ARRESTED STUDENTS
Students Released from Jail after 30 Months
The specially authorized 10th Court for Serious Crimes in Istanbul's Çağlayan courthouse finally ruled for the release of Yıldız Technical University students Baran Nayır and Ali Deniz Kılıç during the seventh hearing of the case Thursday, after both of them spent a staggering 30 months behind bars.
Literature student Nayır and engineering student Kılıç had partook in a press release organized by the Democratic Society Party (DTP) in Istanbul's Ümraniye district on Dec., 2009. Law enforcement officials then took them under custody even before the organizers could read the press release.
Nayır and Kılıç had remained under arrest since then for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails and on the charge of "being members of a terrorist organization."
"Arrested for demanding peace"
The group Millions Want Justice Initiative also issued a press release prior to Thursday's court hearing and demanded that Nayır and Kılıç be freed.
"Students are among the focal dissident [groups] identified by the ruling party, and the number of arrested students has reached 800. [Authorities keep] arresting students because of their demands for free education, for peace and for their participation at [rallies,]" said Sinem Şahin, who read the press release.
Şahin said they wanted justice and were going to resist all such unlawful practices.
"We are going to keep waging the struggle until all arrested students return back to our ranks, including Ali Deniz and Baran. [No one] can silence the millions' call for justice," she concluded her speech.
The event also received support from various quarters, including Hüseyin Aygün, a deputy of the main opposition People's Republican Party (CHP) from the eastern province of Tunceli, Sebahat Tuncel, an Istanbul deputy of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP,) Rıdvan Turan, the leader of the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP,) Alper Taş, the leader of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP,) Alp Altınörs, the deputy leader of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP,) journalist Ahmet Şık, The Solidarity with Arrested Students Initiative, the Libertarian Youth Association, the youth trade union Genç-Sen and the Socialist Re-Establishment.
Cihan Kırmızıgül, a student from Galatasaray University who spent a year behind bars merely because he was caught wearing a traditional "poshu" scarf in vicinity of a demonstration, and Şeyma Özcan, a student from Bosphorus University who also served time behind bars, attended the event as well to lend their support to Nayır and Kılıç.
The prosecutor demanded the continuation of Nayır and Kılıç's arrest after the defendant lawyers issued their plea during Thursday's hearing that started at 15:30.
The court delegation consequently ruled for Nayır and Kılıç's release after thirty months of imprisonment. There are thus no more arrested suspects affiliated with the case. (AS/AS)