EMEP member Sema Barbaros released from custody

Labor Party (EMEP) Istanbul Provincial Chair Sema Barbaros was taken into custody on charges of "making terrorist organization propaganda" while on her way to Sultanbeyli, where 3 workers lost their lives in a fire, and was taken to the Sancaktepe District Gendarmerie Station. It was learned that Barbaros was detained due to a post she made on a social media account in 2015; she was subsequently taken to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan to provide a statement to the prosecutor.

Barbaros was questioned about a news post titled, "The guerrilla who died in Dersim and the soldier who died in Siirt were closer than brothers."

"THERE IS NO CALL FOR VIOLENCE IN THE POST"

Acknowledging that the post belonged to her, Barbaros stated, "As far as I know, there is no investigation regarding this news, and there is no call for violence in the post. On the contrary, it is an anti-war and pro-peace news item. I am the provincial chair of a political party, and I make calls for democratic rights and peace; I did not act with the intent of making propaganda for any organization."

RELEASED

Her lawyer, Mustafa Söğütlü, stated that the post was a news article published in the newspaper Evrensel and that there was no investigation or prosecution regarding the news. Emphasizing that the statute of limitations for conducting an investigation under the Press Law had expired, Söğütlü stated that there was no criminal element in the news in question and requested that his client be released and a decision of non-prosecution be issued.

Sema Barbaros was released after her statement was taken.

News Source: 12punto