Dersim Co-mayor Nurhayat Altun was arrested on November 16, 2016 in the investigation carried out by Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and a trustee was appointed in her place.

The prepared indictment accuses Altun of being an “administrator in a terrorist organization” and demands 15 to 22.5 years in prison as a sentence. The Tunceli 1st High Criminal Court accepted the 113 page long indictment, in which Altun is charged for 22 press statements, marches, funerals and cemetery visits held in Dersim in 2015 and 2016 and her political activity within the DTK.

The indictment states that the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a lack of jurisdiction verdict for the “administrator” allegations on Altun due to her political activity in the DTK and referred the casefile to the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The indictment claims that Altun attended the demonstration in Dersim protesting the arrests of HDP co-chairs and MPs in line with the KCK statements published on ANF, while fails to mention that the internet and phone networks were down at that date throughout the city of Dersim.

Altun’s participation in memorial services held in Dersim Cemevi for Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan, Leyla Şaylemez who were murdered in Paris and Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf İnan and Yusuf Arslan who were hanged by the state on May 6, 1972, as well as funerals held for PKK members who lost their lives were listed as criminal activity.

The indictment also lists Altun’s participation in the March 8 World Women’s Day activities held by the Dersim Municipality as criminal activity and claims Altun “was at the forefront of the march which turned into propaganda for the terrorist organization, leading women who were carrying the banner.” The women are claimed to be “stepping outside what is visible and participating in the name of organizational unity,” and the banners which read “Özgecan is our rebellion”, “Long live March 8,” “Jin Jiyan Azadi” and “Organize against war, massacre, rape and labor exploitation” are listed as criminal content.

The indictment also includes a complaint filed via the Prime Ministry Communication Center (BİMER) regarding a speech Altun gave in the Munzur Culture and Nature Festival, and claims that with the word “Kurdistan” used in the speech in question, Altun “spoke in the discourse of PKK and KCK ideology”. Altun’s attendance to Municipality activities like the opening ceremony of Tunceli Asri Cemetery and the cinevision show held in Seyit Rıza Park are also deemed criminal in the indictment and Altun is referred to as “working as the so-called co-mayor of the Tunceli Municipality”.

The prosecutor uses the phrase “so-called Kurdistan” and claims that DTK acts in coordination with KCK and PKK to ensure the Kurdish national unity and implement democratic autonomy in real life.

The indictment also includes that Altun didn’t accept the charges and said the DTK is a civil society platform formed in accordance with the law and her activity within the DTK does not constitute criminal activity.

The first hearing will be held on July 3 in Tunceli 1st High Criminal Court.