Dismissed Co-Mayor of Van Özgökçe Ertan Faces up to 30 Years in Prison

* Photo: AA

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Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has drafted a bill of indictment against Bedia Özgökçe Ertan, the former Metropolitan Co-Mayor of Van dismissed by the Ministry of Interior on August 19. The indictment foresees a prison sentence of up to 30 years for Özgökçe Ertan.

The Prosecutor's Office has issued the indictment based on the statements that she made and the leaflets that she distributed when she was the Van MP of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

The indictment has charged her with "openly inciting the public to enmity and hatred", "propagandizing for a terrorist organization", "praising the crime and the criminal" and "being a member of an armed terrorist organization".

As the court has accepted the indictment prepared by the Prosecutor's Office, Özgökçe Ertan will have her first hearing on December 25.

Appointment of trustees to 3 HDP municipalities

The Ministry of Interior announced that they dismissed Metropolitan Mayor of Diyarbakır Selçuk Mızraklı, Metropolitan Mayor of Mardin Ahmet Türk and Metropolitan Mayor of Van Bedia Özgökçe Ertan on August 19.

Diyarbakır Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, Mardin Governor Mustafa Yaman and Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez have been appointed as Acting Metropolitan Mayors, or rather, as trustees.

As reported by Anadolu Agency, the mayors have been removed from office on the ground that there are 9 ongoing investigations against Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Selçuk Mızraklı, 6 ongoing investigations against Mardin Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Türk, 7 ongoing investigations against Van Metropolitan Mayor Bedia Özgükçe Ertan at heavy penal courts. (RT/SD)