A Turkish girl who shared a Guardian article on social media a few British girl killed preventing with Kurdish forces in Syria has described how she was twice convicted of “sharing terrorist propaganda” in an Istanbul courtroom.
“I’m principally simply an bizarre citizen, there is no such thing as a cause why I ought to entice any particular consideration. That is the disturbing half,” stated Peri Pamir, a 71-year-old retired researcher.
Pamir has been twice convicted on terrorism prices after sharing the 2018 Guardian article about Anna Campbell, who was killed whereas preventing with Kurdish forces within the besieged metropolis of Afrin.
Campbell was a member of an all-female militia of the Individuals’s Safety Items generally known as the YPG, a linchpin of the US and UK-backed Syrian Democratic forces battling Islamic State militants in Syria.
In her 2018 Fb publish linking to the article, Pamir referred to as Campbell “a younger idealist” and mused on the battle between Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish fighters. “Which ideology do you assume will win in the long run?” she requested.
A month after posting the article, Pamir obtained discover from native prosecutors telling her that she was below investigation for the crime of “creating propaganda for a terrorist organisation”. A police report detailed a prolonged investigation of her social media accounts, highlighting her publish about Campbell and the Guardian article, and pointing to the YPG emblem pictured on Campbell’s uniform.
Turkey regards the YPG – and different Kurdish militant teams such because the Kurdistan Employee’s Social gathering (PKK) – as terrorist organisations. Whereas the UK and US additionally take into account the PKK a terrorist organisation, Washington and London have lengthy supplied assist to the YPG in Syria of their struggle in opposition to IS forces.
The investigation into Pamir’s Fb publish was the start of an ordeal that is because of final till 2029. In recent times Turkish authorities have accused tons of of 1000’s of its residents of posting social media content material constituting “acts of terrorism”, together with 132,310 individuals final yr alone, in accordance with the inside ministry.
Greater than 9,000 have been detained on these prices, in accordance with the rights group Freedom Home, which stated that “sharing pro-Kurdish content material on-line has resulted in prison penalties”.
Pamir was convicted below anti-terror laws by an Istanbul courtroom in 2020 of “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organisation” for her Fb publish. She obtained a suspended 15-month jail sentence with 5 years of probation.
“I’m not responsible of something. Absolutely I can share a Guardian article in full and make commentary. That is a part of my proper to free expression,” she stated.
She described the probationary interval as “a sword of Damocles over your head” designed to forestall her from posting freely on social media for 5 years. The authorities “need you to assume you’re being surveilled since their intention is to intimidate and silence you”, she stated.
Pamir appealed in opposition to the choice, leading to a prolonged journey to a retrial in the identical Istanbul courtroom final week. “I don’t assume I did something unsuitable by sharing my private concepts,” she advised the courtroom, denying that she inspired “any terrorist act in opposition to my nation”.
Regardless of Pamir’s calls for for an acquittal, she was dealt the identical 15-month suspended sentence by the courtroom, together with an additional 5 years of probation.
“A lot for asking for a good listening to, I acquired the identical listening to as earlier than,” she stated.
Her probationary interval will now final till 2029, and Pamir stated she plans to enchantment once more regardless of the chance of receiving a 3rd sentence with extra probation. “I’ll struggle,” she stated.
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