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All seven defendants in the first hearing of the case filed over "distributing leaflets on November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women."
Six women and one man, who were detained on November 24, 2019, and remanded in custody on the next day, are facing the charge of "propagandizing for an illegal organization."
The defendants, Türkan Sümbül, Zübeyde Ağırbaş, Mürüvvet Kesen, Elvan Uçar Kordu, Muynur Yılmaz, Ayfer Yılmaz and Muzaffer İpek, were brought to the courtroom from the prison. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Züleyha Gülüm, HDP İstanbul Provincial Co-Chair Elif Bulut, and families of the defendants were also present at the courtroom.
All defendants made their defense statements in Kurdish. After that, the prosecutor stated that all the evidence is collected and requested the release of the defendants with an international travel ban, which the court accepted.
The next hearing will be held on March 10. (EK/EMK/VK)
