The answer depends on the kind of case: criminal and damages proceedings are governed by different provisions, and correction and reply disputes follow a third regime.
Criminal cases: Article 27 of Law No. 5187
“Of the cases brought for offences committed through printed works or online news sites, or for other offences provided for in this Law, those falling within assize business shall be heard in the assize courts and the others in the criminal courts of first instance.”
Article 27(2) contains an unusual rule: “Where there is more than one chamber of the assize court or of the criminal court of first instance in a locality, such cases shall be heard in chamber number two.”
| Matter | Rule | Paragraph |
|---|---|---|
| Cases falling within assize business | The assize court | Art. 27(1) |
| Other cases | The criminal court of first instance | Art. 27(1) |
| Where there is more than one chamber | Chamber number two | Art. 27(2) |
| Character of the proceedings | Treated as urgent business | Art. 27(3) |
Correction and reply disputes: the criminal judgeship of peace
Where a correction and reply text is not published, or is published contrary to the rules, the forum is different and each regime provides separately.
| Regime | Court | Period | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law No. 5187, Art. 14(5) (print, online) | The criminal judge of peace of the place where the applicant is | 15 days | 3 days, without a hearing |
| Law No. 6112, Art. 18(2) (private radio and television) | The criminal court of peace of the applicant’s place of residence; Ankara if resident abroad | 10 days | 3 days, without a hearing |
| Law No. 2954, Art. 27(d) (TRT) | Ankara Criminal Judgeship of Peace | 2 days | Within 2 days at the latest |
Article 27(d) of Law No. 2954 offers a practical convenience: “The right holder may also lodge the objection with the court of the place where they are, for transmission to the Ankara Criminal Judgeship of Peace.”
Damages: the claimant chooses
Article 25(5) of the Civil Code: “A claimant may bring an action for the protection of personality rights in the court of their own domicile or that of the defendant.”
That is an important rule in practice: a local reader may sue a national publication in their own province, without having to travel to where the publisher is based.
Service: the place of management of the publication
Article 29 of Law No. 5187: “The place of management of a periodical shall be deemed, for the purposes of service, the domicile of the owner of the publication and of their representative and, for so long as they remain in office, of the responsible editor.”
That provision settles where service on the staff of a publishing organisation is to be made and starts time running. Keeping the place of management up to date prevents periods expiring unnoticed.
Administrative decisions: the administrative court
In broadcasting, RTUK’s administrative sanction decisions go not to the criminal courts but to administrative justice. Under Article 32/9 of Law No. 6112 recourse is had under Law No. 2577 on Administrative Procedure, and an action in the administrative court must be brought within fifteen days of notification. Under Article 47/3 of that Law the Ankara administrative courts have jurisdiction in actions against the Supreme Council.
| Dispute | Forum |
|---|---|
| Press offences (criminal) | Assize / criminal court of first instance; chamber number two where there is more than one |
| Personality rights and damages | The court of the claimant’s or the defendant’s domicile |
| Correction and reply (print, online) | The criminal judgeship of peace of the place where the applicant is |
| Correction and reply (radio and television) | The criminal court of peace of the place of residence; Ankara if abroad |
| Correction and reply (TRT) | Ankara Criminal Judgeship of Peace |
| RTUK administrative sanction decision | Ankara administrative court |
| Publication ban under Law No. 6112, Art. 7 | Directly the Council of State |
Which offences fall within assize business
Article 27(1) draws the line by reference to “those falling within assize business”, and that characterisation follows the general provisions of criminal procedure. Because the Press Law’s own offences (Articles 18, 20 and 21 among them) carry judicial fines, they are as a rule heard in the criminal court of first instance; where the content of a report constitutes an offence under the Criminal Code, the gravity of that offence governs.
The filing deadline is covered in the deadline guide and the identity of the defendant in the defendant guide.