All Defendants Acquit from Taksim Solidarity Case

In Gezi case with 26 defendants from Taksim Solidarity including Chamber of Architects, Head of Environmental Impact Assessment Commission, Mücella Yapıcı and the Secretary General at the Chamber of Architects Istanbul Branch, Ali Çerkezoğlu the court announced the verdict.

Being held in 33. Penal Court of First Instance, the court gave the verdict of all defendants’ acquittal.

Previously, what happened?

The members of Taksim Solidarity were detained on July 8, 2013, after Istanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu reopened the Gezi Park.

 Opening on June of 2014, the case indictment charged Mücella Yapıcı, the Secretary General of the Chamber of Architects Istanbul Branch, Ali Çerkezoğlu, the Secretary General of Istanbul Chamber of Medicine, Ender İmrek, the vice president of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Beyza Metin, Istanbul Branch Chairman at the Chamber of Electrical Engineers and Haluk Ağabeyoğlu, a member of Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK)  with “creating and conducting an illegal organization” as per  Turkish Penal Code Law No. 220 Article 1. The defendants faced imprisonment up to 17 years according to Turkish Penal Code Law No. 220 Article 1. 

Other 21 suspects were charged with prison sentence up to 10-years. The accused were also on trial for opposition to the Law No. 2911 on Public Gatherings and Demonstrations. The indictment also claimed that Taksim Solidarity’s call to gather in Taksim Square and Gezi Park was a “provocation.  (EA/CB)