5 people sentenced to 73 years in prison in Urfa

A Turkish court in Urfa province sentenced 5 people to 73 years in prison.

The final hearing of the case in which 7 people stood trial over a "bomb sack" found in the Şevran Neighbourhood in Suruç district of Urfa on April 30, 2013, was held in the 2nd High Criminal Court in Urfa province. While defendant Doğan Sayin did not attend the hearing, other defendants Mehmet Serhat Polatsoy, Mehmet Ekrem Polatsoy, Şahin Tanrıkulu, Ahmet Geçgel, Müslüm Halhallı and Ayhan Oruç and their lawyers were present in the courtroom.

The court sentenced Mehmet Serhat Polatsoy to 7 years and 6 months in prison for alleged "membership in a terrorist organization", to 5 years, 6 months and 20 days for "possession or exchange of dangerous goods without permission", and a penalty fine of 25,000 TL.

The court also ruled that Mustafa Ekrem Polatsoy, Doğan Sayin, Şahin Tanrıkulu and Müslüm Halhallı be sentenced to 15 years in prison each for "providing weapons to a terrorist organization."