Siirt co-mayor sentenced to prison over past journalism activities

Sofya Alağaş, co-mayor of Siirt and a member of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, has been sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison on charge of "membership in a terrorist organization," Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reported.

Alağaş faced charges stemming from her time as a news manager at the pro-Kurdish Jin News agency, where her work, including news reports published by the outlet, was cited as evidence against her.

Her attorneys represented Alağaş during the hearing at the Diyarbakır 5th Heavy Penal Court. Representatives from the DEM Party, Siirt and Diyarbakır Bar Associations, and journalist organizations, including the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and the Mezopotamya Women Journalists Association (MKG), also attended the session. The courtroom was reported to have a heavy presence of plainclothes police.

'Political interference'

During the hearing, the prosecutor reiterated their argument for Alağaş’s conviction. Defense attorney Resul Temur claimed that the case was politically motivated, particularly after Alağaş was elected co-mayor in the March 2024 local elections.

Temur argued that the court introduced a previously undisclosed secret witness as evidence, which he said was not included in the indictment. “Listening to a witness not mentioned in the indictment violates Article 172 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The prosecutor rushed to prepare their opinion, merely copying pages 11 and 12 of the indictment. This shows how hastily this case has been handled."

He also criticized the charges related to Jin News publications, stating that they violated press laws. “Out of 144,605 news reports, only 104 were selectively taken to create a narrative of manipulation. This clearly demonstrates a punitive approach.”

Press freedoms questioned

Veysel Ok, another defense attorney and co-director of the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), argued that Jin News operated within the framework of journalism and was subject to the Press Law, which imposes a four-month statute of limitations for prosecuting articles. The statute of limitations for all the articles in question has expired, he said.

Ok criticized the court for failing to explain the alleged connection between Alağaş’s journalism and the charges of "membership in a terrorist organization." He also noted an inconsistency, pointing out that while pro-government media outlets report on the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan without issue, similar coverage by Kurdish media is treated as a criminal act.

As part of the defense, Ok also presented a prior court ruling from Ankara that determined Jin News had no ties to any illegal organization.

After hearing the arguments, the court sentenced Alağaş in line with the prosecutor's opinion and subsequently issued an arrest warrant against her.

Following the verdict, lawyers issued a statemen for the press outside the courthouse. Ok announced plans to appeal the decision and pursue all legal avenues.

Reacting to the verdict, DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları criticized the ruling during the party’s weekly group meeting. "This decision is a blatant attack on the people’s will and local democracy. We reject these assaults targeting our co-mayors and undermining efforts for peace," she said.

Background

Alağaş was first detained in June 2022 along with 16 other journalists on charges of "membership in a terrorist organization" due to her work as Jin News’s news manager. She was released after a year in custody under judicial control, with a ban on traveling abroad.

The case took a new turn after Alağaş was elected co-mayor of Siirt in March 2024, receiving 49.64% of the vote along with her running mate Mehmet Kaysi. Following her election, two additional investigations were launched against her in Diyarbakır and Siirt on similar charges.

During the trial, the court initially decided to examine whether these investigations were legally or factually connected to the Jin News case. However, at the Jan 9 hearing, the court reversed its decision and expedited the process, with the prosecutor quickly submitting a final opinion recommending her conviction. (EC/VK)