Dozens of people, including journalists, appeared before a court in Istanbul on Friday, accused of attending banned demonstrations and disobeying police orders to disperse during anti-government protests that were triggered by the jailing of the city’s opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, seen as the main challenger to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule, was arrested on 19 March and jailed days later on corruption charges.
His imprisonment has been widely viewed as politically motivated and sparked nationwide protests. The government insists Turkey’s judiciary is independent and that the courts operate freely.
A total of 189 defendants, most of them university students, began defending themselves over charges of participating in banned protests and non-compliance with orders to disperse. Some have also been charged with carrying arms.
Four photojournalists and three journalists, who were reporting on the protests, were also on trial. The court however, on Friday decided to separate their case from the main trial.
The defendants are among more than 2,000 people who were detained for taking part in the country’s largest mass demonstrations in more than a decade.
During the opening hearing, lawyers demanded acquittal for all 189 defendants.
Among the defendants was Derin Doga Kus, an Istanbul University student, who was detained from her home on 24 March, and released from jail last week along with dozens of other students.
Their release followed a concerted efforts by parents to have their children set free, with many holding daily vigils outside Silivri prison, west of Istanbul.
“I spent 18 days in the Silivri prison and was released a week ago today,” Doga Kus said. “We all missed our exams. Some lost their jobs.”
“This is not a legal process; it is a process where the law is trampled on," she added.
Avni Gundogan, the father of another defendant, was among hundreds who gathered outside the courthouse in support of the students.
“They engaged in democratic, peaceful, and legitimate activities. They exercised their constitutional rights, and their rights were violated,” Gundogan said. “We demand a verdict of acquittal for our children.”
