Trial of Gülmen, Özakça on Hunger For 189 Days Begins Tomorrow

*Illustration: Firuze Engin

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The first hearing in the trial of academic Nuriye Gülmen and teacher Semih Özakça who have been on a hunger strike for 189 days after being dismissed from their positions through a statutory decree, will be held tomorrow (September 14).

Gülmen and Özakça have been in detention on remand and continuing their hunger strike in prison since their arrest on May 23, 2017.

The support for Gülmen and Özakça grows on the social media. Calls for solidarity and participation in the hearing are being made under hashtags such as #NuriyeVeSemihiSavunmayaAnkaraya (To Ankara to support Nuriye and Semih) as well as #NuriyeveSemihinAvukatıyım (Representing Nuriye and Semih) addressing to attorneys from People's Law Office which represents Gülmen and Özakça, being detained on September 11.

Gülmen ve Özakça: "We will be there"

Gülmen and Özakça said on a posting they shared on their social media account on September 4, that they would attend the hearing.

Their hearing will begin tomorrow at 13.30 p.m. before Ankara 19th Heavy Criminal Court.

They are being charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization", "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" and "opposing to the Law on Assembly and Demonstrations. (BK/DG)