Journalist’s house arrest revoked

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has lifted a house arrest order imposed on journalist Özlem Gürses approximately 50 days after she was sentenced due to her remarks on social media.

Gürses on Feb. 12 announced the decision to lift her sentence during a broadcast at the Sözcü TV studios.

"Time, no matter how interminable it may seem, eventually passes; problems, no matter how intractable, find resolution. I am back at my post, in my studio, resuming my work."

 In December 2024, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against Gürses over a remark she made about the Turkish Armed Forces during a broadcast on her YouTube channel.

 Apprehended in the capital Ankara, Gürses was subsequently transferred to Istanbul.

 In her testimony before the prosecutor’s office, she contended that a brief excerpt from the broadcast had been selectively disseminated across social media, inciting a targeted vilification campaign against her.

 Charged with "insulting the state's military or security apparatus," Gürses was referred to court with a request for her arrest. The court, however, opted for a house arrest order and an international travel ban instead.

 Throughout the duration of her house arrest, Gürses continued to broadcast from her home.