HDP’s Yuksekdag sentenced to one year on terror charge
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Co-chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Figen Yuksekdag, has been sentenced to one year in prison on terror-related charges.
She was sentenced for “making propaganda for a terrorist organization,” state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing an unnamed judicial source.
Yuksekdag was arrested in November 2016 on charges of supporting terrorism and Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned leader of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), after she participated in a rally in February 2015 protesting Ocalan’s imprisonment.
It had been previously reported that prosecutors in Turkey recommended in an indictment that Yuksekdag should serve 30 to 83 years in prison in line with the scope of a “terror case.”
In February, Yuksekdag was stripped of her status as a member of parliament.
HDP condemned the court’s ruling, calling it a political decision, one they will not accept. “This punishment is a punishment for peace.”
HDP said it is preparing to make applications to the court.
She was sentenced for “making propaganda for a terrorist organization,” state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing an unnamed judicial source.
Yuksekdag was arrested in November 2016 on charges of supporting terrorism and Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned leader of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), after she participated in a rally in February 2015 protesting Ocalan’s imprisonment.
It had been previously reported that prosecutors in Turkey recommended in an indictment that Yuksekdag should serve 30 to 83 years in prison in line with the scope of a “terror case.”
In February, Yuksekdag was stripped of her status as a member of parliament.
HDP condemned the court’s ruling, calling it a political decision, one they will not accept. “This punishment is a punishment for peace.”
HDP said it is preparing to make applications to the court.