Tayfun Kahraman, who has been in prison since Apr 25, 2022, in connection with the Gezi Park trial, was hospitalized following a multiple sclerosis (MS) attack, according to a medical report.
Kahraman, a city planner and one of the defendants in the widely debated Gezi case, was admitted to İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. The report stated that he showed signs of “hypoesthesia and paresis in the lower left extremity,” prompting his hospitalization for further tests and treatment.
“The patient was hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of MS attack due to the detection of hypoesthesia and paresis in the lower left extremity during his recent examination,” the report said, noting that Kahraman has been under follow-up since 2005 for MS.
Journalist Murat Sabuncu, who said he had reviewed the report and consulted a neurosurgeon, noted that numbness and weakness in Kahraman’s left leg could suggest a new lesion in the brain or spinal cord.
In Jul 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled that Kahraman's right to a fair trial had been violated and called for a retrial. However, the 13th İstanbul Heavy Penal Court did not implement the ruling. No action was taken even after the reasoned decision was published in the Official Gazette on Oct 17, 2025.
Cansu Çifçi, Kahraman's lawyer, cited his deteriorating health, time already served, and the Constitutional Court’s decision as grounds to request his release pending trial. His wife, Meriç Kahraman, has repeatedly appealed to the public about both his medical condition and the failure to enforce the top court’s ruling. (AB/VK)
