Another journalist who wrote about Çerçioğlu was arrested

Following journalist and author Ergun Poyraz, journalist Emin Aydın was also arrested in Aydın. Emin Aydın, the administrator of the Aydındenge website, had publicly reported that the concert area was empty after Çerçioğlu defected to the AKP and that members of the municipal council were spit on by members of the concert.

THE CASE WILL BE HELD 5 MONTHS LATER

On the other hand, 32 defendants, including Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu and Erkan Karaaslan, were tried at the Aydın 4th Criminal Court of First Instance for the crimes of "tender rigging," "rigging the performance of a duty," "abuse of office," and "preparing false documents." A verdict was expected after all deficiencies in the case file were completed, but no verdict was issued again in yesterday's hearing.

The case was adjourned until February 17 for the newly appointed judge to review the lawyers' written defenses.

PROSECUTOR'S REQUEST

In his opinion submitted to the case file, the prosecutor stated that Özlem Çerçioğlu had committed the crime of "abuse of office" in a series and requested that she be punished under Articles 257/1 and 43/1 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Furthermore, pursuant to Article 53/1-5 of the TCK, the prosecutor requested that Özlem Çerçioğlu be barred from employment in all civil service and public service positions subject to appointment or election.

Source: Sözcü