20 March 2025
The Istanbul 30th Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced journalist Merdan Yanardağ to 1 year and 3 months in prison on charges of “publicly insulting the military or law enforcement agencies of the state” (Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code) over remarks made in a YouTube video titled “Where Has AKP’s Political Ethics Brought Turkey?”, published on 5 February 2024.
Yanardağ did not attend the final hearing on 20 March 2025. His lawyer, Bilgütay Hakkı Durna, rejected the prosecutor’s opinion dated 13 March 2025 seeking conviction, arguing that the remarks were made within the scope of journalistic activity and constituted criticism protected under Article 301/3. The court dismissed this defense and convicted Yanardağ.
