Verdict reached in stone-throwing attack on İmamoğlu

A verdict has been reached in the public trial concerning the stone-throwing attack on Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu during his rally in Erzurum.

Some of the defendants, who were tried without arrest, and the lawyers for both sides attended the hearing at the Erzurum 7th Criminal Court of First Instance.

Following the public prosecutor's opinion on the merits presented in the previous session, which requested that the defendants be punished as demanded in the indictment, the defense lawyers presented their arguments.

Mustafa Aşık, one of İmamoğlu's lawyers, stated in his defense that although the prosecutor's opinion claimed the perpetrators who carried out the injuries were not identified, those involved in the incident were clearly visible in camera recordings.

''STRONG EVIDENCE OF AN ORGANIZATION''

Arguing that the incident was directed from a central point from the very beginning, Aşık said, "The unity among the defendants is evident through evidence beyond mere thought. It is clear that the defendants arrived at the area in specific groups. It is necessary to determine who the defendants were in contact with before and after the incident, whether they were in contact with each other, or whether they were in contact with a single common person. In this state, we do not agree with the opinion on the merits. There is strong evidence regarding an organization. We request that the prosecution be expanded and that an expert report be obtained to identify the perpetrators."

''AN ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY''

Serkan Güner, the lawyer for the complainant, reiterated their request for the court to declare a lack of jurisdiction and send the file to the High Criminal Court.

Stating that their requests had not been answered to date, Güner said, "We believe this should not be treated as a mere assault case, but as an attack on democracy. There is an attempted murder in the act here. There is an action by a specific group against both İmamoğlu and those who came to listen to him. It must be determined where the defendants gathered and how they mobilized. Historical Traffic Search (HTS) records should be investigated and identified. The defendants' membership in any association or group should be investigated." The defendants, when asked for their final words, requested their acquittal.

ALL DEFENDANTS CONVICTED

Concluding the case, the court sentenced 28 defendants to 5 months and 26 days in prison for the crime of "intentional injury" under Article 86/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

The court, which accepted the objects thrown during the events as weapons, applied the Suspension of the Pronouncement of the Verdict (HAGB) for some of the defendants, thereby suspending their sentences, while it did not suspend the sentences given to others.

INDICTMENT

In the indictment prepared by the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was requested that the non-arrested defendants Abdulhakim U, Barış S, Cengiz E, Şenol Ç., and Murat A. be sentenced to 1 year and 6 months to 4 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "attempted intentional injury with a weapon," and that Abdullah A, Ahmet K, Doğukan K, Dursun P, Enes Y, Emrah T, Enes Y, Ferdi S, Furkan K, Muhammed Ç, Muhammed K, Muhammed Akif K, Muhammed Haktan S, Muhammet Emin Ö, Oğuzhan U, Osman K, Ömür K, Serhat K, Serhat M, Soner H, Vefa Ö, Yakup Emre A., and Yunus Emre D. be sentenced to 2 years and 9 months to 8 years and 3 months in prison and judicial fines for the crimes of "attempted intentional injury with a weapon" and "attempted simple injury with a weapon."

The indictment also requested that the sentences given to the defendants be reduced by one-fourth to three-fourths.