Türkiye: Justice System Abuse of Protesters, Journalists, Lawyers
Acquittals in Turkey: Protesters and Journalists Released, Trials Postponed
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Recent Acquittals and Ongoing Legal Battles
eighty-seven protesters were acquitted today in connection with mass demonstrations that followed the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu. This acquittal follows similar outcomes yesterday, where eight journalists and four lawyers were also acquitted of charges related to the same protests.
Amnesty International issued a public statement responding to these acquittals.
Today’s decision hearing follows two previous trials which also recently ended with wholesale acquittals.
Postponement in ‘Insulting the President’ Case
A separate hearing today concerned 13 protesters prosecuted for allegedly ‘insulting the president.’ These protesters have been held in pre-trial detention for nearly three months, between March and may of this year.
Their hearing has been postponed until May 2026. The court has referred the case file to the National Criminal Bureau to determine if photographic evidence supports the accusations.
During the hearing, a lawyer representing the President requested the court to find the defendants guilty, arguing that ‘his honor had been damaged by the actions of the defendants.’