Three sentenced to prison over protest against ISIS attacks on Kobanê in 2014

The final hearing of the lawsuit against activists Hacay Yılmaz, Mehmet Turhan and Seyithan Semo was held at the 2nd Heavy Penal Court in İzmir. The three defendants, who stand trial for protesting the ISIS onslaught on Kobanê in İzmir in 2014, did not attend the hearing while their lawyers were present at the courtroom.

The lawyers reiterated that the event in which their clients participated was a legal press statement and did not constitute a crime. Lawyers objected to the designation of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) as a “terrorist organization” in the accusations directed against their clients. They reminded that Salih Muslim, who was the chair of the PYD at the time the press statement was made, had come to Turkey to hold meetings with the state officials.

The court board sentenced Hacay Yılmaz to 10 months for “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization” and to another 6 months for “opposing the law on meetings and demonstrations.”

Mehmet Turhan received 10 months jail time for “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization”. Seyithan Semo was sentenced to 10 months in prison for “resisting an officer”.

The court converted the sentences given to Hacay Yılmaz and Mehmet Turhan to penalty fine and decided to “defer the announcement of the verdict” for Seyithan Semo.