Having reported on the indictment issued against the Religious Scholars Solidarity Association (DİAYDER) in December 2021, journalists Canan Coşkun and Barış Pehlivan wrote that the trial would be heard by the court presided by judge Akın Gürlek, who penalized Selahattin Demirtaş, Canan Kaftancıoğlu, Sırrı Süreyya Önder and lawyers from the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) in the past and did not implement the ruling of the Constitutional Court on CHP MP Enis Berberoğlu.

Judge Akın Gürlek filed a criminal complaint against Coşkun and Pehlivan by applying to the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. As part of the investigation, prosecutor Cüneyt Kerimhan Acer charged the journalists with “marking counterterrorism officials as targets”. Facing up to 3 years in prison, the journalists’ indictment has been sent to the İstanbul 34th High Criminal Court (July 5).

At the hearing held on October 27, 2022, the court ruled that Pehlivan’s request for recusation should be heard by the upper court. The next hearing will be held on January 17, 2023 (October 27).

At the hearing held on January 17, 2023, Akın Gürlek’s lawyer requested to intervene in the trial and that Coşkun and Pehlivan be penalized. The court ruled that the lawyer’s request should be accepted and the defendants should be given 15 days to present their written statements of defense. The court also ruled that the file should be sent to the prosecutor’s office for the preparation of the final opinion as to the accusations after the defense statements were added to the file. The next hearing will be held on May 9 (January 17).