Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Shocking Indictment for Academic Ersanli and Publisher Zarakolu

"Special Authority Istanbul Public Prosecutor Adnan Çimen prepared the indictment on the trial related to the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK), an organization founded by Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned leader of the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
According to the indictment, Prof Büşra Ersanlı from the Marmara University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Science is being charged with "leading an illegal organization" while Nobel Peace candidate Ragıp Zarakolu stands accused of "aiding and abetting an illegal organization".
Academic Ersanlı is facing prison terms of between 15 to 22.5 years. For Zarakolu, owner of the Sel Publishing Company, the indictment seeks a prison sentence of between 7.5 and 15 years under allegations of "knowingly and willingly aiding an illegal organization without being a member of that organization."

[...]

"The 2,400-page indictment includes a total of 193 defendants, 147 of whom are detained."

To read the full report on Bianet, visit here.