9 TJA activists released from prison

After a three-day hearing, nine activists of the Free Women’s Movement (TJA) have been released pending the trial.

Ankara- The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued an arrest warrant against 50 activists of the Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) on charges of “being a member of a terrorist organization”. On November 29, 2022, police raided 57 homes in 14 cities and detained 23 activists of the TJA. On December 2, 2022, 13 activists were released from custody under judicial control and 10 women were sent to prison.

On December 2, 2022, 10 TJA activists were sent prison. Their names: Gülistan Dehşet, Didar Çeşme, Bedia Akkaya, Figen Aras Kaplan, Hatice Güngör, Hülya Kınağu, Figen Ekti, Mekiye Ormancı, Amine Demir Çoban and Zeynep Boğa. 10 TJA activists were released under judicial control pending the trial. Their names: Tamcihan Çelebi, Besile Narin, Meral Şimşek, Zekiye Güler, Hülya Taşar, Yeliz Ayyıldız Kıyak, Dilan Akpolat, Aysel Ceylan, Hazal Aras and Beritan Can Yaşa. Two TJA activists, Merve Tekin Demirel and Sultan Esen, were sentenced to house arrest.

The first hearing of the trial against 23 activists of the TJA began to be held by the Ankara 25th High Criminal Court on November 7. After a three-day hearing, the court issued the release of Amine Demir Çoban, Gülistan Dehşet, Didar Çeşme, Bedia Akkaya, Figen Aras Kaplan, Hatice Güngör, Hülya Kınağu, Figen Ekt and Mekiye Ormancı. Zeynep Boğa remains in prison.

The court lifted the judicial control measures imposed on Tamcihan Çelebi, Besile Narin, Meral Şimşek, Zekiye Güler, Hülya Taşar, Yeliz Ayyıldız Kıyak, Dilan Akpolat, Aysel Ceylan, Hazal Aras and Beritan Can Yaşa. Sultan Esen and Merve Demirel have had their house arrest lifted by the court.