Dismissed and Imprisoned, Diyarbakır Co-Mayor Now Charged with 'Terrorist Propaganda'
Photo: Selçuk Mızraklı / Twitter
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A criminal lawsuit for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" has been opened against dismissed Diyarbakır Co-Mayor Selçuk Mızraklı over speeches he made at several events when he was an MP from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
An indictment written by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has been accepted by Ankara 28th Heavy Penal Court. The indictment charges Mıraklı with terrorist propaganda over an event organized by HDP Diyarbakır Provincial Organization, a conference titled, "The Middle East Crisis and the Democratic Nation Solution and a condolence visit. His three-day hunger strike in support of Leyla Güven, an HDP MP who conducted a hunger strike for 200 days, and a tweet he posted in support of a Kurdish activity, Ramin Hossein, who was executed in Iran were also included in the indictment.
After being elected the Mayor of Diyarbakır in March 2019 local elections, he was dismissed from his post in August 2019 by the Ministry of Interior on the grounds of an ongoing criminal investigation against him. He was sentenced to 9 years and 4 months in prison in March on the charge of "membership of a terrorist organization."
Mızraklı: I am in prison for similar charges
Currently held at Kayseri No. 2 Type-T Prison, Mızraklı released a statement on the lawsuit. He said that he was already in prison for similar charges and that the "terrorist propaganda" charge was included in the file of an ongoing case for which he was remanded in custody.
"A repeating investigation should be prevented by summoning the file of Diyarbakır 9th Heavy Penal Court," he said.
He also requested an expert review to determine that whether his statements that were investigated were within the scope of the legislative immunity and said that the continuation of investigation without an expert report would violate the legislative immunity.
Investigation of his activities as a parliamentarian was a different version of closing a political party, he said, adding that his statements were within the freedom of expression.
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What happened? Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı was dismissed as Diyarbakır Mayor by the Ministry of Interior on August 19, 2019, on the grounds of an ongoing "terrorism-related" against him. He was taken into custody on October 21, as part of an investigation conducted by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. He was arrested one day later on charges of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" and "membership of a terrorist organization." The indictment issued by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office was accepted by the Diyarbakır 11th Heavy Penal Court on November 11. Mızraklı has been facing 7.5 to 15 years in prison on the offenses charged. His indictment refers to the accounts of witness H.B.A., based on which Mızraklı was arrested. H.B.A. alleged that a "Hogır" code-named Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) member was taken to a private hospital in Diyarbakır after being wounded, he was operated by Mızraklı and discharged from the hospital without being turned over to security forces. However, according to Social Security Institution (SGK) records, H.B.A. was not working at the hospital at the time when Mızraklı allegedly did the surgery. Arrested for 1 month in 2018 as part of an investigation into the DTK, Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı faced one lawsuit and eight investigations on charges of "establishing and leading an armed terrorist organization, being a member of an armed terrorist organization, propagandizing for a terrorist organization and praising the crime and the criminal." Receiving 490,507 votes (62.93 percent) in the last local elections on March 31, 2019, Mızraklı was elected the Metropolitan Co-Mayor of Diyarbakır. About Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı Physician and politician. He was elected mayor of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in the local elections on March 31, 2019. He was dismissed from his post on August 19, 2019, and was replaced with a trustee. Mızraklı served as an MP from the HDP between June 2018 and March 2019. He held various positions at the Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine, including the chairpersonship. He is the founding chairperson and a board member of the Mesopotamia Foundation. He was born in 1963 in Siverek, Urfa in southeastern Turkey. He is currently held at Bünyan Prison in Kayseri province. |
(HA/VK)