Trial begins for 10 activists protesting election results discrepancies outside Turkey’s election authority
The first hearing of the trial for 10 individuals who held a "Democracy Vigil" outside the Supreme Election Council (YSK) in protest of discrepancies between signed ballot reports and the YSK’s published results during the May 2023 elections took place at the Ankara 27th Criminal Court of First Instance on September 17, 2024.
During the hearing, the defendants, along with their lawyers, attended and made their statements. They explained that they went to the YSK to exercise their constitutional rights and were detained without any prior warning. The defendants, who claimed they were mistreated during their detention, requested acquittal.
Defense lawyer Ebru Beşe emphasized that the defendants were exercising their constitutional rights, stating, "The Constitution grants everyone the right to assemble and demonstrate without prior notice. My clients gathered peacefully. Both the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights have issued numerous rulings supporting this. Therefore, we see the prosecution of the defendants as a violation of their rights."
Lawyer Ümran Hakverdi noted that in the past, even minor protests in Ankara were met with police intervention without warning. She pointed out that recent changes within the police force had reduced such interventions, adding, "My clients exercised their constitutional rights without prior notification. Notification requirements are essentially for the authorities, not the demonstrators. We therefore demand immediate acquittal."
Unusual interruption during defense statements
During the defense statements, a court staff member entered the courtroom to place a box for "rat extermination" in a corner, which caused a strong odor to spread in the room. Despite the smell, the courtroom was not ventilated, raising concern among those present.
Following the testimonies, the court postponed the hearing to January 16, 2025, in order to take statements from defendants who had not yet provided their defense.
