Cemil Taşkesen, who in 2014 shared on social media images of PKK militants’ graves being destroyed with construction machines and sledgehammers in the Herekol area of Siirt (Sêrt), was convicted nine years later in the case brought against him for “threatening the President.” The Siirt 2nd High Criminal Court sentenced Taşkesen to 4 years and 2 months in prison.
Taşkesen’s appeal against the sentence was also rejected. The 9th Criminal Chamber of the Diyarbakır Regional Court of Justice upheld the verdict, citing that “the offense is established.”
Taşkesen, who came to public attention on October 29, 2021, for telling Meral Akşener during her visit to Mısrce, “This is Kurdistan, but it is being denied,” recalled that he had previously given a statement over those words.
Noting that the 2014 case file was brought back to the agenda and resulted in a conviction in 2025, Taşkesen said, “This decision is unlawful. No matter what happens, we will continue our struggle for Kurdistan.”