The final hearing of the second trial took place in two sessions on April 23 and April 25, 2022. Osman Kavala, a businessperson and a rights advocate who has been kept in in prison for four and a half years despite an ECtHR verdict, was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for "attempting to overthrow the government" while he was acquitted of "espionage."
A former member of the board of directors of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects Mücella Yapıcı, Filmmaker, producer and journalist Çiğdem Mater, The director of the Boğaziçi European School of Politics Hakan Altınay, Documentary filmmaker Mine Özerden, Lawyer Can Atalay, Architect Tayfun Kahraman and The deputy chairperson of Anadolu Kültür and a board member of Terakki Foundation Schools Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi were sentenced to 18 years in prison for assisting this crime.
Thousands of citizens who took to the streets in many provinces of Turkey against the convictions in the Gezi case said, "We are defending Gezi" and demanded justice.
Following the scandalous decisions in the Gezi case, a protest was held in front of the TMMOB MMO building in Beyoglu at the urging of Taksim Solidarity, which launched a Justice Watch in front of Çağlayan Courthouse.
Following the press release, police intervened in the march on Istiklal Street. About 20 people were dragged and dragged to the ground and detained.
Citizens reacted to the police when a detained woman screamed, "My arm hurts, enough!"
Trade unions, representatives of political parties and democratic mass organizations participated in the statement, which was carried out by Kocaeli Labour and Democracy forces in İzmit Human Rights Park.
Reading the statement on behalf of the audience, TMMOB IKK Provincial Secretary Murat Rower stated that the Gezi resistance took place on a constitutional basis and this was registered by previous judicial decisions.
The rower; "We will continue our struggle until our fighting friends are taken out. We invite all our people to May 1st by stating that the trip is a day of resistance again at our May 1st rally, which we will hold over the weekend."
Dersim Labour and Democracy Platform made a press statement in Seyit Reza Square. Emep provincial president Ergin Tekin, who read the statement on behalf of the platform, said that the sentences given were part of the dirty politics that polarized citizens through their electoral calculations and said, "The punishments given are not in the conscience of the people."
Tekin said that the last remnants of the 'justice' polish of one-man rule were also shed with the Gezi Case. Relentless, relentless; The forces of labour and democracy must unite. One-man rule must end!"
The scandalous decisions were also protested in Samsun by a press release issued by the Forces for Labour and Democracy. "Darkness goes, Gezi remains." We are defending Gezi."
Bursars gathered in Orhangazi Park at the urging of DSK, KESK, TMMOB, BTO and TÜMTİS to protest the decision.
Reading the statement of Basin, Feridun Tetik, secretary of the TMMOB Provincial Coordination Board, said, "We see that these penalties are part of the politics of polarizing our country and our citizens through election calculations. The day is the day to embrace gezi's values more tightly."
Izmir Labour and Democracy Forces issued a press release in response to the verdict in the Gezi case. The crowd gathered in front of Alsancak Türkan Saylan Cultural Center chanted "Everywhere Gezi is resistance", "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism", "Gezi prisoners are our honor", "We will not surrender to darkness". We defend the trip" banner.
In Manisa, the unlawful decisions in the Gezi case were protested at the urging of the Platform for labour, Democracy and Peace.
Mehmet Akköse, secretary of TMMOB IKK, read the press release issued by Denizli labour and Democracy Forces in Candogan Park . In the action, slogans such as 'We will win together', 'There is no salvation alone or none of us', 'Everywhere Gezi everywhere resistance' were chanted.
In Muğla, the Labour and Democratic Forces Center held a press conference in Milas, Bodrum, Marmaris, Datça, Köyceğiz, Fethiye and Ortaca districts.
Aydın Emek and Democracy Platform held a press conference in Aydın Ugur Mumcu Park. The statements emphasized that they will continue to defend Gezi while protesting the decision in the case.
The Gezi Dye decisions were protested by the Gebze Labour and Democracy Forces in Gebze.
The citizens who chanted "Gezi is the people cannot be judged", "Taksim everywhere, resistance everywhere" and "We are in the field of May 1st on May 1st" said, "Darkness goes gezi remains".
"The arrest warrant issued by the order from above has once again trampled on judicial independence. It is the murderers of our young children who should be punished in the Gezi Resistance. They are the ones who ordered the deadly police violence" and invited the public to May 1st.
Antep labour and Democracy Forces protested the unlawful decision of the Gezi case with a press release in Greenwater Park.
Speaking at the action, DSK Regional Representative Ali Güdücü stated that the decision makes the most basic rights and demands of social opposition look like criminal elements, adding that "the courts, which decide according to the needs of the government, destroy the democracy and future of the country. We will continue the struggle for democracy that will protect the green, nature and park of our country, especially Gezi Park."
In Malatya, the action organized by the Forces of Labour and Democracy protested the unlawful decisions in the Gezi case. The action chanted "Darkness goes, Gezi remains."
"This decision shows that; the most basic rights and demands of the social opposition are portrayed as criminal elements, and the historical and legitimate reality of peaceful resistance is persistently distorted and defamed", and it was emphasized that the struggle will continue.
A scuffle broke out between citizens and police who wanted to march to the statue of Ali İsmail Korkmaz, who died in Eskisehir during the Gezi protests, during the protest called by the Labour and Democracy Forces in Eskisehir. Despite the attempt to block it, the citizens who came before the statue paid tribute here.
The crowd, who unfurled a banner reading "We defend Gezi, we do not submit to persecution", often chanted "Ali İsmail Korkmaz is immortal", "Gezi is the people, cannot be judged".
"This decision is political, not legal," the protest said, chanting "This is just the beginning, keep fighting" in Adana. As the democratic forces of this country, we reject this decision."
EMEP Provincial President Yusuf Kaya, who was cloned at the press conference held in Peace Square at the urging of the Platform for Labour and Democracy in Mersin, said, "The decision on the gezi case was made by the politicians with instructions before the court. We're going to keep saying Gezi everywhere, resistance everywhere. We call on the forces of labour and democracy to come together all over the country and to speak out together against these ceberut policies. The best response to one-man rule and capital order will be the hundreds of thousands who will gather in the squares of May 1st." HDP Mersin MP Fatma Kurtulan said, "In the Gezi case, they tried to decriminalise our friends with spiteful anger by punishing them very brutally."
"Gezi is the people, the people are here" slogans were chanted at the protest called by the Edremit Democracy Platform in Balıkesir.
Reading the statement of Basın, Education Sen Representative Fikriye Yadırgı said, "The trip is the bright future of this country, which is meant to be condemned to darkness. The trip is the breath of this country, which is condemned to silence."
"As Giresun Democracy Platform; We do not accept this decision, which tries to tarnish the resistance of millions to completely fictional indictments and considers the bandage as evidence."
A press conference was held at the Miner's Monument in Zonguldak calling for a platform for democracy. Following the announcement, police prevented the crowd from marching.
A press conference was held in Front of the AKM with the banner "Darkness will go, Gezi will remain" at the urging of the forces of labour and democracy in Sakarya. Reading the statement, Education-Sen Branch President Yucel Kaç called for the May Day celebration to be held at the same place on April 30th.
In Bolu, chants of "Travel everywhere, resistance everywhere" were chanted and the court's unlawful decisions were protested at the protest in Kardelen Square at the urging of the Platform for labour and Democracy.
The components of the Ayvalik Democracy Platform gathered in Ayvalik Republic Square to protest the decisions made in the Gezi case and held a sit-in with the participation of many citizens.
In the mass press release organized by Çorum Labour and Democracy Platform in Kadeş Peace Square, slogans such as "Gezi is hope, hope cannot be judged", "Taksim everywhere, Gezi everywhere" were chanted.
DİSK Provincial Representative Hikmet Aydın, who read the statement, said, "We do not accept this decision, which was taken entirely by fictional indictments." CHP, Labour Party, HDP, LEFT Party, Education Sen, All Bel Sen, BES, Former President of Çorum Bar Association and City Council Members participated in the action.
"You will not silence the Gezi Resistance, which is a page of honor in the history of this country, and the cry for democracy and freedom that holds the future of this country! We will never allow you to tarnish this country's hope for equality, freedom and justice."
A wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Turkey began on 28 May 2013, initially to contest the urban development plan for Istanbul's Taksim Gezi Park. The protests were sparked by outrage at the violent eviction of a sit-in at the park protesting the plan. Subsequently, supporting protests and strikes took place across Turkey, protesting a wide range of concerns at the core of which were issues of freedom of the press, of expression, assembly, and the government's encroachment on Turkey's secularism.
3.5 million people are estimated to have taken an active part in almost 5,000 demonstrations across Turkey connected with the original Gezi Park protest. 11 people were killed and more than 8,000 were injured.
Hediye Levent
Yusuf Karadaş