Lawyers File Complaint Against Experts in Turkish Activist's Trial Over Mine Expansion

Lawyers representing Esra Işık, an activist resisting the expansion of a coal mine in Turkey's Akbelen Forest, have filed a criminal complaint against expert witnesses involved in her case. Işık is on trial for "resisting an officer," and the second hearing is scheduled for June 1, 2026, at the Milas 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance.

During the initial hearing, Işık was released under judicial control and a travel ban. Her defense team has objected to the prosecutor's motion for a conviction, arguing that crucial defense evidence has not yet been collected. They have submitted requests for further investigation to the court.

The defense asserts that the expedited expropriation decision for 679 parcels of agricultural land across seven villages in Milas, intended for the Yeniköy Thermal Power Plant's coal field, is unlawful. They cite a decision from the Council of State (Danıştay) that they claim validates their argument, rendering all subsequent actions based on this expropriation decision legally void.

Furthermore, the defense has lodged complaints with the relevant Regional Expert Boards against the expert witnesses who participated in the case. They allege that these experts took on an excessive number of cases, far exceeding the legal limit within a month, thereby violating expert witness regulations. The defense is requesting that the court await the outcomes of these complaints.

In their statement, Işık's lawyers emphasized that the prosecution seeks to punish Işık for her advocacy. They argue that her actions stem from defending the right to a healthy life and preventing ecocide in the region, fulfilling her constitutional duty as a citizen. The lawyers contend that the underlying issue is the unlawful seizure of land for corporate interests, despite a stay of execution order from the Council of State.