Death fasting lawyer Ebru Timtik 'having difficulties talking'

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Holding a press conference in Okmeydanı, İstanbul today (July 17), the "Solidarity Platform for Justice" state that the demands of death-fasting prisoners Aytaç Ünsal, Ebru Timtik Didem Akman and Özgür Karakaya should be met.

Lawyers Ünsal and Timtik started a hunger strike for "the right to a fair trial" after 18 attorneys from the Proggressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) and the People's Law Bureau (HHB) were sentenced to a total of 159 years in prison. Timtik was given a prison sentence of 13 years and 6 months while Ünsal was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison in the trial.

After the lawyers turned their hunger strike into a death fast, prisoners Akman and Karakaya also started a death fast in support of them.

The case is currently being examined by the Court of Cassation 16th Penal Chamber. The attorneys request the high court to overturn the decision and rule for a retrial.

"Justice is the demand of all of us"

Reading out a statement for the press, Yıldız Deniz, Timtik's aunt, said that "Ebru Timtik left 197, Aytaç Ünsal left 166 days behind."

Timtik, who has lost more than 30 kilograms, has lesions around her throat and she has difficulties talking and in fluid intake because of that, according to the statement.

"Aytaç Ünsal fell below 60 kilos and lesions occurred in his mouth.

"Özgür Karakaya has also been on a hunger strike for more than 160 days with the demand of a fair trial. Özgür is remanded in custody because of the testimony of a single witness. The verdict of eight years of prison sentence about him is at the court of appeal.

"Didem Akman is on a death fast for the elimination of the injustice she experiences. Didem is a convict of an aggravated life sentence. Didem Akman, who is forced to live alone until death in an eight square meter cell without a kitchen, is on a death fast for the cancellation of the aggravated life sentence regime.

"Justice, which is the demand of Aytaç, Ebru, Didem and Özgür today, has been the joint demand of the oppressed, exploited peoples for thousands of years. The death fasts are the fight for justice for all of us."

What happened?

Announcing its verdict in the lawsuit filed against ÇHD lawyers on March 20, the court ruled that the lawyers should be sentenced to 3 years, 1 month, 15 days to 18 years, 9 months in prison.

The 2nd Penal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice rejected the objections and sent the file to the Court of Cassation.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation expressed the opinion that the prison sentences of all lawyers, except for the one given to lawyer Barkın Timtik, be upheld.

The letter of notification only indicated that the prison sentence of 18 years, 9 months given to Barkın Timtik for "establishing and leading an organization" as per the Article 314/1 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) should be overturned and he should also be penalized for "membership of an organization" like other lawyers.

The letter of notification issued by the prosecutor's office has been sent to the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation.

Lawyer Ebru Timtik, an executive of the ÇHD, and lawyer Aytaç Ünsal, a member of the ÇHD, have gone on a death fast for the right to a fair trial. (AS/VK)