April 23, 2002
Ankara - Turkish Daily News 
The trial of 51 suspects in the "calendar" case, filed against the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HADEP) which is also facing a closure case at the Constitutional Court, continues in the Ankara State Security Court (DGM). 

The Prosecutor had filed a case regarding the party's 1998 calendar, which included photos of terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants. HADEP's 51 top officials, including chairman, Murat Bozlak, are accused of being political wing managers of the PKK. 

Mehmet Nuri Ozmen and Yusuf Alatas, the lawyers for the defendants, attended Monday's hearing. Ozmen asked for extra time for the defense, as suspects Ayse Zarakolu, Mehmet Emin Altun and Isa Karakurt have died, and the death certificates have not yet been transmitted to the court. 

The Court chairman approved the demand, and postponed the trial. The suspects will face at least 22.5 years imprisonment if found guilty. 

Prosecutor Talat Salk had earlier demanded the acquittal of 29 suspects, including former HADEP Chairman Ahmet Turan Demir, Diyarbakir Mayor Feridun Celik, former banned pro-Kurdish Democracy Party (DEP) deputies Sirri Sakik and Sedat Yurttas, while asking for the postponement of the case for 21 suspects, including Bozlak. Salk said that the aim of these 21 suspects was to create propaganda for the PKK, but added that this crime, included in Turkish Penal Code Article 169, was being evaluated in the scope of Law 4,616, related to the conditional release and postponement of cases and sentences. Salk also demanded the separation of Ihsan Durukal's file from the case.