Four people working for the TRT World have been sentenced to 2 months in prison each for possessing unlicensed drone in Myanmar.

First hearing of the four employees of Sözcü daily, one of whom is in pre-trial detention, was held yesterday before İstanbul 37th Assize Court. The defendants made their statements of defence in the first hearing. Witnesses are expected to be heard in the second hearing to be held today.

A libel lawsuit has been filed against journalist Küçükkaya and attorney Okan upon complaint by Minister Sayan-Kaya for “publicly insulting a public officer” and “publicly insulting institutions and bodies of Republic of Turkey”.

Despite 16 of the 17 witnesses stating that “they were deposed under means of torture”, the court has ruled that journalist Nedim Türfent from the now-closed Dicle News Agency remain behind bars after he has already spent 17 months in jail pending trial.

Guest of the TV programme “Derin Tarih” Süleyman Yeşilyurt and Editor-in-Chief of Derin Tarih Magazine Mustafa Armağan have been sentenced to 15 months in prison each, for "insulting Atatürk’s memory”.

Third hearing of trial of now-closed Dicle News Agency reporter Nedim Türfent being charged with “being a member of an illegal organization” will be held today.

It has been confirmed that IT specialist, writer Serdar Kuzuluoğlu has been taken into custody, who posted on Twitter “I am being detained” at 6:40 a.m. this morning. He was released in the evening hours after his deposition.

The court has ruled the continuation of arrest of all defendants in the fourth hearing of Cumhuriyet trial.

Rallying in front of the courthouse ahead of fourth hearing of Cumhuriyet trial and fifth hearing of Özgür Gündem trial, journalists and rights defenders have demanded release of imprisoned journalists.

The fifth hearing of Özgür Gündem main lawsuit in which Özgür Gündem Consultant Board members are standing trial, was held today. Defenders İnan Kızılkaya and Kemal Sancılı have been relesed on condition of international travel ban. Next hearing will be on March 6.

The fourth hearing in Cumhuriyet Trial, in which 20 defendants, five of whom are in detention pending trial, will be held today before İstanbul 27th Assize Court in Çağlayan.

The employees of Cumhuriyet daily have been in jail pending trial for 365 days as of today. 365 journalists, writers, artists and attorneys have demanded freedom for the journalists.

The Journalists Outside initiative has made a call via a march held in Kadıköy for Cumhuriyet and Özgür Gündem trials.

Four people were detained in Myanmar on Sunday including two freelance reporters from Turkey’s national public broadcaster, TRT World.

Journalist Zeynep Kural, who was taken into custody yesterday on the charge of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” due to her Facebook postings, was released after being deposed by the prosecutor.

Özgür Gündem Editors-in-Chief on Watch Faruk Eren, Ertuğrul Mavioğlu, Celal Başlangıç, Ömer Ağın, İhsan Çaralan, Celalettin Can, Fehim Işık, Öncü Akgül and author Dilşah Kocakaya’s hearing has been adjourned to March.

In his statement concerning release of eight rights defenders including IT specialist Peter Steudtner, German FM Gabriel has said, “The releases are an encouraging signal, a first step”.

The Journalists Outside group has stressed that one of the Cumhuriyet trial defendants Ahmet Şık has been behind bars for 300 days, made a call for a march on October 28.

Journalist Kuray has been detained on the pretext of “terror organization propaganda” due to her posts on Facebook. Kuray will be taken to the prosecutor’s office to be deposed.

First hearing of the 11 rights defenders detained over a training workshop in Büyükada, was held today. The court has ruled that all eight defendants in pre-trial detention be released pending trial.