Appeals court upholds sentences in Gezi Park case

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The 3rd Penal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice has upheld the verdict in the case concerning the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

On April 25, the İstanbul 13th Penal Court sentenced Osman Kavala, a businessperson and a rights advocate, to aggravated life imprisonment for "attempting to overthrow the government" and seven others to 18 years in prison for aiding the attempt.

The court concluded that the defendants had financed and organized the protests where millions of people took to the street against the government all across Türkiye.

The Court of Cassation, the country's top appeals court, will now examine the appeals.

After the verdict, Çiğdem Mater, a film producer and one of the convicts, said, "The appeals court passed the fireball to the Court of Cassation," in a tweet she posted through her attorneys. (HA/VK)