Human Rights Foundation Mersin Chair Tanrıverdi Released

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After five months of arrest, Human Rights Foundation Mersin Office Chair Ali Tanrıverdi charged with participating in events carried out by the foundation and on ground of his postings on the social media regarding human rights violations was released in his first hearing yesterday (May 18).

Tanverdi taken into custody on December 12, 2016 in an operation in Mersin as well as all of the other 18 arrested suspects including Fatma Ölmez, an employee of Radyo Ses which was closed through a statutory decree issued under the State of Emergency were released in the first hearing of the trial.

"Accusations are political, no solid evidence".

The 24 people 18 of whom were in pre-detention are standing trial before Mersin 7th High Criminal Court charged with "being a member of an illegal organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization".

According to the report of dihaber (Dicle News Agency), the defendants appearing before the judge for the first time yesterday denied all accusations.

The attorneys of the defendants claimed that the bill of indictment was unlawful and their arrest was unlawful and unjustified as well.

Noting that the operations in which the defendants were taken into custody were political, the attorneys stated that there was no solid evidence with regards to the mentioned crimes.

The prosecutor demanded on the other hand that the defendants remain further under arrest which was rejected by the court ordering that all defendants be released on probation.

What happened?

Tanverdi was taken into custody on December 12, 2016 and was arrested after eights days in detention on December 19, 2016.
Tanrıverdi under arrest in Karaman type-M Prison is being charged with "being a member of an illegal organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" in accordance with the Anti-terror Law.

Tanverdi's attorney Özgür Çağlar who is also a member of İHD Mersin Office Executive Board had talked to bianet about the accusations against Tanverdi and their reasons had said:

"He is being charged with his Facebook postings and for having attended foundation's meetings, commemoration activities, demonstrations and some other events carried out by the foundation as the chairperson of the foundation's Mersin office.

"His Facebook postings are about these events and the human rights violations in the prisons of Turkey. Some other postings are only his explanations of his opinions and concern about freedom of expression". (AS/DG