Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel has been put on trial once again following the decision of the Constitutional Court. Tuncel was previously sentenced to 8 years 9 months on grounds of “being a member of a terrorist organisation”. After the sentence was approved by the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court ordered a re-trial.

The first court hearing was held at Istanbul 10th High Criminal Court on 18 June. Tuncel did not attend the court session where she was represented by her lawyer Ervan Kanar.

Lawyer Kanar demanded the completion of the lacking items in the file as had also been highlighted by the Constitutional Court and said that Tuncel will be present in the next court session. The session has been postponed with a decision for the hearing of Tuncel herself.

KANAR: EVIDENCES CONTRADICT LAW

Commenting on the trial, lawyer Evran Kanar told that the previous sentence was based on evidences contradicting the laws, adding that the testimony of an unknown person was included into the file 5 years after the trial began. Kanar furthermore drew attention to the fact that the confessions of a criminal person, who was sentenced for sexual assault was made the basis of the charges, and the demands of the lawyers to search if the testimonies are telling the truth or not was rejected at least 10 times by the court.

Kanar stressed that the trial was pursued on political grounds rather than on the truths, adding that Tuncel’s dispute with a police officer during the trial period also affected the court. The testimony of an unknown person was included into the file 5 years after the start of the trial. Kanar stressed that all these gathering of so-called evidences were unlawful, adding that the Constitutional Court approved the objection of the lawyers and decided for re-trial. Kanar said a lawful and just trial of Tuncel would result in acquittal decision.