TGC: Journalists obstructed at the trial of our murdered colleague Hakan Tosun
The Board of Directors of the Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC) attended the trial of the murdered journalist Hakan Tosun.
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The first hearing of the case regarding the attack that resulted in the death of environmental journalist and life rights advocate Hakan Tosun was held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 14:00 at the Bakırköy 17th High Criminal Court.
The hearing was attended on behalf of the TGC Board of Directors by Secretary General Sibel Güneş and Deputy Secretary General Uğur Güç.
Before the trial began, journalists were prevented from observing the proceedings. Security forces intervened against the journalists and lawyers. Following the scuffle, the court panel allowed journalists to watch the hearing from a room via SEGBİS (Audio and Visual Information System).
TGC Secretary General Sibel Güneş and Deputy Secretary General Uğur Güç made a statement after the hearing:
“Our colleague Hakan Tosun, who continued his independent journalism work and was the voice and eyes of the public through his environmental reports and documentaries, lost his life in an attack by a group while he was going home in Esenyurt on Friday, October 10, 2025.
As representatives of the Journalists Association of Turkey, we requested to meet with the presiding judge today to ensure that all journalists could observe the trial of our murdered colleague. However, the presiding judge did not allow all journalists to observe the case.
Security forces intervened harshly against the journalists. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression were violated once again. The right of journalists to observe trials is under constitutional protection. The harsh intervention of security forces against journalists is unacceptable. Journalism is not a crime. This decision taken by the court creates a deterrent effect on journalists following the judicial process. It casts a shadow over the openness and transparency of the trial.
This situation is a violation of the public's right to receive information, which is protected by Article 28 of the Constitution. We urgently demand that the court panel make the necessary arrangements so that journalists can observe the case under healthy conditions.”