Think, think… Freedom of Expression Weekly Bulletin (No. 17/16, 22 April 2016) What happened last week? *** The negotiation of the constitutional amendment bill of AKP which predicts for the removal of the immunities within the scope of 567 summaries, 333 of which are against HDP MPs, has been postponed to next week at the GNAT Constitutional Commission. While CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu stated that they will support the amendment, some CHP MPs announced that they will use an against vote. President Erdoğan, on the other hand, continued to threaten HDP members by saying that the current immunity files will be referred to jurisdiction. *** Operations in Yüksekova district of Hakkari, which continue since 13 March 2016, have ended. Curfew in the districts continue. he Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) has announced that at least 338 civilians have lost their lives in the curfews declared between the dates 16 August 2015 and 20 April 2016 in 22 districts. (Continued in the bulletin…) *** Rocket explosions continue in Kilis, shot from the region in Syria under the control of ISIL. A total of 12 people have lost their lives due to the rockets. *** Two foreign journalists have been denied entry to Turkey. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş has stated that the journalists are not allowed in Turkey due to security reasons. In the 2016 World Press Freedom Index launched by Reporters Without Borders, Turkey has been ranked 151st. (Continued in the bulletin…) *** 16th Penal Department of the Court of Appeals has reversed the local court decision on the “Ergenekon Case.” The high court has given the reason for reversal as the fact that a concrete evidence could not be revealed on the existence of an “Ergenekon organization.” The decision has been reversed due to illegal wiretapping and searches as well as secret witness statements as well. *** Teacher Muharrem Büyüktürk, who had sexually abused children staying in houses belonging to the Ensar Foundation in Karaman, also known with its close relations with the government, has been sentenced to 508 years and 3 months of imprisonment in the first hearing of the case against him. The process of investigation and jurisdiction has been concluded with a lightning speed in the matter, which caused public reactions. The court has denied the claim for the investigation to be extended. *** The indictment against Reza Zarrab, who had been arrested in the U.S., has been renewed and presented to the court. Attorney Bharara has added new clauses to the section “charges” of the indictment, describing Turkey, New York and the United Arab Emirates as “places where the crimes have been committed.”
Transcript
Think,think…
Freedom of ExpressionWeekly Bulletin (No.17/16,22April2016)Whathappenedlastweek?***ThenegotiationoftheconstitutionalamendmentbillofAKPwhichpredictsfortheremovaloftheimmunitieswithinthescopeof567summaries,333ofwhichareagainstHDPMPs, has been postponed to nextweek at the GNAT Constitutional Commission.WhileCHPleaderKılıçdaroğlustatedthattheywillsupporttheamendment,someCHPMPsannouncedthattheywilluseanagainstvote.PresidentErdoğan,ontheotherhand,continued to threatenHDPmembersbysaying that thecurrent immunity fileswillbereferredtojurisdiction.***Operations inYüksekovadistrictofHakkari,whichcontinuesince13March2016,have ended. Curfew in the districts continue. heHumanRights Foundation of Turkey(TİHV) has announced that at least 338 civilians have lost their lives in the curfewsdeclared between the dates 16 August 2015 and 20 April 2016 in 22 districts.(Continuedinthebulletin…)***RocketexplosionscontinueinKilis,shotfromtheregioninSyriaunderthecontrolofISIL.Atotalof12peoplehavelosttheirlivesduetotherockets.***Two foreign journalists havebeendenied entry toTurkey.DeputyPrimeMinisterNuman Kurtulmuş has stated that the journalists are not allowed in Turkey due tosecurity reasons. In the 2016 World Press Freedom Index launched by ReportersWithoutBorders,Turkeyhasbeenranked151st.(Continuedinthebulletin…)***16thPenalDepartmentoftheCourtofAppealshasreversedthelocalcourtdecisiononthe“ErgenekonCase.”Thehighcourthasgiventhereasonforreversalasthefactthata concrete evidence could not be revealed on the existence of an “Ergenekonorganization.”Thedecisionhasbeenreversedduetoillegalwiretappingandsearchesaswellassecretwitnessstatementsaswell.***TeacherMuharremBüyüktürk,whohadsexuallyabusedchildrenstayinginhousesbelongingtotheEnsarFoundationinKaraman,alsoknownwithitscloserelationswiththegovernment,hasbeensentencedto508yearsand3monthsofimprisonmentinthefirsthearingof the caseagainsthim.Theprocessof investigationand jurisdictionhasbeenconcludedwithalightningspeedinthematter,whichcausedpublicreactions.Thecourthasdeniedtheclaimfortheinvestigationtobeextended.*** The indictment against Reza Zarrab, who had been arrested in the U.S., has beenrenewed and presented to the court. Attorney Bharara has added new clauses to thesection “charges”of the indictment,describingTurkey,NewYorkand theUnitedArabEmiratesas“placeswherethecrimeshavebeencommitted.”
***DİSK,KESK,TMMOBandTTBhavedecidedtocelebrateMay1inTaksim,Istanbul.ThereplyoftheGovernorateontheapplicationmadetocelebrateinthearea,whichhadpreviously been prohibited continuously, is being awaited with curiosity. In themeantime,DeputyPrimeMinisterNumanKurtulmuşhasstatedthatnomeetingswillbeheldinTaksim.*** 45 intellectuals have demanded for Article 299 of the Turkish Criminal Code,regulating the crime of “insulting the President” to be repealed. The intellectuals havealso stated that the President has to content himself with directory statutes whichprovide protection for all citizens, due to the equal protection principle of theConstitution.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turkeyranked151stonRSFPressFreedomIndexReportersWithoutBorders(RSF)haslaunchedthe2016WorldPressFreedomIndex.In the report, 180 countries have been valuated and Turkey has regressed two stepscomparedtothelastyear’sreport,ranked151stamongthecountrieswhere“itishardto perform journalism.” RSFhas also emphasized that the government pressurizes theoppositionmedia,thatcontinuouspublicationbansarebeingissued,trusteesarebeingassigned to newspapers, that foreign journalists are being detained and the criticaljournalistsareattemptedtobebannedwithlawsuitsopenedagainstthem.Pleaseclickhereforthefullreport.
338civiliansdiedincurfewsThe Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) has announced that at least 338civilianshavelosttheirlivesinthecurfewsdeclaredbetweenthedates16August2015and 20 April 2016. Of those 338 civilians, 78 were children and 69 were women.Accordingtothereportprepared,200ofthosewhohavebeenkilledhavediedwhileathomeduetofirearmorcannonballs.AccordingtothedatabyTİHV,atleast65indefiniteandday-longcurfewdecisionshavebeentakenwhichcanofficiallybedetermined.Inthereport, ithasalsobeenindicatedthat themost basic rights of life andhealth of at least 1million642 thousandpeopleliving in these regionshavebeenviolated. It has alsobeen recorded, according to theannouncementoftheMinisterofHealth,thatatleast335thousandpeoplehadtoleavetheirhometowns.Despitethestatementsofgovernmentofficials,whostatedthathealthserviceswerenotinterruptedinthedistricts, inthereport ithasbeenrecordedthatat least76civilianshavelosttheirlivesduetotheirinabilitytoobtainhealthservices.Pleaseclickhereforthefullreport.
Filesof“insultingErdoğan”AlawsuithasbeenopenedagainstAsst.Prof.Dr.HakanMertcan,Asst.Prof.Dr.MustafaŞenerandAsst.Prof.Dr.SelimÇakmaklıfromMersinUniversitybecauseoftheirsocialmedia posts. The academics are charged with insulting Erdoğan in the indictment
preparedbyMersinChiefPublicProsecutor’sOffice,withtwodifferentnewssharedondifferentdatesaswellasacolumnpublishedondiken.com.tr.İstanbul2ndCriminalCourtofFirst Instance issuedaverdictofacquittal forEvrenselNewspaper Owner Arif Koşar and the newspaper’s Managing Editor VuralNasuhbeyoğlu,whohavebeenontrialbecauseofthenewspublishedonthenewspaper,titled, “The Actual Perpetrator of Ali İsmail is Erdoğan,” on the death of Ali İsmailKorkmazduringtheGeriParkprotestsin2013.The journalistswere chargedwith insultingPresidentErdoğanbecauseofmaking thenewsof thestatementsmadeby lawyers,whothought that thepenaltiessentencedtodefendants in the case of Korkmaz’s death were insufficient and expressed it on 23January2015.İzmir 39th Criminal Court of Peace has issued a verdict of acquittal for DİSK AegeanRegionRepresentativeMemişSarı,formersessionspokesmanofKESKAbdullahTunalıand Genel-İş Branch ChairmanAli RıyaDuran,who have been chargedwith insultingRecep Tayyip Erdoğan during a demonstration they attended to, while Erdoğan wasPrimeMinister.The lawsuit against the union representatives had been opened due to thecommemorationeventorganizedinİzmiron11March2014forBerkinElvan,whohadlosthislifeafterstayinginacomafor269daysduetobeinghitbyagasshellshotbythepoliceduringtheGeziParkprotests.M.A.andM.Ç.,whohavebeendetainedduetotheirpostsontheirsocialmediaaccounts,havebeenarrestedinManavgatdistrictofAntalya,dueto“makingterroristorganizationpropaganda“and“insultingthePresident.”UnionofHealthandSocialServiceLabourers(SES)memberandanAdanaSocialHealthCenteremployee,SocialServiceExpertAliRıdvanoğullarıhasbeendismissedfromdutyduetothepostshehasmadeonhissocialmediaaccountregardingtheSuruçMassacre.Ruıdvanoğulları has been chargedwith “insulting the President,” “praising terror” and“denigratingthesecurityforcesofthegovernment.”
Academicthesison“peace”deniedAkdenizUniversityFacultyofSocialScienceshasdenied the thesisofastudent, titled,“TheRoleofWomenintheConstructionofPeace:PeaceExperiencesofWomeninFourDifferentProvinces”withthereasonoftheterrorcircularissuedbythePrimeMinistry.The administration of the Institute has asserted that the expression of “peace” in thethesistopichasgonebeyonditspurpose,andthatorganizationslike“WomenforPeace,”“Peace Mothers” are “creating a perception that illegal activities are being conductedundertheimpressionoflegalorganizations.”
LawsuitagainstmineprotestinCerattepeAlawsuithasbeenopenedagainst48people,whohaveprotestedthecopperminetobeopened in Cerattepe of Kafkasör, Artvin by Cengiz Holding due to the charges of“violatingtheLawonMeetingsandDemonstrations”and“resistingthepolice.”Thefirsthearingofthecasewillbeheldon23September2016atArtvinCriminalCourtofFirstInstance.
LawsuitsagainstsocialmediapostsWriterandacademicSibelÖzbudunhasbeenacquittedinthefirsthearingofthelawsuitshe has been on trial at Ankara 2ndHigh Criminal Courtwith the charge of “makingterrorist organization propaganda” due to the posts she has made on her personalFacebookaccount.Another lawsuit against Özbudun,which had been previously opened at Ankara 35thCriminalCourtofFirstInstancewiththechargeof“publicprovocationtocommitcrime”becauseofthepoemshehassharedonthesocialmedia,writtenbyCanYücel,hadalsobeen concluded with acquittal. The judge of the lawsuit, Aydoğan Levent Gedik hadmade a reference to theEuropeanCourt ofHumanRights precedents in his reasoneddecision, indicating that the content of the right of freedom of expression can not bemodifiedandthatarestrictiononthecontentoftherightcannevercausefortherightitselftodiminish.3separatelawsuitshavebeenopenedagainstBureauLabourersUnion(BES)ExecutiveBoardMemberOsmanAşan,whohadbeendetaineddue to his FacebookpostswhileworkingatMersinCourthouse.Aşanischargedwith“publiclydenigratingtheRepublicofTurkeyandtheGrandNationalAssemblyofTurkey,” “publiclydenigrating thegovernmentof theRepublicofTurkey, itsjudicial organs aswell as itsmilitary or security organizations,”and “insulting a publicofficial” at Mersin 6th Criminal Court of First Instance; with “making terroristpropagandabymeans of press andmedia,” “praising the crimeaswell as the criminal,”“public provocation to commit crime,” “public provocation for hatred and hostility,”“provokingthepublictoviolatelaws”and“alienatingthepublicfromthemilitaryservice”at Mersin 2nd High Criminal court; andwith “insulting the President” at Mersin 16thCriminalCourtofFirstInstancewithinthescopeofthelawsuitsopenedagainsthimjustduetohissocialmediaposts.Aşanhadbeendismissedfromprofessionon25March2016bztheMinistryof JusticeCentralDisciplinaryCommitteedueto theadministrative investigationopenedagainsthim. Inthe investigation file,photossharedonthesocialmediabyAşanaswellashispost, “Turn on IMC TV, there are important news,” has been considered “evidence ofaidinganorganization.”
InvestigationsagainstlawyersAn indictment has been prepared against Kazım Bayraktar, who is the lawyer ofSarısülük family. Ethem Sarısülük had been shot and killed by the police in Ankaraduring the Gezi Park protests. Bayraktar is charged with “terrorist organizationmembership,” “acting on behalf of a terrorist organization,” “speaking in denigration ofjudicature and security institutions” together with 8 people because of the pressstatementshehasmaderegardingthelawsuitonthedeathofEthemSarısülük,inwhichdefendantpoliceofficerAhmetŞahbazhadbeenontrial.An investigation has been started against 14 of the lawyers who had made a pressstatementon15September2015 in Istanbul toprotest thecurfewsandoperations intheSoutheasternTurkeywiththechargesof“makingterroristorganizationpropaganda”and“denigratingtheRepublicofTurkey.”
TwoforeignjournalistsaredeniedentrytoTurkeyFollowingthediplomaticcrisisbetweenGermanyandTurkeyafterGermanpublicationscriticising Erdoğan, German public television ARD’s Cairo branch executive VolkerSchwenckhasbeenbannedfromenteringTurkey.BeingconfiscatedatAtatürkAirport,theGermanjournalisthassharedthe“informationformforunapprovedpassengers”preparedspecificallyforhimonTwitter,writing,“ThelaststopisIstanbul.IambannedfromenteringTurkey.Theytoldmetherewasarecordundermyname.Iamajournalist.Isthataproblem?”
The Turkey General Director of Sputnik News website, whose website has beenpreviouslybannedtoaccess,TuralKerimovhasbeendeniedentrancetoTurkey.Beingconfiscated at Atatürk airport and informed that there is a ban on him from enteringTurkey, the journalist has stated that his press card and residence permit has beenconfiscatedandhewasdemandedtoreturntoRussiawiththenextflight.Ontheotherhand,PresidentErdoğanhadbeenacomplainantonGermancomedianJanBöhmermann because of the poem he had read; German ChancellorMerkel has thenapprovedforaninvestigationtobeopenedagainstBöhmermann.Protestingtheattitudeof Merkel, U.K. based The Spectator magazine’s writer Douglas Murray has started apoemcompetition.Describing Erdoğan as a “despot,” Murray has asked his readers to write poemscontaining five verses and satirising Erdoğan and to send their poems [email protected].
JournalistsontrialDicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Muhammed Doğru has been arrested with thecharges of “making organization propaganda” and “being member to an illegalorganization.” The journalist, who is also a student of Sakarya University, had beendetainedwith11otherstudent friendsofhimon15April2016.TogetherwithDoğru,thenumberofjailedjournalistsinTurkeyhasincreasedto32andthenumberofjailedDİHAreportersincreasedtoeight.A lawsuithasbeenopenedagainstÖzgürDüşünce (Freethought)Newspaper reporterCihanAcarwithaclaimofimprisonmentuntil2yearsduetomakinganinterviewwiththe lawyerof the Independent JournalismPlatform - P24,VeyselOk.The journalist ischargedwith “public denigration of the TurkishNation, theRepublic of Turkey and theGrandNational Assembly of Turkey” due to the interview, inwhich Criminal Judges ofPeacehavebeencriticized.Thejournalistwillstandtrialatİstanbul73rdCriminalCourtofFirstInstance.Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has started an investigation against KemalGöktaşfromCumhuriyetNewspaperaswellasCemGurbetoğluandTamerArdaErşinfromEvrenselNewspaperoverreportingthenewsoftheinspectorreportpreparedonthebombattackduringtheLabour,PeaceandDemocracyMeetinginwhich109peoplehave lost their lives. The journalists are charged with “targeting public officialsundertaking duty in the fight against terrorism” as well as “publishing confidential
documents” because of reporting the news of identified neglects as the result of theexaminationmadebyinspectors.Contemporary JournalistsAssociation (ÇGD)Ankarabranchhas announced themediareportofthefirstthreemonthsof2016,withapressmeetingorganized.IndicatingthatTurkey is “heading towards a dark period” in press freedom, ÇGD Chairman AhmetAbakayhasstated,“journalismhasneverbeensilent,andwillneverbe.”Accordingtothereport,20journalistshavebeendetailed,4ofthemhavebeenarrestedand 12 investigations have been opened against journalists, 6 of which are due to“insultingErodoğan” in theyear2016.Decisionsofwithdrawal fromshelveshasbeengivenagainst1newspaper,1magazineand3books,accessbanshavebeenbrought7times, encompassing thewhole socialmedia. 723 pressworkers have also been firedfromduty.Pleaseclickhereforthefullreport.
“Hate”againstLGBTIindividuals...AkitNewspaperand“habervaktim.com”websitehastargetedthe“WomenMediaSchool”organized incollaborationbyAnkaraUniversityFacultyofCommunication (İLEF)andKaosGLwithdiscriminative expressions. In thenews,KaosGL andLGBTI individualsaredescribedas“deviant”people,whilethefacultymembershavebeentargetedaswellbecauseofthecurriculumoftheWomenMediaSchool,whichconsistsofworkshopsinwhichwomenarecreatingtheirownmedialanguagebydiscussingcurrentmedia.Çankaya District National Education Director Mehmet Yılmaz has demanded for theposter belonging to Education and ScienceWorkers’ Union on LGBTI rights to not behungatschools.Inthemessagehesenttoschooldirectors,Yılmazhasusedexpressionslike“deviant,pervertedgroup”describingLGBTIindividuals.Ontheotherhand,thecriminalcomplaintmadebyLGBTIactivistKemalÖrdek,whohasbeensexuallyattacked,onthesamedayoftheattackhasremainedinconclusive.Ördekhasstated,intheinterviewhegavetoBianetaftertheincident,thatthepolicehasmadehimsittogetherwiththeattackersandtriedconvincinghimawayfrommakingacriminal complaint by taking him outside of the police station. However, theProsecutor’sOfficehasgivenaverdictofnon-prosecutioninthecriminalcomplaintfiledagainstthepoliceofficersondutyatthepolicestation.
The 10th Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression, organized biennially by theInitiative for Freedom of Expression has been held on 9-10 April 2016 atIntercontinental Istanbul,BosphorusRoomincollaborationwithBianet,TransparencyInternationalandTruth,JusticeandMemoryCenter.On the first day of the Gathering, with the participation of various NGOs both fromTurkeyandabroad,NGOrepresentativesfromTurkeyhavedebatedthesituationinsideTurkey.On the secondday, representatives of foreignorganizationshavedebated theissuesaroundtheworld.Inthemeeting,panelsandwitnessspeechesalsohavetakenplacefocusedonimpunity,press freedom, freedom of expression, lawsuits of insult, censorship and theinterventionofgovernmenttojudicature.Inthesectionwhenpressureandcensorshipapplications on the press have being debated, ErdemGül hasmade awitness speechabouthisproceedingwithCanDündarbecauseofthenewstheypublishedonthetrucksbelonging to the Turkish National Intelligence. Afterwards, the founder ofWikiLeaks,JulianAssangehasparticipatedtothemeetingwithavideocall,presentinghisopiniononthesituationbothinTurkeyandintheworld.On the seconddayof theGathering, the situationof theworld in termsof freedomofexpression has been debated. Malaysian caricature artist Zulkiflee Anwar "Zunar"Ulhaque,whohadstoodtrialinhisowncountrybecauseofthecriticizingtweetshehas
posted,andthecaricatureartistof theMuseumofCrimesofThought,SadıkPalahavesimultaneously created caricatures on the theme of freedom of expression. Themainfocus of the panels andwitness speeches of the second day has been the situation ofrefugees in the world, wars and the reflections of the refugee crisis on freedom ofexpression.Denaturalization
“Challenging” the ones supporting terrorism, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hasstated, “We have to be decisive on taking all necessary precautions, includingdenaturalization,toinactivatesupportersofterroristorganizations,everyonewhotargetthe integrity of our state, with different names and speeches.” While these wordsreminded everyone of the applications of September 12 coup period, the Minister ofJusticeclaimedthatthesewordsofthePresidentcarrythequalityofbeing“anorder”asa“governmenttradition,”signalingfornewregulations.
BEING AVAILABLE FROM SECRET GOVERNMENT MEETINGS TO 50 MILLIONIDENTITY INFORMATION, TURKEY HAS BECOME THE FIRST OPEN SOURCEGOVERNMENT...
TRIALSOFFREEDOMOFEXPRESSION● The third hearing in which journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül are on trial due to trucks
belonging to theNational Intelligence has been held at İstanbul 14thHigh Criminal Court. Thecourt board has denied the claim of the Prosecutor to combine the file with the “ParallelGovernmentStructuring”fileattheCourtofAppeals,postponingthehearingto6May2016.
● The proceeding of scientists EsraMungan,Meral Camcı, Kıvanç Ersoy andMuzaffer Kaya,whohavebeenarrestedbecauseof signing the “Academics forPeace”notice,hasstartedat Istanbul13thHighCriminalCode.Thehearingwasstillcontinuingduringthepreparationofthebulletin.
● Followingthedecisionofthe2ndPenalDepartmentoftheCourtofAppeals,whichpredictedfortheindictmentagainst26publicofficialsregardingthedeathofHrantDinktobecombinedwiththemaincasefileandforthecasetobeheldatIstanbul14thHighCriminalCode,theproceedingof34defendants,8of themarrested,hasstarted.Receivingthestatementsof thedefendants inthehearing, the courtboardhasdecided for the releaseof SecurityCommanderÖzkanMumcuandpoliceofficerMuhittinZenit,whohavebeenarrested,thenpostponedthehearingto24May2016.
● The lawsuit regarding the death of Ali İsmail Korkmaz, who has been beaten and killed inEskişehirbypeopleincludingafewpoliceofficersduringtheGeziParkprotests,hasbeenretriedatKayseri3rdHighCriminalCourtfollowingthedecisionofreversaloftheCourtofAppeals.Thecourtissuedthesamesentencesfollowingtheretrial,decidingforthecontinualfoarrestoftwopoliceofficersandforthreedefendantstobereleasedduetotheextensivetimeperiodtheyhavebeenheldunderarrest.
● Theproceeding of 20people, includingHakkariMunicipality Co-ChairNurullahÇiftçi,whohadbeen arrested during the KCK operations in 2011 and released pending trial, has continued atHakkari1stHighCriminalCourt.Thecourtboardhaspostponedthehearingto17May2016.
● Theproceedingof11arrested20peopleincludingtheCo-ChairofErcişMunicipalityDibaKeskin,against whom a lawsuit has been opened with the allegation that they have “disrupted theintegrityof state”with the reason that theyhaveparticipated to the “autonomy”declaration inErciş district of Van, has started at Erciş High Criminal Court. Denying the claims of releasingarresteddefendants,thecourtboardhaspostponedthehearingto26May2016.
● The lawsuitopenedagainstpoliceofficerYükselMoğultayregardingthedeathofDilekDoğayn,who has been shot and killed during a house arrest in İstanbul, with the charge of “willfulhomicide due to neglective behavior” has continued at İstanbul 12nd High Criminal Court.Deciding for thecase tobeheldwithoutaudience, thecourtboardhasdenied theclaim for thedefendantpoliceofficertobearrested,postponingthehearingto30May2016.
● The lawsuit, in which Taraf newspaper writer Mehmet Baransu and the newspaper’s formerEditor-In-Chief Murat Şevki Çoban are on trial with the allegation of “revealing confidentialdocuments of the government” because of the news published on the newspaper, titled, “TheDecision to End Gülen Has Been Taken in 2004 at the National Security Council” has beencontinuedat İstanbulAnatolian10thHighCriminalCourt.Thehearinghasbeenpostponed forthejournaliststocompletetheirdefenses.
● Theproceedingof18LabourandDemocracyPlatform,againstwhomalawsuithasbeenopenedwith the allegation of “insulting the President” following the protest they organized inMersinagainsttheAnkaraMassacre,hascontinuedatMersin16thCriminalCourtofFirstInstance.Thehearinghasbeenpostponedto16June2016.
● Theproceedingof9KaldıraçMagazinereaders,againstwhomalawsuithasbeenopenedwiththecharge of “making illegal organization propaganda” because of participating to demonstrationsorganized inAnkaraduring theGeziParkprotests, has continuedatAnkara2ndHighCriminalCourt. Receiving the defense statements of the defendants, the court board has postponed thehearingto7September2016forthevisualsinthecasefiletobeexaminedbyanexpert.
● Thelawsuitagainst36people,includingErzurumKarayazıDistrictMunicipalityCo-ChairMemetSayitKarabakanandDBPDistrictOrganizationCo-ChairSalihAltaylıwith the chargeof “illegalorganizationmembership”hasstartedtobeheardatErzurum2ndHighCriminalCourt.Thecourthaspostponedthehearingto23June2016forthedefensestobecompleted.
TRIALSOFNEXTWEEK● The second hearing of the lawsuit opened against Pınar Aydınlar, Hacay Yılmaz and Murat
Elmastaşwiththeclaimof“makingillegalorganizationpropaganda”becauseofthespeechestheygave during a meeting organized on 3 May 2015 in İzmir within the scope of the electioncampaignswillbeheldon25April2016atİzmir2ndHighCriminalCourt.
● The next hearing of the lawsuit opened against 12 people, including KESKmembers, with thecharge of “insulting the President” because of participating to the protest demonstrationorganized inMardinagainst theAnkaraMassacrewillbeheldon29April2016atMardin2ndCriminalCourtofFirstInstance.
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