Acquittal and Trial for Banned Publication

A Turkish court acquitted the provincial head of the Rights and Freedoms Party (HAK-PAR), Mehmet Eren, who is also the Diyarbakir representative of the Kurdish and Turkish "Dema Nu" newspaper. Three other members of the party were also acquitted. The defendants were being charged with possessing banned publications.

Journalist Eren was being accused of disseminating propaganda for the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK) through publications.

HAKPAR deputy head Bayram Bozyel, and party members Mehmet Eren, Selim Akgoz and Mahkum Yigitel, were not present at the December 24 hearing of the trial at the Diyarbakir State Security Court (DGM). Lawyers Hasan Dagtekin, Semir Guzel and Hamiyet Celebi Izol represented the defendants.

In his remarks to the court, the prosecutor expressed opinion towards the acquittal of Eren, Bozyel, Akgoz and Yigitel, who were all being charged with disseminating propaganda for a terrorist organization. The prosecutor said there was lack of adequate and persuasive evidence. He also asked that the Cumhuriyet Prosecutorship prepared and accusation announcement about Bozyel, Eren, Akgoz, and Yigitel.

The court acquitted Bozyel, Eren, Akgoz and Yigitel.

According to Eren, the court asked for an accusations announcement because of their possession of the confiscated and banned monthly "Deng" magazine, weekly "Roja Teze," and the bi-weekly "Dema Nu" newspapers, and also a book named, "Kurdistan and Kurds from the Past to this Day: History, Geography and Literature."

At the hearing on December 17, defendant lawyers said the defendants were involved in legal political party activities, and had no connection to the PSK. They said some of the defendants were writers and publishers and kept the banned publications for research purposes. The lawyers reminded that the Constitution oversaw each citizen's right to possess one publication.

Trial against four from HAK-PAR

Twenty-three people, including the HAK-PAR members, were detained on June 12, 2002 after the police raided their houses. They were interrogated for four days. Nineteen of the detainees were freed because of lack of evidence. It was decided that HAK-PAR deputy head Bayram Bozyel, provincial head Mehmet Eren, and members M. Selim Akgok and Mahkum Yigitel would be tried.

The HAK-PAR officials and members face up to five years in prison. The charges are based on article 7/2 of Turkish terrorism laws.

Up to five years in prison

This article of the Turkish terrorism laws dictate that those who "help members of a terrorist organization and propagate for that organization face up to five years in prison."

The pretension read that the defendants "acted for the banned PSK organization by sneaking into legal institutions, disseminating propaganda for the organization, trying to recruit members and supporters, and disseminating the thoughts of the organization."

The publications found in the defendant's houses were presented as evidence. (EO/BB/NK/EA/NM)