Turkish court rejects jailed educator’s appeal

By Ismet Karakas

ANKARA (AA) – A Turkish court in the capital on Friday rejected an appeal for the release of Nuriye Gulmen, who has been detained for six months on a terror charge.

The 19th Heavy Penal Court in Ankara ruled that her detention be continued. Gulmen is charged with being a member of an armed terrorist organization.

According to witness Berk Ercan’s testimony at a previous hearing, Gulmen had allegedly sent her CV to DHKP-C.

Ercan also claimed that Gulmen helped him prepare explosives at a house in central Eskisehir province.

During Friday’s hearing, another witness, Fatih Solak, also confirmed they gathered at a house in Eskisehir with Ercan and Gulmen.

“I was with Berk Ercan, Nuriye Gulmen and Omer Lutfi Zeren. There was lighter fluid at the house to prepare handmade explosives,” Solak testified.

Gulmen and Semih Ozakca, both teachers, began a hunger strike on March 10 in Ankara after they were dismissed by a state of emergency decree over the July 15 defeated coup attempt in Turkey. They have been on the hunger strike for 253 days.

They were arrested on May 22 for allegedly being members of a terrorist organization, namely the far-left group DHKP-C.

On Oct. 20, Ozakca was placed under house arrest pending trial.

Gulmen is currently in the intensive care unit of Ankara's Numune Hospital.

*Cansu Dikme and Sibel Ugurlu contributed to this story from Ankara