*Photo: Media and Law Studies Associaton/Twitter
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Teacher Ayşe Çelik, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for "terrorist propaganda" due to statements on a TV program was acquitted today in the retrial.
The Constitutional Court ruled on May 9 that Çelik's right to freedom of expression was violated and a retrial shall be held. This was also the top court's first verdict of violation of freedom of expression in a case of terrorist propaganda.
In the retrial at the Bakırköy 2nd Heavy Penal Court in İstanbul, Çelik said, "I didn't act with the aim of committing an offense. Moreover, I don't think my acts are a crime. I request the court to consider the Constitutional Court verdict of violation and to rule for my acquittal," in her statement.
The prosecutor, citing the top court verdict, requested the acquittal of Çelik. It also requested the court to revoke the previous verdict of a prison sentence for Çelik.
The court ruled for the acquittal of Çelik, also citing the Constitutional Court verdict which said, Çelik's freedom of expression which is guaranteed by Article 26 of the Constitution was violated.
What happened?A lawsuit was filed against Ayşe Çelik on the charge of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" for her statements on Beyaz Show TV program aired on Kanal D. Ayşe Çelik joined the program on January 8, 2016, and said, "Children are dying, mothers are dying here, do not keep silent." She was put on trial due to these remarks and sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison on the offense charged. The 15-month prison sentence given to Çelik was upheld on October 2, 2018. On April 20, 2018, Ayşe Çelik was imprisoned with her six-month-old daughter Deran, who was then sent to her grandmother due to the unfavorable prison conditions. Ayşe Çelik was released on May 4 and her prison sentence was deferred to October 31. The Constitutional Court ruled on May 9 that her right to freedom of expression was violated and a retrial shall be held. |
(AS/VK)
