Following the military coup attempt, on 30 July 2016, Nazlı Ilıcak was arrested along with 16 other journalist. The indictment was accepted on May 2017, with numerous charges including overthrowing the constitutional order through violence and force and aiding a terrorist organization [FETÖ] without being its member. According to the indictment, three aggravated life sentences (life without the possibility of parole) and 7.5 to 15 years of imprisonment was requested.
On 16 February 2018 the first instance court, İstanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court, rendered its decision and found Ilıcak guilty of overthrowing the constitutional order through violence and force alongside with Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Fevzi Yazıcı, Yakup Şimşek and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül.
This decision was upheld by the the 2nd Penal Chamber of İstanbul Regional Court of Justice on 2 October 2018. This decision was appealed.
On 3 May 2019, The Constitutional Court announced that it had found no violation in relation to numerous allegations stated by Nazlı Ilıcak.
The 16th Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals, reversed the decision and concluded that Nazlı Ilıcak was not guilty of overthrowing the constitutional order, rather she was supposed to be sentenced due to aiding a terrorist organization [FETÖ] without being its member. Finally, chamber rejected the request to be released of Nazlı Ilıcak and other defendants.
Upon the decision of the Supreme Court to reverse the decision, İstanbul 26. Heavy Criminal Court found Nazlı Ilıcak guilty on “aiding a terrorist organization without being its member” and sentenced her to 8 years 9 months of imprisonment. Taking the duration she spent in prison, the Court decided to release Ilıcak. Nazlı Ilıcak who was in pre-trial detention since 30 July 2016 was released from Bakırköy Prison on 5 November.
