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BIAnet.org, Turkey
Nov 10 2011
Mayor Baydemir Facing 28 Years in Jail
Diyarbakır Mayor Baydemir is facing imprisonment of up to 28 years on
charges of "propaganda for a terrorist organization" in a new trial
opened against him. The charges are based on evidence such as having
attended a funeral.
BÄ°A News Center10 November 2011, Thursday As reported on 8 November,
Osman Baydemir, Metropolitan Mayor of Diyarbakır (south-eastern
Turkey), is facing prison terms of up to 28 years in a trial opened
against him recently. Baydemir is being tried under allegations of
"committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organization without being
a member of that organization" and of "making propaganda for an
illegal organization".
The indictment was prepared by the Diyarbakır Public Chief Prosecution
and was now accepted by the Diyarbakır 7th High Criminal Court. The
indictment apparently identified three activities Baydemir
participated in on three different dates as elements of crime.
The indictment put forward that the mayor attended the funeral
ceremony of four out of seven killed members of the militant Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) on 4 May. The PKK members were supposedly killed
in armed conflicts in the Pülümür district (Kızılmescit village) of
Dersim on 27/29 April. It is also said that Baydemir "made propaganda
for an illegal organization" during a protest action against that
incident organized by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) on 30 April.
Furthermore, the indictment points to Baydemir's attendance of an
occasion that marked the anniversary of the arrest of PKK leader
Abdullah Ã-calan in Kenya and his transfer to Turkey. "It was
understood that Baydemir committed a crime by attending activities in
line with calls for action from the PKK and its illegal wings that
aimed at staking Ã-çalan's claims and at deepening and rooting his
opinions and thoughts in society and by walking in front of the
picture of Ã-calan", the indictment reads.
The indictment seeks prison terms of up to 28 years for BDP member
Aydemir. The proposed sentence is based on three counts of "propaganda
for an illegal organization" in three different incidents according to
Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK); on charges of "committing a
crime on behalf of an illegal organization without being a member of
that organization" as stipulated in Article 314/2 of the Turkish
Criminal Law (TCK) and on opposing Law No.2911 on Meetings and
Demonstrations.
A date for the first hearing has not been set yet. (AS/VK)
http://bianet.org/english/minorities/133930-mayor-baydemir-facing-28-years-in-jail
Nov 10 2011
Mayor Baydemir Facing 28 Years in Jail
Diyarbakır Mayor Baydemir is facing imprisonment of up to 28 years on
charges of "propaganda for a terrorist organization" in a new trial
opened against him. The charges are based on evidence such as having
attended a funeral.
BÄ°A News Center10 November 2011, Thursday As reported on 8 November,
Osman Baydemir, Metropolitan Mayor of Diyarbakır (south-eastern
Turkey), is facing prison terms of up to 28 years in a trial opened
against him recently. Baydemir is being tried under allegations of
"committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organization without being
a member of that organization" and of "making propaganda for an
illegal organization".
The indictment was prepared by the Diyarbakır Public Chief Prosecution
and was now accepted by the Diyarbakır 7th High Criminal Court. The
indictment apparently identified three activities Baydemir
participated in on three different dates as elements of crime.
The indictment put forward that the mayor attended the funeral
ceremony of four out of seven killed members of the militant Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) on 4 May. The PKK members were supposedly killed
in armed conflicts in the Pülümür district (Kızılmescit village) of
Dersim on 27/29 April. It is also said that Baydemir "made propaganda
for an illegal organization" during a protest action against that
incident organized by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) on 30 April.
Furthermore, the indictment points to Baydemir's attendance of an
occasion that marked the anniversary of the arrest of PKK leader
Abdullah Ã-calan in Kenya and his transfer to Turkey. "It was
understood that Baydemir committed a crime by attending activities in
line with calls for action from the PKK and its illegal wings that
aimed at staking Ã-çalan's claims and at deepening and rooting his
opinions and thoughts in society and by walking in front of the
picture of Ã-calan", the indictment reads.
The indictment seeks prison terms of up to 28 years for BDP member
Aydemir. The proposed sentence is based on three counts of "propaganda
for an illegal organization" in three different incidents according to
Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK); on charges of "committing a
crime on behalf of an illegal organization without being a member of
that organization" as stipulated in Article 314/2 of the Turkish
Criminal Law (TCK) and on opposing Law No.2911 on Meetings and
Demonstrations.
A date for the first hearing has not been set yet. (AS/VK)
http://bianet.org/english/minorities/133930-mayor-baydemir-facing-28-years-in-jail