28 July 2017•Update: 28 July 2017
By Aziz Aslan
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey
A court in southeastern Turkey on Friday approved an indictment against a Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker facing terrorism charges.
Diyarbakir’s 10th High Criminal court accepted the indictment against Izmir MP Ertugrul Kurkcu.
The province's Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has demanded a prison sentence ranging from between 9-and-a-half-years to 23 years.
Kurkcu will face trial on charges of being a “member of armed terrorist organization”, “propagandizing for a terrorist group” and “inciting public hatred and hostility or contempt”.
The 74-page indictment claims Kurkcu tried to defend attacks by the PKK and the group’s so-called “autonomy” projects.
He is accused of describing PKK assaults as “legitimate defense”.
Kurkcu also described the Turkish Republic and its law-enforcement agencies as “occupiers”, the indictment added.
HDP lawmakers began facing prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in March 2016.
Turkey's government accuses the HDP of being linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.
