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The first hearing of 61 workers, who staged a protest against their bad working conditions and occupational homicides in the construction of the 3rd Airport in İstanbul and 31 of whom were arrested pending trial, was held at Gaziosmanpaşa 14th Penal Court of First Instance yesterday (December 5)
The hearing was held at the dining hall of the courthouse due to the low capacity of the courtrooms. The Acting Judge of the court Ayhan Arduç rejected the requests for immediate acquittal raised by the attorneys and heard the statements of defense presented by the workers.
In addition to the defendant workers and their attorneys, the hearing was also followed by the families of the workers, MPs, representatives from non-governmental organizations and journalists.
The hearing started at 11.20 a.m. with an almost 2-hour delay. The court heard the statements of defense of 30 of the 31 workers, who were in jail pending trial, as well as seven other workers who were not under arrest.
The court board pronounced its interim judgement at around 11 p.m. and ruled that 30 of the arrested 31 workers shall be released on probation. Serhat Bilici, who was also one of the arrested workers, has not been released since his testimony was not taken in the hearing.
The next hearing will be held at 9 a.m. on March 20, 2019.
What happened?
On September 14, 2018, workers of the 3rd İstanbul Airport staged a protest against their bad working conditions and occupational homicides.
CLICK - '52 Deadly Occupational Accidents Occur in Construction of 3rd İstanbul Airport'
At the same night, the dormitories of the workers were raided by security forces and 401 workers were taken into custody. 31 of the detained workers and unionists were arrested.
In the indictment filed against the workers by the Gaziosmanpaşa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the following charges have been pressed against the workers: "Resisting the fulfilment of duty", "violating the freedom to work and labor", "damaging public property" and "attending meetings and marches with weapons or instruments prohibited by the article no. 23." (HA/SD)
