureau charges Çalıkoğlu under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, accusing her of “publicly disseminating misleading information.”
The indictment argued that Çalıkoğlu misled the public and requested her punishment under Article 217/A, which carries a sentence of one to three years. It also called for her to be deprived of certain rights by court order.
The first hearing took place at the İstanbul Penal Court of First Instance on Sep 18, without Çalıkoğlu present. The next session is scheduled for Feb 10, 2026.
Report 'aimed to push for transparency'
Speaking to bianet about the case, Çalıkoğlu said her report was based on expert legal opinions and on findings from several human rights organizations, including the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TİHEK).
She stressed that deportation centers are closed to external monitoring and journalists cannot meet detainees directly. “Many migrants are afraid to talk about what they experience inside or to speak to the press once released. That’s why these allegations are conveyed mainly through lawyers. This is a result of systematic violations of migrants’ rights in Turkey,” she said.
Çalıkoğlu argued that if an inquiry had been opened into the Çatalca İnceğiz Deportation Center after her article, the suicide of an Afghan woman at the same facility in August might have been prevented.
She said her reporting aimed to push for transparency and oversight of these centers. “Unfortunately, while the Directorate of Migration denies the allegations and files lawsuits, the bitter reality is there to confirm what we report: suicides, suicide attempts, and systematic violence,” she said.
Parliamentary question
Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party deputy Özgül Saki raised the issue in parliament, directing questions to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya about both the allegations and the ministry’s complaint against Çalıkoğlu.
In her motion, Saki noted that deportation centers are frequently linked to rights violations, addint that prosecuting journalists is not the solution. “The way to prevent violations is not to put reporters on trial for covering allegations, but to improve conditions in the centers, conduct effective investigations, and open them to independent monitoring,” she said.
Saki also stressed that press freedom is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution and international treaties. “Criminalizing reporting on public institutions amounts to pressure and censorship. Coverage of migrants and refugees is an essential part of the public’s right to know in a democratic society,” she said.
She asked Yerlikaya to explain the grounds for the case and to respond to the allegations regarding deportation centers. (HA/VK)
