Devrimci Karargah Case Verdict Announced

Istanbul 9th High Criminal Court reached a verdict on Devrimci Karargah [a nominally Marxist-Leninst organization in Turkey] case. Held in Istanbul Court House, the trial reached the following decisions: 24 acquittals, 2 pending trials and 15 conviction of “illegal organization membership”. 

The name of convicted defendants were listed as follows: Bilim ve Gelecek magazine editor Baha Oktar (6 years and 3 months), Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu (6 years and 8 months) , Socialist Re-Foundation Party Co-Spokesperson Tuncay Yılmaz (9 years and 2 months), Socialist Democracy Party Chairperson Rıdvan Turan (6 years and 3 months), Günay Kubilay (6 years and 3 months), Sultan Seçik (6 years and 3 months), Necdet Öztürk (19 years and 5 months as well as a fine of roughly 10,000 euros).

The court found the former police commissioner Hanefi Avcı guilty of charges related to  aiding and accommodation (5 years, 7 months and 15 days), carrying a weapon (5 years), manipulating a trial (2 years and 6 months), and negligence (2 years and 2 months), ordering him to serve a total of 15 years, 2 months and 15 days of prison. 

The case will be sent to Court of Appeals Criminal Chamber 9. (EA/BM)