Nisa Sude Demirel, a reporter for the leftist daily Evrensel, was among the field reporters and photojournalists who were taken into custody during the protests that erupted following the imprisonment of Istanbul’s opposition Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in March 2025.
On March 28, Istanbul police detained Demirel and Elif Bayburt, a reporter with leftist outlet ETHA, at their houses for covering the Istanbul protests. They were both released under judicial control the following day pending trial.
Demirel, Bayburt and 27 other defendants were charged with violating Turkey’s laws about public gatherings and not disassembling when asked by the police. The trial began on April 19 Both journalists pleaded not guilty and stated that they were present at the protests as journalists, not as participants. The trial will resume on October 17.