Yurdatapan Convicted for Publishing HPG Apology

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The reasoned decision for musician Şanar Yurdatapan who stood trial and was convicted for attending the Editor-in-Chief on Watch campaign in solidarity with Özgür Gündem daily has been announced.

İstanbul 22nd High Criminal Court sentenced Yurdatapan to 1 year and 3 months in prison (deferred) for "propagandizing for an [illegal] organization" and fined him 1.590 euro for "publishing and distributing publications of [illegal] organizations".

Charges pressed over 4 articles

Evaluating three articles of Yurdatapan published in Özgür Gündem daily on June 18, 2016, the court has ruled that the articles were "praising the killed members of the terrorist organizations" and were motivating people to join the actions of the terrorist organization and thus convicted Yurdatapan of the crime "propagandizing for an [illegal] organization".

In addition, the court has decided that publishing an apology from People's Defence Forces (HPG) in the article "Şemzinan statement from HPG" "showed the actions of the anti-terror security forces as an act of an organized war carried out on purpose and tried to legitimize actions against the security forces of the state". (EA/DG)

Photograph: dihaber (Dicle News Agency