On Thursday, November 6, 2025, six prominent Turkish journalists found themselves at the center of a legal and political storm after being summoned by Istanbul police. The summons, issued early in the morning, was tied to allegations that the journalists had disseminated false information about Istanbul’s imprisoned opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office instructed police to take statements from the journalists as part of an expanding investigation into what authorities have labeled the “Imamoglu criminal organization for profit.”
The journalists—Soner Yalcin, Saban Sevinc, Asli Aydintasbas, Rusen Cakir, Yavuz Oghan, and Batuhan Colak—are all well-known figures in Turkey’s media landscape. According to statements from the prosecutor’s office, they were questioned on charges of “publicly disseminating false information and aiding a criminal organization.” However, it remains unclear whether any formal charges have been filed or whether the journalists face possible prosecution. The early-morning police visits were not limited to questioning; officers also confiscated the journalists’ phones, a move that has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates and opposition politicians alike.
This latest episode is deeply entwined with the ongoing legal saga surrounding Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a leading figure in Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP). Imamoglu, who has been widely regarded as the most formidable challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule, was arrested in March 2025 alongside dozens of Istanbul municipality officials over corruption allegations. Since then, Imamoglu has remained in prison, awaiting trial on charges that his supporters and many international observers claim are politically motivated.
The arrest of Imamoglu triggered the largest street protests Turkey has seen in over a decade. Thousands poured into the streets of Istanbul and other major cities, voicing their anger over what they view as a blatant attempt to sideline a popular opposition leader. The protests, reminiscent of the 2013 Gezi Park demonstrations, underscored the depth of public frustration with the current administration’s approach to dissent and political competition.
In a statement to the press, CHP deputy chairman Burhanettin Bulut condemned the police actions against the journalists, describing them as a clear attempt to intimidate and silence both the opposition and the free press. “This ‘de facto detention’ is a clear threat aimed at intimidating, silencing and suppressing the entire opposition and the free press,” Bulut said, as reported by ABC and other international outlets. He went further, warning, “This systematic pressure on the press in Turkey has now turned into a witch hunt.”
The journalists summoned by authorities have all previously questioned the legitimacy of the cases against Imamoglu, with many in Turkey and abroad seeing the charges as part of a broader pattern of politically motivated prosecutions. The government, for its part, maintains that the courts are acting independently and that the legal proceedings are based on evidence rather than politics. Still, the timing and nature of the police actions have fueled suspicions among critics that the judiciary is being used as a tool to suppress dissent and stifle investigative reporting.
Adding to the complexity of Imamoglu’s legal troubles, another case was launched against him on October 27, 2025, this time alleging espionage. The details of the espionage allegations remain murky, but the new charges have amplified concerns about the breadth and scope of the campaign against the opposition leader. If convicted on any of the charges he faces, Imamoglu could be sentenced to prison and permanently banned from political activity—a prospect that has alarmed supporters of democratic pluralism in Turkey.
The developments come against the backdrop of a troubling decline in press freedom in Turkey. According to the 2025 press freedom index published by Reporters Without Borders, Turkey now ranks 159th out of 180 countries—a stark indicator of the challenges facing journalists and media organizations in the country. The low ranking reflects not only high-profile cases like that of Imamoglu and the six journalists but also a broader environment in which independent reporting is increasingly fraught with risk.
The government’s insistence on judicial independence has done little to quell criticism from opposition parties and international observers. Many point to a pattern of prosecutions targeting journalists, opposition figures, and civil society activists as evidence of a broader crackdown on dissent. The confiscation of mobile phones from the journalists, for instance, is seen by many as an attempt to disrupt their ability to communicate and report freely—a tactic that has become all too familiar in recent years.
For the journalists at the heart of the current controversy, the ordeal is both professional and personal. They have long been outspoken in their criticism of what they see as the politicization of Turkey’s legal system and have repeatedly called for greater transparency and accountability in the handling of high-profile cases. Their willingness to question the official narrative has made them targets, but it has also earned them respect among many Turks who value press freedom and democratic norms.
The wider implications of the case extend far beyond the individuals involved. With Imamoglu’s arrest and the subsequent targeting of journalists who report on his case, many observers fear that Turkey is entering a new phase of political repression. The scale of the street protests following Imamoglu’s detention suggests that a significant portion of the population is unwilling to accept what they see as the erosion of democratic institutions and freedoms.
As Turkey prepares for future elections and the possibility of further political upheaval, the fate of Imamoglu—and of the journalists now under investigation—will likely serve as a barometer for the country’s democratic health. The outcome of these cases could shape not only the immediate political landscape but also the long-term prospects for freedom of expression and the rule of law in Turkey.
For now, the six journalists await clarity on their legal status, while Imamoglu remains behind bars, his political future—and perhaps that of Turkish democracy itself—hanging in the balance.
