18.09.2025 17:10
The trial of lawyer Alperen Demirdiş, who requested the recusal of the presiding judge and the member judge on the grounds that their wearing of headscarves was "contrary to secularism," continued during the hearing in Ankara. The hearing, where witnesses were heard, was postponed to a later date.
The trial continued for lawyer Alperen Demirdiş, who claimed that the head of the court and the judge wearing a headscarf was "against secularism."
LAWYER REQUESTING DISMISSAL OF JUDGE DID NOT ATTEND THE TRIAL
Lawyer Demirdiş, who is on trial without detention, did not attend the hearing at the Ankara 35th Heavy Penal Court. The presiding judge, who announced that witnesses would be heard, granted the floor to witness Fatih K.
WITNESSES WERE HEARD
Witness Fatih K stated that he was present during the trial and explained that while the trial was proceeding normally, lawyer Demirdiş took the floor and said, "The Republic of Turkey is a secular state. The independence of the court is guaranteed in the Constitution. I reject the head of the court and the judge who serve with religious symbols."
Fatih K, who then mentioned that lawyer Demirdiş made a request for the dismissal of the judge, said that the lawyer was given time to present his justification.
“THEY EXPRESSED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE IMPARTIAL”
Lawyer Yunus Y., who was heard as a witness, stated that the case involved two defendants and that he was the lawyer for the other defendant. He expressed, "The lawyer took the floor and requested the dismissal of the judge. He stated that since there were a headscarf-wearing head of the court and a judge on the panel, these individuals would not be impartial due to their religious sensitivities. I warned the lawyer that I thought this view was not in accordance with the law and that it would not obstruct the case, and I requested that the proceedings continue."
THE TRIAL WAS ADJOURNED
After the statements, the presiding judge adjourned the trial to January 7.
FROM THE INDICTMENT
In the indictment prepared by the Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it is stated that during the hearing held on May 14, 2024, at the Ankara 1st Heavy Penal Court, lawyer Demirdiş took the floor and said, "The Republic of Turkey is a secular state. The independence of the court is guaranteed in the Constitution. I reject the head of the court and the judge who serve with religious symbols."
The indictment notes that Demirdiş requested the dismissal of the judge on the grounds that the head of the court and the judge could not appear in court wearing a headscarf, stating that wearing a headscarf by a judge is not among the situations listed in Articles 22 and 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure No. 5271, which regulate "situations where the judge cannot preside" and "grounds for the dismissal of the judge."
Demirdiş is facing a prison sentence of 6 months to 2 years for "abuse of office" and up to 1 year for "publicly insulting the religious values adopted by a segment of the society."