All defendants acquitted in coup case against Turkish football fan group çArşı

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

An Istanbul court ruled for the acquittal of all 35 defendants on Dec. 29 in the trial of 35 members of a Beşiktaş football fan group, çArşı, who were accused of organizing a plot to topple the government during the 2013 Gezi Park protests.  

All 35 defendants were acquitted from “attempting a coup against the government,” “forming and managing terrorist organization,” “forming and managing a criminal syndicate,” resisting police” and “opposing the law of demonstration and marches” charges.

Meanwhile two defendants were sentenced to two years and six months in prison for holding “forbidden items.”

A lawsuit was opened against the 35 çArşı members, when the court accepted Sept. 11, 2014, an indictment charging the suspects with “attempting a coup” against the government. In the indictment, the çArşı members were accused of attempting to capture the Prime Ministry’s offices in Ankara and Istanbul with the aim of creating an “Arab Spring-like upheaval” and attempting to overthrow the government during the Gezi Park protests.