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Turkish opposition lawmaker gets 6 years in jail

Anadolu Agency TÜRKIYE
Published October 06,2017
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A court in Turkey's southeast on Friday sentenced a lawmaker from the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to six years in prison, for aiding and abetting a terrorist organization.

The 1st High Penal Court in Mus province issued the verdict against Burcu Çelik as she was tried under charges of being a member of a terrorist organization, aiding and abetting a terrorist organization and promoting hatred and hostility among public.

She was found guilty only for aiding and abetting a terror group.

According to the indictment against the lawmaker, Çelik had made a statement threatening Turkish security guards with life at her party meeting in Mus on June 8, 2015.

She also made some remarks involving terrorism propaganda during funeral ceremonies of two PKK terrorists in Malazgirt district of the province, said the indictment.

Turkey's government has accused the HDP of being linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.

Some HDP deputies, including party co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş, were arrested last November after they failed to answer summons to testify as part of a counter-terrorism investigation.