His Friends Celebrate the Birthday of Yiğit Aksakoğlu in Front of Silivri Prison

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Taken into custody as part of the operation against 13 civil society workers and academics on November 16, 2018, the Netherlands-based Bernard van Leer Foundation's Representative to Turkey Yiğit Aksakoğlu was arrested for "attempting to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey or to prevent it from performing its duties on November 17, 2018.

Being held in solitary confinement in Silivri Prison in İstanbul since then, Yiğit Aksakoğlu turns 43 today (May 29). His friends and family celebrated his birthday in front of Silivri Prison.

'We wish for Yiğit's liberation'

Speaking in front of Silivri Prison, his wife Ünzile Aksakoğlu made the following remarks:

"Though I am sorry for celebrating Yiğit's birthday while there are walls between us, seeing you here and the support that you give us are very important. I would like to thank you all. On his birthday, we wish that Yiğit will be liberated as soon as possible and this injustice will come to an end."

What happened?

Yiğit Aksakoğlu, the Netherlands-based Bernard van Leer Foundation's Representative to Turkey, was arrested on November 17, 2019.

It was on February, 2019 that he learnt the charges brought against him in the indictment filed by the İstanbul Public Prosecutor's Office.

The 657-page bill of indictment prepared by the İstanbul Public Prosecutor Yakup Ali Kahveci has charged 16 rights defenders with "influence agency" and "using the method of civil insurrection." Aksakoğlu faces aggravated life imprisonment.

Sending a letter from Silivri Prison since February 2019, Aksakoğlu said, "I don't give up the hope of a country where legal and justifiable, peaceful and nonviolent civil society activities are not reasons for an arrest, long and unnecessary arrests and isolation during an arrest are not a method of punishment."

In April 2019, the lawyers of Aksakoğlu appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) after his application to the Constitutional Court was left unanswered.

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 in the UK. Between the years of 2003 and 2008, Aksakoğlu 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.

(EMK/SD)