Statement by Security Directorate About Detention of Academics and Civil Society

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İstanbul Security Directorate has released a written statement about the detention of 13 academics and civil society representatives.

CLICK - Operation Against Civil Society and Academics

In a statement released by the İstanbul Security Directorate today (November 16), it has been alleged that businessperson Osman Kavala, who has been behind bars for over a year without an indictment, was responsible for organizing and financing the Gezi Park protests in 2013, adding that a warrant of detention has been issued against 20 people in İstanbul, Adana, Antalya and Muğla for having acted in an hierarchical order with Kavala.

The statement has made the following allegations:

"It has been detected that the suspects who are in a hierarchical order with Mehmet Osman Kavala;

"- organized meetings in a place called DEPO, which belongs to Anadolu Kültür Inc., with the aim of deepening and spreading the Gezi Park incidents,

"- brought activism trainers, moderators and professional protestors from abroad (such as Standing Man, Man Playing the Piano, Woman in Red) to maintain the continuity of Gezi Park incidents under the titles of Civil Disobedience and Nonviolent Protest,

"- engaged in activities of creating new media with the aim of bringing the continuation of Gezi Park incidents and similar other incidents like Gezi that are likely to occur to the agenda via their own media outlets.

"It has also been detected that Osman Kavala met with several people and institutions based in Europe to stop and prohibit the sale of pepper gas, which became an issue during Gezi Park incidents, to Turkey." (EKN/SD)