The Constitutional Court decided that the administrative fine sentenced against five people due to stopping the traffic by participating in the protest demonstration organized in May 2014 in Eskişehir for the anniversary of the execution of Deniz Gezmiş and his friends was a violation and that such actions must not be penalized since they are “peaceful, within the tolerable limit.”
The Constitutional Court decision underlined alternative roads; indicating that a road blockage to the extent that some other person’s rights and freedoms are restricted is not possible. The high court issued that the penalty violated the protesters’ rights to holding peaceful meetings and demonstrations. “The sole existence of an activity that contradicts the ban is not a sufficient basis to intervene basic rights and freedoms,” stated the court.
The police had previously fined participants Rıza Gökçen Erus, Sultan Şahbaz and Aslıhan Uludoğan with 356 TL due to blocking the road to traffic; with 189 TL sanctions imposed on Erhan Yıldız and Barış Gençyılmaz due to blocking the tram line.
25.05.2018
hurriyet.com.tr