"Neither soldiers nor guerrilla fighters should die". The comment by Osman Baydemir, current mayor of Diyarbakir (Amed in Kurdish) -the largest city of Northern Kurdistan, in easternmost Turkey- may cost him a 10 months prison sentence. The remark was made by the mayor at a political rally, as air strikes by the Turkish army against PKK rebels in Iraqi Kurdistan intensified.

Apart from Baydemir, the mayor of Batman, another important Kurdish town, has been sentenced too. The ruling has been issued today, a few days after the Turkish police arrested dozens of DTP (Democratic Society Party) officials and members, the party governing Diyarbakir and most of Kurdish towns.

According to Turkish courts, the offence constituting a crime is to call PKK members "guerrilla fighters". The judiciary has ruled out that the use of the term "guerrilla" is pro-PKK propaganda. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is listed as a terrorist group in Turkey, the European Union and the US.

According to Baydemir's lawyers, it is not likely that both mayors serve prison if a fine is paid, Reuters informs.

An everyday reality
Osman Baydemir, one of the most prominent public figures in Kurdish political arena, has dozens of court cases against him for his activities in favour of the rights of Kurdish people and Kurdish language. He is a founding member of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey.

During the recent local election campaign, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his party "would take the castle", referring to the city of Diyarbakir, a pro-Kurdish stronghold. However, Erdogan's candidate only gained 30% of the vote, less than half of the share obtained by Baydemir.

Picture: Osman Baydemir, in the centre, at a DTP rally (DIHA).

Further information:

• Hurriyet: Pro-Kurdish mayors jailed for 10 mths in Turkey over PKK propaganda
• Nationalia: Massive arrests of DTP members in Northern Kurdistan