Attorneys of Gülmen, Özakça on Hunger Strike Released

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Attorneys Ebru Timtik and Barkın Timtik, who have been taken into custody while demonstrating on Yüksel Street in Turkey's capital city of Ankara for academic Nuriye Gülmen and teacher Semih Özakça on the 142th day of their hunger strike to be reinstated to their jobs, have been released on probation.

While Aleyna Sert, Deniz Anıl Atıcı and Yadigar Doğan, also taken into custody on Yüksel Street were released, detained Buket Yılmaz, Nazife Onay, Fatma Kılıç Arslan, Tülay Korkutan, Tayfun Yıldırım and Saniye Erenler were released on probation.

About Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça

On January 6, 2017, Nuriye Gülmen was discharged from her position through the Statutory Decree No. 679 issued under the State of Emergency.

On October 29, 2016, Semih Özakça was discharged from his position through the Statutory Decree No. 675 issued under the State of Emergency.

On March 9, 2017 Gülmen and Özakça went on an indefinite and non-alternate hunger strike in front of the Human Rights Statute on Yüksel Street in Turkey's capital city of Ankara.

They were taken into custody and later released several times during their hunger strike.

Being charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization", "opposing to the Law on Assembly and Demonstration" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization", they were arrested on May 23.

What happened?

On the 137th day of Gülmen and Özakça's hunger strike, Platform for Solidarity with Gülmen and Özakça made a call for a demonstration in Ankara. Those who wanted to travel to Ankara on buses to attend the demonstration were halted by police while entering the city and police seized their busses.

More than 60 of the protesters who gathered in Güvenpark were battered and taken into custody by police.

Lawyers Ebru Timtik, Barkın Timtik, Ayşegül Çağatay, Derviş Emre Aydın, Progressive Legists' Association (ÇHD) İstanbul Branch Chair Gökmen Yeşil and ÇHD member Aytül Kaplan were detained during the assault by police.

Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office decided to release the attorneys except Ebru Timtik and Barkın Timtik. The two attorneys were released after four days in detention. (AS/DG)