The Ankara correspondent of Artı TV, Sibel Hürtaş was taken into custody by police on 3 July 2020 in front of the Parliament as she was covering a sit-in by heads of bar associations, who have been demanding to participate in talks in the Parliamentary Justice Commission concerning a bill proposing major structural changes to the organization of bar associations (3 July).

A lawsuit was filed against Hürtaş on charge of “resisting a public official” at the Ankara 37th Criminal Court of First Instance and her imprisonment for up to 3 years was demanded as part of the court case. 

At the first hearing held on November 9, 2021, the complainant police officer took the floor after the statement of Hürtaş and said that he did not press charges and did not want to participate in the trial. The court board ruled that the complainants who were not present in the courtroom should be brought to the hearings and the Security Branch Director should be heard as a witness. The next hearing will be held on April 12, 2022 (November 9).

At the hearing held on April 12, 2022, the witness statements were heard. The court ruled that the plaintiffs should be brought to court by force, it should be asked why the writ to bring them by force was not responded to, a criminal complaint should be filed depending on the response to be received and the identification of the open address of defendant S.Ç. should be awaited. The next hearing will be held on October 27 (April 12).