An Istanbul court sentenced TV talent manager Ayse Barim to 12.5 years for allegedly seeking to overthrow the government during the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

ISTANBUL: A prominent Turkish television talent manager has been sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for allegedly seeking to overthrow the government.

The Istanbul court convicted 55-year-old Ayse Barim for her alleged role in the nationwide 2013 Gezi Park protests, as reported by the state Anadolu news agency.

Prosecutors had sought a life sentence against Barim, who has consistently denied the charges since her arrest in January 2025.

They accused her of “pushing” actors she managed to participate in the mass demonstrations.

The Gezi protests began over plans to redevelop a park in Istanbul but quickly escalated into widespread unrest against then-prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Barim was briefly released on health grounds in October 2025 but was re-arrested just one day later.

 The Sun Malaysia