09 December 2025
Journalist Erdoğan Alayumat is facing trial under Article 220/6 of the Turkish Penal Code for “aiding a terrorist organisation” over freelance articles he wrote for Germany-based Yeni Özgür Politika and PolitikArt. At the first hearing at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court, Alayumat stated that he was paid for journalism work and that freelance journalism should not be criminalised. The court lifted judicial control measures, referred the file to the prosecutor for preparation of the final opinion, and adjourned the hearing to 17 February 2026. Journalists Tuğçe Yılmaz, Suzan Demir, Gülcan Dereli and Kemal Taylan Abatan are also on trial in the same case.
