Indictment against ousted Esenyurt Mayor cites 'terrorist organization' membership

Duvar English

Turkish prosecutors on Feb. 21 charged Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) with “membership in an armed terrorist organization” and requested a prison sentence of seven years and six months to 15 years, along with a political ban.

The prosecutor's office completed the indictment some 115 days after Özer's arrest. He was removed from office and replaced by a government trustee after his arrest.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau prepared the indictment. It cited technical surveillance and wiretaps indicating that during a meeting between Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Özer and several academics allegedly expressed interest in contributing to the “Democratic Autonomy” project.

Authorities reported that they found this information in a document seized during a search at Diyarbakır High-Security Prison.

The indictment claimed that Özer stated they had not gained much "new perspective from scientific knowledge" but had found "valuable insights" in Öcalan’s writings.

It also alleged that Özer told HDP officials he wanted to support the PKK’s so-called self-governance efforts in eastern districts like Cizre, Silopi, Nusaybin, Yüksekova, Silvan, Sur, and İdil. According to the indictment, HDP leaders relayed this information to senior PKK figures.

Prosecutors charged Özer with “membership in an armed terrorist organization” and requested a prison sentence of seven years and six months to 15 years, along with a political ban. The indictment was sent to the high criminal court, which is currently reviewing the case.