09 December 2025
Journalist Gülcan Dereli is being tried under Article 220/6 of the Turkish Penal Code for “aiding a terrorist organisation” for submitting freelance articles to Yeni Özgür Politika and PolitikArt. At the first hearing before the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court, Dereli said she is a freelance journalist and rejected the idea that journalism or receiving payment for articles could be a crime. The court lifted judicial control measures, sent the file to the prosecutor, and adjourned the hearing to 17 February 2026. Journalists Erdoğan Alayumat, Tuğçe Yılmaz, Suzan Demir and Kemal Taylan Abatan are also on trial in the same case.
