From attacks on personality rights through the press to the correction and reply (tekzip) process, and from online content removal and access blocking to RTÜK disputes, Av. Aydın stands by you in every area of press and media law. We offer solutions that respect the balance between freedom of expression and personality rights and meet the demands of the digital age.
Press and media law is a dynamic field of law that governs the delicate balance between freedom of expression and individuals' honor, dignity and private life, covering a broad spectrum that stretches from traditional print media to social media. A newspaper report, a television broadcast or a single post shared on social media can reach vast audiences within a short time and profoundly affect a person's reputation and rights. As the internet has become ubiquitous, the speed at which content spreads has grown, and disputes in this field have diversified accordingly. In such situations, taking swift and correct legal steps is of vital importance. An experienced press and media lawyer in Izmir prevents the loss of rights by determining the right legal strategy, both in protecting personality rights and in defending freedom of expression and of the press.
Press and media law encompasses a large body of legislation — most notably the Turkish Press Law No. 5187 (Basın Kanunu), Law No. 6112 on the Establishment of Radio and Television Enterprises and Their Media Services (Radyo ve Televizyonların Kuruluş ve Yayın Hizmetleri Hakkında Kanun) and Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Publications on the Internet (İnternet Ortamında Yapılan Yayınların Düzenlenmesi Hakkında Kanun) — together with the relevant provisions of the Turkish Civil Code (Türk Medeni Kanunu) and the Turkish Penal Code (Türk Ceza Kanunu). Across this broad field, a press and media lawyer in Izmir must be able to assess both the lawfulness of a report or broadcast and the protection of personality rights at the same time. Our main areas of service are as follows:
In every one of these dispute types, a press and media lawyer in Izmir may act either for the victim whose personality rights have been violated or for the publisher, journalist or platform that produces news, broadcasts and content. As Av. Aydın, we believe that being able to evaluate a file from both of these perspectives provides a significant advantage in striking the right balance between freedom of expression and personality rights.
At the heart of press and media law lie two fundamental values that frequently come into conflict: on one side, freedom of expression and of the press guaranteed by the Turkish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights; on the other, individuals' personality rights concerning their honor, dignity and private life. In a democratic society, the press's function of informing the public and holding power to account is extremely important; that function, however, does not confer an unlimited license to violate individuals' rights.
In judicial practice, a publication is considered lawful only where certain criteria are met together. These can generally be summarized as follows: the report must be true and current; there must be public benefit and general interest; there must be a substantive connection between the subject matter and the expression used; and proportionality must be observed in the manner in which the report is presented. Where these criteria are satisfied together, the publication may be deemed lawful even if it interferes with personality rights. Conversely, publications that are untrue, disproportionate or aimed solely at demeaning a person are unlawful. A press and media lawyer in Izmir evaluates the specific publication in light of these criteria and determines which legal course to follow on whichever side of the dispute.
One of the fastest and most effective remedies available to a person confronted with a publication that violates their personality rights or contains untrue information is the right of correction and reply. Known in Turkish as tekzip, this mechanism gives the person the opportunity to respond to the publication in the same outlet and under comparable conditions. Compared with litigation, a correction and reply can produce results far more quickly and is an important tool aimed at repairing a person's reputation without delay.
The process essentially begins when the person concerned submits the correction and reply text to the organization that made the publication. It is very important that the text be drafted lawfully, proportionately and in connection with the publication, because a reply text that contains unlawful elements or violates the rights of third parties may not be published. If the media organization fails to publish the text in due time and in the proper form, the person concerned may apply to the criminal judgeship of peace and request a decision ordering publication of the correction and reply. Specific deadlines must be followed meticulously at every stage of this process; missing a deadline can lead to the loss of the right altogether. A press and media lawyer in Izmir plays a decisive role both in drafting a legally sound reply text and in conducting the application and court stages correctly.
The spread of the internet and social media forms the fastest-developing branch of press and media law. Unlike traditional print media, online content can spread without borders and at great speed; once material has been published, containing its impact can prove far more difficult. For this reason, responding quickly in legal terms to online publications is critical for the protection of personality rights.
Under Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Publications on the Internet, persons whose personality rights have been violated may request that the content be removed from publication and that access to it be blocked. As a rule, these applications are made to the criminal judgeship of peace, which evaluates the request and may order that access to the content be blocked or that the content be taken down. In addition, individuals may also apply directly to the content provider or the hosting provider and request removal of the content.
The right to be forgotten (unutulma hakkı) is one of the most topical concepts in this field. It refers to the right to request that information relating to a person's past which has lost its currency and damages their reputation be removed from search engine results or excluded from re-indexing. This right typically arises where old news items that no longer serve any current public interest continue to affect a person's life. The right to be forgotten is not unlimited, however; requests are assessed by weighing factors such as the public interest, the currency of the report and the level of general concern. A press and media lawyer in Izmir identifies the most suitable application route in disputes over digital content, taking into account both the technical process and the legal balances involved.
Press and media law covers not only the protection of personality rights but also the safeguarding of the freedom to receive and impart information. In performing their duty of informing the public, journalists hold important rights along with the responsibilities that flow from them. Protection of news sources, access to information and the freedom to report are among the indispensable guarantees of the press in a democratic society.
At the same time, this freedom brings with it responsibilities such as remaining faithful to truth and accuracy, observing the public interest and refraining from disproportionate violations of personality rights. Reports that are untrue, published without verification or aimed solely at targeting an individual can give rise to both civil and criminal liability. Here, a press and media lawyer in Izmir helps journalists and media organizations head off potential disputes by providing pre-publication legal risk assessments. Legal support is likewise provided in defending members of the press who face unjust accusations, within the framework of the freedom to report.
The fee charged by a press and media lawyer is one of the questions asked most often at the outset. The most important factors determining the fee are the type and scope of the dispute and the anticipated workload. Preparing a single correction and reply application and conducting a compensation lawsuit that may run for years differ considerably in the effort and expertise they demand. The table below is intended to provide a general framework for fees; it does not state exact figures but shows the factors that influence them.
| Type of Matter / Case | Main Factors Affecting the Fee |
|---|---|
| Legal consultancy / pre-publication risk assessment | Scope of the issue, volume of content to be reviewed and urgency |
| Correction and reply (tekzip) application | Scope of drafting the text, application and court proceedings |
| Content removal and access-blocking application | Number of content items, variety of platforms and urgency of the matter |
| Compensation lawsuit arising from attacks on personality rights | Scope of the compensation claimed, volume of evidence and length of proceedings |
| Criminal proceedings for insult / calumny through the press | Number of hearings, complexity of the file and expected workload |
| Objection and lawsuit against RTÜK sanctions | Nature of the administrative act and scope of preparing the legal petition |
Under no circumstances may attorney fees be set below the Minimum Attorney Fee Tariff (Avukatlık Asgari Ücret Tarifesi, AAÜT) published each year by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Türkiye Barolar Birliği). This tariff safeguards the minimum value of legal services and constitutes the lower limit of any fee. Fees above the tariff are agreed freely according to the characteristics of the dispute, the effort it will require and the level of expertise needed. As Av. Aydın, we provide transparent fee information after evaluating your file and clarifying its scope in a preliminary consultation; committing to a definite figure without examining the specific file would not be a sound approach.
A distinction that is often confused also deserves attention here. The attorney fee (vekâlet ücreti) paid to your lawyer is the consideration for legal services and rests on the agreement between client and attorney. Litigation costs, by contrast, are items paid to the state or to third parties during proceedings, such as court fees, expert fees, service and postage expenses. These two categories are independent of each other. Depending on the outcome of the case, a counter attorney fee (karşı vekâlet ücreti) that the court may impose on the opposing party can also come into play; this fee is a separate concept from the fee agreed with your own lawyer. Discussing these items openly from the start when working with a press and media lawyer in Izmir prevents surprise costs and keeps the process predictable.
One of the questions most frequently searched online is "who is the best press and media lawyer in Izmir". To answer honestly: there is no single "best" lawyer for every case. The accurate term is not the "best" lawyer but the lawyer best suited to your case. Every press and media dispute has circumstances of its own: some files call for a rapid content-removal application, while others involve lengthy and technical compensation proceedings. A lawyer experienced in one area may not show the same expertise in a file of an entirely different nature. Rather than hunting for "the best", it is far healthier to focus on finding the lawyer who matches the needs of your case.
Some criteria worth considering when choosing a good press and media lawyer are:
Bear in mind that no lawyer can guarantee the outcome of a press and media dispute in advance, because the decision depends on the concrete evidence, the nature of the publication and the court's discretion. When choosing a press and media lawyer in Izmir, opting for one who evaluates your file honestly and explains the possible scenarios openly — rather than one promising a certain result — will serve your interests in the long run.
Press and media law is a field that demands constant attention to the fine balance between freedom of expression and personality rights, together with technical skill and the ability to move fast. Today, with traditional media and digital platforms intertwined, every dispute calls for a distinct legal strategy owing to its particular circumstances, the nature of the content and the risk of its spreading. As Av. Aydın, we first evaluate the publication or content as a whole, examine whether it is unlawful in light of the established criteria, and determine the most effective course of action together with you.
We support clients in Izmir and the surrounding region at every stage — from compensation lawsuits arising from attacks on personality rights to correction and reply applications, and from online content removal and access-blocking procedures to RTÜK disputes. Our aim is not merely to litigate once a dispute has arisen; wherever possible, we prevent problems from emerging at all through pre-publication legal risk assessment. The losses of rights most commonly seen in this field stem from missed correction-and-reply and application deadlines, delays in having content removed, failure to preserve evidence properly (screenshots, dates, link records and the like) and misjudging the legal character of the publication.
Facing a publication aimed at your reputation or private life, and facing an accusation because of your freedom to report, are both difficult chapters in a person's life. Having an experienced legal advisor at your side in these processes both protects your rights and makes the road ahead more predictable. Whether you are the party whose personality rights have been violated or the journalist, publisher or content creator behind a publication, you are welcome to contact our office with any question concerning press and media law.
Below we have gathered the questions we receive most often as a press and media lawyer in Izmir — from the correction and reply (tekzip) process and online content removal to RTÜK fines — together with our general answers. These explanations are provided for general information only and do not replace legal advice on a specific case, so please contact us for an assessment of your own situation.
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