çArşı to Stand Trial on December 16
Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court admitted an indictment related to Gezi Resistance, ordering members of soccer fan group çArşı to stand trial for charges related to “attempted coup and the occupation of PM’s office”.
The first hearing was set to December 16 at 9:30 am local time.
What is in the indictment?
Drafted by Prosecutor Adem Meral, the 38-page indictment charged suspects with violating Turkish Penal Code Articles (TCK) 312/1, 265/1, 220/2, as well as Anti-Terror Act Articles (TMK) 7/1, 5/1 and other laws related to Public Gatherings and Demonstrations, and Fire Arms.
Some of the charges included “attempting to demolish or impede the functioning of Republic of Turkey, forming a terrorist organization, resisting public officers and property damage”.
35 defendants were identified as follows: Koray Yalnız, Rüştü Aytan, Arda Mutludoğan, Sezgin Gülnar, Kaan Kabaş, Cem Yakışkan, Sarp Dağ, Barış Karaca, Atay Kesik, Mahmut İli, Numan Bülent Ergenç, Erdener Karataş, Volkan Eroğlu, Ant Erbirsin, Yusuf Demirci, Burak Bulut, Hüseyin Fidan, Ayhan Güner, Tuncer Gençer, Erdem Işık, Hakan Bora, Halil İbrahim Erol, Emre Işık, Engin Sarar, Serkan Sevim, Savaş Yeşiltepe, Akyan Uyanıktürk, Murat Eroğlu, Erol Özdil, İbrahim Aydın, Musa Fırat, Güray Sözmen, Mustafa Uysal, İbrahim Halilullah Turan, Hakan Tezel.
Evidence!
The indictment cited that some çArşı members’ phone conversations were tapped on June 16, 2013 (the assigned date of crime) and before while not specifying the reason.
Prosecutor Meral also went on to say that the first days of Gezi Resistance was rather peaceful - an attitude later on shifted from its aim with the participation of marginal group to topple down the government, similar to the Arab Spring protests across the MENA region.
It also mentioned that Turkey’s image has been denigrated with the attempted occupation of PM’s office in Dolmabahçe.
Defendants denied charges
Prosecutor Meral claimed that the protests were supported by 3 “illegal organizations” DHKP-C, MLKP and MKP with their publications.
The indictment also linked the release of a massive banner from the rooftop of Ataturk Culture Center (AKM), saying that it was realized by the aforementioned organizations which had “similar goals”.
Defendants, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty for clashing with the police, saying that they were indeed trying to assist the police and most of their tapped phone conversation were jokes or misunderstood. (AS/BM)
* Click here to read the article in Turkish.