Journalist İsmail Saymaz, a former reporter for Hürriyet newspaper, was put on trial at the Niğde 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on charge of “obtaining and disseminating personal data” for having reported on March 10, 2020 that the prosecutor who applied for a test-tube baby treatment raided a private hospital in Kayseri province.

Saymaz will give his statement at İstanbul Çağlayan Courthouse via the Audio and Visual Information System (March 18). 

The first hearing of the trial was held at the Niğde 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on December 9, 2021. At the hearing held upon instruction, İsmail Saymaz and his lawyers Aslı Kazan and Serdar Laçin were present in the courtroom. The next hearing will be held on March 29, 2022 (December 9).

At the hearing held on March 29, 2022, İsmail Saymaz’s lawyer Aslı Kazan requested the camera footage about the incident. The court rejected the request and sent the file to the prosecutor’s office for the preparation of the opinion as to the accusations. The next hearing will be held on June 28 (March 29).

At the hearing held on June 28, 2022, the court ruled that the Presidency’s Communications Directorate should be asked “whether Saymaz was in the profession of journalism” at the time when he made the related news and “if yes, the relevant documents should be sent” to the court. The next hearing will be held on October 4 (June 28).

At the hearing held on October 4, 2022, the trial was held on the file as the judge was on leave. The next hearing will be held on October 25 (October 4).

At the hearing held on October 25, 2022, the hearing was held on the file as the judge was on leave. The next hearing will be held on January 10, 2023 (October 25).

At the hearing held on January 10, 2023, Saymaz and his lawyer did not attend the hearing. The court adjourned the trial. The next hearing will be held on February 14 (January 10).