Catapult auntie jailed

Catapult auntie Emine Cansever, who was pictured responding with a catapult in her hand to
a police intervention in the Gezi Resistance protests, was arrested nine days ago in a DHKP/C
operation staged in Istanbul. Cansever was placed in detention and sent to jail along with
twelve other people yesterday. Her brother, Ali Cansever, who suffers from schizophrenia as
a result of the torture he underwent in the 12 September period, has been left on his own.
Cansever was arrested due to statements by the suspect named Berk Ercan, who had
previously been detained under the investigation. Ercan alleged that Cansever was a member
of the group called the “Workers assembly”.

Cansever, rejecting this claim under examination at the judgeship, said, “I am somebody who
has lived in the same place for 39 years. My whereabouts are known. I live with my
schizophrenic brother. I do not know the guy named Berk. I have never had dealings with
him, either. I do not accept the allegations.” Cansever’s lawyer, emphasising that there is
nothing concrete about Berk Ercan’s statement, commented, “We have been battling with
Berk Ercan’s statements for weeks. The only claim about my client is that she is a member of
the group called the workers’ assembly. I came up with a blank on researching the workers’
assembly on the internet. Proceedings have been brought against her. The prosecutor has in
any case submitted a request for her acquittal to the court. There are people my client is
obliged to care for. She herself has diabetes. She also works. Is she heading off in her spare
time to be a member of an organisation? It is impossible for us to accept this.”
However, it was stated in Istanbul Penal Judgeship of the Peace No 9’s detention order that
the suspect named Berk Ercan was a member of the Armed Propaganda Units, he had been
apprehended on 7 July 2017 prior to committing an act in possession of long-barrelled
weapons of a menacing nature and ammunition, he was availing himself of effective
contrition provisions and had made comments and disclosures about organisational activities
and members. The judgeship, accepting Ercan’s statements as evidence, ordered the detention
of Cansever and the other twelve people on the grounds of having actual and organic ties to
the DHKP/C.


Brother left on his own

With the detaining of Emine Cansever, known as the catapult auntie, her brother, Ali
Cansever, who suffers from schizophrenia as a result of the torture he underwent in the 12
September period, has been left on his own.