Dutch Journalist Geerdink charged with ‘terror organisation propaganda’
Arrested by an anti-terror squad on suspicion of “propaganda for a terrorist organisation via her Twitter account” last month in Diyarbakır, and later released, the investigation against Dutch journalist Frederike Geerdink has been concluded.
The bill of indictment against Geerdink, prepared by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, has been accepted by the 6th High Criminal Court. The prosecutor has called for a sentence from 1 to 5 years for Geerdink, for the crime of “propaganda for a terrorist organisation.
The bill of indictment states that the Security Directorate and the Prime Ministry Communication Centre has received notifications that Geerdink was carrying out the propaganda of the PKK on social networking sites. The bill adds that the investigation carried out upon the notifications led to the determination that Frederike Geerdink had carried out the propaganda of the organization. The bill also records that the suspect, in her testimony, did not accept the charges, and stated that she had not published any material that praised terror or would lead to a negative opinion about the State.
The first hearing of Geerdink’s case will be held on April 8, 2015, at 9 AM at the Diyarbakır 6th High Criminal Court.
