Turkish Talent Agent Ayşe Barım Sentenced to 12.5 Years Over 2013 Protests

An Istanbul court sentenced prominent talent agent Ayşe Barım to twelve and a half years in prison for her alleged role in the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Although the prosecutor sought a life sentence for an attempt to overthrow the government, the court handed down the shorter term. The 55-year-old agent was accused of inciting actors she represented to participate in the nationwide anti-government demonstrations. Barım, who was arrested in January 2025, denied all charges and maintained that she was not an organizer of the movement. She had been briefly released under judicial supervision in early October due to severe health issues, reportedly losing over 30 kilograms while incarcerated. However, a new arrest warrant was issued immediately following her release. The Gezi Park protests originally targeted Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who served as Prime Minister at the time. This case is viewed as part of ongoing investigations into crimes against Turkey's constitutional order.