59-Year Prison Sentence of Arrested Student Korkmaz Upheld by Court of Appeal

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Sevinç Korkmaz, the big sister of Baran Barış Korkmaz, says that they brooded on how they would tell her brother that his 59-year prison sentence has been upheld by the court of appeal.

She sounds worried. "Our hopes have been shattered. We thought that his sentence would be overturned by the court of appeal", she tells bianet.

Baran Barış Korkmaz, a senior student at the Department of International Relations of Aydın Adnan Menderes University, went to Pertek in Dersim to visit his family. Upon a report that a propane cylinder was brought to the garden of a neighbor of theirs to prepare a bomb, the police came to the garden and found the cylinder there.

As the anonymous witness alleged that it was Korkmaz who brought the cylinder there, his house was raided by the police. Korkmaz and three other people were detained. Korkmaz was arrested on charge of "membership of a terrorist organization". He has been in prison for almost three years.

'We will continue demanding freedom for Baran'

In his final hearing, Korkmaz was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment and 23 years in prison. Approving the prison sentence of Korkmaz, the court sent his case file to Erzurum Court of Appeal. In the meanwhile, his family also made efforts to make his voice heard.

However, neither the public concerns nor the legal struggle have borne fruit. Erzurum Court of Appeal has upheld his prison sentence. Korkmaz is now arrested in Elazığ No. 1 High-Security Prison.

Speaking to bianet on behalf of her family, his sister Sevinç Korkmaz has stated the following in brief:

"We are surprised. We were not expecting such a verdict. A statement is held at the Ministry of Justice everyday. It is said that there will be a Judicial Reform. It is said that there will be positive developments about freedom of expression. We were hopeful, too. We are surprised. We are sad.

"We thought how we would tell it to my brother. We are very sad. We will continue demanding freedom for Baran. They are talking at length about the Judicial Reform. Where is this Judicial reform, then?

'Our hope is set on Supreme Court of Appeals'

"Some legists told us that the court of appeal would not assume responsibility for such a verdict. There were also the ones who said that the verdict was final when they saw the file. And we waged the legal struggle. But, the result has not changed. We are now hopefully waiting for the ruling of Supreme Court of Appeals.

"We are also expecting support from the public. An action needs to be taken for my brother by all means. There are hundreds of university students in prison like him and their education is at risk."

Korkmaz: My right of education is being seized

Sending a letter to bianet to raise concerns over his situation, Baran Barış Korkmaz previously said,

"The ones who have caused this unjust treatment now... Will they give me back my seized right of education when it is said that it was actually a 'plot'? I want my right of education.

"Will they take back the sadness that my mother and father felt when they heard that I was sentenced to 59 years? There is not a single second to lose for justice. It is hard to raise the voice of justice in such periods.

"Despite everything, what we need today is to utter the demand for justice for everyone." (EMK/SD)