A Turkish court on Monday ruled for the continuation of the imprisonment of Ayşe Barım, a well-known manager of Turkish television stars who has been charged due to her alleged role in the 2013 anti-government Gezi Park protests, Turkish Minute reported.
The decision was made despite growing concerns over Barım’s worsening health behind bars.
The next hearing was scheduled for October 1.
Barım was arrested in January on allegations dating to 2013, when protests erupted over the government’s urbanization plans for Gezi Park in İstanbul, sparking a wave of demonstrations against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was prime minister at the time.
Prosecutors accused her of “pushing” her actors to take part in the anti-government demonstrations. The İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court in May accepted a 171-page indictment accusing Barım of “attempting to overthrow the government.”
Barım, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted, gave her defense in court at the first hearing of her trial on Monday. She firmly denied the charges against her and cited her deteriorating health, including serious cardiac issues, as a reason she could not endure a prolonged legal process.
Barım’s worsening medical condition emerged as a major focus during the hearing after her attorneys submitted a recent medical report stating that she suffers from multiple life-threatening health issues, including a brain aneurysm, heart arrhythmia and valvular heart disease. The report noted that these illnesses could lead to the risk of sudden death under prison conditions.
Barım has reportedly fainted multiple times in prison and has been hospitalized on several occasions in the past month. Despite this, repeated requests for her release on medical grounds have so far been denied.
“I want my right to life back,” the manager told the judges on Monday, her voice cracking with emotion. “I leave it to your justice and conscience. With your permission, I just want to live in good health.”
Barım rejected accusations that she was among the “planners” of the 2013 protests and had coordinated the participation of high-profile actors, stating that she only went to Gezi Park once, on the day some of her clients spontaneously decided to go.
Referring to the photos included in the indictment, Barım added, “I’m wearing the same outfit in all of them because that was the only day I was there.”
She also denied any political affiliations or ideological motives, stating that she has never been a member of any political party or movement, either in her professional or private life.
Dozens of prominent Turkish celebrities including actors Halit Ergenç, Serenay Sarıkaya, Birce Akalay, and Bergüzar Korel were present in the courtroom in support of their longtime manager. The hearing also drew political figures, including the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Party Assembly member Baran Seyhan and Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) lawmaker Sera Kadıgil.
The investigation into Barım came more than a decade after the Gezi Park protests. Turkish authorities have repeatedly revisited the demonstrations in legal proceedings, targeting activists, opposition figures and businesspeople.
Her case has sparked widespread criticism, with opposition politicians and human rights advocates arguing that it reflects a broader crackdown on dissent and government control over the entertainment sector.
Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, said on X that he was following the hearing of Barım with concern.
