TURKIYE

Acquittal of HDP members overturned

The acquittal of HDP politicians who were accused of "making propaganda for a terrorist organization" has been overturned following an appeal.

ANF
BURSA
Monday, 12 Jun 2023, 

The final hearing of the lawsuit against 7 people, including Peoples' Democratic Party’s (HDP) former Bursa Provincial Co-Chair Aynur Yılmaz and journalist Emrah Çaçan, was held at the Bursa 8th High Criminal Court on January 19, 2021. The seven people on trial were accused of "making propaganda for a terrorist organization".

HDP member Davut Toktaş was sentenced to 3 years and 2 months in prison, and Resul Baykara to 1 year and 6 months, and the execution of the sentence was delayed. Five people, including Yılmaz and Çaçan, were acquitted.

While the prosecutor appealed against the acquittal, Bursa Regional Court of Justice overturned the acquittal, claiming that the defendants "carried pictures or signs of the organization (meaning the PKK), chanted slogans, wore uniforms with signs or pictures of the organization". With their acquittal overturned, the 5 defendants will appear before a judge again. The first hearing will be held on June 14.