Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Kocaeli MP Gergerlioğlu was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison on the allegation of "making propaganda for a terrorist organization". The ruling was upheld by the 16th Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Speaking to MA, Gergerlioğlu said that the decision was political. "I was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months, accused of "making propaganda for a terrorist organization", two years ago as the result of a judicial investigation. The ruling has now been confirmed by the Supreme Court of Appeals.”

Gergerlioğlu continued: “I had written for the online newspaper T24 at the time, and among other there was a quote from Murat Karayılan saying 'If the state took one step toward us, peace would come in as little as a month'.  I shared it on my social media accounts and said that if this call was followed, the road to peace would open. Then a lawsuit was filed against me.”

Gergerlioğlu said that Karayılan's interview was included in the ruling as if it were the MP’s own words and added: “The court followed the understanding that these words were my own. The news and Karayılan's quotes are still in T24, but there is no lawsuit filed against T24, yet I was sentenced for making propaganda for an illegal organisation."

Gergerlioğlu exposed many violations such as naked search and torture and was targeted for this reason. “I have always looked at violations of rights, all my life as a MP, also because I have been a human rights defender. I guess it bothered someone that I exposed and condemned strip searches, abduction, torture. There are thousands of cases in the Supreme Court right now, but I think ours has been accelerated. I feel the pressure. I think this decision has been accelerated due to the statements I made on the Kurdish issue, my statements for peace, and my statements underlining that there is no other way than finding a solution to achieve peace. I exposed all injustices by tabling the highest number of parliamentary questions to the Ministry of Justice. As far as I can see these clearly disturbed someone.”

Recalling the decision of the Constitutional Court (AYM) regarding CHP deputy Enis Berberoğlu, Gergerlioğlu stated that he will apply to the Constitutional Court on Monday. Gergerlioğlu stated that it would be important to wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court.