Sole member of leftist organization released after completing jail term

EDİRNE – Doğan News Agency

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The sole member of a leftist Turkish organization who was convicted and imprisoned eight years ago on charges of attempting to “change the constitutional order by force,” was released on Nov. 28 after completing his prison term. 

The June 16 Organization’s convicted founder and leader, Sarp Kuray, 71, who was also accused of giving assassination orders, injuring, and bombing on behalf of the group, was released from a prison in Edirne after serving seven years and eight months in jail.   

Upon his release, Kuray was greeted by a group of 100 people outside prison, including family members, acquaintances and opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies Fikri Sağlar, Ali Şeker, Eren Erdem and Orhan Sarıbal.

“No force, tyranny, nor bigotry can defeat us. We came in standing up, and are leaving standing up,” Kuray said, hugging his family and friends. 

“Eight years ago, when my dear friends were bidding farewell to me, I promised them that ‘If I have enough life, I will leave this prison as a revolutionary.’ I want you to know that I am exiting, worthy of you. It would not look good on us to bow down. I thank all of you for coming [here],” Kuray said. 

Kuray is the sole remaining member of the June 16 Organization, which was allegedly founded by him after he served a four-year jail sentence in 1975 for being a member of the outlawed Revolutionary Youth Federation (Dev-Genç).