Cerattepe case stalled after request for recusation

The […] Cerattepe case has been stalled after lawyers from the anti-government Green Artvin Association demanded recusation, claiming that the judges are not fair. The latest hearing in the case took place yesterday in Rize province. Amid tight security measures due to fears that protestors could create chaos in front of the courthouse, [and after] hours-long debates, the lawyers from the association left the courthouse, demanding recusation.

Some locals in Artvin, guided by the association, were against the opening of the mine site. In 2013, the association filed a lawsuit for the cancellation of the environmental impact assessment that had been previously approved. The court said the company that wanted to build on the site still had to make some arrangements in the project. In line with the court's decision, the company made the necessary improvements in the project in cooperation with 12 engineers. The new environmental impact assessment was approved by the court in June 2015.