26 October 2025
On 26 October 2025, journalist Merdan Yanardağ was arrested as part of an “espionage” investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his advisor Necati Özkan were also arrested under the same investigation.
The testimonies of Merdan Yanardağ, Necati Özkan, and Ekrem İmamoğlu were taken at the Istanbul Courthouse. All three were referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for their arrest. The court ruled for their detention under charges of “espionage.”
Merdan Yanardağ, Editor-in-Chief of TELE1, rejected the accusation that he received money from informant Hüseyin Gün, stating: “I have never received any money from Hüseyin Gün under any circumstances. Either I remember it wrong or he does.” In response to claims that Gün directed him regarding program content, Yanardağ said: “Although my WhatsApp messages with him were included in the case file as if I took instructions from him, these were ordinary exchanges between a viewer and myself.”
In his final statement, Yanardağ said: “I am a leftist and patriotic journalist. It is unimaginable that I would engage in any activity against my country or my people. This is the most vile accusation that could be made against me, and I reject it.”
