The 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation upheld the life sentences given to Osman Kavala and 18 years each to Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman, Çiğdem Mater and Mine Özerden, and overturned the convictions of Mücella Yapıcı, Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi and Hakan Altınay. Yapıcı and Altınay, who are currently under arrest, were released. In the case, which had previously resulted in acquittal but at the end of the second trial, heavy prison sentences were given even though no new evidence was presented to the file, the Court of Cassation went further than the local court’s decision and argued that Atalay and Kahraman, who were convicted of “aiding the attempt to overthrow the government”, should be sentenced to “life imprisonment” like Kavala. The court ruled that the actions of the 3 people should be evaluated within the scope of “opposition to the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”, not within the scope of “aiding the attempt to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey”.
29.09.2023
bianet.org