Application to Constitutional Court for Yiğit Aksakoğlu

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The attorneys of imprisoned rights defender Yiğit Aksakoğlu have made an individual application to the Constitutional Court.

Aksakoğlu, the Bernard van Leer Foundation's Representative to Turkey, was detained on November 16, 2018 and was arrested the day after.

Speaking to bianet, Aksakoğlu's attorney Aslı Kazan has confirmed that they have appealed to the Constitutional Court.

Indictment at the court for evaluation

Businessperson Osman Kavala has also been arrested as part of the investigation into the Gezi resistance. The indictment filed against 16 people is currently at the court to be evaluated. The application of Kavala to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has not yet been concluded.

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In the justification of the verdict of arrest issued for Yiğit Aksakoğlu, it was stated, "Though the content of the meetings could not be reached and some of their aspects are still in the dark, based on the minutes of the meetings, there has still emerged the conviction that some trainings and speeches were organized with the aim of holding certain demonstrations and protests under the name of civil disobedience and nonviolent protests after Gezi..."

"His right to a fair trial violated"

Emphasizing that Aksakoğlu has been held in solitary confinement in Silivri Prison since he was arrested more than three months ago, the attorneys have stated in their petition to the Constitutional Court: "His examination of arrest was conducted without a hearing, his requests for release were rejected without a justification and the prosecutor's office rejected the requests for a meeting about the investigation file."

The following justifications have been listed in the petition:

"In the judicial process of Yiğit Aksakoğlu, his right to a fair trial as per the Article 36 of the Constitution, the obligation that 'the verdict shall have a justification' as per the Article 141 of the Constitution and the principle of 'No punishment without law' as per the Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) have been violated.

"For the stated reasons, there has arisen the obligation to make an individual application to the Constitutional Court on behalf of Yiğit Aksakoğlu."

About Yiğit Aksakoğlu

Completing his undergraduate studies at the Department of Civil Engineering of Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) in İstanbul, Yiğit Aksakoğlu acquired his Master's Degree in the field of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Management at the London School of Economics.

Between the years of 2003 and 2008, he worked for the İstanbul Bilgi University's NGO Research and Training Unit, he gave trainings on advocacy, organization management and project cycle.

His recent work with the Bernard van Leer Foundation involved supporting municipalities in Istanbul to provide services for birth-3 year olds and creating awareness on the importance of early childhood. (AS/SD)