A trial of almost 200 people arrested for protest against the Turkish government was opened in Istanbul.
Mass protests began on March 19 after the Ekmamoğlu, the main rival of the Ekrem market, Ekem Erdoğan, Istanbul Mayor, was detained for corruption.
Most of 189 defendants are students and eight journalists in a trial opened in Caglayan Courthouse on Friday.
Allegations of them include illegal protests after crackdown on public meetings, and they are not dispersed despite warnings.
It marks the first trial of people arrested in the rally. The Istanbul Prosecutors’ Office said 819 people would be tested in 20 criminal investigations.
According to the Human Rights Watch, the punishment for allegations has been sentenced to six to five years in prison.
A student at Istanbul University, who was arrested for protesting in the Saraçhane region of Istanbul and spent 20 days in prison for 20 days, told the BBC Turkey.
The second grade student at Mimar Sinan University, where the hearing was scheduled, said: “We are not afraid. We are not afraid.”
According to information provided to the BBC Turkey by the Parent Solidarity Network (PSN) founded by the students’ family, most people arrested after March 19 have been released recently, but about 50 students are detained.
Before the hearing began on Friday, PSN member AVNI Gündoğan said: “Our children were involved in democratic, peaceful and legitimate behavior, and this country fought to be a free and democratic state.”
The father of the arrested Yağmur Gündoğan was taken to Silicel Prison and recently released.
“The first hearing starts today. We want a definition and fair trial for children.”
Journalists, including Yasin Akgül, a French AFP News Agency reporter, also said, “We were detained on suspicion of participating in the Demilitarized Conference, participating in the march of the law and warning.
On Friday, a lawyer VeySel OK asked the judge to acquire them on the basis of reporting without participating in the demonstration, the AFP news agency reported.
During this request, the Turkish journalist (TGS) said in social media that eight journalists were separated from the students’ files.
̇Mamoğlu was scheduled to run as president in the 2028 election. His supporters see his arrest as Erdoğan’s political movement.
Despite Istanbul, he declared a ban on demonstrations and meetings throughout the state, but hundreds of thousands of people participated in the demonstration.
Since March 19, the police have detained almost 2,000 people.
