Here is Ayşe Barım's full statement

An interim decision was announced in the case where Ayşe Barım, the owner of ID İletişim, is being tried for "attempting to overthrow the Government of the Republic of Turkey or prevent it from performing its duty" and faces up to 30 years in prison for being the planner of the Gezi Park protests.

The court decided to obtain a health report from the Forensic Medicine Institute and to continue the detention, and adjourned the hearing to October 1. The hearing was attended by many people, including detainee Ayşe Barım, her lawyers, and actresses Birce Akalay, Hakan Kurtaş, Bergüzar Korel, Serenay Sarıkaya, Ezgi Mola, Metin Akdülger and Birkan Sokullu.

Barım, who made his defense at the hearing, said, "The ID Communication players from 2015 were listed; but there were 43 players in ID Communication in 2013 and only 13 of these players went to Gezi Park of their own free will. The prosecutor's office called 9 players to testify, and these 9 players stated that they went to Gezi Park of their own free will. But they were not included in the indictment. This situation scares me a lot. Our communication with the players cannot be based on threats or blackmail anyway; I am providing them with a service. I also want you to consider the withdrawal of this evidence in my favor, in other words, the fact that it is not in the file."

'A SMEAR CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN STARTED AGAINST ME'

Barım's full statement is as follows:

"All allegations against me are unfounded. These allegations are unfounded allegations spread by unidentified people on social media. I have been a manager for 23 years. I have achieved great success with my team for 23 years, but suddenly a huge smear campaign was started on social media about me. I wanted to object through my lawyer, but their identities could not be found. The first campaign was the claim that I was earning unethical money from a female actor I was proud to work with. My lawyers could not identify those spreading these allegations. A new identity was created for me in which I was seen as a monopolist in the sector and the cause of negativity.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into me for blackmail. About 10 days later, as if a button had been pressed again, allegations were poured out that I had directed the Gezi Park events and taken the actors there, such as making me seem like a blackmailer and a provocateur. Gezi Park was 12 years ago. Lawsuits were filed, investigations were conducted. At no point in these investigations was my name mentioned as a suspect, a defendant or a witness. I don't understand how I am being accused of this after 12 years. The ID İletişim actors from 2015 are listed; but in 2013, there were 43 actors in ID İletişim and only 13 of these actors went to Gezi Park of their own free will. There are only photos of me going to Gezi Park wearing the same outfit because I only went on one day. One of the actors tweeted that they would go to Gezi Park one day, I retweeted it and went with them. Some of them were already there when I went. Anyway, I went too because my series actors were there. A lot of celebrities used to go there every day; in fact, the press was following closely because of this. Since the press was there, the actors wanted to make a statement and made statements with megaphones. The indictment includes photos of all of these actors and who made what statement. There were also many actors there who did not work with me. But the indictment shows it as if all the celebrities went there and all of them worked at ID Communications. Most of the actors were not working with us at the time.

'THIS SITUATION SCARES ME VERY MUCH'

The first 65 pages of the indictment describe the Gezi Park incidents; the remaining 50 pages describe the players who did not work with me. If I had directed them, would I have been able to organize only 13 out of 43 players as a successful manager? I speak to many players on the phone, and I also speak to players who are not under my management. I do this as part of my job. The prosecutor's office called 9 players to testify, and these 9 players stated that they went to Gezi Park of their own volition. But these were not included in the indictment. This situation scares me a lot. Our communication with the players cannot be based on threats or blackmail anyway; I am providing them with a service. I also want you to consider the withdrawal of this evidence in my favor, in other words, the fact that it is not in the file.

'I DID NOT KNOW OSMAN KAVALA IN 2013'

My contact with Osman Kavala started in 2014. I didn’t know Osman Kavala at all in 2013. I had no contact because I met him later. But it was written in the indictment that I met Osman Kavala. The reason I met Osman Kavala later was because I had a job interview about a film Fatih Akın was making. Fatih Akın introduced me to Osman Kavala. After I was arrested, he announced on social media that he introduced us. Çiğdem Mater and I met because we are Boğaziçi students. Since actors also like to go to Boğaziçi and chat with actors and have interviews, I would accompany them when I had time. The last time I met him was in 2019. Mehmet Ali Alabora had tweeted something and it was criticized by many people. Filmmaker friends had written a statement to support Mehmet Ali Alabora. I also received the statement. When I saw the statement, I called Mehmet Ali Alabora and said, 'Please do not publish this.' I cannot understand how an unpublished statement can be considered a criminal element. Metin Yıldız and Enver Aysever voiced their problems with me after I was arrested. Then these people were called to testify and they were asked, 'Does Ayşe Barım have anything to do with Gezi Park?' They also stated that they did not know. I did not attempt anything. I rebel against my honor, reputation and love of country being trampled on like this. No evidence was included in my favor in the indictment. I have no financial relationship or criminal element in the MASAK reports either. When you look at all the records in the HTS records, I am mostly on the Aegean coast, abroad. In other words, there is no way an organizer can be the organizer of an event that he/she went to once."

Source: DHA