Eight years prison sentence for asking free education
Eight years prison sentence for asking free education
A specially authorized court sentenced 22 year old university students Ferhat Tüzer and Berna Yýlmaz to eight years, five months and 20 days in prison and Utku Aykar to two years, two months and 20 days in prison for unfurling a banner demanding free education while Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan was delivering a speech.
Tüzer and Yýlmaz had already remained under arrest for 19 months, and they are set to serve for another four and a half years behind bars if the Supreme Court of Appeals ratifies the verdict.
"This verdict shows why specially authorized courts need to be abolished. They received prison terms for voicing a legally [sanctioned] and democratic demand. These courts [represent] a significant impediment before the freedom of speech," defendant lawyer Taylan Tanay told bianet.
"The right to a fair trial has been violated since the start of this case. The [previous] prosecutor who requested these kids' acquittal [landed in Istanbul's] Büyükçekmece district in short order by means of a decree. His special authority was revoked," Tanay said in today's trial.
Tüzer and Yýlmaz had already remained under arrest for 19 months, and they are set to serve for another four and a half years behind bars if the Supreme Court of Appeals ratifies the verdict.
"This verdict shows why specially authorized courts need to be abolished. They received prison terms for voicing a legally [sanctioned] and democratic demand. These courts [represent] a significant impediment before the freedom of speech," defendant lawyer Taylan Tanay told bianet.
"The right to a fair trial has been violated since the start of this case. The [previous] prosecutor who requested these kids' acquittal [landed in Istanbul's] Büyükçekmece district in short order by means of a decree. His special authority was revoked," Tanay said in today's trial.
