Unending Imprisonment at the Banner Case

The first hearing of the teacher Meral Dönmez and university student Gülşah Işıklı was on April 18, Wednesday at Çağlayan Istanbul Palace of Justice, 15. High Criminal Court. They were on trial due to unfurling a banner "We do not want the missile shield, we want a democratic high school".

The first hearing of the case did not end by release and moreover the hearing was postponed to July 30^th. Dönmez and Işıklı will stay at Kandıra No. 2 T Type Prison for another 3.5 months.

25-year-old Dönmez was graduated from Kocaeli University Faculty of Education in 2009 and she was giving private lessons as she couldn't be appointed. Dönmez and 23-year-old student Işıklı stated at the hearing that they were against war and they used their constitutional rights.

The terrorist organization behind the banner

Dönmez and Işıklı were taken into custody on December 3, 2011 as they unfurled a "We do not want the missile shield , we want a democratic high school" banner on December 3, 2011 from the window of lawyer Hurşit Berk's law firm. The women were under arrest on December 5, 2011.

At the official written accusation, the women were accused due to their participation in to press release meeting organized in Kocaeli Sabri Yalım Park and their slogans such as "Neither the U.S. nor the EU, fully independent Turkey" and "No to missile shield". They are on trial by the Article 220/6 of Turkish Penal Law "committing crimes on behalf of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C) without being a member of that organization" and the Article 7/2 of Anti-Terror Law "making propaganda for a terrorist organization" and "making a person deprived of liberty, violation of freedom of operation, violation of the inviolability of the workplace".

"Should we commit the crimes of Ağar?"

At her deposition at the trial, Işıklı stated that she had the right for free education, she demanded a right that exists at the Constitution and there's a need for education budget, not war.

Dönmez said that she was beaten, her eyes were effected due to the pepper gas while she was taken into custody in Kocaeli and she lodged a claim.

"Should we commit the crimes of Mehmet Ağar in order to walk around freely?" she asked. She also said that she was against the war and the missile shield would lead to such a danger in the region.

Both of them said that they were protesting against the policies of the government in the region. CHP (Republican People's Party) Tunceli Deputy Hüseyin Aygün participated the hearing and in his statement to bianet, he asked "Why the hearing postponed so much as there're no evidence that will be collected? This trial shows that there's a threat for anyone who criticize the U.S. Military base in the region."