On Trial for Supporting Students on Trial

University students Ferhat Tüzer and Berna Yılmaz were arrested on charges of "membership of an illegal organization" because they posted a banner reading "We want free education" during the speech of Prime Minister Erdoğan at the Romani meeting in March 2010. Thereupon, their fellow students set up an information booth in the city centre of Edirne (western Turkey) to support Tüzer and Yılmaz.

The trial against Tüzer and Yılmaz is still pending. They are facing imprisonment of up to 7.5 years each and will have been in detention for 18 months by the time of the coming hearing in October.

As reported by Radikal newspaper, seven members of the Edirne Youth Association (EGD) set up an information booth in a park in Edirne on 6 May 2011 to voice their demand for the release of Tüzer and Yılmaz. They started a seven-day hunger strike.

The young people distributed leaflets about their calls for free education and for the release of their friends. The police asked them to remove the booth because the "prohibition prior to the election" had started. However, the students resisted. The police then removed the booth and took the seven EGD members into police custody.

In the court case opened against them subsequently, the students are now facing imprisonment of up to five years each under allegations of "praising crime and a criminal" and "resistance against a police officer on duty".

At the latest hearing of the trial against Tüzer and Yılmaz on 25 May before the Istanbul 10^th High Criminal Court, Prosecutor Kasım İlimoğlu requested the students' acquittal. He put forward that the protest of the students remained within legal borders and within freedom to expression of opinion. However, the court decided to keep both students in detention.

Today (22 June), a hearing will be held for an interim decision on the review of the detention of Tüzer and Yılmaz. Members of the Youth Federation organized a protest action in front of the Beşiktaş Courthouse on Tuesday (21 June) in order to support their friends. The protest will be continued today between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm. A press release will be issued at 12.30 pm on Wednesday. (NV/ŞA/VK)