Three acquitted in Gezi protests case after retrial

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court acquitted three defendants in the Gezi Park protests case on Feb. 11, following a retrial ordered by Türkiye's top appeals court.

Architect Mücella Yapıcı, economist Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi and academic Ali Hakan Altınay had previously been sentenced to 18 years in prison, but the Court of Appeals overturned their convictions, leading to a new trial.

They had been accused of “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations.”

The Istanbul court said “no definitive and sufficient evidence could be obtained” to support claims that Yapıcı, Ekmekçi and Altınay attempted to "overthrow the government or prevent it from carrying out its duties."

Despite the reversal of the trio's sentences, the high court upheld the aggravated life sentence for Osman Kavala, as well as the 18-year prison terms for Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman, Mine Özerden and Çiğdem Mater Utku.

The 2013 protests began as a demonstration against plans to build a replica of Ottoman-era barracks in Istanbul’s Gezi Park, which would have required cutting down trees. The movement quickly grew into nationwide anti-government protests, drawing thousands into the streets.