Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Ağrı deputy Dirayet Taşdemir has been given a suspended 20-month sentence on terror charges, while another HDP Ağrı deputy, Berdan Öztürk, has been acquitted of the same charges, Turkish media have reported.
The deputies’ trial at an Erzurum court concluded on Tuesday.
A case was launched against Taşdemir and Öztürk after they attended the funeral ceremonies of five individuals who were claimed to be militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Erzurum in 2016.
The HDP deputies were tried at the Erzurum 2nd High Criminal Court on charges of disseminating the propaganda of a terrorist organization, with the deputies facing a jail sentence of up to five years.
The indictment said that during the funeral services Taşdemir made remarks such as “Kurds will rule themselves from now on” and “The Kurdish people will never bow to pressure.”
While Taşdemir was given a 20-month suspended sentence for the remarks, Öztürk was acquitted of the charges.
Many HDP deputies including the party’s former chairpersons and HDP officials are currently behind bars. (turkishminute.com)
