Journalist Baransel Ağca was indicted by the Press Crimes Investigation Bureau of the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on September 16, 2021. The indictment charged Ağca with “publicly degrading the religious values of a section of the public” as per the Article 216/3 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) on the grounds of a non-news social media message that he posted on his Twitter account on December 25, 2020 (September 16). 

With the indictment accepted by the court, the trial began. At the hearing held on September 21, 2022, the prosecutor requested that the deficiencies in the file be rectified. Giving time to journalist Baransel Ağca’s lawyer to notify the court of his full address, the court ruled that an international writ should be written to take Ağca’s defense. The court also ruled that the request for a criminal complaint against the law enforcement officer who was cited in the inquiry report of the security directorate and took action to obtain the passwords of Ağca’s social media accounts should be discussed alongside the ruling. The next hearing will be held on January 17 (September 21).

At the hearing held on January 17, 2023, Ağca, who lived abroad, and his lawyer, who offered an excuse, did not attend the hearing. The trial was adjourned until a later date (January 17).