Merdan Yanardağ in court today

Journalist Merdan Yanardağ will appear in court today. The hearing, to be held by the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court in Silivri, is expected to begin at 10:00 a.m.

The first hearing in the espionage case against Yanardağ, who has been detained for 333 days, began on May 11, 2026. During the sessions held between May 11 and 13, Yanardağ presented his defense on May 12, and the court decided to continue the detention of the defendants and adjourned the case.

In the second hearing held on July 6, 2026, the court ruled for the continued detention of Merdan Yanardağ, Ekrem İmamoğlu, Necati Özkan, and Hüseyin Gün, and postponed the next hearing of the case to September 29, 2026.

Yanardağ was taken into custody from his home on October 24, 2025, as part of an espionage investigation launched against CHP's detained presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu. During the same process, police searched Yanardağ's home and his office at TELE1, and a trustee was appointed to TELE1 following his detention.

News Source: 12punto