Anonymous Witness Forgets, Court 'Reminds'

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Merve Önem was arrested by the İstanbul 1st Penal Court of Peace on April 6, 2018 and is currently at the Silivri Prison.

When Önem was arrested, she was in third grade at the Anadolu University Philosophy Department. Her mother Şükriye Erden, a lawyer, is arrested at the Karabük Prison because of a different case. Önem and Erden's applications for staying at the same prison were rejected.

Objection because of "guiding the witness"

The second hearing of Önem's case was held at the İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court on January 30.

Attorney Güçlü Sevimli told bianet that although the anonymous witness did not make a statement about Önem, the presiding judge asked the anonymous witness, "Merve Önem is here too, do you have anything to say?"

Attorney Sevimli made an objection to the court board because of "guiding the defendant." Sevimli said the presiding judge "is acting against the law". The objection was recorded in the court minutes.

The anonymous witness nicknamed "Çelik", said after the reminder from the judge that she/he knows Önem and she is also a member of the terrorist organization. Apart from this, all the anonymous witness' statements were about the other defendants in the case.

Merve Önem denied the accusations, saying, "I have been arrested for 10 months, accusations in the indictment consist of daily talks. The anonymous witness said that I was engaging in organizational activities before 2013 but I graduated from two schools before that date. Now I am working to graduate from my third college. At the mentioned time, I was residing in Bursa, not İstanbul."

"Where is your mother?"

Attorney Sevimli demanded his client's release:

"There is no witness statement about Özlem in the indictment. Anonymous witness Çelik made a statement about my client after the court's guidance.

"In the previous hearing, the presiding judge asked Merve Önem, 'Where is your mother? Do you know her place?' This shows that the court is acting with specific motives against my client."

The court ruled for Önem's arrest to continue. The next hearing will be held on March 1, 2019.

Önem is accused of participating in the Gezi protests

In the indictment, Önem is charged with participating in the Gezi protests, commemorations in cemeteries and May Day demonstrations.

Önem is being tried for "being a member of a terrorist organization" upon the Article 5/1 of the Anti Terror Law. (AS/VK)