Turkish court accepts publisher Zarakolu indictment

PanARMENIAN.Net - An Istanbul court on Tuesday, April 3 accepted an indictment in which publisher Ragıp Zarakolu and Professor Büşra Ersanlı face lengthy prison terms on charges of leading and aiding a terrorist organization, Today's Zaman reported.

The 2,400-page-long indictment filed last month as part of an investigation into the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) seeks between 15 and 22.5 years in jail for Ersanlı, who is accused of holding a senior position in the KCK. Between seven-and-a-half to 15 years is being demanded for Zarakolu, who is also accused of aiding the group. The 15th Istanbul High Criminal Court announced on Monday that the indictment had been accepted, effectively paving the way for the start of the case.

The indictment asserts that Ersanlı was in charge of the Peace and Democracy Party's (BDP) training course - called the Politics Academy - and maintains that the content of the course was heavily influenced by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the KCK. The prosecution alleges that, as the person in charge of the BDP's training program, Ersanlı can be considered a leader of the group.

Ersanlı and Zarakolu were arrested in November on terrorism charges as part of an investigation into the KCK, an umbrella group that allegedly encompasses the PKK and its affiliated organizations.

The indictment implicates 1,400 people and accuses 193 suspects - 147 of whom are currently under arrest - of various terrorism-related crimes.