In a 133-page indictment prepared against detained Kars Municipality Co-mayor Şevin Alaca, it was deemed a crime to participate in the International Women’s Day, 8th March events, to dance traditional Kurdish dance, to open a Women’s employment project and to attend a press conference of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Pervin Buldan.

An indictment was prepared against Kars Municipality Co-Mayor Şevin Alaca, who was elected as co mayor of Kars council, then was detained and was arrested on 8 October 2020. According to Mesopotamia Agency (MA), the 133-page indictment prepared by the Kars Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was revealed that Alaca was under detailed investigation and followed for months. In the indictment, it was claimed that Alaca was elected as a member of the Municipal Council and that it was “against the legislation” to be a co mayor. In the indictment, the statements of senior executives of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) regarding the co-mayor model, notes on a billboard, brochures, news and tweets of Alaca, the Co-mayor of Kars council on Twitter were cited as a crime.

‘Halay’or Kurdish traditional dance, cited as a crime

Şevin Alaca’s participation in a conference of The Free Women’s Movement (TJA) in February 2020,
and participating in a traditional dance with Mem Ararat’s song “Hawara Kobanê” was included in her indictment and, “the conference was held in line with the aims of the organisation rather than about women’s rights,’’ was also mentioned.

The planned schedules and activities carried out for March 8, International Women’s Day, were cited as a crime. The daily activities carried out by Alaca within the scope of March 8 and the publication of these activities in the Fırat News Agency (ANF) including the opening of the Women’s employment project in Kars on March 8 were stated as reasons for the criminal charge.

Anonymous complaints to CIMER

In the indictment, it was noteworthy that an anonymous person’s request to the Presidential Communication Centre (CİMER) for the appointment of a new trustees to replace HDP Co Chairs, Ayhan Bilgen and Şevin Alaca were included in the indictment.

In another complaint made to CİMER, included a false claim from an anonymous person that Alaca and Bilgen will “Open an American Culture College and that this opening will be launched as the Great Armenia Project”.

The participation of Alaca in a public meeting held by the HDP in Iğdır on 20 January 2020 to convey messages of her party were also deemed to be a crime.

Alaca, HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan and the parliamentarians attending the press statement made in front of Kars Municipality on September 29, 2020 in order to protest against the detention of Alaca’s collegue and Co-chair Ayhan Bilgen were also subjected to accusation of crimes.

The notes of Alaca with writings about the co-chair system and a purple-colored notebook marked HDP were all included as evidence from the house raid. A meeting of the party with the members of the Democratic Local Authorities Council in the HDP provincial building was also deemed to be a crime.

The indictment against Alaca, which was prepared under the claim of “being a member of a terrorist organisation” and which demanded a prison sentence of between 5 to 15 years, was accepted by Kars 2nd High Criminal Court.

Alaca’s first hearing will be held on January 7.