Turkish prosecutors have opened an investigation into a journalist over the alleged disclosure of a confidential state report in a 2022 article, following a complaint by the country’s financial crimes watchdog, the Birgün daily reported.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched the probe into journalist Bahadır Özgür, a Birgün reporter, after a criminal complaint was filed by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), a government agency that monitors financial crimes such as money laundering and terrorism financing.
Prosecutors accuse Özgür of publishing information from a report that authorities say contained intelligence-related material and should have remained confidential.
The investigation centers on a 2022 report published in the BirGün newspaper which alleged that drone parts sourced from China were sold via companies based in the southern province of Mersin to individuals linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group. The article said those involved had obtained Turkish citizenship and were connected to senior ISIL figures later killed in US airstrikes in Syria.
Prosecutors say the article drew on a report prepared by MASAK and Turkish intelligence agencies, which collect classified information on national security threats. The same report had previously been submitted to a court hearing a case concerning the 2015 Ankara train station bombing after defense lawyers requested information about suspects. That means the document was included in the official case file, a point central to the dispute over whether the information was still confidential.
Prosecutors are seeking to pursue charges under multiple provisions of Turkey’s penal code, including articles covering the acquisition and disclosure of information related to state security.
Özgür gave a statement to prosecutors on Thursday, saying the investigation was initiated four years after publication and arguing that the information cited in his article had already been submitted to an open court without a confidentiality order. He denied disclosing state secrets and said the report itself indicated that the relevant authorities had already taken action against the individuals mentioned.
The case adds to ongoing concerns raised by press freedom groups over legal action against journalists in Turkey, particularly in cases involving national security and reporting based on official documents.
Turkey has long faced criticism from international organizations over press freedom. The country was ranked 159th out of 180 countries in the “2025 World Press Freedom Index” published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
