Trials of 21 journalists and writers who are standing trial for participating in the Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign carried out for the closed Özgür Gündem newspaper were held on February 14, 2017 at the 22nd Heavy Penal Court and 13th Heavy Penal Court. Investigations have been launched against 50 of the 56 editor-in-chief who have participated in the solidarity campaign and 38 of them faced prosecution.
On March 28, 2017, the 22nd High Criminal Court in İstanbul sentenced Bakır to 1 year and 3 months of imprisonment for “propagandising for a terrorist organisation” in the case in which he was tried for attending the “Editor-in-chief campaign” in solidarity with the shuttered Özgür Gündem. The execution of the prison sentence has been deferred.
