Trial of 2 Academics to Resume on April 19

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The trial of people who signed the declaration entitled “We Will not be a Party to This Crime” prepared by the Academics for Peace continued on its fourth day.

Canay Şahin from the Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) and Emin Alper from the İstanbul Technical University appeared before judge at İstanbul Courthouse 36th Heavy Penal Court.

According to the indictment prepared by Prosecutor İsmet Bozkurt, the academics are being charged with "Making Propaganda for a Terrorist Organisation", based on the Article 7/2 of the Turkish Anti-Terror Act and Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code.

First hearings of 49 people were completed along with the ones held today.

First hearing

Alper’s trial will resume on April 19

One of Alper’s lawyers, Ali Soydan said that they will not make defense since the indictment has just been delivered to them and they have objections in terms of procedure and prejudice. An extension of time was requested.

The court approved the request. The trial was adjourned to April 19, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.

Second hearing

Lawyers demanded extension of time for defense stating that they haven’t been given the indictment yet.

“The only thing my client did was to demand peace by means of exercising her constitutional right along with 1,128 academics. This her both duty and right. In the light of the decisions of the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights, the act committed was exercising the freedom of expression”.

The court approved the request for extension of time. The hearing was adjourned to April 19, 2018 at 9:20 a.m.

Charges

Each academic face up to 7.5 years in prison. The investigation is carried out by İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Turkish Anti-Terror Act

Article 7(2)

Any person making propaganda for a terrorist organisation shall be punished with imprisonment from one to five years. If this crime is committed through means of mass media, the penalty shall be aggravated by one half. In addition, editors-in-chief (...)2
who have not participated in the perpetration of the crime shall be punished with a judicial fine from one thousand to fifteen thousand days' rates. However, the upper limit of this sentence for editors-in-chief is five thousand days' rates.

According to the indictment, the evidences regarding the alleged crime are;

• The investigation report that concerns the statement of Bese Hozat--the co-president of the PKK/KCK terrorist organization's executive committee--that is dated December 27, 2015.-;

• The investigation reports on the academics who signed the petition (suspects) concerning the press declarations on January 11, 2016 (first declaration) and March 10, 2016 (second declaration) that are allegedly of a supportive nature in favour of PKK/KCK terrorist organization;

• Records of statement and interrogation reports of the suspects and the arrest warrants issued for them.

148 academics who are among the first ones of the 1,128 academics to stand trial are from the following universities:

Galatasaray University, İstanbul University, Yıldız Teknik University, İstanbul Teknik University, Marmara University, Boğaziçi University, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Yeni Yüzyıl University, Apriltaşı University, Kadir Has University, Özyeğin University, Bahçeşehir University, Kemerburgaz University, Arel University and Işık University.

Schedule of the trials of 148 academics

5 December 2017 - Galatasaray University (6 academics), İstanbul University (4 academics) before İstanbul 35th Assize Court.

7 December 2017 – Galatasaray University (3 academics), İstanbul University (8 academics) before İstanbul 32th Assize Court.

7 December 2017 – Galatasaray University (3 academics), İstanbul University (8 academics) before İstanbul 33th Assize Court.

7 December 2017 – Galatasaray University (6 academics), İstanbul University (6 academics) before İstanbul 34th Assize Court.

7 December 2017 – İstanbul University (1 academic) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

14 December 2017 – İstanbul University (1 academic) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

19 December 2017 – Yıldız Teknik University (1 academic), İstanbul Teknik University (1 academic) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

21 December 2017 – Marmara University (5 academics), Yıldız Teknik University (2 academics) before İstanbul 33th Assize Court.

21 December 2017 – Galatasaray University (1 academic), İstanbul University (5 academics) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

26 December 2017 – Boğaziçi University (1 academic), Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar University (1 academic),, Yeni Yüzyıl University (1 academic), Apriltaşı University (1 academic) before İstanbul 13th Assize Court.

26 December 2017 – İstanbul University (3 academics) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court .
4 January 2018 – Marmara University (2 academics), İstanbul Teknik University (1 academic) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

11 January 2018 – Kadir Has University (2 academics) before İstanbul 35 th Assize Court .
18 January 2018 – İstanbul Teknik University (4 academics), Yıldız Teknik University (2 academics), Marmara University (3 academics), Özyeğin University (1 academic) before İstanbul 35th Assize Court.

30 January 2018 – Marmara University (5 academics), Yıldız Teknik University (3 academics), İstanbul Teknik University (4 academics), Özyeğin University (1 academic) before İstanbul 32nd Assize Court.

6 February 2018 – Marmara University (1 academic) before İstanbul 34th Assize Court.

13 February 2018 – Marmara University (3 academics), Özyeğin University (2 academics), Kadir Has University (3 academics), Yıldız Teknik University (1 academic) before İstanbul 34th Assize Court.

15 February 2018 – Kadir Has University (1 academic) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

22 February 2018 – Bahçeşehir University (1 academic), Kemerburgaz University (1 academic) before İstanbul 36th Assize Court.

27 February 2018 – Kemerburgaz University (1 academic), Apriltaşı University (1 academic), Kadir Has University (1 academic) before İstanbul 35th Assize Court.

1 March 2018 – İstanbul University (3 academics) before İstanbul 37. Assize Court.

6 March 2018 – İstanbul University (3 academics), Galatasaray University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

8 March 2018 – Galatasaray University (2 academics), İstanbul University (2 academics) before İstanbul 37. Assize Court.

13 March 2018 – Galatasaray University (2 academics), İstanbul University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

16 March 2018 – Kadir Has University (3 academics), Bahçeşehir University (1 academic) before İstanbul 33th Assize Court.

20 March 2018 – Marmara University (2 academics) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

22 March 2018 – Marmara University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

27 March 2018 – Marmara University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

29 March 2018 - Marmara University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

3 April 2018 – Kadir Has University (1 academic), Kemerburgaz University (1 academic) İstanbul 32nd Assize Court.

5 April 2018 – Yıldız Teknik University (1 academic)), İstanbul Teknik University (1 academic) before İstanbul 32nd Assize Court.

26 April 2018 – Arel University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

3 May 2018 – Kadir Has University (1 academic), Bahçeşehir University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

8 May 2018 – Kadir Has University (1 academic), Işık University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

15 May 2018 – Kadir Has University (2 academics) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

17 May 2018 - Bahçeşehir University (1 academic) before İstanbul 37th Assize Court.

The Peace Declaration of the Academics "We will not be a party to this crime" was shared with the public on January 11, 2016 in a press conference. 1,128 academics from 89 universities as well as over 355 academics and researchers from abroad had signed the peace declaration. (TP/TK)