Rabia Çetin
A Turkish prosecutor has demanded that seven university students be convicted of "insulting the president" over slogans chanted during a rally held in Istanbul’s Saraçhane district to mark the 100th day of the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
The students had joined a demonstration organized by the municipality on July 1, 2025, outside the İBB headquarters under the banner “On the 100th day of our struggle, we invite our people to the nation’s home in Saraçhane.” Prosecutors later charged the group with “insulting the president” and “violating the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations,” citing slogans shouted during the event.
At the second hearing of the case, held today at the Istanbul 19th Criminal Court of First Instance, the defendants and their lawyers were present. The students reiterated their previous defense statements and requested acquittal.
After the defense statements, the prosecutor submitted the final opinion, requesting that all seven students be sentenced for insulting the president, a criminal offense under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code that has drawn criticism from international human rights groups for being broadly applied against dissent.
Following the prosecutor’s opinion, defense lawyers requested additional time to prepare a written response. They also asked the court to lift the judicial control measures, citing the fact that all the defendants are students and have already delivered their defense statements.
The court accepted both requests, granting the defense more time and lifting the judicial control measures. The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2026, at 10 a.m.
