Journalist Arzu Demir has been sentenced for 6 years in prison over her books titled “Dağın Kadın Hali (Womanly State of the Mountain)” and “Devrimin Rojava Hali (Revolution’s State of Rojava)” with the accussation of propagandizing for the outlawed PKK, “praising the crime and the criminal” and “inciting to crime” in her book. The indictment has also accussed of her for “including some remarks from interviewees into the book that did not concern the public.”
According to a report by Bianet, journalist Demir has defined the trial process as “political” and said that “This verdict is a clear proof of that the trial is political. I’ve just practiced journalism. The state is fighting against an organization which it calls as ‘terrorist’, so the people have right to know about this organization”.
“The prosecutor has demanded a penalty for me at upper limit. I was expecting this sentence and my response to this verdict is: I am glad that I wrote and still I am writing,” she stated also.
Journalists Demir has been sentenced for three years by İstanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court for each one of the two books that she wrote. On the ground that “the journalist has not expressed remorse”, the court did not apply any remission for the Demir.
The book titled “Womanly State of the Mountain”, which has comprised interviews with eleven female PKK militants, was published in 2014. Following its 7th issue an İstanbul court had ruled to pull the book off the shelves.
