Canan Coşkun
Professor İştar Gözaydın, who was arrested last year and remained in prison for three months on charges of links to the Fethullah Gülen network, which Turkey alleges was behind the coup attempt of 15 July 2016, was acquitted of the accusations against her, court reporter Canan Coşkun who followed the trial for the Cumhuriyet newspaper reported.
The hearing was heard on 31 January by the Istanbul 27th High Criminal Court. Gözaydın, who is known for her academic work on the relationship between religion and politics, was also in attendance. The prosecutor in his final opinion asked the court to punish Gözaydın for "assisting a terrorist organization."
In response, Gözaydın said: "I appeared on the television program where I participated to express my views. I participated as an academic and as a jurist in every media appearance where I was invited. The only thing I said was that a court ruling is necessary to consider any structure a terrorist organization" and asked for her release.
The court announced the verdict that the elements of the alleged offense couldn't be established and therefore ruled for her acquittal.
