District Governor Ignores Rulings of Seven Courts

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Nursel Tanrıverdi, one of the teachers who are conducting the "Bakırköy resistance" protests, has submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Interior Inspection Board Presidency against Bakırköy District Governorship, which banned the demonstrations despite court rulings.

She stated in her petition of complaint that numerous investigations were opened against them because of the "I want my job back" protests they held after being dismissed upon statutory decrees (KHK). While prosecutors decided not to prosecute most of the cases, they were acquitted in the cases where a lawsuit was filed against them, she further stated.

The recent detentions during the demonstrations were made due to the ban orders by the district governorship, Tanrıverdi said, adding, "This decision was not notified to me. I also believe that this decision was an attack on my Constitutional right. There is no explanation for the prohibition of squares to the people." She requested an investigation against the district governorship.

Nursel Tanrıverdi and Selvi Polat, two teachers who were dismissed from their posts upon Statutory Decree No. 686 dated February 7, 2017, have been staging demonstrations on Bakırköy Square, İstanbul since February 20, 2017.

Court: They exercised their rights to seek their democratic rights

The petition submitted by attorney Ferdi Yamar also included seven court rulings of acquittal that describe the demonstrations as "democratic right."

Tanrıverdi and Polat were acquitted in more than 10 trials. Bakırköy 27th Penal Court of First Instance, Bakırköy 31st Penal Court of First Instance, Bakırköy 23rd Penal Court of First Instance, Bakırköy 39th Penal Court of First Instance, Bakırköy 14th Penal Court of First Instance, Bakırköy 44th Penal Court of First Instance, Bakırköy 44th Penal Court of First Instance, and Bakırköy 32nd Penal Court of First Instance stated that the demonstrations were for "seeking rights" and that a peaceful demonstration could not be banned.

The ruling of Bakırköy 27th Penal Court of First Instance states in the ruling no. 2018/455 that the demonstrations did not disrupt the public order:

"It was concluded that the defendants met in Bakırköy Square on the day of the incident, that there was no claim that the attendees were involved in any act that would constitute a crime, that there was no claim and determination that the meeting disrupted the public order, and the legal elements of the charged offense did not occur."

Bakırköy 23rd Penal Court of First Instance stated in the ruling no. 2018/528 that two people carried out demonstrations that were not violent and do not call for violence.

Similarly, Bakırköy 32nd Heavy Penal Court stated in the ruling no. 2018/706 that "It was decided that there was no claim and findings that this meeting disrupted the public order, that the defendants exercised their rights to seek their democratic rights arise from the Constitution, that they did not act against the legislation when exercising this right."

Request for administrative and legal action

The petition stated that the demonstrations were not considered as a crime by the Bakırköy judges and it was confirmed that it was their constitutional right.

It accused the district governor of misconduct and requested the lift of the ban. It also requested administrative and legal action be taken against the district governor and disciplinary and criminal investigation be launched against him. (AS/VK)