EYLEM SONBAHAR
A Turkish court has acquitted journalist Yağmur Kaya and 51 students from Boğaziçi University who faced charges of violating Turkey's Law on Meetings and Demonstrations during a protest in March 2021.
The Istanbul 65th Criminal Court of First Instance issued the ruling at the 12th hearing of the case. The charges stemmed from a police intervention on March 26, 2021, when the students attempted to make a press statement outside Istanbul Courthouse in support of friends detained during demonstrations at Boğaziçi University. Kaya was covering the protest as a journalist when she was detained alongside the students.
Prosecutor and defense agree on acquittal
The prosecutor reiterated the opinion submitted in the previous hearing, arguing that there was no concrete or credible evidence against the defendants and recommending acquittal for all.
The defendants' lawyers concurred, emphasizing the lack of evidence and requesting their clients' acquittal. Kaya, whose defense was led by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), was not present at the hearing, but her attorney, Didare Hazal Sümeli, represented her.
Court finds insufficient evidence
The court ruled that there was no substantive evidence to support the charges against the defendants and acquitted all parties. This decision closes a case that has been ongoing for over three years.
