Seven of the participants in the protest organized in 2015 in Izmir against the murder of Diyarbakır Bar Association Chairman Tahir Elçi were convicted of ‘insulting the President’ due to the slogans they chanted.
In the case at Torbalı 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance, 15 people were acquitted and 7 people were sentenced to 1 year and two months as well as 1 year, 11 months and 10 days of imprisonment. The court claimed that it is impossible to evaluate the expressions, “thief and murderer” within freedom of expression due to insult. The sentences were deferred; there is another ongoing case at Izmir 13th Assize Court due to ‘making illegal organization propaganda’ during the same protest.
23.07.2018
evrensel.net