The Beşiktaş supporters’ group çArşı, who took part in the Gezi resistance and was on trial on charges of “attempting a coup” has been acquitted.
At the hearing of the case with 35 defendants held at the Istanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court, the prosecutor asked for the acquittal of all defendants.
The panel of judges acted in accordance with the prosecutor’s deliberation and ruled for the acquittal of all defendants.
Journalists following the case reported that a member of the panel of judges, Murat Bircan, who was recently revealed to be a candidate for nomination as member of parliament for Samsun for the ruling AKP, was fiddling with his mobile phone and his worry beads as he listened to the defense statements.
The case was filed on 11 September 2014, and concluded with acquittal on 29 December 2015. However, the Court of Cassation reversed the judgment and the case began to be heard again on 12 July 2021. The case file was then merged with the Gezi Case where 18 people are on trial including Osman Kavala, yet the files were then separated after three hearings.
(HA/NHRD)
