DİHA reporter Nedim Türfent received threats of executions from social media accounts used by the army and the police for the news he authored on the human rights violations during the “curfew” declared in Hakkari’s Yüksekova district in 2015-2016, and was arrested on May 13, 2016 in Van where he was visiting and was put in a solitary cell. DİHA, the agency he worked for, was shut down with a later Statutory Decree, and a lawsuit has been filed against Nedim Türfent demanding 22.5 years in prison for him.

The indictment prepared by the Hakkari Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and accepted by the Hakkari 2nd High Criminal Court accuses Türfent of “membership to a terrorist organization” and “terrorist propaganda”. The prosecutor included some 17 pages of news stories and photographs published in national newspapers on the PKK and YPS' founding, their structure, statements made by KCK Executive Council members, democratic autonomy, YPS’ founding in Yüksekova and their activities.

These statements included in the indictment say Türfent is a journalist in Hakkari, he works for the DİHA news agency, and he was seen capturing footage with his camera and video camera.

Social media posts allegedly belonging to Türfent are also criminalized in the indictment which lists sharing and commenting on news stories, photographs and video footage on clashes, human rights violations and the destruction in cities that have declared self governance as criminal evidence.

The first hearing will be held on June 14 in Hakkari 2nd High Criminal Court.