'Gezi is This Land's Hope for Equality, Freedom And Justice'

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The Taksim Solidarity has held a press conference on the bill of indictment for the 2013 Gezi Park protests that charges Osman Kavala and 15 rights defenders with "setting up and planning the protests, engaging in influence agency by posting provocative messages and directing acts of violence."

The press conference has been held at the İstanbul Architects Chamber's building in Karaköy, İstanbul. Numerous civil society figures, MPs and journalists attended the conference.

TMMOB Board Chair Emin Koramaz and member Mücella Yapıcı, Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) Chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu, Confederation of Public Employees Trade Union (KESK) Co-Chair Aysun Gezen and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council Chair Sinan Adıyaman made speeches at the conference.

The Taksim Solidarity consists of 128 non-governmental organizations, including the chambers affiliated to the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), civil society organizations, unions, associations and cooperatives.

Mücella Yapıcı, for whom the Gezi indictment requests a sentence, read the press statement on behalf of the Taksim Solidarity.

"An irrational bill of indictment, inspired entirely by conspiracy theories and with no basis in factual evidence has been prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and was accepted in the past week by the Istanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court: This is an attempt to rewrite the history of Gezi," the statement said.

After yapıcı finished reading the statement, she was applauded loudly for a while.

"Same as the 2014 indictment"

After Yapıcı, TMMOB Chair Emin Koramaz made a speech, saying that they protected Gezi during the investigations and they will protect their friends who are facing prison sentences.

"We were astounded after reading the bill of indictment. Because this indictment was almost the same indictment that was prepared by Chief Public Prosecutor Muammer Akkaş, it was based on the same evidence. Muammer Akkaş is now wanted as a fugitive FETÖ (Fethullahist Terrorist Organization, allegedly behind the 2016 coup attempt) member. Most of the police officers who prepared the summaries are also arrested in FETÖ cases.

"Two years ago, the media under the guidance of the government was trying to link Gezi to FETÖ through Bylock (a messaging application) records. Now, they are attempting to try our friends through the indictment that was prepared by FETÖ people.

"The most basic principle of the law: Two trials cannot be made with same allegations and same indictments. This is an official violation of the law. This case is crippled from the very beginning. Whatever decision will be made, it won't be lawful. It won't be just. But then, you may say, 'From whom do you expect lawfulness, from whom do you expect justice?'"

"A tool to silence the opposition"

"AKP (the ruling Justice and Development Party) is a party that politicized the law and justice. It wants to use this trial as a tool to silence the social opposition and to suppress us, as it did with all other trials. While doing this, it creates a self-proclaimed definition of terror, looking for the outer powers nonsense. Don't no one shall link the Gezi to abroad. We always said that AKP is using the law as a material for its dirty propaganda. Today's trial is a new tool for AKP's dirty political propaganda.

"Gezi is the most beautiful thing that happened to Turkey. We are proud of being a part of the Gezi Resistance, which was attended by millions."

"Gezi is the biggest threat for them"

Speaking after Koramaz, DİSK Chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu said that they will protect the "Turkey of Gezi," in memory of those who lost their lives and injured in the Gezi protests.

Remarking that the Gezi Resistance is the "first great uprising" in Turkey, Çerkezoğlu said, "Gezi is as great to be produced every day on this soil".

"While a new regime is being tried to be created, Gezi is the greatest threat for them. We will protect Gezi and Turkey."

"If it is a crime, we were all at Gezi"

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Hüda Kaya also made a speech, saying that her children and grandchildren were in tents at the Gezi Park.

Stating that she was among the women who erased graffitis that contain sexist and masculine swears, Kaya said the following:

"We were among those who erased the sexist swears directed at then Prime Minister's (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) mother. We are facing a mindset that knows no limits in misogynism. Yesterday, there was the lie, 'They attacked my head-scarved sisters (in Gezi protests)," today, there is the lie, "They attacked the call to prayer." They won't be able to prove their claims. As long as the soul of the Gezi exists, we will continue to exist. If it is a crime to be at Gezi, we were all at Gezi." (HA/VK)