All Defendants Of Gezi Park Case Are Acquitted

- The judge declared decission of acquittal at the seventh hearing of Gezi Park case, stating that the the protests were within the context of freedom of expression.

"We evaluate the case within the freedom of expression and speach" Judge Onur Özsaraç said, when declaring the court's decission of acquittal for all defendants, including Ayşe Mücella Yapıcı of Chamber of Architectures and General Secretary of Istanbul Medical Association Ali Çerkezoğlu.

Most of the defendants in the latest court case are union leaders, part of a group of professionals, activists and business owners who opposed then Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s plans for Gezi Park, one of the few public green spaces in Europe’s biggest city.

A peaceful protest against plans to raze Gezi Park to make way for a shopping centre resulted in a heavy-handed police crackdown. The situation mushroomed into nationwide anti-government demonstrations.

At least 11 people died in clashes with police. The Turkish Medical Association says 10,000 were seriously hurt.

Previously, decisions of acquittals came out in the similar lawsuits, opened against for different profession groups like union leaders, students and medical doctors.

A criminal lawsuit was brought against Dr Erenç Dokudan and Dr Sercan Yüksel for their first aid services to citizens injured as a result of unlawful and violent intervention of the police during “Gezi Park” protests in İstanbul.

The two doctors were accused for “protecting perpetrators by extending them first aid” and “damaging a temple while doing this”.

The indictment considers everyone, whether participated in protests or not, who took shelter in Bezmi Alem Valide Sultan Mosque in Beşiktaş-Dolmabahçe as “perpetrator”.

Thus, two doctors who medically helped people in the mosque are charged for “protecting perpetrators” and “dirtying and damaging the temple.”

(PHOTO)