Kurdish Mayor Yetişkin in Prison

The Mayor of Yüksekova in the south-eastern province of Hakkari, Ruken Yetişkin, went to jail on 5 December when the period of the postponement of her sentence expired.

Yetişkin was a member of the organizational committee for the "Youth Festival" organized by the Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) in the Istanbul Bağcılar Olympic Stadium on 16 May 2004. She was charged with "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization" at the festival. In 2007, the Istanbul 9^th High Criminal Court sentenced her to ten months in prison.

Yetişkin, member of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Development Party (BDP), was elected in the Local Elections in 2009. In May the same year, the Court of Appeals had upheld the local court's verdict. Thereupon, Yetişkin requested to postpone her sentence for six months. This period of time elapsed on 5 December.

Yetişkin was taken to the Bitlis E Type Closed Prison on the very same day. She is expected to be released after seven months and ten days.

Farewell with moral support of the people

Several non-governmental organizations and unions visited Yetişkin the week before her incarceration to express their support. Yetişkin bid farewell to the public on 4 December with a press release in Yüksekova which was attended by many people. Protest actions were organized in the town after the press release. At some points clashes occurred between the demonstrators and the police.

In Bitlis, Yetişkin was met by several representatives of non-governmental organizations and executives, among them local mayor Abdullah Ok. A crowd of people shouted slogans for her support in front of the Bitlis Courthouse. Before her imprisonment, Yetişkin announced:

"We will try to give a voice to the lawlessness and injustice of this country. Thousands of our friends are in prison since 14 April 2009. We are being attacked. We think this is a political decision".

Erdal Aydın will take over her duties as mayor vicariously. (EÇ/VK)

* Source: Yüksekova News