ISTANBUL - Eight of the 17 Kurdish politicians who were prosecuted in Istanbul were sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison for "being members of a terrorist organization".

 

The final hearing of the lawsuit filed against 17 Kurdish politicians under the name of "KCK" with the allegation of "being a member of a terrorist organization" on the grounds of their actions and activities after 2012 was held at the Istanbul 3rd High Criminal Court. Some politicians who were tried pending trial and their lawyers were present at the hearing.

 

50 YEARS PRISON FOR 8 POLITICIANS

 

The court, which decided the case, sentenced Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Qers ex-MP Şafak Erkmen Özanlı and politicians Nazife Göner, Nazire Geçimli Güneş, Zekiye İlbasan, Nezir Erdemci, Rıza Taşdelen, Ramazan Yıldız and İlyas Demir to 6 charges of "being members of an organization" to three years and three months in prison. Kurdish politicians İsmail Çelik, Gülüm Bayram, Doğan Çiftçi, Emrullah Bingöl, Kemal Dülğer, Bişar Uzun, Tahsin Karçık, Asiye Yılmaz and Celal Alphan were acquitted of the same charge.

 

LAWSUITS WERE DROPPED DUE TO PRESCRIPTION

 

Lawsuits filed against politicians for "opposing the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" on the grounds of actions and events in 2011 were dropped due to prescription. In the case, which was brought against some politicians in accordance with the "Law No. 2911" and which did not run out of time, a verdict of acquittal was given.