The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has demanded a total of 567 years in prison for 42 people who tried to reach Taksim Square on 1 May and were later arrested in house raids. The Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Department prepared two separate indictments: the first seeking up to 405 years for 30 detainees, and the second seeking up to 162 years for 12 detainees.
The Istanbul Governor’s Office had banned 1 May celebrations in Taksim Square, a place of high historic and symbolic significance. This ban was in direct violation of a ruling by the Constitutional Court, which declared on 12 October that the ban on May Day celebrations in Taksim was a “violation of rights”.
In an attempt to prevent the May Day celebrations in Taksim Square, both the Taksim area and all access routes in Istanbul were blocked. Demonstrations were banned, many streets and avenues were closed to traffic and some metro services were cancelled.
The police barricade set up under Bozdoğan Kemeri in Saraçhane provoked a strong public outcry. Police used tear gas and plastic bullets against protesters trying to reach the square. Many people who tried to march to Taksim were detained on the spot and later in house raids on different dates. Charges have been prepared against 42 of these detainees.
According to the indictments prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the May Day marchers will be tried for “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations”, “resisting public officials”, “intentionally causing injury” and “damaging public property”.
The charges were approved by the prosecutor’s office and sent to the Istanbul First Instance Criminal Court.
