15 people sentenced to 93 years, 10 months in prison over Gezi protests

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The trial of 15 people for joining the protests in eastern Erzincan province during the Gezi resistance in 2013 has been finalized after eight years.

The defendants have been sentenced to 2 years, 6 months to 6 years, 8 months in prison each; most of the sentences have not been deferred.

The defendants were on trial for "violating the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "resisting to prevent the fulfilment of duty."

The Erzincan 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance handed down its ruling on October 21, 2021. While 10 defendants have been sentenced to 6 years, 8 months each, four defendants have been sentenced to 6 years, 3 months each on the offenses charged.

With one defendant sentenced to 2 years, 6 months in prison, 15 people in total have been sentenced to a total of 93 years, 10 months.

Trial continued for 8 years, 35 hearings

The bill of indictment charged the ones who joined the protests in Erzincan on June 4, 2013 with the following offenses: "Preventing the officers on duty at meetings and demonstrations from fulfilling their duty; damaging public property; organizing, leading and attending unlawful meetings and demonstrations and resisting to prevent the fulfilment of duty."

The indictment was accepted by the court a year later on May 13, 2014 and a lawsuit was filed against the defendants.

The trial ended eight years later.

The Erzincan 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance handed down its ruling at the 35th hearing. 15 defendants have been convicted of "Preventing the officers on duty at meetings and demonstrations from fulfilling their duty; organizing, leading and attending unlawful meetings and demonstrations and resisting to prevent the fulfilment of duty."

While some defendants have been acquitted, the prison sentences on the offenses charged have been as follows:

Ali Kılıç: 2 years, 11 months, 2 years, 1 month, 1 years, 8 months

Ali Kemal Müldür: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Bayram Yılmaz: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Caner Özdoğan: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Fehmi Duman: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Gürkan Düz: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Kenan Özege: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Oktay Şengül: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Tayfun Göç: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Uğur Han: 2 years, 11 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Erol Akyüz: 2 years, 6 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Gökhan Düz: 2 years, 6 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Medet Kazan: 2 years, 6 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Özgün Turan: 2 years, 6 months; 2 years, 1 month; 1 year, 8 months

Gülşen Duman: 1 year, 3 months; 1 year, 3 months

The lawyers will appeal to the Erzurum Regional Court of Justice, which the courts in Erzincan are affiliated with. (AS/SD)