Turkish opposition members called to testify in Gezi investigation

MANİSA - Doğan News Agency

Manisa CHP Women’s Group head Fadime Özçakır(R) and Deputy Provincial head Fatma Ayhan(L) were both summoned to the city’s police directorate to offer testimonies. DHA Photo

The Manisa Public Prosecutor’s Office has summoned two Republican People’s Party officials to testify in accordance with the ongoing Gezi investigation in the Aegean province.

Manisa CHP Women’s Group head Fadime Özçakır and Deputy Provincial head Fatma Ayhan were both summoned to the city’s police directorate to offer testimonies as part of the ongoing investigation.

CHP Manisa deputy Özgür Özel said around 50 protesters were called to testify “for attending Gezi protests.”

There were no troubles at Manisa’s Gezi protests, Özel said. “When you look at the files, the crime of the [CHP members] is stated as an anti-Erdoğan chant. These two people are the most recognized members – that’s why they are being called in.”

Özel further accused government officials of exerting pressure over Manisa security officials with regard to the investigation.

“We live in a country where it isn’t a crime to cut down trees to build a mall, but it is a crime when you oppose that. We see how fast the democracy threshold has been lowered. We know that the police are not doing this on their own. They are doing so with pressure coming from Ankara,” Özel said.

The Gezi Park protests were sparked at the end of May when a group of protesters raised their voice against the demolition of Taksim’s historic green spot. A harsh police response against the peaceful demonstrators quickly caused a massive public backlash, turning the minor demonstration into a wave of nationwide protests. The park itself was under occupation by protesters until police forces staged another harsh intervention to clear out the park before closing it for weeks.

The park was reopened weeks later, but protesters have repeatedly been prevented from re-entering the park.