İSTANBUL - The prosecutor has announced his opinion as to the accusations in the trial of the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

 

The prosecutor of the Gezi Trial has requested an aggravated life sentence for three defendants, Osman Kavala, Mücella Yapıcı and Yiğit Aksakoğlu. 

 

Businessperson Osman Kavala is the only defendant who is behind bars in the 16-defendant case. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled on December 10 that he shall be acquitted.

 

Despite the ECtHR ruling, Prosecutor Edip Şahiner requested the continuation of his 828-day imprisonment. Civil society figure Yiğit Aksakoğlu had also served 221 days in prison, until he was released in June 2019. 

 

The prosecutor requested 15 to 20 years of prison term for six defendants, who have been charged with "attempting to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey or prevent it from performing its duties by using force": Çiğdem Mater Utku, Ali Hakan Altınay, Mine Özerden, Şerafettin Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman and Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi.

 

He requested the sepratation of the files of the defendants who are abroad: Ayşe Pınar Alabora, Can Dündar, Gökçe Yılmaz, Handan Meltem Arıkan, Hanzade Hikmet Germiyanoğlu, Memet Ali Alabora and İnanç Ekmekçi.