Turkish journalist Erdal Süsem remains jailed 25 years despite multiple court rulings

Erdal Süsem, a former editor of September Arts and Literature Magazine, has been confined in Tekirdağ No. 1 F-Type High Security Closed Prison for nearly a quarter of a century. He sent a letter asserting that, although the European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2019 that his Article 6(1) right to a fair trial was breached, the Istanbul 12th Heavy Penal Court dismissed his retrial request. The Constitutional Court of Turkey reinforced this finding in September 2022, declaring a violation of his Article 36 constitutional right and ordering a new trial.

The Third Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals overturned the original verdict in April 2025, and the Court of Cassation required the retrial to follow procedural rules, yet the Istanbul court has ignored these directives, refusing evidence collection and witness hearings. Süsem’s motion to recuse the judge was also denied. He faces a further hearing on October 6, 2026, and urges journalists and the public to back his cause.