Families demand justice
Fourteen young people face up to four years in prison over the March 19 Saraçhane protests supporting Ekrem İmamoğlu, as families rally outside Silivri Prison demanding their release especially for chronically ill student Esila Ayık.
An indictment has been issued against 14 young people who were detained for 45 days following the March 19 protests in Saraçhane, where demonstrators gathered in support of Ekrem İmamoğlu. The youths face charges of “insulting the President,” with prison sentences ranging from one to four years.
Meanwhile, the Parent Solidarity Network staged a protest outside Silivri Prison, demanding the release of their children and condemning the criminalization of democratic expression. Among those detained is Esila Ayık, a student with serious health conditions, whose father and lawyers are urgently calling for her release so she can return to school and receive proper care.
INDICTMENT FOR 14 YOUNG PEOPLE
An indictment has been prepared for the young people who were detained during protests in support of Ekrem İmamoğlu and have been held in pretrial detention for 45 days on charges of “insulting the President.” The indictment seeks prison sentences ranging from 1 to 4 years for 14 detained and 2 non-detained individuals under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code for “insulting the President.”
The 14 detained individuals are also being tried in a separate case involving 49 defendants, accused of “participating in unlawful meetings and marches without arms and failing to disperse despite warnings.” That case is ongoing at the 70th Criminal Court of First Instance.
IF WE DON’T HAVE OUR CHILDREN, WE DON’T HAVE OUR DAY EITHER
The Parent Solidarity Network held a protest in front of Silivri Prison for the young people detained over protests in support of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Republican People's Party (CHP) presidential candidate and İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor. Protesters carried placards and banners reading “We want justice for our children”, “Mothers stand with their children”, and “No day is Mother’s Day without our children by our side.”
In the statement, they said: “We are deeply worried about our children's health and well-being. For the first time, we spent a holiday apart from our children. This Sunday is Mother’s Day. If our children are not released, it will be the first time we spend Mother’s Day apart. No day will ever be Mother’s Day without our children by our side.”
The statement continued: “We, the parents, demand justice for our children. We want our children to live freely and equally, not in other countries out of fear for their future, but in their own. We know that exercising constitutional and democratic rights should never lead to imprisonment. We, the parents, demand the immediate release of our children.”
LET ESİLA RETURN TO SCHOOL
Despite all objections from her lawyers, Esila Ayık, a student suffering from chronic heart and kidney conditions, remains in detention. Speaking to BirGün during a press statement held in front of Silivri Prison by the Parent Solidarity Network, Esila’s father Kemal Ayık appealed to the authorities, saying: “Please release my daughter. She is behind bars despite having committed no crime. My daughter is a student, she needs to be at school. I am here in front of Silivri demanding the release of all young people. I want my daughter to return to school and continue her education as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, Esila’s lawyers also urged the public to “keep her case on the agenda.” Göksun Canberk Uluğ stated, “Despite her health problems, Esila is still in custody. We must not let her case fade from public view.”
