Şirin Kabakçı, the former Konya bureau chief of the shuttered newspaper Zaman, was arrested on May 11, 2017. Kabakçı is standing trial for the charge of “membership in a terrorist organisation”.
The 35th High Criminal Court of Istanbul decided on his release pending trial, on December 26, 2018.
In its interim ruling at the end of the hearing, the court ruled to start the procedures for taking the testimony of a witness who asked to benefit from effective remorse provisions. and adjourned the trial until 15 October 2019.
At the last hearing the İstanbul Prosecution Office demanded Kabakçı to be sentenced for the alleged offense. The next hearing will be held on February 20,2020 (3 December)
At the hearing on February 20, 2020, Kabakçı was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for “membership in a terrorist organisation”. Kabakçı was acquitted for the “violating the confidentiality of an investigation” and it was ruled to separate the “libel” charge against Kabakcı (20 February).