The first hearing of the case filed against 18 lawyers, who performed a sit-in protest and made press statements at Beyoğlu Tünel to point to the 78-day curfew and civilian deaths in Cizre district of Şırnak, was held at Istanbul 36th Assize Court.
Defendants Ercan Kanar, Ramazan Demir, Gökmen Yeşil, Mehmet Ümit Erdem, Güray Dağ and Mustafa Rüzgar were ready at the hearing. Lawyers Naciye Demir, Ebru Timtik and Avni Güçlü Sevimli, who were arrested within a different file, attended the hearing via Audiovisual Information System (SEGBIS). “I don’t want to testify through SEGBIS. This is not how a procededing is made. Defense is made with the personal gathering of the judge, the prosecutor and the defendants. The individual is brought to the courtrooms when he pleases. I will not defend myself here since I wasn’t brought there in person,” said Demir. The next hearing was scheduled to 11 November 2018.
The lawyers face imprisonment claims for 144 years in total due to ‘making illegal organization propaganda’ and ‘participating in illegal meetings and demonstrations.’
10.05.2018
mezopotamyaajansi.com