Emek Movie Theater Protest Case Opens

This afternoon, an Istanbul court held the first hearing of Emek Movie Theater protest case with defendants SİYAD member Berke Göl, Özgür İpek, Mehmet Ferit Aka and Hazar Berk Büyüktunca. 

On April 7, police detained four activists who demonstrated against the demolition of Emek Movie Theater. They were charged with up to 6 years of prison for assaulting police officers. 

Prior to the hearing Emek Bizim (Emek is Ours) Initiative held a press conference in Istanbul Courthouse. A statement has been read by actress Tülin Özen. 

Reminding that the struggle to save the movie theater dated back to 2009, Özen said that “they were not only standing behind Emek Movie Theater solely as a cultural heritage and memory on public space, but also they were standing behind urban common spaces and people’s rights on these spaces”. 

“Everybody is here today; from those who stood behind their theater for the past four years to those who share the ‘crime’ of public gathering and demonstration law violation with these four defendants. We will all be acquitted when the justice will be made. This is just beginning! Struggle will resume! Emek is Ours! Istanbul is Ours!” 

On the other hand, another statement released by Archeologists Association Istanbul Branch stood behind defendant Hazar Berk Büyüktunca and condemned authorities’ for all that occurred to protect cultural heritage. 

bianet interviewed defendants Berke Göl after the hearing: 

“In my defense, I talked about the struggle to protect Emek Movie Theater. I reiterated that all protests within the Emek Movie Theater struggle were utterly peaceful and fueled by police interventions. I said that none of the defendants used violence in any point of the protests. I said we didn’t assault any policemen even though these were the charges. Everybody finished their defenses. The court scheduled the next hearing to October 24.”

Following the defenses performed by defendants, advocate Can Atalay made a defense speech. The court panel ordered the completion of missing documentation and scheduled the next hearing to October 24. 

What happened? 

On April 7, roughly 200 demonstrators including activists, cinephiles and actors have been intervened by police with gas bombs and cannoned water as they protested against the demolition of historical Emek Movie Theater in downtown Istanbul. 

Police detained four protestors - Berke Göl, Hazar Berk Büyüktunca, Özgür İpek ve Mehmet Ferit Aka. Released by the order of prosecutor after testimonies, detainees were ordered to stand trial within an investigation for charges related to “assaulting police officers” (Turkish Penal Code Article 265) and illegal protests (Law No 2911 on Public Gatherings and Demonstrations). 

“The suspects violated twice law enforcement officers’ amplified warnings to disperse after their press statement, and threw nearby flower pots and soda cans at police officers,” cited the case indictment prepared by prosecutor Gökalp Kökçü. (EK/ÇT/BM)

* Protest photo credits: Nazım Serhat Fırat

* Emek Movie Theater demolition photo credit: Bülent Doruk, AA.

* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.