The hearing of the case against the Gezi Resistance, where 16 people (2 on remand) including businessman Osman Kavala are on trial, is being held in the Silivri Prison Campus courtroom by the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No.30.

Kavala gave his defense and said the allegations that have resulted in his 20 month-long imprisonment are devoid of factual basis, against logic and unsupported by evidence.

“Concrete facts have been distorted and a work of fantastical fiction has been produced,” said Kavala and added that he tried to contribute to the cultural accumulation of the country.

“THE PROSECUTOR DIDN’T EVEN QUESTION ME”

“I strived to support projects that would serve peace, dialogue and consensus among societal groups,” stressed Kavala and protested the prosecutor, saying he “didn’t even feel the need to question [him]”.

Kavala concluded his defense by saying, “I hereby declare that I am no different than the hundreds of thousands of individuals who carried out peaceful protests, and demand my release and acquittal.”

The hearing continues in the afternoon session.