Kurdish Journalist Wedat Kursun In Prison Until 15 April
Wedat Kursun, the responsible editor of the Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper has
been in police custody since 5 February, accused of “continuously spreading PKK
propaganda.”
Bıa news centre
27-03-2008
Erol ONDEROĞLU
The Diyarbakir Public Prosecutor has demanded the imprisonment
of Wedat Kursun, licence holder and editor of the Kurdish Azadiya Welat
newspaper for “spreading PKK propaganda.”
In his deliberations at the Diyarbakir 6th Heavy Penal Court on Tuesday (25
March), prosecutor Tuncer Cetin accused the journalist of “committing a crime in
the name of a criminal organisation without being a member of the organisation.”
Punishment under three articles demanded
Kursun has been in police custody since 5 February, and he attended the hearing
with five lawyers. The prosecutor has demanded punishment under Articles 220/6,
314/2 of the Penal Code, as well as Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.
The prosecutor has argued that the thirteen issues from 12 September 2006 to 12
August 2007 all contained PKK propaganda. As evidence he pointed out that
imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was described as “the leader of the
Kurdish people,” “the leader of the KCK,” “Honourable Ocalan,” and “Leader Apo,”
and that members of the HPG, associated with the PKK, were described as “HPG
guerillas.”
Release not granted
The defense lawyers have asked for time to prepare their defense, and the next
hearing is on 15 April. The court had refused to release Kursun at the previous
hearing on 4 March, and did so again on Tuesday. The defense lawyers again
objected, saying that Kursun had come to court to defend himself.
When the court decided to take Kursun into custody on 5 February, one judge,
Selahaddin Menes, had opposed the decision.
