Court approves release of Sema Barbaros

Sema Barbaros, who was arrested on February 18, stated in her defense at the hearing that she has lived in the same neighborhood for 10 years and has an 8-year-old daughter. Barbaros, whose husband is the President of the Journalists' Union of Turkey, noted that she has been serving as the EMEP Istanbul Provincial Chair for 7 years and requested her release, stating that she had been in prison for 3.5 months despite a lack of evidence.

In his opinion presented at the hearing, the prosecutor requested her release, stating that the existing evidence did not necessitate Barbaros's continued detention. Barbaros's lawyers also emphasized that there was no concrete evidence in the file. Lawyer Nazlıcan Çelik stated that the HDK congress in Şişli was presented as evidence of a crime, but that this process was not even conducted correctly during the investigation phase. Lawyer Elif Ergin stated that Barbaros acted solely in connection with the Labor Party.

The court panel, after evaluating the defenses and the state of the evidence, decided to release Sema Barbaros. Following the decision, the Labor Party and various political parties gathered in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse and held a press statement declaring that the arrests were political, not legal. EMEP Chairman Seyit Aslan stated that those who struggle for peace and brotherhood are being kept in prisons. KESK Istanbul Branches Spokesperson Hüseyin Tosu stated that the operations aimed to silence the public.

Sema Barbaros and 7 others were detained on February 18 as part of an investigation launched on the allegation of membership in the HDK. The indictment attempted to establish a link between the HDK and the PKK, and participation in the HDK congress was made the subject of the accusation.

News Source: 12punto