Trial of Prof. Gözaydın Adjourned to January 2018, Travel Ban Not Lifted

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A hearing has been held in the trial of Prof. İştar Gözaydın yesterday (September 12). On the previous hearing of her trial on March 30, Gözaydın who had been in detention on remand for 94 days, was released by the court with an international travel ban.

Charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization", Gözaydın was arrested 8 days after being detained as part of an investigation into the "Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Organization" (FETÖ/PDY)launched into Gediz University from which she was suspended.

Gözaydın's attorneys Murat Dinçer and Erdal Doğan noted in yesterday's hearing, that their prior demand was Gözaydın's acquittal, that her international travel ban be lifted, and her electronic devices be returned to her.

The court rejected the attorney's request of lifting the international travel ban and ruled that her electronic devices be handed over to an expert, their present state be recorded and then be returned to the defendant or her attorneys.

The trial has been adjourned to January 12, 11.30 a.m.

Observers in the hearing

The hearing held before İstanbul 27th Heavy Criminal Court in Çağlayan Courthouse was observed by international observers and academics including Rebeccao Yang from the US Embassy, Sema Kılıçer from the European Union Turkey Delegation, Hans Georg Fleck and Gülçin Sinav from Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

What happened?

Gözaydın was detained from her house on December 20.

On December 27, 2016, she was arrested on charge of "being a member of a terrorist organization" as a part of an investigation into the employees of the closed Gediz University. Gözaydın was suspended from Gediz University which was closed as a part of an investigation into the "Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Organization" (FETÖ/PDY).

On March 30, 2017, İstanbul 27th Heavy Criminal Court ruled that Gözaydın be released pending trial and an international travel ban be imposed on her.

The Gediz University and the television channels Can Erzincan ve Samanyolu allegedly linked with the Gülen community, were considered as an evidence in her trial.

In the indictment, she was accused by the prosecution for "accepting the proposals by Gediz University and Samanyolu TV, although FETÖ had been exposed as a terrorist organization by that time". (TS/EA/DG)