Suspended Istanbul district mayor Ozer faces 15-year sentence over PKK links

Turkish prosecutors have prepared an indictment seeking up to 15 years in prison for Ahmet Ozer, the suspended mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district, on charges of membership in an armed terrorist organization.

The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Bureau of Terror Crimes, alleges Ozer’s involvement in the PKK/KCK, designated as a terrorist organization in Türkiye.

According to the prosecution’s document, evidence obtained from technical surveillance and communications intercepts revealed Ozer’s alleged connection to discussions about “Democratic Autonomy” projects.

The evidence includes documents seized from the Diyarbakir D-Type High-Security Prison, which detail communications between jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and members of the Pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP).

Suspended mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district allegedly committed to Kurdish autonomy

Prosecutors claim Ozer expressed dissatisfaction with academic perspectives and indicated a preference for studying the works of the organization’s leader.

The indictment further alleges that Ozer communicated through HDP officials his desire to contribute to self-declared autonomy initiatives in several districts including Cizre, Silopi, Nusaybin, Yuksekova, Silvan, Sur, and Idil.

If convicted of membership in an armed terrorist organization, Ozer faces a minimum sentence of seven and a half years and a maximum of 15 years in prison.

The case is currently under review by the high criminal court.

Ozer was initially suspended from his position as mayor of Esenyurt, a district of Istanbul, following his arrest on charges of membership in the PKK/KCK terrorist organization.