A Turkish court on Monday acquitted human rights defender and LGBTQ+ activist Enes Hocaoğulları of charges of “publicly spreading misleading information” and “inciting hatred and enmity,” ending a case that had prompted criticism from international rights groups and European institutions, the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) reported.
Hocaoğulları, 24, had been standing trial over remarks he made in March 2025 in Strasbourg, where he addressed the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities as Turkey’s youth delegate and spoke about alleged human rights violations in the country.
In his speech he criticized the dismissal of opposition mayors and police violence against young people.
Hocaoğulları was detained in August upon returning to Turkey and later arrested. At his first hearing on September 8, 2025, the court ordered his release pending trial under judicial supervision, including a travel ban.
Monday’s hearing at an Ankara court was monitored by representatives from a European Union delegation and the embassies of Norway, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland, as well as representatives of Amnesty International and the GoFor association, the umbrella organization of youth organizations in Turkey.
Observers from the İstanbul Bar Association’s Human Rights Center, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, LGBTQ+ organizations and activists were also present in the courtroom.
In his defense Hocaoğulları said five-and-a-half months had passed since the first hearing. “At the first hearing, I said my detention was preventing me from practicing my profession; I have returned to work. I travel abroad and attend diplomatic events,” he told the court.
He added that diplomats have referred to him as “the young person detained for a speech at the Council of Europe.”
“The number of people who heard about the human rights violations I described in a hall of a few hundred has reached millions due to the smear campaign and my detention,” he said.
İnsan hakları savunucusu Enes Hocaoğulları hakkında, ‘halkı yanıltıcı bilgiyi alenen yaymak’ ve ‘halkı kin ve düşmanlığa tahrik’ suçlamasıyla yargılandığı davanın bugün görülen duruşmasında beraat kararı verildi.
🔴 Enes, Mart 2025’te Strasbourg’da Avrupa Konseyi Yerel ve… pic.twitter.com/IV9uayz1bT— Amnesty Türkiye (@aforgutu) February 23, 2026
In a statement following the acquittal, Amnesty International’s Turkey branch said Hocaoğulları should never have been prosecuted for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
“No one should be prosecuted for peacefully speaking out against human rights violations,” the group said.
During earlier hearings Hocaoğulları denied the charges, telling the court he had exercised his right to free speech and that his Strasbourg remarks had been distorted.
The case had been closely followed by diplomats, opposition lawmakers and civil society representatives. A delegation from the Council of Europe’s Congress previously said there was no justification for his prosecution or pretrial detention.
Monday’s ruling brings to a close proceedings that had become a point of concern for rights advocates in Turkey and abroad.