Turkish Court jails prominent TV Talent Manager over attempts to overthrow government

An Istanbul court on Wednesday sentenced prominent Turkish television talent manager, Ayse Barim, to 12 years and six months imprisonment for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government during the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu News Agency, the 55-year-old was convicted of “seeking to overthrow the government” over her alleged role in the nationwide demonstrations that shook the administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time.

Prosecutors had earlier demanded a life sentence, accusing Barim of playing a coordinating role in the protests and allegedly encouraging actors under her management to participate in the street rallies. She has consistently denied the allegations since her arrest in January 2025.

The Gezi protests initially erupted in 2013 over government plans to redevelop a park in central Istanbul. What began as a small environmental demonstration quickly escalated into widespread anti-government protests across several Turkish cities, drawing international attention and sparking a prolonged political crisis.

Barim was briefly released in October on health grounds, following reported concerns over serious medical conditions she developed while in detention. However, she was re-arrested just a day later in a move that reignited debate about the handling of the case.

The ruling marks one of the latest high-profile convictions linked to the Gezi unrest, more than a decade after the protests first erupted.