Eight suspects released in controversial trial

Eight suspects released in controversial trial

ISTANBUL - Radikal
Eight suspects released in controversial trial

Former police chief Hanefi Avcı is still under arrest in the ongoing trial. AA photo

Eight suspects who had been held under arrest for 19 months pending trial in the ongoing probe into the Revolutionary Headquarters, an armed left-wing organization, were released yesterday.

Those released included Şeyma Özcan, along with İbrahim Turgut, Baha Okar, Semih Aydin, Nejdet Kiliç, Gülseren Poyraz, Benay Can and Umur Sayadal.

“I am calling on the authorities, especially the president and the prime minister. Please let my child go. I want my daughter to be released,” Özcan’s mother, Sultan Özcan, had said earlier.

Özcan’s friends and teachers at Istanbul’s Bosphorus University had issued many press releases in the past protesting her arrest, while her mother added that she had missed her classes while serving time behind bars. “Şeyma had planned an internship in journalism. She had spoken on the phone to lawyer Özcan Kılıç for this reason. They asked her about this phone call. She could not perform the internship as it clashed with her summer school anyway,” Sultan Özcan had said.

Özcan’s mother also explained that her daughter had faced inquiry about a trip she took abroad, and said Şeyma had gone to visit her elder sister in Bosnia-Herzegovina where she was studying. “My daughter is asking why she is there [in jail] and says she wants her old life back. She is perplexed but says there is nothing she cannot handle,” Sultan Özcan said. Şeyma’s mother also said her daughter had been further questioned about her high school friend, Deniz, who is also under arrest. Özcan had said the family did not understand the reasons behind Şeyma’s arrest.

controversial, trial, release