DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven has been issued a 3-month prison sentence for posting a photograph of HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş taken as he gave his defence through the video conferencing system SEGBİS on social media.
A lawsuit was filed against Democratic Society Congress (Demokratik Toplum Kongresi - DTK) Co-chair Leyla Güven when she took a photograph as Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi - HDP) Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş participated in the hearing of a case in Mardin through the video conferencing system SEGBİS and gave his defence. She has been sentenced to 3 months in prison.
Güven was detained on November 16 in Diyarbakır after an arrest warrant was issued for her not participating in the hearing in the Mardin Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction No.2, and was released after her statement was taken. The court held a lightning fast hearing and issued a verdict on November 22 without waiting for Güven’s lawyers to submit statements on the case. The judge argued it is certain that Güven did commit the alleged crime of “recording audio and video”, and issued 3 months in prison taking into consideration that the crime was committed over social media and the magnitude of the damage caused. The sentence has not been postponed.
If the local court’s verdict is approved, Güven will serve the sentence.
