8 February 2025

BirGün newspaper’s Publishing Coordinator Berkant Gültekin was detained on the evening of 8 February together with BirGün reporter Uğur Koç and Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir. The three journalists were taken into custody over the report titled “A visit from pro-government daily Sabah to Akın Gürlek in his office”, which stated: “Abdurrahman Şimşek, News Coordinator of Sabah newspaper, visited İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, who is referred to by the opposition as the ‘mobile guillotine’.”

They were accused under Article 6/1 of the Anti-Terror Law of “targeting a public official engaged in counter-terrorism”. After being questioned at the İstanbul Police Headquarters, they were referred to the İstanbul Çağlayan Courthouse.

Following the prosecutor’s interrogation, Gültekin was released. Koç and Gökdemir were released under judicial control measures, including a ban on leaving the country and an obligation to sign at the police station once a week. The detentions were protested in several cities, including İstanbul, İzmir, Denizli and Ankara.

11 June 2025

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued an indictment against BirGün executives for publishing a report mentioning Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. Board Chair İbrahim Aydın, Publishing Coordinator Uğur Koç, and Responsible Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir are charged with “publicly insulting a public official” (Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code) and “targeting a person involved in counter-terrorism” (Articles 6/1-f and 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law). It was decided that no prosecution would be initiated against Publishing Coordinator Berkant Gültekin, who was detained on the same day.

The indictment claims the article contained “derogatory” expressions exceeding freedom of expression. The prosecution seeks prison sentences of two to five years. The first hearing will be held on 30 June at the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court.