Seventeen years old B.Y. was sentenced to ten years in prison for alleged “membership of a terror organization”, on the basis of evidences consisting of secret witness testimonies and internet print outs, . Mersin 1st Juvenile Court, not reprieving the prison sentence, imposed a pecuniary penalty of 12000 TL on the minor.

The seventeen year old boy in Mersin is the most recent victim of secret witness testimonies that have no legal ground and are commonly put forward as evidence in unlawful arrests. Eruh/Siirt registered B.Y., who lives in Mersin with his family, was taken into custody as a result of police raid in their house on 11 December 2011. Forty years in prison was asked for the minor who was arrested and sent to prison soon after his detention.

“Opposing the law on meetings and demonstrations”, “staging action on behalf of an illegal organization”, “resisting to police officers”, “making propaganda for an illegal organization”, “membership of an illegal organization” and “keeping explosive substance” are the accusations directed against the seventeen year old boy who denied the accusations and demanded to be released in the recent trial of the case against him.

Ignoring the statements of the minor, the court board accepted secret witness testimonies, internet print outs and police officers testimonies as evidences and sentenced the boy to ten years in prison. The accused boy who was also imposed a pecuniary penalty of 12000 TL (around 6 thousand euro) was sent to Osmaniye prison.