Sentenced for Propaganda - Organization Inactive since 1994
University student Mehmet Adıgüzel was convicted by the Ankara Special Authority 12th High Criminal Court under allegations of shouting the slogan "Long live Dev-Sol, human dignity will besiege the torturer, oppression does not daunt us". The decision for the conviction of the student came although he claimed not to have shouted such a slogan and despite a report which stated that "Dev-Sol is not active anymore".
Dev-Sol ('Devrimci Sol'), the "Revolutionary Left", was formed in 1978 based on a Marxist-Leninist Ideology. In 1994, Dev-Sol split into two factions, the designated terrorist organization Party and Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of the Turkish People (DHKP-C) as the main group and the Turkey's People's Liberation Party-Front (THKP-C). Both groups pursue political as well as military activities.
Alleged propaganda for non-existing organization
Adıgüzel was found guilty of "propaganda for a terrorist organization". The court reached this conclusion even though the Dev-Sol organization does not exist anymore. Three reasons were given for the court decision: Dev-Sol's having put signature to bloody actions when it was still active; moving along the lines of organizations formed in the 1970s and continuing later on; establishing the DHKP-C on the basis of Dev-Sol. The Ankara court decreed for a prison sentence of ten months without suspension.
Adıgüzel was taken into police custody on 5 November 2010 at a student protest against the Higher Education Council (YÖK) in Ankara because he tried to post a banner at the SSK Office Block. The banner read, "YÖK into isolation, no to education for money". According to the police records, the student shouted the above mentioned slogan.
Adıgüzel on the other hand dismissed the allegation. He stated that he did not shout such a slogan and remarked that he did not even know what Dev-Sol was. However, the court relied on the statements of three policemen and sentenced Adıgüzel to imprisonment of one year on charges of "propaganda for an illegal organization". (ÖÖ/ŞA/VK)