It is one thing to hear that there are baseless political trials; it is another to witness them in person and observe their effects.

Dr. Lecturer Yonca Demir from Bilgi University has been sentenced to 3 years in prison. The presiding judge announced the verdict saying, "We gave a two-year sentence. Then we increased it to three years. And we did not reverse the verdict."

Trial of academics, who have been charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" for having signed the declaration entitled "We will not be a party to this crime" prepared by the Academics for Peace, continued at the İstanbul Courthouse today (January 24).

"Savunmaya ihtiyacı olan da aslında mevcut hükümet politikaları doğrultusunda o yapılanlar, benim “hayır bunu yapmayın, sorunları şiddetsiz çözün” dememin savunulmaya ihtiyacı yok. Çünkü çok açık, çok sade, çok anlaşılır."

Bilgi Üniversitesi'nden Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Yonca Demir'in Barış İçin Akademisyenlerin "Bu suça ortak olmayacağız" bildirisini imzalaması sebebiyle "Terör örgütü propagandası" iddiasıyla Çağlayan'daki İstanbul Adliyesi'nde 28. Ağır Ceza Mahkemesi'nde yargılandığı davadaki beyanını yayınlıyoruz.

One more academic from İstanbul Bilgi University has been sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison on charge of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization.” The court board has ruled that the announcement of the verdict shall be deferred.

Trial of academics, who have been charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" for having signed the declaration entitled "We will not be a party to this crime" prepared by the Academics for Peace, continued in İstanbul Çağlayan Courthouse today (January 23).