KCK INDICTMENT ANNOUNCED

Special Authority Istanbul Public Prosecutor Adnan Çimen prepared the indictment on the trial related to the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK), an organization founded by Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned leader of the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

According to the indictment, Prof Büşra Ersanlı from the Marmara University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Science is being charged with "leading an illegal organization" while Nobel Peace candidate Ragıp Zarakolu stands accused of "aiding and abetting an illegal organization".

Academic Ersanlı is facing prison terms of between 15 to 22.5 years. For Ragıpoğlu, owner of the Sel Publishing Company, the indictment seeks a prison sentence of between 7.5 and 15 years under allegations of "knowingly and willingly aiding an illegal organization without being a member of that organization".

As reported in the press, the charges of "leading an illegal organization" pressed against Ersanlı are based on her "lessons given at the Political Academy of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)".

The indictment claims that the political academy was under the guidance of the KCK". It is furthermore stated that Ersanlı was in charge of the political academy.

The 2,400-page indictment includes a total of 193 defendants, 147 of whom are detained. Prime suspect of the case is Kudbettin Yazbaşı followed by fugitive defendant Ali Durc and detained defendant Nihat Oğras.

The indictment has approximately 150 attachments comprising evidence.

Moreover, the indictment mentions various actions allegedly carried out by the defendants in Istanbul in line with the decisions of the "KCK city council".

The indictment was sent to the Istanbul 15^th High Criminal Court. (EKN/AS)