The first hearing of Boğaziçi University research associate Şenay Çınar was held today at İstanbul 37. High Criminal Court. Çınar faces terrorist propaganda charges arising from her participation in a petition by ‘Academics for Peace’ stating ‘We will not be a party to this crime’, protesting the Turkish military’s activity in predominantly Kurdish regions.
The presiding judge in the hearing informed Çınar that she has been accused of violating Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law and invited her to submit a defense. Çınar plead her innocence and requested extra time for the preparation of her defense statement.
Çınar's lawyer İnayet Aksu then requested the merger of Çınar’s case with that of other academics who have been charged for their involvement in the Academics for Peace petition, whose cases are being tried at İstanbul 13. High Criminal Court. Aksu also submitted that the case ought to be tried according to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code.
The court adjourned the hearing until February 12 2019 in order to give Çınar extra time to prepare her defense and to allow the court to review the submission regarding Article 301. The court rejected the request for a merger of the cases and for immediate acquittal.
Updated: December 6 2018
