Detained during Kadıköy protest: Up to 4 years in prison sought for Esila Ayık

Breaking news.. A lawsuit has been filed against university student Esila Ayık, who was detained during a protest held in Kadıköy, seeking up to 4 years and 8 months in prison on charges of "publicly insulting the President." The indictment has been accepted, and the trial process is beginning.

The indictment prepared against university students Esila Ayık, Arda Öğüşlü, and Mehmet Efe Erdoğan, who were detained during the İmamoğlu protests in Kadıköy on April 8, 2025, has been completed.

The Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has requested a prison sentence ranging from 1 year and 2 months to 4 years and 8 months for all three individuals on the charge of "publicly insulting the President."

The indictment states that the students were photographed holding signs featuring Erdoğan's silhouette with the phrases "Dictator Erdoğan" and "Do Not Submit" written on them.

In her defense, Esila Ayık stated:

"I went to the program to take photographs. I took the banner from someone I did not know in the area and held it in my hand. No one forced me. I had my photo taken because I wanted to have a photo of myself in that environment. I do not accept the accusation brought against me."

In his defense, Arda Öğüşlü said, "I attended the program titled 'Meeting at the Youth Solidarity Stage' for a concert. A person I remember as Yağız gave me the banner. I held it up in the air; I did not know it constituted a crime. I went because my friends insisted. I wore the buff (a mask-like piece of cloth) on my face because the weather was cold. I do not accept the accusations."

Mehmet Efe Erdoğan expressed the following in his defense:

"I attended the program titled 'Meeting at the Youth Solidarity Stage' for a concert. I am the person with the brown backpack in the image identification records. An individual I did not know gave me the banner. I did not read the banner. My friend named Arda was also there. I do not accept the accusation."

The prosecution stated that the act could not be considered within the scope of freedom of expression and that there was an intent to insult the President.

It was requested that they be sentenced to 1 year and 2 months to 4 years and 8 months in prison each for the crime of 'publicly insulting the President.'

Following the acceptance of the indictment by the Anatolian Criminal Court of First Instance, the three students will appear before a judge.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL HAD REACTED

The fact that Esila Ayık, who suffers from kidney and chronic heart problems, was in prison had drawn reactions.

A campaign was also launched on social media for Ayık, who was in prison due to a crime that, in popular parlance, 'does not carry actual jail time' according to the execution regulations.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel also visited Ayık in prison last week. Özel brought up Ayık's situation both upon leaving the prison and at the Group Meeting.

Özel stated the following:

“While she was a very successful student, she is studying photography at a conservatory in Belgium, at a university she won with a very high score after a student exchange program abroad that she attended on a full scholarship.

Unfortunately, she is from a family in very poor economic condition. Her mother has passed away. While her father was trying to educate his two children while working as a floor attendant, she has not been able to come to the country for two years with the scholarship she received and her father's modest support. Because she has to work abroad. She works two jobs a day. Someone who works two jobs and studies at a university came to Turkey and did not even curse at the president with a poster that she did not write herself but was photographed holding.

There is a Supreme Court ruling that calling the President a dictator is within the limits of harsh criticism. We call the President a dictator, we call him a hard-core dictator. We also call him a one-man ruler. We call countries where these can be said democracies, and if you put a 21-year-old young kidney patient girl in prison in countries where this is said, we call that a dictatorship.

Every day Esila spends inside proves the accuracy of the sign she held. If you release her today, you would be doing the opposite of what she said. We expect Esila to be released as soon as possible in the coming process. Of course, she will be released.

For God's sake, do not give a travel ban to this friend who is studying abroad and make yourselves and us a laughingstock to the world. She has visas, she has exams. She will definitely be released sooner or later, but I wanted to express in advance not to leave Turkey facing a comedy like a travel ban. We wish freedom for all our friends.”

News Source: 12punto