Indictment against politicians prepared: Listening to Kurdish music counts as a crime!

  • 14:11 23 October 2017
  • News

VAN - The indictment against nine politicians, including TUYAD-DER Co-chair Aynur Bağış and DBP Women's Assembly member Miyeser Çelik, has been prepared after six months. As the indictment counts listening to Kurdish music and wearing yellow-red-greed colored cheesecloth as a crime, the first hearing of nine politicians will be held on October 26.

On May 11, the office of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and many houses were raided by police in Van province. 11 people were taken into custody in the operation, including Co-chair of shut-down TUYAD-DER (Inmate Families' Democratic Law and Solidarity Association) Van branch, Aynur Bağış, and Democratic Regions’ Party (DBP) Women's Assembly member Miyeser Çelik. After 12 days in custody, six of those detained in the operation were sent to prison on charges of “being member of (terrorist) organization” and “undertaking activities in the name of a (terrorist) organization”. Jailed Aynur and Miyeser were sent to Van T-type Closed Prison.

Indictment prepared after six months

The indictment has been prepared against the politicians, who have been in prison since May, after six months. Since no concrete proof was found against Aynur Bağış about alleged crimes, the indictment has accused her for the Kurdish music she listened alleging that the music is "organizational music", and the indictment has showed her yellow-red-greed colored cheesecloth as "membership to the organization".  And the reason for her imprisonment was based on the testimony of witnesses whose identity has been kept confidential and on telephone tapes.

The reason for arrest of Miyaser Çelik, her meeting with her friends in a café was evaluated as "an organizational meeting".

On October 26, the nine politicians will appear before the judge.