‘Academic for Peace’ Arrested Due to His Social Media Posts

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Hanifi Barış, an attorney and academic who signed the declaration entitled "We will not be a party to this crime" prepared by the Academics for Peace, was arrested due to his social media posts on July 4.

The judge ruled for the arrest of Hanifi Barış on the ground that "there is a suspicion of escape and hiding." Barış was arrested at the security directorate where he went himself in order to give his deposition regarding an investigation launched into his social media posts.

The news reports from foreign news outlets shared by Barış on his social media account without his personal comments as well as the photographs used in the news were among the accusations that Hanifi Barış faced during his interrogation at the Prosecutor's Office.

His attorney has objected to Barış's arrest

While the news report about the Kurdistan Regional Government shared by Barış on his social media account have also been included in his case file, Barış has been charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization".

Arrested by the 10th Penal Judgeship of Peace, Barış was sent to the Silivri No. 5 Closed Prison. The attorney of Barış, Mehmet Doğan objected to the arrest of his client, which was rejected by the 10th Penal Judgeship of Peace. The objection will be evaluated again at the higher court, the 11th Penal Judgeship of Peace.

Campaigns have been launched for his release

Hanifi Barış signed the declaration "We will not be a party to this crime" while he was in Scotland where he completed his PhD on political science. His colleagues in Scotland as well as the academics from the Academics for Peace launched campaigns for the release of Barış.

Parliamentarians from the local parliament of Scotland and academics from universities in different countries also initiated a petition campaign on change.org.* (TP/SD)

* Click for the petition campaign on change.org.