Dozens of people, including journalists, attended an Istanbul court on Friday, accused of participating in prohibited demonstrations and disobeying police orders to disperse during the old state protests caused by the arrest of the mayor of the city, Ekrem ̇mamoğluof the opposition.
Imamoglu, considered the main opponent of the 22 -year -old regime of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip ErdoganHe was arrested on March 19 and arrested days later for charges of corruption.
It was widely considered that the detention had political motivations and resulted in national protests. The government insists that the Turkish judiciary is independent and that the courts work freely.
A total of 189 defendants, most of which university students began to defend accusations of participating in prohibited demonstrations and breach of dispersion orders. Some were also accused of possession of weapons.
Four photojournalists and three journalists, who reported on the protests, are also being judged. However, on Friday, the court decided to separate its case from the main trial.
The defendants are among the more than 2000 people who were arrested for participating in the largest mass demonstrations in the country in more than a decade.
During the opening hearing, lawyers demanded the acquittal of all 189 accused.
Among the defendants are Derin Doğa Kuş, a student at the University of Istanbul, who was arrested at home on March 24 and released last week with dozens of other students.
His release followed a concerted effort of his parents to be released, and many of them have made daily vigils at the door of Silivri’s arrest, west of Istanbul.
“I spent 18 days in Silvri’s prison and was released today a week ago,” said Derin Doğa Kuş. “We all lost the exams. Some lost their job.” “This is not a legal process; it is a process in which the law is expected,” he added.
Avni Gündogan, the father of another defendant, was among the hundreds of people who met at the door of the court to support the students. “They participated in democratic, peaceful and legitimate activities. They exercised their constitutional rights and their rights were violated,” he says. “We demand a verdict of acquittal for our children.”
