Travel Ban Uplifted for “çArşı" Soccer Group After Trial
* Click here for the photo gallery.
Members of çArşı soccer fan group stood trial yesterday for charges related to “attempted coup” and “attempting to transgress PM’s office” located in Beşiktaş district during the Gezi Resistance in June 2013.
While Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court opened the case around 9:50 am local time, a ruling was announced only 00:20 am late night.
Outside the courtroom, çArşı members assembled to be in solidarity with their friends, chanting soccers songs and slogans.
Several notable observers including artists and deputies were also present in the courtroom.
All 35 defendants requested the removal of their travel ban, saying that they will attend the soccer game between Beşiktaş and Liverpool.
The court removed the ban for 27 defendants, as they testified on yesterday’s hearing.
The next hearing was set to April 2, 2015 at 10 am local time.
The indictment also included 9 police as complainants.
Dizdar: Recordings not proper
Advocate Ali Rıza Dizdar made the following defense: “The claimed crime was made on June 16, 2013. However, the case indictment cited that [police authorities] tapped the phones of çArşı members on June 15. What is being asked here is related to the recordings prior to the date of accusations. The tapped phone recordings were made within a prosecutor’s investigation for crime organization allegations. However, the prosecutor already dropped charges for the “crime organization” charges. And these can’t be coincidental evidence either. These recordings are not proper and must be taken out of the case file. Therefore, this case must be dismissed.”
“If there is a coup, where is the evidence?”
Defendant Cem Yakışkan, on the other hand, made the following defense:
“As çArşı soccer fan group, we have been involved in several activities and stood against sensitive issues. Our activities, though, don’t include forming a crime organization or attempted coup. It is unfair to show çArşı as a terrorist group. çArşı is value to be protected.
“I read the indictment. I haven’t committed a crime. If there is a crime, it is my right to demand its verification by tangible evidence.
“If we had the power to make a coup, we would make our team Beşiktaş the league champion. çArşı isn’t involved in politics.” (AS/BK/BM)
* Click here to read the indictment in Turkish.
** Photo credits: Ayça Söylemez, Berk Özkan / AA
***Click here to read the article in Turkish including the list of defendants and notable observers.