‘Gezi’ protest in Germany: Aslı Erdoğan speaks in handcuffs

* Photo: Deniz Yücel / Twitter

Click to read the article in Turkish

The convictions of eight rights defenders in the Gezi retrial were protested in Berlin, the capital city of Germany, today (May 4).

The protest demonstration was organized by journalists, writers and directors previously imprisoned in Turkey such as Aslı Erdoğan, Deniz Yücel, Peter Steudtner, Zehra Doğan, Can Dündar and Kaan Müjdeci.

The protest was also supported by some members of Germany's Parliament and politicians as well as representatives from NGOs such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The protesters held a press statement in German and English in front of the Federal Parliament of Germany. Speaking there, writer Aslı Erdoğan took the floor while her hands were 'in handcuffs'. 

Holding the pictures of the imprisoned rights defenders, the group then marched to the European Union (EU) representative for a determination to implement the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling on Kavala.

Marching to the Berlin Embassy of Turkey afterwards, the protesters dispersed following their protest there.

* Kaan Müjdeci

CLICK - Gezi trial | Verdict to be protested in Berlin

At the final hearing of Gezi retrial on April 25, the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court sentenced Kavala to aggravated life imprisonment on charge of "attempting to overthrow the government" and Mücella Yapıcı, Çiğdem Mater, Hakan Altınay, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman, Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi to 18 years in prison for "aiding" this offense charged. (HA/SD)