Gerçek Gündem editor Furkan Karabay was detained on December 26 for a news report on the judiciary; he was asked about the source of the news report at the Vatan Security Directorate. Karabay was charged with “targeting a person involved in the fight against terrorism” (TMK 6/1) and “slander” (TCK 367) for mentioning the name of a prosecutor in the report. The journalist was arrested by Istanbul 7th Criminal Judicature of Peace. Karabay’s lawyer Enes Ermaner reacted to his client’s prolonged incommunicado detention on social media and said, “I hope this practice does not lead to ill-treatment” (December 28 – 29).
The second hearing of the case was held at the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court on July 2. The court lifted Karabay’s international travel ban and the hearing was adjourned until October 1 (July 2nd).