The Diyarbakır 5^th High Criminal Court sentenced Ozan Kılınç, concessionaire and chief editor of the Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper, to a total of 21 years and three months imprisonment on the grounds of "spreading PKK propaganda" in news items and articles in twelve issues of the paper.

In the decision taken on 9 February, the court concluded that the contents of the Kurdish daily were opposing the Anti-Terror Act (TMY) and that Kılınç "committed crimes on behalf of an illegal organization although he is not a member of that organization".

Kılınç deprived of civil rights, arrest warrant issued

The court decided to deprive Kılınç of civil and official services. Until the end of his sentence, the journalist will be deprived of his rights to elect and run for election and of his rights to carry out any duty in a political party, association, foundation, company, cooperative, union and freelance work or trading.

The case concerned with the daily's issues from June 2009 was decided in its third session. Kılınç did not attend the hearing but was represented by his lawyer Servet Özen.

Özen had requested the acquittal of his client. The lawyer claimed that the news items and articles were written within the scope of freedom of expression. He furthermore stated that it was contrary to the law to impose separate penalties on each single issue.

The court declined Özen's request. Based on the twelve June issues subject to the case, the court board decided for a six years and three months prison sentence under charges of "committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organization without himself being a member of that organization".

Convict will file an appeal

Additionally, the court handed down one year and three months prison sentences for each of the twelve issues, summing up to another 15 years imprisonment. This means a total prison sentence of 21 years and three months for journalist Kılınç. Moreover, the court decided to issue an arrest warrant for the chief editor.

The court did not apply any mitigation of punishment and decided that there was no basis for a suspension of the sentence or a conversion into a monetary fine. Journalist Özen declared to file an appeal against the decision.

Kılınç had previously been sentenced to five years imprisonment by the same reasons. Another two cases are pending against him again regarding the same charges. (EÖ/VK)