Eskişehir court acquits 173 people in Gezi case

ESKİŞEHİR – Doğan News Agency

A court in Eskişehir has acquitted 173 people who were tried for attending last year’s Gezi Park protests, on the grounds that they had used their right to free expression.

A total of 176 people, including two lawyers, were facing up to three years in prison on charges of resisting a public officer, insulting, damaging public property and violating the demonstration law.

Lawyers demanded the release of the suspects due to a lack of evidence during the hearing, saying that the 173 defendants did not commit any crime but had only gathered to express their opinions within the bounds of freedom of speech.

The Eskişehir 5th Criminal Court of First Instance released 173 defendants, while no ruling was issued for three people because they could not be questioned.

The judge also stated that a notice would be delivered to the Public Prosecutor’s Office following lawyers’ complaints that the defendants were subjected to torture by police during the detention period.