‘They didn’t release my son so that they could blame PKK for forest fires’

Yakup Akman, who reported a forest fire in İstanbul's Aydos Forest on September 19, 2019, has been sentenced to life in prison and an additional 25 years. The charges against him include allegedly "setting the fire on the orders of a terrorist organization" and "disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state."

According to a report by the Mezopotamya Agency, Akman's conviction was based on an image of him holding a toy gun, which was taken while he was working as an extra on the set of a TV series.

Fince Akman, Yakup's mother, raised concerns about the fairness of the trial, suggesting that her son's Kurdish background may have played a role in the severity of the sentence. “"They didn't release my son just to be able to say 'The PKK burned our forests.' We even suspected that the file in front of the judge was Yakup's file,” she said.

She contended that had he not been of Kurdish descent, he might have received gratitude for reporting the fire to authorities, saying, "If he were from the Black Sea or Tokat, they would say, 'You called us. Thank you.' If he weren't Kurdish, he wouldn't have received any punishment. We know this, and so does the state."

This case has raised questions about the treatment of individuals from different ethnic backgrounds within the justice system. Akman's mother expressed concerns that the state's actions, including harsh sentences for those who have not committed serious crimes, may create grievances and resistance among certain communities.

Fince Akman, who has been actively participating in the "Justice Vigil" protests for her imprisoned loved ones, has experienced police violence during these demonstrations. (TY/VK)