Man faces 7 years in prison for threatening to sexually assault Başak Demirtaş

Duvar English

A prosecutor has sought up to seven years and four months in prison for the assailant who threatened to sexually assault Başak Demirtaş, the wife of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş.

Identified only as Vedat M., the assailant had made sexual threats against Başak Demirtaş on social media, for which he is facing charges of "encouraging criminal activity" and "making insults."

While the Demirtaş couple were both named as defendants in the indictment, it was noted that Vedat M. confessed to creating the social media posts in question. 

The defendant said that he had been browsing social media when he came across a hashtag that urged the release of Selahattin Demirtaş, where he saw posts that he found "insulting" to Turkish soldiers.

"I had been under the influence of alcohol because I drank two beers. I saw the insults to our soldiers and martyrs. Then I made the post that is the subject of this crime," the suspect said in his statement to police. 

The assailant also said that he "didn't know" his sexual threats were insulting to Başak Demirtaş and that he was wrong and regretful for not paying attention to the content of his post.

Vedat M. was only arrested for a single day following his crime. 

The first hearing of the case will be held in Istanbul on Jan. 12, 2021.