13 academics have been sentenced to 1 year, 10 months, 5 days in prison, 14 have been sentenced to 2 years and 3 months. The announcement of the verdict was not deferred for those who were sentenced to more than 2 years.
The trial of academics, who have been charged with “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” for having signed the declaration entitled “We will not be a party to this crime” prepared by the Academics for Peace, continued at the İstanbul Courthouse yesterday (February 21).
The 33rd Heavy Penal Court has given its judgment on 27 academics, whose cases were previously combined. The following academics have been sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison for “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” because they did not “show remorse”:
Dr. Lecturer İlkay Yılmaz, Prof. Dr. Hülya Kirmanoğlu from İstanbul University, Research Associate Eda Aslı Şeran, Dr. Lecturer İsmet Akça from Yıldız Technical University, Dr. Lecturer Ahmet Bekmen, Dr. Lecturer Özgür Müftüoğlu, Dr. Lecturer Nihan Aksakallı, retired Assoc. Prof. Haydar Durak, Dr. Lecturer Aysuda Kölemen from Kemerburgaz University, Lecturer İlkay Özkuralpli from Arel University, Esra Kaliber, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Tül Süalp from Bahçeşehir University, Dr. Lecturer Öznur Yaşar Diner, Lecturer Remzi Orkun Güner.
Deferred prison sentence for 15 academics
The court has sentenced the following academics to 1 year, 10 months and 5 days in prison for “propagandizing for a terrorist organization”:
Seçkin Sertdemir Özdemir, Dr. Lecturer F.A.A., Research Associate Gözde Aytemur Nüfusçu, Assoc. Prof. Y.Y. from Koç University, Lecturer Elif Akçalı from Kadir Has University, Dr. Lecturer T.D., Prof. Dr. Yüksel Taşkın, Prof. Dr. Meltem Ahıska from Boğaziçi University, Dr. Ayşe Nilüfer Durakbaşa, postgraduate student Cihan Yapıştıran, postgraduate student İrfan Keşoğlu, Dr. Lecturer Doğan Çetinkaya, Dr. Lecturer N.M. from Nişantaşı University.
The announcement of the verdict has been deferred for those who were sentenced to less than 2 years in prison. Those who were sentenced to more than 2 years will appeal against the ruling.
“Deferring the announcement limits the right to defense”
Dr. Lecturer Müftüoğlu did not accept the announcement of the verdict to be deferred. He said, “I legally demanded the right to peace, which is a universal right. Frankly, I still don’t think that we will be sentenced. Because there is not a crime. I think deferring the announcement of a verdict limits the right to defense and I don’t accept that.
15-month prison term for one academic
Hearings of six academics from Boğaziçi University were held at the 36th Heavy Penal Court and one hearing was held at the 27th Heavy Penal Court.
The 36th Heavy Penal Court has sentenced Prof. Dr. Pınar Yolum to 1 year and 3 months in prison. Dr. Lecturer Günizi Kartal and Lecturer İpek Seyalıoğlu raised their defenses. Lecturer Aslı Takanay and Assoc. Prof. Ayfer Suna demanded recusation.
The 27th Heavy Penal Court has adjourned the hearing of Research Associate from the Middle East Technical University (METU), rejecting the academic’s foreign plea demand.
Source: BIANET http://m.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/205746-28-academics-sentenced-to-a-total-of-59-years-2-months-5-days-in-prison