Prosecutor seeks up to 23 years in jail for HDP deputy Kürkçü on terror charges

DIYARBAKIR – Anadolu Agency

A court in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on July 28 approved an indictment prepared by the province’s chief public prosecutor’s office, demanding a prison sentence from 9.5 to 23 years for Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Ertuğrul Kürkçü.

Kürkçü will face trial on charges of being a “member of an armed terrorist organization,” “making propaganda for a terrorist group” and “inciting the public into hatred and hostility or contempt.”      

The 74-page indictment, accepted by Diyarbakır’s 10th High Criminal court, claims Kürkçü tried to defend attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the group’s “autonomy” projects.        

He is accused of describing PKK assaults as “legitimate defense.”        

Kürkçü also described the Turkish Republic and its law-enforcement agencies as “occupiers,” the indictment said.

HDP lawmakers began facing prosecution after their parliamentary immunities were lifted in March 2016.