Bianet

Arrested since February 17, 2020, writer and former MP Mahmut Alınak had his first hearing today (May 13). Alınak has been released in his first hearing. The release of Mahmut Alınak has been shared with the public by lawyer Bişar Abdi Alınak, the son of Mahmut Alınak.

Behind bars in eastern province of Kars for three months, Alınak is facing life imprisonment on charges of “bringing the territory of the state under the sovereignty of a foreign state entirely or partly; disrupting the unity of the state; separating a part of the territory under the sovereignty of the state from its administration; undermining the independence of the state.”

What happened?

Detained from his house in Turkey’s eastern province of Kars on February 13, 2020, Mahmut Alınak was arrested on February 17. In a statement released by his family following his detention, it was said, “Mahmut Alınak is 68 years old and in prison for the 10th time!”

After he deposed at the prosecutor’s office, Alınak was referred to the judgeship of peace on charge of “membership of an organization.” As reported by Mezopotamya Agency, Mahmut Alınak was arrested and sent to Kars Prison on the offense charged.

As the reason for the arrest of former People’s Labor Party (HEP) MP, the court indicated that he donated the revenue of his book Bêkes to the family of Cizre People’s Assembly Co-Chair Mehmet Tunç and it also referred to his conversations with his relatives, his articles critical of the government, his proposal to mediate between two conflicting families and his attempts to raise public awareness by collecting garbage with workers.

A 300-page indictment was issued against Alınak, charging him with “bringing the territory of a state under the sovereignty of a foreign state entirely or partly; disrupting the unity of the state; separating a part of the territory under the sovereignty of the state from its administration; and undermining the independence of the state.”

Based on this indictment, a lawsuit has been launched against Mahmut Alınak at the Kars 2nd Heavy Penal Court.

About Mahmut Alınak

Legist, lawyer, politician, former MP and writer.

Nominated by the Social Democratic People’s Party (SHP), Alınak was elected as an MP in the parliamentary elections in 1987 and 1991. He also served as Democratic Society Party (DTP) provincial chairperson in Kars.

He was remanded in custody during the investigation against the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) in December 2011. He was released in July 2012. He was sentenced to 14 months and 7 days in prison for his statements on torture. Although he was released on probation, he was put in prison in September 2014 for violating the probation conditions. He wrote 10 books.