First hearing of Gezi Park protest case in which 16 defendants charged with ‘attempting to overthrow the government’ was held yesterday (June 25).
Rights activist and business person Osman Kavala, Bernard van Leer Foundation’s Representative to Turkey Yiğit Aksakoğlu, lawyer Can Atalay, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Chamber of Urban Planners İstanbul Office Executive Board Chair and academic Tayfun Kahraman, Executive Board member Ali Hakan Altınay, architect Mücella Yapıcı, journalist Çiğdem Mater Utku, Anadolu Kültür Inc. Executive Board Deputy Chair and Terakki Foundation Schools’ Executive Board member Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi and filmmaker Mine Özerden made their defenses in the hearing.
Kavala’s arrest to continue
After defenses of the defendants and their attorneys were heard, the court announcing its interim judgement ruled that Aksakoğlu be released under judicial control with an international travel ban and the arrest of Kavala shall continue.
The other defendants’ demands that travel ban and judicial control imposed on them be lifted, were rejected by the court.
The other defendants are as follows:
Actress Ayşe Pınar Alabora and actor Memet Ali Alabora, Open Society Foundation Representative to Turkey Gökçe Yılmaz, writer Handan Meltem Arıkan, Civil Society Development Center Coordinator Hanzade Hikmet Germiyanoğlu, İnanç Ekmekçi, filmmaker, journalist Can Dündar.
The next hearing will be held on July 18, 2019.
