A trial has opened for nearly 200 people arrested during mass demonstrations in Istanbul against the Turkish government. The trials began on Friday at the Caglayan courthouse, with most defendants being students and eight journalists. Charges include participating in illegal protests and failing to disperse despite warnings.
Penalties range from six months to five years imprisonment, according to Human Rights Watch. Despite concerns about fairness, a lawyer for one of the detained journalists requested their acquittal on grounds that they were reporting on, not participating, in the protests.
The arrests follow widespread protests since March 19, with nearly 2,000 people detained by police. The trials are part of 20 criminal investigations, with a total of 819 people expected to be tried. Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was detained on corruption charges and his supporters see this as a political move by the president.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz01xgnzv5jo