journalists on trial

Page 5

Writer Nurcan Kaya faces up to 5 years in prison over a tweet

Writer Nurcan Kaya faces up to 5 years in prison over a tweet

Human rights defender and writer Nurcan Kaya is facing up to 5 years in prison over her tweet from 2014, where she said, “Not only Kurds but all people residing in Kobane are in resistance. Democrat Arabs are also resisting…”

Harasser is free, the journalist who reported the news will go to jail

Harasser is free, the journalist who reported the news will go to jail

Covering the sexual abuse of a 16-year-old girl in Bitlis, journalist Sinan Aygül’s prison sentence for “violating the confidentiality of the investigation” has been upheld. While he will be sent to jail, the assaulter is free despite a 5-year prison term.

9 June 2021 Hikmet Adal

Court of appeals overturns journalist’s prison term over a tweet from 6 years ago

Court of appeals overturns journalist’s prison term over a tweet from 6 years ago

Sentenced to 1 year, 3 months in prison over her tweet “Makhmur camp has been captured by ISIS…,” Sabiha Temizkan has been acquitted by the court of appeals.

9 June 2021 Hikmet Adal

Journalist Melike Aydın acquitted of 'terrorism' charges

Journalist Melike Aydın acquitted of 'terrorism' charges

Aydın's phone conversations with news sources and a book found at her home were among the pieces of evidence put forward against her.

Prosecutor demands prison sentence for journalists Coşkun, Uğur and Açar

Prosecutor demands prison sentence for journalists Coşkun, Uğur and Açar

Put on trial for allegedly revealing the identity of the police officer who shot Berkin Elvan with a tear gas canister during Gezi, journalists Canan Coşkun, Ali Açar and Can Uğur will have their next hearing on October 7.

Ten journalists stood trial on 'terrorism' charges in two weeks

MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE

Ten journalists stood trial on 'terrorism' charges in two weeks

One journalist was acquitted, two journalists won a case against Turkey at the ECtHR, and one journalist was released from house arrest after months.

2 June 2021 Volga Kuşçuoğlu

Journalist Mehmet Aslan released

Journalist Mehmet Aslan released

Arrested on January 9, 2021, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Mehmet Aslan had his first hearing on May 26. The court has ruled for his release.

Put on trial for posting a Newroz photo, journalist Melis Alphan acquitted

Put on trial for posting a Newroz photo, journalist Melis Alphan acquitted

Facing 7.5 years in prison for posting a photo from the Diyarbakır Newroz in 2015, journalist Melis Alphan has been acquitted as the court board has concluded that she did not commit the offense charged.

21 May 2021 Hikmet Adal

IPI: Drop charges against Melis Alphan

IPI: Drop charges against Melis Alphan

“Turkey must immediately end the prosecution of Alphan and compensate her for the damage done to her during this baseless prosecution,” says International Press Institute’s Turkey Programme Coordinator Renan Akyavaş.

Journalist investigated after reporting on rape, murder allegations against AKP deputy

MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE

Journalist investigated after reporting on rape, murder allegations against AKP deputy

Yelda Kaharman, an 18-year-old student and a local journalist from Kyrgyzstan, was found dead at home in March 2019. Accusations against AKP deputy Tolga Ağar about the incident have resurfaced after crime leader Sedat Peker's videos.

19 May 2021 Volga Kuşçuoğlu

Journalist Pınar Gayıp released from house arrest

Journalist Pınar Gayıp released from house arrest

Placed under house arrest after being detained as part of the operations against the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), journalist Pınar Gayıp has been released from house arrest.

Netherlands to pay compensation to journalist deported by Turkey

Netherlands to pay compensation to journalist deported by Turkey

Turkey deported journalist Ans Boersma in early 2019 after receiving intelligence from the Netherlands that she might have "terrorist connections."

18 May 2021 Hikmet Adal

New lawsuit against journalist Deniz Yücel

HE FACES UP TO 2 YEARS

New lawsuit against journalist Deniz Yücel

Die Welt reporter Deniz Yücel has been indicted by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on charge of “degrading the State of the Republic of Turkey, its government, judicial bodies and the security organization of the state.”

OSCE requests information from Turkey about 24 journalists

OSCE requests information from Turkey about 24 journalists

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has requested information from Turkey’s Justice Ministry about the situation of 24 journalists, including Melis Alphan, Kazım Kızıl, Elif Akgül, Hrant Dink, Levent Gültekin and Müyesser Yıldız.

Put on trial for entering a ‘forbidden military zone’, journalists acquitted

Put on trial for entering a ‘forbidden military zone’, journalists acquitted

Standing trial for “entering a forbidden military zone” in Edirne while reporting on the situation of refugees heading towards Turkey-Greece border, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Naci Kaya and İdris Sayılğan have been acquitted.

Evrensel and bianet are ‘so-called media outlets’, according to prosecutor

Evrensel and bianet are ‘so-called media outlets’, according to prosecutor

A lawsuit has been filed against journalist Cihan Ölmez over his statements to the press regarding curfews. The prosecutor has defined daily Evrensel and bianet as “so-called media outlets backing the organization.”

Press in Arrest: 41 journalists behind bars in Turkey

MARCH 2021 REPORT

Press in Arrest: 41 journalists behind bars in Turkey

The Press in Arrest initiative has released its March 2021 Press Freedom Report: “In March, journalists in Turkey once again spent much of their time at courthouses. During the month, at least 79 journalists appeared before a judge.”

Court rejects appeal against release of journalists reporting on torture

Court rejects appeal against release of journalists reporting on torture

Arrested after reporting on two citizens thrown from a helicopter in Van, four journalists were released last week. The Van 6th Heavy Penal Court has rejected the prosecutor’s objection to the release of the journalists.

One more lawsuit against journalist Oktay Candemir

One more lawsuit against journalist Oktay Candemir

The videos and photographs in the digital materials seized during a house raid have been cited as criminal evidence against journalist Oktay Candemir.

Four journalists released after spending six months under arrest for reporting on torture

Four journalists released after spending six months under arrest for reporting on torture

Adnan Bilen, Cemil Uğur, Şehriban Abi and Nazan Sala were in pre-trial detention for reporting on an incident of torture in the Kurdish-majority Van province.

Put on trial for ‘terror propaganda’, journalist fined for ‘insulting President’

Put on trial for ‘terror propaganda’, journalist fined for ‘insulting President’

Put on trial on charge of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” over five news reports about Turkey’s Afrin operation published on sendika.org news website, Ali Ergin Demirhan will pay a judicial fine for “insulting the President.”

Cumhuriyet, Sözcü journalists acquitted of 'disclosing identity of counterterrorism officials'

Cumhuriyet, Sözcü journalists acquitted of 'disclosing identity of counterterrorism officials'

Two journalists stood trial because of a news report revealing that the prosecutor of a case against Sözcü had a previous conviction.

Journalist Aygün sentenced to prison over a tweet

Journalist Aygün sentenced to prison over a tweet

Hakan Aygün has been sentenced to 7 months, 15 days in prison over a tweet containing a wordplay with IBAN and "iman," which means "faith" in Turkish.

Journalist Oktay Candemir acquitted of ‘insulting the President’

Journalist Oktay Candemir acquitted of ‘insulting the President’

Charged with “insulting the President” over an article, journalist Oktay Candemir has been acquitted.

Non-prosecution for journalist making fun of TV series in a tweet

Non-prosecution for journalist making fun of TV series in a tweet

The chief public prosecutor’s office has given a decision of non-prosecution for journalist Oktay Candemir, who was investigated over a tweet critical of TV series about the Ottoman times.

25 February 2021 Hikmet Adal

Journalist Hakkı Boltan acquitted at first hearing

Journalist Hakkı Boltan acquitted at first hearing

Boltan was put on trial on the grounds that his name was mentioned in the list of delegates seized in a police raid on the office of Democratic Society Congress (DTK). He was facing up to 15 years in prison.

24 February 2021

Rights groups denounce 'unlawful' prison sentences in Özgür Gündem case

Rights groups denounce 'unlawful' prison sentences in Özgür Gündem case

The Human Rights Associations and Amnesty International have released statements after four people were given prison sentences on "terrorism" charges in the Özgür Gündem newspaper case.

15 February 2021

Journalist Hatice Kamer acquitted, again

Journalist Hatice Kamer acquitted, again

Put on trial for posting the pictures of press statements held by the HDP and DTK, Hatice Kamer was previously acquitted of “terror propaganda.” But the appeals court overturned her acquittal and ruled for retrial. Kamer has been acquitted again.

9 February 2021

Local journalists acquitted of terrorism but their TV channel is gone ‘forever’

MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE

Local journalists acquitted of terrorism but their TV channel is gone ‘forever’

About four-and-a-half years after the closure of Van TV because of its alleged “terrorist connections,” all but one defendant in the trial of its employees and owners were acquitted of “terrorist propaganda.”

8 February 2021 Volga Kuşçuoğlu

Journalist İdris Sayılğan handed four-year prison sentence for 'terrorist propaganda'

Journalist İdris Sayılğan handed four-year prison sentence for 'terrorist propaganda'

The journalist's attorney has said that the allegations against him were the same as a previous case.

1 February 2021

‘President must have more tolerance for harsh criticisms'

COMICS ACQUITTED

‘President must have more tolerance for harsh criticisms'

Standing trial for “insulting the President” over his comics, Sefer Selvi, a cartoonist for daily Evrensel, has been acquitted on the grounds that “the President must show more tolerance in the face of criticisms."

25 January 2021 Hikmet Adal

Investigation against columnist for writing parliament’s name in lower case

Investigation against columnist for writing parliament’s name in lower case

The Parliament of Turkey is officially called the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and abbreviated as “TBMM” in Turkish. Columnist Yılmaz Özdil now faces an investigation over an article titled "Tbmm..."

21 January 2021