A talent manager in Istanbul has been arrested on charges of attempting to overthrow the government in relation to the 2013 Gezi protests. The manager, Ayse Barim, was taken into custody with allegations of inciting the actors and actresses she represented to participate in the protests that originated in Gezi Park. Barim refuted the accusations, claiming she only attended the protests a few times and did not encourage others to join. The demonstrations, initially against a construction project in Gezi Park, escalated into widespread protests, met with a severe government crackdown. Barim is also accused of having connections to figures involved in the Gezi trial, including Osman Kavala, a philanthropist who has been imprisoned since 2017. Kavala received a life sentence for his alleged role in the attempted coup during the protests, a decision that the European Court of Human Rights urged Turkey to reconsider, a call that Turkey rejected. Critics, including human rights organizations, have condemned the Turkish government for what they view as politicization of the Gezi trial.
Turkey jails man for attempting to overthrow government
