The third hearing of the trial of Hatice Şahin, an employee of Yeni Yaşam newspaper, who is accused of “being a member of an organization,” was held at the Diyarbakır 9th Heavy Penal Court. Her previous sentence of 6 years and 3 months in prison for the same charge had been overturned on appeal. Şahin and her lawyer Bahar Oktay attended the hearing; representatives of the DFG and MLSA were also among the observers. Şahin reiterated her previous defense regarding the combined case files, stating that she did not know the alleged individuals and requested her acquittal. His lawyer emphasized that the report in the case file was “abstract” and that there were no law enforcement findings linking it to his client. The court adjourned the hearing until May 5.
Background of the case: Şahin was detained in 2018 as part of the DTK investigation, with the indictment citing statements from confidential witnesses and interviews with news sources as evidence. The 6-year-and-3-month sentence handed down in 2022 was overturned on appeal, citing other ongoing investigations against Şahin, and a retrial began.
November 27, 2025
MLSA