Turkish court rules peaceful demonstrators do not need permission

An Istanbul court that acquitted 26 people detained during the Gezi Park protests in the summer of 2013 has stated in its reasoned ruling that people do not have to get official permission for peaceful demonstrations, and demonstrations held without permission are not necessarily violent. 

Istanbul's 33rd Criminal Court of First Instance had on April 29 acquitted 26 people who faced three years in prison on charges of "violating the law on meetings and demonstrations," as well as five members of the Taksim Solidarity Platform - Mücella Yap?c?, Ali Çerkezo?lu, Beyza Metin, Ender ?mrek and Haluk A?abeyo?lu - who faced 13 years in jail for "forming an organization with the aim to commit crime." 

Judge Onur Özsaraç referred to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in the court's 17-page reasoning, saying that "all states member of the convention pledges to comply with it, so that the convention becomes part of the domestic law."

"In line with the ECHR's protection of freedom of speech, the right to freedom of assembly does not protect only ideas and opinions approved by wider society. Apart from these, it also can be used to express opinions that might cause discomfort, concern, or shock among wider society. The right to freedom of assembly might take different forms. Sit-ins, road-blocks, and even occupying an area are part of Article 11 - the right to freedom of assembly and association - in the Convention," Özsaraç said in the justification, adding that this article also protects private meetings and assembling in public. 

"A demonstration that does not receive permission from the public authorities does not necessarily mean that it is not a peaceful demonstration. Article 11 of the Convention applies to demonstrations and...