Women's election stand in Ankara's Mamak for imprisoned politician's election campaign
A women's election stand was opened in Mamak, Ankara for Gültan Kışanak, the co-mayoral candidate for the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
Later, the women moved to Konur Street in Çankaya, where they inaugurated the women's election office. Before the opening of the office, the women formed a circle for the traditional halay dance and distributed leaflets to passing women.
Following the reading of Gültan Kışanak's election letter by Özgül Saki, the İstanbul Deputy of the DEM Party, she accompanied the songs sung by Sevinç Koçak during the office opening.
According to the news on JinNews, Özgül Saki stated during the opening that the people of Ankara would no longer have to search for the good among the bad and said:
"Now we have Gültan Kışanak. I suggest those who want to know what Gültan Kışanak has accomplished in local governments to look at the local government experience in Diyarbakır, and we will continue to spread her experiences in all streets. Freedom is our strength. We will carry out the struggle for all our comrades."
Kışanak's continued detention: 'Restriction of freedom & violation of right to stand in election'
Gültan Kışanak
Gültan Kışanak is the former Co-Mayor of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and is running for the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality in the March 31 local elections.
The release decision for Kışanak has not been implemented on the grounds of merging her case file with the Kobane Trial.
Gültan Kışanak was detained alongside the other Co-Mayor, Fırat Anlı, on October 25, 2016 while serving as the Co-Mayor of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality. Six days later, she was arrested on charges of 'being a member of an organization' and 'making propaganda for an organization,' and a trustee was appointed in her place.
Kışanak was sentenced to 14 years in prison by the 5th Heavy Penal Court of Malatya, but this verdict was overturned by the Antep Regional Court of Justice. Meanwhile, she had already served the maximum pre-trial detention period of 7 years. However, despite the release decision for her from the initial case, which was issued upon appeal, her request for release was rejected by the court after her re-arrest due to the merger of her case with the Kobane Trial. The individual application made to the Constitutional Court has not yet been concluded. (EMK/PE)