Fine and prison sentence verdict for Esra Işık in Akbelen case

A verdict has been reached regarding Esra Işık, who was on trial following protests against the urgent expropriation decision in the area surrounding the Akbelen Forest in the Milas district of Muğla. The Milas 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance ruled that Işık had committed the crime of "publicly insulting a public official due to their duty" and imposed a judicial fine of 44,200 liras.

The court increased the sentence, assessing that the crime of insult was committed publicly and against more than one public official. For this charge, it was decided to defer the announcement of the verdict.

Işık was also sentenced to prison for the crime of "resisting to prevent the performance of a duty." The court ruled that the conditions for deferring the announcement of the verdict, suspension, or conversion to alternative sanctions were not met regarding this sentence.

In addition to Işık and her lawyers, representatives of environmental organizations and villagers also attended the hearing.

HOW DID THE PROCESS BEGIN?

The urgent expropriation of a total of 679 parcels of agricultural land located in the Bağdamları, Çakıralan, Çamköy, İkizköy, Karacaağaç, and Karacahisar neighborhoods around the Akbelen Forest for the purpose of supplying coal to the Yeniköy Thermal Power Plant had been decided by a Presidential Decree dated January 10, 2026.

An expert discovery was conducted in the region on March 30 as part of the lawsuits filed by the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs for valuation and seizure procedures. During the discovery, Esra Işık from İkizköy, who opposed the expropriation decision, was detained late that same night and was arrested by the court to which she was referred on March 31.

Işık was released on May 11 with a travel ban and judicial control conditions. In the second hearing of the case, it was decided to lift the judicial control measure of a travel ban.