Nurettin Demirtaş Enters Military, But Faces Additional Charges

PHOTO FROM Today's Zaman

From Today's Zaman:

Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader Nurettin Demirtaş, who was incarcerated last year on charges of forging a document to evade military conscription, was released on Monday by a military court and enlisted in the army along with four other people yesterday.

In the fifth hearing at the Air Force Military Court, 52 others facing the same charges were released along with Demirtaş. During the hearing, lawyers for the accused argued that the defendants had no intention of forging the documents. Approximately 60 members of the DTP, including deputies Bengi Yıldız, Emine Ayna, Sebahat Tuncel, Gülten Kışanak, Fatma Kurtulan as well as Demirtaş’s lawyers, traveled to the Sincan L-type prison where Demirtaş was being held to witness his release.

Demirtaş along with Servet Gül, Serkan Özdemir, Enver Geçgel and Mehmet Güler were sent to the gendarmerie headquarters in Karabük’s Safranbolu district for the enlistment process.

DTP deputy Selahattin Demirtaş, who is the brother of the DTP leader, said to the Cihan news agency, “All of those who were released are being taken to gendarmerie headquarters and they will be enlisted in the army depending on the medical exam results.” He also noted that those released were deprived of their freedom as they were taken directly to the gendarmerie headquarters upon their release.

The Air Force Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit in March of this year against 98 people, including Nurettin Demirtaş, for forging documents to avoid compulsory military service. The office was demanding 10 years in prison for 73 of the suspects, including the DTP leader.

For background, see March 29 post.