Midyat Criminal Court of Peace sentenced DTP (Democratic Society Party) Midyat Mayor Candidate Yüksel Aslan Acer, DTP Midyat County Chairman Abdulaziz Bilgin and DTP member Süleyman Tekinto 6 months imprisonment for charges related to speaking Kurdish at election meetings.

At the meeting of banned DTP on 29 March 2009, the defendants were sued in charges of committing a crime by contravening the rule of speaking only Turkish at election propaganda.

The summary judgment of the case took place at Midyat High Criminal Court of Peace on 3 June. The court board sentenced the defendants to 6 years imprisonment in charges of opposing to the law concerning the Main Provisions and Electoral Registers of The Selections nb. 298. The penalty was reprieved.

At his defence, Yüksel Aslan Acer stated that he made the election propaganda part completely in Turkish. He expressed that he only spoke Turkish, Kurdish and Syriac while greeting because the election region consists of people from various languages and cultures. The court, however, wasn’t convinced with the defence.

Translator: Berna Ozgencil