Gizem Edin, İstanbul – Fourteen members of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and a prominent political commentator stood accused of ‘membership in a terrorist organization’ at İstanbul 22nd High Criminal Court today. The hearing was scheduled to begin at 1pm, but did not start until 6:30pm, causing a dispute between relatives of the defendant’s and court security.
Haydar Ergül, editor of the Democratic Modernity Journal, appeared in court via the judicial conferencing system SEGBİS and asserted his innocence. He requested his acquittal, and argued that the charges undermine free speech and press freedom.
The court chose to keep all the defendants detained in prison and adjourned the hearing until January 18 2019.
Updated: November 27 2018
