Sentence for Social Media Post Upheld, Yerik Arrested Again 1 Year After Release

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Being charged with “Insulting the president” and “illegal organization propaganda” due to her social media posts, Gizem Yerik has been arrested again after one year of her release.

The Supreme Court of Appeals upheld the offenses of 11 months and 20 days in prison for “insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan”, and 3 years and 9 months in prison for “propagandizing for a terror organization”, which amounts to 4 years 8 months and 20 days in prison.

What happened?

Gizem Yerik was detained by anti-terror units from her classroom on February 26, 2016. She was charged with “Insulting the president” and “illegal organization propaganda”. She denied the accusations.

In the prosecution questioning, her retweets, her posts about the people who were stuck in the basements in Cizre, and her statements on Arin Mirxan who lost her life during the Kobanê resistance.

Yerik was sentenced to 4 years 8 months and 20 days in prison in the first hearing held on May 11, 2016 and then she was released. (BK/TK)