Dersim Co-Mayor Cevdet Konak and Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment each in the lawsuit filed 10 years ago for alleged ‘membership in an illegal organisation’. The verdict, which is evaluated as a preparation for a coup against the municipality, was protested against in the city centre.

Lawyer Kenan Çetin said that the case was filed 10 years ago and that the verdict was given even though there was no hearing today. Noting that the activities of the party were considered as a crime, Çetin stated that the elected mayors were sentenced for elements that did not constitute a crime. Stating that the police put pressure on the judiciary, Çetin said, “We will take this decision to the Court of Appeal, the ECtHR and the Constitutional Court. The prosecutor, who did not even demand the defendants to attend the trial in previous hearings, has demanded imprisonment. This is a new situation. In response, the lawyers demanded time. Today, neither the defendants nor the lawyers were able to make a defence, violating the right to defence, the right to a fair trial and the principle of equality of arms.”

Dersim Co-Mayor Cevdet Konak said his participation in funeral ceremonies was considered a criminal offence during his service as the mayor of Hozat district and said, “We have our customs and traditions. We have historical values. You should be there wherever there is pain. You should be there to share it, especially when one is a mayor. Funeral services are one of the main duties of the municipality. Sensitivity towards nature is one of the main duties of local governments. In 2013, when there was a resolution process, we accompanied a travelling group from Dersim. We travalled to a part of this geography.”

Explaining the activities of the municipality and the party, Konak announced that these were made the subject of accusations, and even their right to defence was taken away from them despite all their demands. Underlining their struggle for nature, Konak said, “Of course, I will stand against whomever usurps my land and sacrifices it to the capital. Is this a crime? We continue to commit this crime. Is it a crime to attend funerals where people suffer pain? I stand by my people today as I did yesterday. Today, I share their pain. No one can make us take a step back.”

Mustafa Sarıgül, Mayor of Ovacık, stated that attending funerals cannot be considered a crime. “When did it become a crime to protect the land?” Sarıgül asked. “We will be in our municipality. We are proud to serve the people. We will be on duty tomorrow as well.”

After the statement, the crowd kept vigil in front of the municipality for a while and then visited shopkeepers. The crowd frequently chanted slogans calling on the government to resign.