CHP İstanbul Chair Kaftancıoğlu Sentenced to 9 Years, 8 Months in Prison

*Photo: Ekrem İmamoğlu/Twitter

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul Provincial Chairperson Canan Kaftancıoğlu has been sentenced to 9 years and 8 months in prison and the announcement of the verdict was not deferred.

Kaftancıoğlu was facing the charges of "insulting the President", "insulting a public official because of his/her duty", "provoking people into enmity and hatred" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization."

Ferah Yıldız, the attorney of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan requested Kaftancıoğlu be given the maximum sentence.

Kaftancıoğlu said, "I did not insult the president, I don't. No matter who says what, it is not anyone's right to be disrespectful to the position of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. As the provincial chairperson, it is unthinkable that I would openly or implicitly insult the state," in her defense statement.

The hearing

A poem from Nazım hikmet that Kaftancıoğlu read in her statement of defense in the previous hearing was also included in the case file in today's hearing.

Ferah Yıldız, the attorney of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan requested Kaftancıoğlu be given the maximum sentence and a good conduct abatement should not ba applied because of "her behavior and stance"

Kaftancıoğlu said, "I did not insult the president, I don't. No matter who says what, it is not anyone's right to be disrespectful to the office once Mustafa Kemal Atatürk occupied. As the provincial chairperson, it is unthinkable that I would openly or implicity insult the state," in her statement of defense.

She added that the prosecutor's office took her words "out of context".

"I did not propagandize for a terrorist organization, I don't. You have more responsibility than me for revealing the truth.

"I say the truth even if I will be sentenced to 27 years in prison. You should also search for the truth. You will feel that you are liberated as you get closer to it. The truth will liberate all of us."

The attorneys of Kaftancıoğlu said that she is on trial for her "political personality" and the investigation process was "unlawful".

"The is not sufficient evidence that our client provoked the people into enmity and hatred. The bill of indictment is legally crippled. It is unlawful to continue trial with the current indictment."

"The report that allowed our client to be tried and declared a suspect was completely prepared with evidence that is against the law.

"The public prosecutor is obliged to collect evidence in favor of and against the defendant, that is, he is responsible for protecting the right of the defendant, too. Our client's posts on social media are within the scope of freedom of the press.

"There is nothing related to the law in the opinion as to the accusations. Our client's statement of defense has not been listened to and examined."

When asked for her last words, Kaftancıoğlu said, "Whatever the decision may be, I won't give up my ideas and what I said because the season of us has started. We won, he lost. These will never be my last words. He lost, we weon, the 80 million won."

The attorneys of Kaftancıoğlu said that she is on trial for her "political personality." 

Kaftancıoğlu has been sentenced to 1 year, 6 months and 20 days in prison for "insulting public officials", 1 year and 6 months for "insult", 2 years and 4 months for "insulting the president", 1 year and 8 months for "openly insulting the Republic of Turkey", 2 years and 8 months for "provoking people into enmity and hatred."

The court decided not to defer the announcement of the decision because of the poem she read and because she does not feel regret.

Kaftancıoğlu can appeal the verdict.

Kaftancıoğlu: 'We won't be silent no matter what it costs'

After the hearing, Kaftancıoğlu made a statement in front of the courthouse.

"I am very sorry that you have been waiting here for hours. Neither you, or I deserve this. When talking about any court ruling today, notions such as law, code, democracy and justice have turned to a wish.

"If the court rulings are to the government's liking, all the hearings in this country are unfortunately just formality.

"Nothing experienced is coincidence. What this is called is the tutelage of the palace.

"They think that we will be scared if they oppress us. No matter what it costs, we won't be silent until we end the tutelage of the palace. (AS/VK)