The new Turkey
İlhan Cihaner.
Former People's Party's (CHP) MP

18 February 2019:

Former CHP MPs Facing Prison for Chanting Slogans
An indictment has been filed  against the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) former MPs İlhan Cihaner, Hilmi Yarayıcı and Barış Yarkadaş for chanting slogans at a closed hearing.

A group was not let in the court hall where the closed hearing of the "MIT (National Intelligence Organization) trucks case" took place on April 1, 2016. The group chanted slogans, "We will win by resistance," "Free press cannot be silenced" in the courthouse building during the hearing.

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The Prosecutor's Office has filed an indictment against the former CHP MPs on the ground that they supported the group who chanted slogans.

"Persistent wait has the characteristics of a demonstration"

The indictment said, "Even the visual and print media announced that the hearing will be held as a closed session, the group's persistent waiting, slogans during the hearing and clapping protests have the characteristics of 'gathering and demonstration.'"

"The defendants who are the 26th term members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) committed an offense by joining the group and staging a gathering and demonstration" the indictment claimed.

The MPs will be tried for one to three years in prison. The trial will begin in the coming days. (HA/VK)