Prosecutor seeks life term for jailed Turkish author

By The Associated Press

Posted Nov 10, 2016 09:32:01 AM.

Last Updated Nov 10, 2016 10:20:12 AM.

This article is more than 5 years old.

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s state-run news agency says a prosecutor is seeking a life term in prison for author and columnist Asli Erdogan, whom he accuses of membership in an armed terror organization.

Anadolu Agency says Thursday the prosecutor is also demanding life sentences for eight other employees of the now-closed pro-Kurdish Ozgur Gundem newspaper. The prosecutor’s indictment accuses all nine of membership in the outlawed Kurdish rebel group, threatening Turkey’s unity and engaging in terrorist propaganda.

Erdogan — who is not related to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — was arrested in August amid heightened concerns that authorities are using emergency powers meant to deal with perpetrators of the failed military coup in July to go after all government critics.

The indictment must be accepted by a court before trial can begin.

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