13.03.2026 02:39
A decision has been made regarding journalists Nazlı Ilıcak and Ahmet Altan, who are being retried in the case related to FETÖ's media structure, which has "coup connotations." The Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court sentenced the two to prison for the crime of "aiding a terrorist organization." The court panel sentenced Nazlı Ilıcak to 3 years and 9 months, and Ahmet Altan to 4 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "aiding a terrorist organization."
The trial regarding the media structure of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) has concluded in the case where the Court of Cassation had previously overturned the file three times.
In the hearing held at the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, the defendant Nazlı Ilıcak, who is not in custody, attended with her lawyers. In her defense, Ilıcak stated that she is innocent and requested her acquittal.
The court panel sentenced Nazlı Ilıcak to 3 years and 9 months in prison for "aiding a terrorist organization," while Ahmet Altan received a sentence of 4 years and 6 months.
The case was opened as part of the investigation into FETÖ's media structure and had caused public debates for a long time. After the Court of Cassation's overturning decisions, the file was re-evaluated, and the court announced its final decision.
TRIAL PROCESS
The Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court had announced its first decision regarding the defendants accused of knowing about FETÖ's coup attempt on July 15, 2016, in advance and making calls for the coup on screens on February 16, 2018.
In this decision, the court panel ruled that 6 defendants, including Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, and Nazlı Ilıcak, should be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order of the Republic of Turkey by using force and violence or to replace it with another order or to prevent the effective implementation of this order."
The 16th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, which reviewed the appeal of the decision, overturned the aggravated life sentences given to the 6 defendants for the crime of "violating the constitution."
The Chamber determined that the actions of Ahmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak constituted the crime of "knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization," not "violating the constitution," and stated that it could not be proven that these defendants participated as perpetrators in the crime of "violating the constitution."
Following the Constitutional Court's decision that "the individual's freedom and security were violated," the high court, which ordered the release of Mehmet Altan under judicial control provisions, requested his acquittal due to the lack of sufficient and convincing evidence. It concluded that the actions of the defendants Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül, Fevzi Yazıcı, and Yakup Şimşek constituted the crime of "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order," not "membership in a terrorist organization."
Subsequently, the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, which conducted a retrial, sentenced Ahmet Altan to 10 years and 6 months for "knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization without being a member," and Nazlı Ilıcak to 8 years and 9 months in prison on November 4, 2019.
The panel, which ruled for Mehmet Altan's acquittal due to the lack of sufficient, conclusive, credible, and indisputable evidence for his conviction, decided to sentence the defendants Fevzi Yazıcı and Yakup Şimşek to 11 years and 3 months each, and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül to 12 years in prison for the crime of "membership in a terrorist organization."
The 16th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation overturned the ruling regarding Ahmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak on the grounds that the reduction specified in Article 220/7 of the Turkish Penal Code was not applied.
The ruling regarding the defendants Fevzi Yazıcı and Yakup Şimşek was upheld by the Court of Cassation. Following the defendants' application to the Ministry of Justice for "overturning in favor of the law," the file was reviewed by the Court of Cassation, and the ruling regarding the defendants was overturned because some witnesses were not heard before the decision was made.
While the file was sent back to the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül passed away in prison from a heart attack in July 2022, and the acquittal decision regarding Mehmet Altan was upheld.
LOCAL COURT RENDERED A DECISION FOR THE THIRD TIME ON FEBRUARY 14, 2024
The court panel, which concluded the case for the third time on February 14, 2024, sentenced the defendant Nazlı Ilıcak to 5 years and 3 months in prison for "knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization without being a member."
The panel also sentenced Ahmet Altan to 6 years, 3 months, and 18 days, and Fevzi Yazıcı to 2 years and 1 month in prison for the same crime.
The panel ruled for the acquittal of the defendant Yakup Şimşek on the grounds that it was not established that he committed the crime of "membership in a terrorist organization," while it decided to continue the judicial control measure regarding the travel ban imposed on defendants Ilıcak and Altan.
The third ruling was also overturned by the Court of Cassation.