The second hearing of the “insulting the president” case against journalist Hasan Cemal, based on an article published on T24 on January 16, 2016, was held via SEGBIS at the Istanbul 45th Criminal Court of First Instance. Cemal stated, “I did not come here to defend myself; I am here because I defended peace and truth.” He emphasized that he refused to live a lie and that throughout his 57-year career as a journalist, he had always been on the side of democracy, freedom of expression, and peace. The 11-month and 20-day prison sentence handed down in 2017 had been overturned by the Court of Cassation. The court decided to send the case file to the competent court so that proceedings could be carried out in accordance with the overturning ruling.
November 27, 2025
MLSA