HDP Turgutlu district co-chairs sentenced to 13 years in prison

Turgutlu district co-chairs of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Mesut Hayri Bökü and Naile Gümüştaş, were sentenced to 13 years and 1 month in prison.

The 4th hearing of the lawsuit against HDP Turgutlu district co-chairs Mesut Hayri Bökü and Naile Gümüştaş, who are accused of "membership in a terrorist organization", was held at the Manisa 3rd Heavy Penal Court. Bökü, Gümüştaş and their lawyers were present at the hearing.

While the prosecutor requested the court to sentence Bökü and Gümüştaş for "membership in a terrorist organization", Böku's lawyer, Velat Zeren, objected to the prosecutor's opinion.

“My client's phone was tapped because she was the HDP district administrator. Thus, her freedom to engage in politics was restricted,” Gümüştaş's lawyer, Doğukan Özdemir said in his defence to the accusations.

Both Bökü and Gümüştaş demanded their acquittal.

The court sentenced Gümüştaş to 6 years and 3 months in prison and Bökü to 6 years, 10 months and 15 days in prison for alleged "membership in a terrorist organization". The court also decided to keep Bökü in prison.