15.05.2025 13:11
A university student named Esila Ayık, who was arrested during protests against the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, appeared before a judge for the first time in an investigation where she faces up to 4 years in prison. Ayık, who stated, "I have kidney and heart problems. The conditions in prison are not suitable for my illness," was released.
After the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the investigation into university student Esila Ayık, who was detained and arrested during the protest demonstrations, and who is reported to have chronic heart and kidney diseases, along with Arda Öğüşlü and Mehmet Efe Erdoğan, who were also arrested during the same action, has been completed.
In the indictment prepared by the Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Press Crimes Investigation Bureau, it was stated that permission for prosecution was granted for the suspects regarding the act of 'insulting the President', and as a result of the examination and evaluation, it was concluded that the suspects made the aforementioned post with the intent to insult the President, and that the post could not be evaluated within the scope of freedom of thought and criticism. It was noted that the evidence from the entire investigation file indicated that the suspects committed the crime of 'insulting the President', and it was requested that they be punished with imprisonment from 1 year and 2 months to 4 years and 8 months for the crime of 'publicly insulting the President'.
RELEASE DECISION MADE
During the hearing held today at the Anadolu 77th Criminal Court of First Instance in Kartal, Esila Ayık stated, "I returned it after taking a photo. I do not know the person who gave me the banknote; he was a masked individual. The banknote did not even stay in my hand for 5 minutes. I did not know it could be a crime; if I had known it was a crime, I would not have done such a thing." Ayık added, "I have kidney and heart problems. The prison conditions are not suitable for my illness." The court panel made a release decision regarding Esila Ayık.