Kayseri 8th Assize Court opened the Gezi Resistance case with its 161 defendants.
Due to lack of space for all defendants, the hearing was rescheduled to a larger location in the old courthouse building.
While the court left the investigation of 31 defendants for further footage analysis, the remaining 130 defendants were admitted to the courtroom for identification and statements.
Prior to the hearing, police took notice around the courthouse from early hours of the morning, as relatives of defendants already formed a crowd.
Tear gas before the courthouse
A small scale outrage broke out as a group from Socialist Democracy Party headed towards the entrance of the courthouse with their pennants.
An argument took place when SDP member Musa Ülken said it was legal to march with their flags.
Riot police broke up the protestors with tear gas and pushed them out of the courthouse building.
While onlookers intervened to the scene, warning the protestors to calm down, police officers also attempted to calm down riot police forces.
24 organizations and political parties hailed support
After the tension eased, Eğitim-Sen Kayseri Branch Chair Sedat Ünsal made a statement on behalf of the following organizations: DİSK (Genel İş-Birleşik Metal İş, Sosyal İş, Emekli-Sen Kayseri Branches), KESK (Eğitim Sen, SES, BES, Tüm Bel Sen, BTS, Tarım Orkam Sen Kayseri Branches and Representatives), Hacı Bektaşi Veli Association, Eğit-Der, CHP, HDP, TGB, EMEP, TKP, SDP, Greens and the Left Party of the Future, Devrimci 78’liler.
Ünsal reminded that initially 167 people were detained and 161 are now facing trial.
“I am calling to the AKP government here: Don’t put a deaf ear on the different fraction of the society. It is not a crime to ask for justice, freedom and labor as well as a fair country. However, it is a crime to use water cannons and tear gas against people who come up with these demands. Since the end of Gezi Resistance, the government is acting as if 10 million people didn’t take the streets. They are still trying to continue their oppression with full swing,” he said.
Following the statement, 31 defendants were admitted to the courtroom as their footage analysis process was complete. It was said that the majority of defendants were students with Kurdish background.
Among notable observers of the case included Şevki Kulkuloğlu, CHP Kayseri MP. While the majority of journalists were left out, only a selected group of journalists were allegedly admitted to the hearing. (SK/ÇT/BM)
