Eight people get life sentence over far-leftist group link allegations

ISTANBUL

Eight people were given life sentences as part of the long-lasting illegal Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLPK).

An Istanbul court ruled the suspects, including Bianet writer and former general broadcast coordinator of Özgür Radyo Füsun Erdoğan and former editor of the daily Atılım Bayram Namaz, are guilty of “violating the constitution by using violence and force,” Doğan news agency reported Nov. 5.

A total of 26 people have been tried as part of the case over the allegations of connections with 155 different actions claimed to be undertaken by the MLKP.

While seven of the suspects have been sentenced to 787 years and eight months each, Erkan Özdemir has been punished to life in prison, as part of the verdict issued Nov. 5. 

A number of journalists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been criticizing the charges against Erdoğan, who has been jailed pending trial since 2006, claiming she has been only suspected for being a journalist.