Turkish sociologist Selek acquitted of bombing charges for fourth time

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court on Dec. 19 acquitted Pınar Selek once again, in a case in which she was accused of being involved in the bombing of Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar in 1998.

The feminist scholar, who lives in Strasbourg and is known for her work on Kurdish people, was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment last January, despite being acquitted of the same charge three times in the past.

Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals eventually overturned the ruling last June, only for Selek to once again face a life imprisonment sentence.

Experts who were called to investigate the attack have posited that the explosion, which killed seven and wounded dozens, was not caused by a bomb, but by a gas leak.

Selek was also accused of being a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) under the code name “Leyla.”