Bizarre grounds for arrest of METU student: 'Disturbed public order by constantly participating in protests'

Hazal Güven - 12punto.com.tr

Many people who participated in protests that began following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his colleagues have also been sent to prison. Most recently, 30 students were detained and 4 were arrested as a result of a harsh police intervention against a student protest in Ankara on April 25.

The grounds for the arrest of one of those students, METU student Ozan Deniz Ödemiş, revealed an unprecedented example. Ödemiş, who had participated in a protest on April 23 and was released after being detained, was arrested again during the protest he joined on April 25, which became the reason for his imprisonment.

In the referral document, the prosecutor stated that Ödemiş 'disturbed public order because he frequently participates in protests.' Ödemiş's lawyer, Sabri Karagündüz, said, "According to the prosecutor's referral document, 'constantly participating in protests' is becoming grounds for arrest. This is a very significant thing. I see this as a trial run for the upcoming judicial package. They are trying to add a clause such as having a criminal record for the same offense or having committed the same offense repeatedly. As far as I understand, they are practicing this."

Speaking to 12punto, Karagündüz said the following:

'NO EVIDENCE'

"There was a protest in Ankara on April 23. University students had come together over the earthquake that occurred in Istanbul. Ozan was first detained there. He was released after his statement was taken following that detention. There was another protest on April 25. It was held against the arrest and torture of university students. Ozan was detained there as well. The charge against him was only for violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations. However, the situation the prosecutor stated for Ozan in the referral document was: 'that he participates in these protests frequently and constantly, that he has investigation and prosecution files for violating Law No. 2911 from before, and also that he hit law enforcement officers with a stick he was holding during the protest he attended on April 23, which they never showed us.'"

Stating that they could not reach any evidence regarding Ozan Deniz Ödemiş attacking law enforcement with a stick, Karagündüz said, "Even if they have evidence for this, we are not aware of it. As for the statement, it was referred to as 'police reports,' it could not be referred to as 'according to the footage.' Because there is no such footage."

FILES MIXED UP

Regarding the fact that an arrest warrant was issued for Ozan Deniz Ödemiş based on the investigation file from April 23, Karagündüz said:

"The biggest problem here is that he was detained at a protest held on April 25, and evidence from another investigation file opened against him on April 23 was used as grounds for his arrest. Ultimately, these are two separate investigation files."

Lawyer Karagündüz used the following expressions regarding the moments Ozan Deniz Ödemiş was detained: "They grabbed him by his hood and pulled him a lot. He said, 'I almost suffocated.' There was also a scuffle in the detention vehicle."

News Source: Hazal Güven