Amed's (Diyarbakır) Sur District Municipality Co-mayor Filiz Buluttekin, who was dismissed and replaced by a trustee appointed by the AKP / MHP government, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison.

While Buluttekin did not attend the final hearing held at Diyarbakır 11th High Criminal Court, her lawyers Sertaç Buluttekin and Suzan Akipa were present.

The prosecutor, reiterating his opinion for imprisonment from the previous session, stated that Buluttekin participated in 42 actions between 2017 and 2019. Claiming that documents containing propaganda were accessed in Buluttekin's home, the prosecutor stated that Buluttekin was a member of the Free Women’s Congress (Kongreya of Jinên Azad, KJA) which was closed by a governmental decree and received instructions from the Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad, TJA) activists and committed the crime of "being a member of the terrorist organization" [referring to PKK] based on the statements of Firar, an anonymous witness.

"NO EVIDENCE"

Voicing their disagreement with the prosecutor's opinion, lawyer Suzan Akipa said that her client served as HDP Amed Provincial co-chair between 2017 and 2018, and later became the co-mayor of Sur Municipality.

Lawyer Sertaç Buluttekin stated that anonymous witness statements were taken illegally and said, “the statements of the anonymous witness are full of contradictions. We do not accept the opinion and demand her acquittal."

After a short break, the court sentenced Buluttekin to 7 years and 6 months in prison for "being a member of a terrorist organization".