Ayşe Çelik Released from Prison

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Ayşe Çelik, a teacher from Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır, who was charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" after she called Beyaz Show, a live talk show, and said, "Children and mothers are killed here. Do not keep silent" and was imprisoned with her six-month old baby on April 20, 2018, was released from prison on May 4.

The six-month-old daughter of Çelik was previously sent to her grandmother due to unfavorable prison conditions.

The attorney of Ayşe Çelik, Mahsuni Karaman announced the release of Çelik on Twitter with the tweet: "Let me give you a good news, then. Teacher Ayşe has been released."

On April 26, Karaman requested that Ayşe Çelik serve her remaining sentence on probation on the grounds that the charges filed against her are not related to "terror crimes" and that less than one year is left for her release on probation. Diyarbakır Judgeship of Execution accepted the request and ruled that Ayşe Çelik be released from prison.

What happened?

A viewer identifying herself as Ayşe Çelik, a teacher, joined the program via phone on January 8 and said, "Children are dying, don't remain silent".

The host of the program, Beyazıt Öztürk, had the audience give an applause for Çelik and said "We are trying our best to make it heard. Your words have been a lesson for us. We will continue to do more. Hopefully your peace wishes will come true as soon as possible".

Following the incident, the Diyarbakır Chief Prosecution started investigating Ayşe Çelik on the charge of "terror propaganda", and the Bakırköy Chief Prosecution launched an investigation into the host Beyazıt Öztürk and Ayşe Çelik over "terror propaganda" as well.

30 people including academics, writers, artists and intellectuals who supported the idea that teacher Çelik's comments and demands did not constitute a crime, had symbolically denounced themselves before İstanbul Bakırköy Court and said "If the words of teacher Çelik constitute a crime, we will be a party to this crime".

On April 27, 2016, a lawsuit was also opened against the supporters, namely: Ahmet Dindar, Ayşe Erzan Silier, Ayşegül (Akış) Devecioğlu, Ayşegül İyidoğan, Bayram Bahri Belen, Dilek Gökçin, Ercan İpekçi, Ergin Cinmen, Ferhat Tunç, Gençay Gürsoy, Gülseren Onanç, Gülşen Denizhan, Gürhan Ertür, Gürkan Develi, Halim Bulutoğlu, İbrahim Akın, İbrahim Sinemillioğlu, Kemal Özgül, Mahmut Konuk, Mehmet Tursun, Mevlüt Ülgen, Murat Çelikkan, Nazmiye Özen, Nergiz Ovacık, Neşe Yaşın, Nil Özsoy Dindar, Orhan Alkaya, Orhan Silier, Oya Baydar, Perihan Pulat, Pınar Önen, Şanar Yurdatapan, Sibel Özbudun Demirer, Süleyman Eryılmaz, Temel Demirer, Türkcan Baykal, Üner Eyüboğlu and Vecdi Sayar.

Trial began on September 23, 2016

The hearing in the trial of Ayşe Çelik, the person in charge of the TV channel and the above mentioned civil disobedients began on September 23, 2016. Çelik in her statement of defence, stood behind her words and stated that demanding peace could not constitute a crime.

On April 26, 2017, Bakırköy 2nd Heavy Criminal Court sentenced Çelik to 1 year and 3 months in prison on the charge of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization". The producer of the TV programme and the civil disobedients were acquitted.

On April 20, 2018, Ayşe Çelik was imprisoned with her six-month-old daughter Deran, who was then sent to her grandmother due to the unfavorable prison conditions. (ŞA/SD)