Court of Appeals Turns DEP Sentences

Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals overturned on Wednesday conviction of four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Hatip Dicle, and Selim Sadak, and ordered the retrial of the case.

Supreme Court of Appeals Ninth Criminal Department Chairman Hasan Gerceker told reporters that the court unanimously overturned the conviction of four former DEP deputies because of procedural violations during the hearing.

In 1994, Ankara State Security Court (DGM) sentenced Zana, Dogan, Dicle and Sadak to 15 years of imprisonment on charges of the Article 168 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) regulating "membership of an organization."

The former DEP deputies have served 10 years of their 15-year sentence.

Hamit Geylani, the lawyer of four former DEP deputies, said that the trial process continued, and claimed that this decision was an important milestone for Turkey.

Geylani claimed that DGMs were closed "in appearance" and said, "we hope mentality has changed."

Zana, Dogan, Dicle and Sadak will be re-tried after the Supreme Court overturned their conviction.

But, Ankara Criminal Court will hear the case instead of the Ankara DGM since DGMs had been abolished.

Ankara Criminal Court can upheld the verdict of the DGM. In this case, the convicts have the right to appeal the decision. It will again be the Supreme Court of Appeals which will hear the appeal case.

If Ankara Criminal Court insists on upholding the verdict, the Supreme Court Criminal General Board will deal with the file. (YE)