Sevda Aydın, İzmir – A mass hearing of 25 defendants, including activist and documentary-maker Kazım Kızıl, was held at İzmir 33. Court of First Instance today. The 25 defendants face charges of 'insulting the president' and 'defying the law of assembly and demonstration'.
Only Kazım Kızıl and Baran Ateş were able to attend the hearing in person. Many defendants had spent three months in pre-trial detention until they were released temporarily at the first hearing.
The hearing mainly revolved around the impartiality of Cemal Emre Doğan, who had been summoned as an expert witness. Doğan allegedly remarked that the 25 defendants were members of a terrorist organization while testifying in a different case, accusing them of being ‘Idealists’ - members of a nationalist youth organization associated with the National Movement Party.
Defense lawyer Dinçer Çalım requested that Doğa be struck as an expert witness and his testimony be expunged from the case file. The court adjourned the hearing until December 19 to review the requests.
Updated: December 3 2018
