7 Academics from Boğaziçi University Appear Before Judge for First Time

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First hearings of seven figures in lawsuits launched against the signatories who signed the declaration entitled “We will not be a party to this crime” released by Academics for Peace were held yesterday (April 26) at İstanbul Courthouse.

Dr. Lecturer Bülent Küçük and Prof. Dr. B.K. from Department of Sociology at Boğaziçi University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Kafesçioğlu from Department of History; Prof. Dr. N.N.; Dr. Lecturer O.A. from Department of Turkish Language and Literature; Prof. Dr. G.F. from Department of Psychology; Dr. Gaye Yılmaz from Faculty of Education Sciences appeared in 28th Heavy Penal Court.

While the prosecutor submitted his dictum, which he said to have written it during the hearing, in two hearings, he granted extension of time to defense for their statements. The last hearing continued even though there was no lawyer. People who objected to this were taken outside of the courtroom.

The hearings against signatory academics started on December 5, 2017. As of April 26, 200 academics had their first hearings. 13 of these academics were sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison and all of the sentences were suspended, except for that of Prof. Dr. Zübeyde Füsun Üstel from Galatasaray University. (EÜ/BK/TK)