GEZİ TRIAL / JUSTICE VIGIL
Filmmakers take over the Justice Vigil on its 35th day
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The Justice Vigil launched by the Turkish Union of Engineers and Architects Chambers (TMMOB) in protest of the Gezi Trial has continued since April 27.
CLICK - Gezi trial: Aggravated life sentence for Osman Kavala, 18 years in prison for seven others
On the 35th day, filmmakers from Turkey took over the vigil which has been held in front of the TMMOB İstanbul branch.
Union for Democracy, Bahçeşehir People's Association, Cinema Industry Employees, TMMOB Chamber of Electrical Engineers are among those who attended the vigil.
Gülsüm Elvan, the mother of Berkin Elvan, who lost his life after a tear-gas canister fired by police stuck his head during Gezi Protests, and actress Nur Sürer also participated in the vigil.
Participants chanted slogans "We are not silent, we are not afraid, we are not obeying", "One day the AKP will be held accountable", and "Everywhere Taksim, everywhere resistance".
| During the second session of the final hearing of the Gezi Trial held on April 25, İstanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court gave Osman Kavala an aggravated life sentence for "attempted overthrow", while the other defendants Mücella Yapıcı, Çiğdem Mater, Hakan Altınay, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman, Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi were sentenced to 18 years in prison for assisting this crime. |
"Gezi was the voice of millions"
Director Ceylan Özgün Özçelik spoke on behalf of the filmmakers:
"We all know that Gezi was started to protect Taksim Gezi Park, and it is the common expression of the will of the masses, it was started to protect freedom of expression. Gezi cannot be judged. Gezi was the common voice of millions of people who participated in the protests all over Turkey. It was a loud demand to exist freely with all of our identities. Gezi protests belonged to everyone, to all of us."
"As filmmakers, we were also in Gezi Park those days. We were not only there with our cameras, but we were also there like everyone else to resist oppression. Today, we continue to be the voice for demanding freedom and democracy. We do this with our stories, our camera, and also with our will for solidarity."
"Gezi protests belonged to everyone, to all of us, our friends who are deprived of their liberty are taken hostage on behalf of all of us. Darkness will go away, Gezi remains."
"We stand with our fellow filmmakers Çiğdem Mater and Mine Özerden, who were arrested in the Gezi Trial, and other detainees Osman Kavala, Mücella Yapıcı, Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman and Hakan Altınay. Darkness will go away, Gezi remains."
TMMOB and its trade unions staged the first vigil in front of their branch in İstanbul's Beyoğlu district condemning the court's verdict on Osman Kavala, Mücella Yapıcı, Tayfun Kahraman, Çiğdem Mater, Hakan Altınay, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay and Yiğit Ali Emekçi.
The vigil continues in front of the TMMOB branch building every day between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.(MD/HA/TB/VK)