07/10/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
The first hearing of Kaos GL’s Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar, who was held in pre-trial detention for nearly four months in the HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress) case, will take place on October 13 at 9:20 a.m. at the Ankara 17th High Criminal Court. Kaos GL has called on everyone to attend the hearing to defend press freedom and LGBTI+ rights.
Photo: Yıldız Tar, released on May 30
The first hearing of Kaos GL’s Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar, who was detained for nearly four months, will be held on Monday, October 13 at 9:20 a.m. at the Ankara 17th High Criminal Court.
The Kaos GL Association has issued a call for solidarity in the case, in which Yıldız Tar is charged with “membership of an armed terrorist organization.” The association invited everyone to stand up for press freedom and the struggle for LGBTI+ rights, stating:
“For years, Yıldız Tar has been a voice for truth, justice, and equality. Journalism is not a crime; defending the truth is not a crime. This case is not only an attack on Yıldız, but also on freedom of expression, journalism, and the LGBTI+ movement.
We will gather on Monday, October 13 at 9:20 a.m. at the Ankara Courthouse, in the 17th High Criminal Court, to show that journalism is not a crime and that Yıldız Tar is not alone. We call on all our friends, human rights defenders, media workers, and everyone in solidarity to join us at Ankara Courthouse.”
What happened?
Yıldız Tar was detained from their home in Ankara on February 18, as part of an HDK investigation, on charges of “membership in an armed organization.” On February 21, Tar and 29 others were formally arrested.
Yıldız Tar and İbrahim Halit Elçi, from the Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP) and Siyasi Haber, who was also detained in Ankara, were held for nearly four months in Marmara Prison in Silivri before being released on May 30.
Tar and Elçi will appear before the court for the first time on October 13.
What is Yıldız Tar accused of?
The indictment against Yıldız Tar includes phone conversations and an audio recording from 2012–2013. Based on these, Tar is accused of being a “member of an armed terrorist organization.”
However, the phone records relate to journalistic work and civil society activities. Tar’s peaceful and constitutional actions — such as work on gender equality and coverage of student protests — are being used as grounds for the charge of “membership in an organization.”
Tar was sent directly to detention without giving a statement, and the justification for the arrest was cited as “frequent participation in HDK meetings.”
Tags: human rights, media
