Turkey Holds ETHA Editor on Terrorism Charges After Raid
An editor for the Etkin News Agency remains jailed in Turkey on terrorism charges, with her trial set for December, following a February raid linked to a
A Turkish court has ordered journalist Nadiye Gürbüz to remain in prison until at least December, rejecting her release pending trial on terrorism charges. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) demanded her immediate freedom on September 17, 2026, condemning the use of anti-terror laws to criminalize journalism.
Gürbüz, an editor at the socialist Etkin News Agency (ETHA), was arrested in a police raid on February 3, 2026. The operation targeted the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and civil society groups suspected of links to the banned Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP). Authorities detained over 100 people, including Gürbüz and her ETHA colleagues, editor Pınar Gayıp and reporter Elif Bayburt.
Basis of the Charges
All three journalists were formally arrested on February 5 and charged with membership in a terrorist organization. CPJ reviewed the indictments and monitored their separate court hearings in Istanbul in mid-September. Prosecutors built their case solely on the journalists' employment at ETHA and their attendance at certain public events. Each journalist denied being a member of the MLKP in court.
While the court released Gayıp and Bayburt pending trial, it ruled Gürbüz must stay jailed because not all witnesses had been heard. She has now been imprisoned for more than seven months.
Upcoming Trial Schedule
The court has set the next hearing dates for the three journalists. The proceedings will continue into December.
| Journalist | Next Hearing Date |
|---|---|
| Pınar Gayıp | December 7, 2026 |
| Nadiye Gürbüz | December 8, 2026 |
| Elif Bayburt | December 10, 2026 |
CPJ's Condemnation
CPJ's Turkey representative, Özgür Öğret, criticized the proceedings. "Three journalists have lost more than seven months of their lives behind bars," Öğret said. He argued the authorities should free Gürbüz immediately and end trials where journalism is treated as evidence of a crime.
The organization stated that Turkish authorities must stop abusing anti-terrorism legislation to prevent journalists from working. CPJ emailed the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office for comment but received no reply. The hearings were held in the 23rd, 25th, and 24th Istanbul Courts of Serious Crimes.
