Turkey Court Jails Talent Manager for 12.5 Years Over ‘Bid to Overthrow Government’
An Istanbul court has sentenced prominent Turkish talent manager Ayşe Barım to 12.5 years in prison for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government during the 2013 Gezi Park protests — a decision that has drawn international attention and controversy.
Barım, 55, who manages well-known actors and entertainers in Turkey, was convicted on charges that she helped orchestrate activities linked to the mass protests that began as an environmental demonstration against redevelopment plans in Gezi Park, Istanbul, but later evolved into nationwide anti-government unrest. Prosecutors accused her of directing artists and using her influence to encourage participation in the protests in ways they say amounted to a bid to topple the government.
The 2013 Gezi Park demonstrations were among the largest waves of civil unrest in modern Turkish history, drawing hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Authorities have consistently framed them as threats to state order, while critics and human rights groups describe them as largely peaceful expressions of dissent.
Barım has denied the charges, saying she never organized protests or sought to influence political outcomes, and that her role as a manager was mischaracterized in the case. She previously spent time in detention and was briefly released before being re-arrested; health concerns had been raised during earlier phases of her trial.
Her sentencing marks one of the most high-profile convictions tied to the Gezi Park cases in recent years and may spark renewed debate over freedom of expression, political dissent, and the limits of judicial proceedings tied to protests in Turkey.
