EYLEM SONBAHAR
A lawsuit has been filed against 66 people, including journalist Zişan Gür, over allegations of "refusing to disperse despite warnings" during protests in Istanbul's Saraçhane district on March 23. Gür was reporting on demonstrations sparked by the brief detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu when he was detained and allegedly beaten by police.
Zişan Gür, a reporter for the independent news outlet Sendika.Org, was taken into custody along with dozens of others and brought to Istanbul Courthouse on March 26 after police processing. The Criminal Judgeship of Peace ordered the release of 40 people, including Gür, under judicial control measures requiring weekly check-ins and an international travel ban. The remaining 26 were initially remanded in custody.
A formal indictment dated April 7 accuses Gür and 65 others of "participating in an unlawful demonstration and failing to disperse despite warnings" under Article 32/1 of Turkey’s Law on Meetings and Demonstrations. One individual also faces an additional charge of "attending the protest while carrying weapons or disguising their identity."
The indictment references the Istanbul Governor’s ban on gatherings in the area and details a police cordon set up on Bozdoğan Aqueduct, Atatürk Boulevard, and 15 July Martyrs Street. Protesters allegedly approached with banners reading, “If oppression is legitimate, rebellion is a right,” “Freedom, equality, fraternity 2025,” “I’m just taking a diploma to Tayyip,” and “The kids of the looters have grown up.”
It also claims demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Fascist police,” “The day will come, the AKP will be held accountable,” and “Tayyip’s police,” and that some threw hard objects at officers. According to the indictment, 18 police officers sustained minor injuries that did not endanger their lives.
Although Gür was allegedly beaten during his arrest, the indictment does not mention this incident or provide any information about the treatment he received in custody.
Police reportedly reviewed video footage from the scene and prepared individual investigation reports on each suspect. The prosecution argues that all 66 individuals ignored police warnings to disperse and therefore committed a criminal offense.
The Istanbul 26th Criminal Court of First Instance accepted the indictment on April 10 and ordered the release of all 26 detained individuals, ruling that continued detention would be disproportionate given the lack of flight risk or evidence tampering concerns.
The court lifted house arrest and travel bans for most of the suspects, noting that many are students and had submitted documents proving they were enrolled in programs abroad. Instead, the court imposed a requirement that all 66 individuals check in with authorities on the first Sunday of each month.
The first hearing in the case is scheduled for September 19 at 9:30 a.m.
