Turkey court convicts MP

June 13, 2012

Talat Zaki Hafiz

DIYARBAKIR — A lawmaker accused of spreading propaganda for a Kurdish guerrilla group fighting an insurgency against the Turkish state was Tuesday sentenced to more than 14 years in jail.

Kurdish MP Aysel Tugluk was convicted over speeches she made between 2007 and 2011 advocating talks with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought a 28-year separatist campaign in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

Ankara says the PKK is a “terrorist organisation” and is opposed to any negotiation.

Turkey has stepped up prosecutions of politicians and activists accused of links to the militants after secret government talks with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan were made public by the media, leading to a backlash from nationalist Turks.

In May, Kurdish lawmaker Leyla Zana was sentenced to 10 years in prison for making similar speeches. — Reuters


June 13, 2012
HIGHLIGHTS
BUSINESS
hour ago

Al-Qaryan Group executes multiple dismantling and recycling projects for Saudi Water Authority

SAUDI ARABIA
2 hours ago

Saudi Arabia and Syria to hold investment forum in Damascus to boost cooperation

SAUDI ARABIA
3 hours ago

Saudi films earn SR100 million at box office in 2025