First Hearing of Academic for Peace Tuna Altınel to be Held on July 30

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Being jailed pending trial since May 11, Academic for Peace Tuna Altınel will have his first hearing at the Balıkesir 2nd Heavy Penal Court on July 30.

The bill of indictment issued by the Balıkesir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has charged Altınel with "membership of a terrorist organization" as per the Article 314/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which means that the academic has been facing five to ten years in prison.

Speaking to bianet, his lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu has stated that the academic is charged with this offense on the ground that he did simultaneous interpreting at a conference on "Cizre basements"* held in France in 2019.

Consulate General took down a statement

Attorney Eyüboğlu has also shared the information that after the conference in question was held, the Lyon Consulate General of Turkey took down a statement regarding the academic.

In the statement sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs afterwards, the Consulate General requested that "a restriction be imposed on the passport of the academic and the necessary legal action be taken against him."

What happened?

Assoc. Prof. Tuna Altınel from the Department of Mathematics at Lyon-1 University was arrested in Turkey's western province of Balıkesir on May 11, 2019 on the ground of a conference held in France.

Altınel was taken into custody on May 10, when he he went to the Balıkesir Civil Registry to inquire about the restriction imposed on his passport. Being referred to court on duty by the Prosecutor's Office to be arrested, the academic was arrested and sent to Kepsut Type L Prison.

It was reported that Altınel has been facing the charge of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" as part of the investigation on the ground that he attended a panel discussion in Lyon. In the panel in question, Altıel interpreted the speech of Peoples's Democratic Party (HDP) former MP Faysal Yıldız from Turkish into French.

Altınel is also an Academic for Peace signatory to the declaration entitled "We will not be a party to this crime". Charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" as part of this lawsuit as well, Altınel's trial has been continuing at the İstanbul 29th Heavy Penal Court. (TP/SD)

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* When the curfew, which was in effect in Cizre in Turkey's southeastern province of Şırnak as of December 14, 2015, was lifted on March 2, 2016, 177 dead bodies, 25 of which belonged to children, were found in the wreckages and debris of mainly 3 buildings and the houses in their vicinity. While the 103 of the deceased could be identified, 74 people were put to rest without being identified. The total number of the dead has been announced as 189. According to the report of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), almost all of the dead bodies were beyond recognition because they were either burned or decomposed. The remnants of human bones and military ammunition were found in the basements. Forensic Experts also found remnants of human bones of children in the basements.