A lawsuit was filed against Inan Kızılkaya, the former managing editor of Özgür Gündem and Can Dündar, editor-in-chief on Watch campaign supporting the Özgür Gündem Daily, based on the complaints of Judge Bekir Altun of Criminal Court of Peace about ‘insulting’ him in relation to an article published in the Özgür Gündem. However, the hearing could not be held since the presiding judge of Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance declared an excuse (4 April).

Trial of Can Dündar and the former Managing Editor of Özgür Gündem İnan Kızılkaya for “insulting state official” in relation to a solidarity campaign with now-defunct newspaper resumed today at Istanbul court. Trial has been adjourned until 15 December (23 September).

At the hearing held on December 15, 2020, the court has ruled that the execution of the warrant against Can Dündar and the reply to the international rogatory for taking his defense abroad shall be awaited. The next hearing will be held on March 4, 2021 (December 15).

At the hearing held on March 4, the prosecutor demanded that the deficiencies be rectified. The attorneys of Can Dündar and İnan Kızılkaya also requested that the deficiencies in the case file be rectified. The court board adjourned the hearing for the rectification of the deficiencies. The next hearing will be held on July 13 (March 4).

At the hearing held on July 13, 2021, the court board ruled that the execution of the warrant against Can Dündar and the reply to the letters rogatory to take his statement abroad should be awaited. The next hearing will be held on November 2 (July 13).

At the hearing held on November 2, 2021, the court ruled that the execution of the warrant against Can Dündar should be awaited. The next hearing will be held on March 24, 2022 (November 2). 

At the hearing held on March 24, 2022, the hearing was held on the file as the lawyers of Kızılkaya and Dündar expressed excuses. The trial has been adjourned until a later date (March 24).

At the hearing held on October 27, 2022, the court ruled that the execution of the warrant against Dündar should be awaited. The next hearing will be held on March 30, 2023 (October 27).

The court ruled that the execution of the warrant against Dündar should be awaited. The next hearing was adjourned until April 18 (February 3rd).

12 December 2024

The Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance issued its ruling in the case against journalist Can Dündar and Özgür Gündem newspaper’s former managing editor, İnan Kızılkaya, who were prosecuted for participating in the “Editor-in-Chief on Watch” campaign, launched in solidarity with the now-shuttered newspaper.

In line with the prosecutor’s opinion, the court ruled that the expressions in the article titled “The most useful judge of the palace regime”, which referred to former Istanbul Criminal Judgeship of Peace judge Bekir Altun, constituted “insulting a public official” (Article 125/3 of the Turkish Penal Code). Kızılkaya was sentenced to a judicial fine of 7,080 TRY. The court, however, decided to separate Can Dündar’s case.

Both journalists had initially faced up to 2 years and 4 months in prison. (12 December)