A Turkish court on Thursday ordered two teachers who have been on hunger strike for six months to protest their sacking under the state of emergency imposed after last year's attempted coup to stay in jail.
Neither Gülmen nor Özakça, who were detained in May was present as their trial on "terror" charges got under way in Ankara. The authorities said they were not brought to Thursday's hearing due to "health and security" reasons, "lack of staff numbers." Despite their weakened state, the gendarmerie said the defendants might try to escape from the courtroom.
Gülmen and Özakça have been surviving on salted or sugared water, herbal teas and vitamin B1, and doctors have described their condition as "dangerously weak."
Police went into action outside the Ankara court where protesters had gathered in support of the two hunger-striking educators.
After their dismissal in late 2016, Gülmen and Özakça protested daily in central Ankara, then began a hunger strike on March 9. They were detained in May over alleged links to the militant leftist DHKP-C group, deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey, and the court ruled them to be remanded in custody until the next session in two weeks. The pair faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. The Turkish government targeted them because of their protest and hunger strike.
The court rejected pleas to free them from detention, and justified its decision to keep the educators in custody on the grounds of "strong criminal suspicion", "gathering evidence", "proportionality of length of arrest to the importance of the case." The trial was adjourned to September 28.
Their original lawyers were not in court too. Just two days before the trial, at least 15 lawyers from the Office of People's Rights (HHB), which is representing the pair, were detained on "terror" charges. Around 150 lawyers turned up on Thursday to show their support, but the courtroom was so full that many were unable to enter. The court refused the applications of 1,030 lawyers who appealed to represent the educators.
POLICE ATTACKED SUPPORTERS
Supporters of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça were not allowed to enter the courthouse except some lawmakers.
Taking tight security measures in front of the courthouse, the police attacked the people who arrived at the courthouse in solidarity with the two dismissed educators to issue a press statement regarding the trial. Police attempted to break up the group using tear gas. Riot police stood ready inside and outside the building throughout the hearing. At least 27 protesters were detained, some being dragged on the ground in the process.
'THEY CANNOT WALK'
In the minutes sent by the Ankara Provincial Gendarmerie Command, it was stated that two hunger striking educators are conscious, but suffer from some illnesses such as loss in weight, myolysis and hearing loss. For this reason, they have been reportedly kept in a hospital on the prison campus.
The pair has only been consuming liquids and supplements for six months, and family members and supporters have expressed concerns over their health.
"Her legs, neck and shoulders hurt. She has heart rhythm issues. She cannot walk now. She is sensitive to light," Beyza Gülmen, Nuriye's sister told reporters. Özakça's mother Sultan Özakça said her son had difficulties walking, also had a "slow pulse" and "intense stomach pain".
Last month, the European Court of Human Rights rejected a request by the two teachers to order Ankara to release them on health grounds.
