In September 2006, a police operation with the code name "objective", aimed at the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) in several provinces, resulted in the arrest of 23 people, among them journalists and writers. They will appear in court for the first time on 26 October.

Among those on trial are the chief coordinator of the radio station "Özgür Radyo" ("Free Radio"), Füsun Erdogan, the editor-in-chief of the "Atilim" newspaper, Ibrahim Cicek, and the publishing coordinator Sedat Senoglu of the same newspaper. Some of the sentences demanded are higher than 40 years.

Around 3,000 years for 23 people

The 23 were arrested 10 months ago and have been in prison since then. They will appear at the 10th Heavy Penal Court in Besiktas, Istanbul, on 26 October. Because the case file is being kept secret, it is not known what the detainees will be tried for.

The prosecution has asked for around 3,000 years imprisonment for 23 people in its indictment. The detainees are held responsible for 296 "activities" between 1994 and 2006. Some of them are accused of "trying to force a constitutional change".

In the 292-page indictment prepared by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor Ali Cengiz Haciosmanoglu, the following sentences are demanded:

Life sentences with no possibility of parole for: Füsun Erdogan, Ibrahim Cicek, Sedat Senoglu, writers Ziya Ulusoy and Bayram Namaz and Naci Güner (accused of being the General Secretary of the organisation), Arif Celebi, Sultan Ulusoy, Adem Serkan Gündogdu, Ali Hidir Polat, Seyfi Polat, Mehmet Ali Polat and Erkan Özdemir.

Sentences ranging from 10,5 to 45 years for Erkan Salduz, Turac Solak, Elif Almakca, Hatice Bolat, Fatma Siner, Hasan Ozan, Arzu Torun, Soner Cicek, Fethiye Ok and Bilgi Tagac. (EÖ/EÜ/AG/EÜ)