The trial of nearly 200 people is opened after Türkiye’s protests

A trial that included nearly 200 people was opened in protests against the Turkish government in Istanbul.

The mass demonstrations began on March 19 after the arrest of the Istanbul Mayor Ikram Emamoglu – a major competitor to Tayeb Erdogan – on charges of corruption, which is what he denies.

Most of the 189 defendants in the trial, which opened on Friday in the Kajlian Court, are students, while eight journalists.

The charges against them include participating in illegal protests after a campaign against public gatherings and failure to differentiate despite warnings.

It is the first trial of those arrested in the gatherings. Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office said that 819 people will be tried in 20 criminal investigations.

The penalties of charges range from six months to five years, according to Human Rights Watch.

Istanbul University, who was arrested for his participation in the protests in the Sarashian area in Istanbul and spent 20 days in prison, told the Turkish BBC: “I hope they will return from this shame as soon as possible and they decide today to create everyone.”

“We have no fear, we are not the ones who should be afraid,” said a student in the second year of Mimar Sinan University, which was scheduled to hold the hearing.

According to the information provided to the Turkish BBC by the Parents Solidarity Network (PSN), which was established by the families of students, most of those arrested after March 19 in recent days were released, but about 50 students are still detained.

Before the hearings began on Friday, PSN member Afni Gundogan said: “Our children were involved in a democratic, peaceful and legal work, fought for this country to be a free and democratic country.”

“We have stood by our children and we will continue to do so,” said the father of Yajur Gundogan, who was arrested, to Silveri prison and was recently released.

“The first session begins today. We want justice and a fair trial for our children.”

Journalists – including French News Agency correspondent for Franci Yassin Akgul They were also detained on charges of “participating in unarmed meetings and marches against the law and not dispersed on their own despite the warnings.”

On Friday, lawyer Vesel Ok asked the judge to acquit them on the basis that they were submitting their reports, and they did not participate, in the protests, the news agency reported to AFP.

While the request was rejected, the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) said on social media that eight journalists ‘files were separated from the students’ files.

̇Mamoğlu was to run for the presidency in the 2028 elections. His supporters seen his arrest as a political step by Erdogan.

Despite the Istanbul ruler, he declares a ban on demonstrations and gatherings throughout the province, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the protests.

Since March 19, the police have detained nearly 2000 people – many of them university students.