First Hearing of Gezi Protests Case on June 24

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After the indictment filed as part of the investigation launched into the Gezi Park protests was accepted by the İstanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court on March 4, the date of the first hearing has been announced by the court.

Accordingly, the first hearing of the case will be held on June 24, 2019.

The indictment against 16 people, including businessperson Osman Kavala, who has been arrested for 490 days, and Yiğit Aksakoğlu, who has also been behind bars since November 17, 2018, was completed on February 20, 2019 and accepted by the court yesterday (March 4).

AA: Hearings expected to be held in Silivri

The state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) has reported, "It is expected that the hearings will be held in the building across the Silivri Penal Institution."

While the 657-page indictment has brought 10 different charges against the suspects, warrants were previously issued against 16 people, including journalist and writer Can Dündar and actor Memet Ali Alabora. The suspects face different prison sentences in the indictment.

In the meeting on February 20, when the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the indictment was completed, it was announced that all 16 people face aggravated life imprisonment.

The other people who have been charged with "attempting to overthrow the government" in the indictment are as follows:

Anadolu Kültür Inc. Executive Board member Ali Hakan Altınay, architect Mücella Yapıcı, actress Ayşe Pınar Alabora, filmmaker and journalist Çiğdem Mater Utku, Open Society Foundation Representative to Turkey Gökçe Yılmaz, writer Handan Meltem Arıkan, Civil Society Development Center Coordinator Hanzade Hikmet Germiyanoğlu, İnanç Ekmekçi, filmmaker, assistant director and publicist Mine Özerden, lawyer Can Atalay, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Chamber of Urban Planners İstanbul Office Executive Board Chair academic Tayfun Kahraman, Anadolu Kültür Inc. Executive Board Deputy Chair and Terakki Foundation Schools' Executive Board member Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi.

Accusations and charges

16 rights defenders have been accused of "setting up an planning the Gezi Park protests, engaging in influence agency by provocative messages and directing acts of violence."

Based on these accusations, the following charges are made against them:

Attempting to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey or preventing the government from doing its duty, damage to property, qualified form of damage to property, holding or handing over dangerous material, damaging places of worship and cemeteries, violation of the Law No. 6136 on Firearms and Knives, qualified looting, qualified bodily injury, Violation of the Law No. 2836 on the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Property.

CLICK - Charges in Gezi Indictment: 'Influence Agency', 'Using Method of Civil Insurrection'

(HK/SD)