Last Jailed Gezi Defendants Released in Istanbul

Istanbul 2nd High Criminal Court released Socialist Democracy Party members Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu (Executive Board member), Doğukan Öci (Party Council member), Furkan Tombul and Ceyhun Dönmez (members) pending a trial, leaving no jailed defendants in Istanbul Gezi Resistance case. 

Defendants released after court transfer

Upon the closure of Special Duty Courts (ÖYM) authorized by Anti-Terror Act (TMK), the case has recently been transferred from Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court to Istanbul 2nd High Criminal Court.

Istanbul 2.High Criminal Court examined the lawsuit of 36 people -4 of them were arrested- and their advocates’ release demands.

The court’s verdict was to release 4 arrested defendants pending a trial.

Arrested upon the first police raid

The police raided the building of SDP after the first intervention in Taksim Square during Gezi Park Resistance on 11 June 2013.

On June 14, 59 of 74 detainees have been transferred to testify before the special duty prosecutors in Istanbul Courthouse according to  TMK Article 10. 

While 28 defendants were released, 5 benefitted from judiciary control measures. 31 people were ordered to stand trial to be arrested.

While the court issued an arrest warrant for 4 members of SDP, it released 27 defendants.

The court arrested Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu for “being an illegal organization member”. Other SDP members, on the other hand, were arrested for for “not being a member of illegal organization but committing crime on behalf of it”. They were sent to Edirne F-Type Prison.

Charged with 58 years

Indictments were written for Bayraktaroğlu and other 35 defendants within Devrimci Karargah case.

Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court admitted an indictment with the following charges for defendants: “Being an armed organization member, propagating in favor of terrorism, committing a crime for a terror organization while not being a member, using dangerous materials without a consent.”  

Admitted on January 3, prosecutors charged defendants from 3 to 58 years in prison for the following accusations: “Being an armed organization member, property damage, possessing unlicensed weapons and ammunition.” (AS/BD/BM)