Sırrı Sakık, the mayor of Ağrı from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was sentenced to 7 months and 15 days of jail term by the third penal court of first instance, for "Overtly insulting the government, judicial bodies, and the military and security organizations of the Republic of Turkey," due to statements he previously made in March 2014 and 2015.According to reports, Sakık was acquitted by the second penal court of first instance for degrading remarks he made at Nevruz celebrations, when he referred to a group of protestors calling themselves "the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk" as a 'pack of dogs.'Sakık defended himself by saying that he has full respect for Mustafa Kemal, and soldiers as a politician and that he only insulted those who attacked HDP's headquarters in Fethiye. "I expected that I would be acquitted in the second case, since I was acquitted in the first lawsuit" Sakık said, expressing his surprise regarding the imprisonment penalty. Sırrı Sakık has been accused of supporting the terrorist organization PKK, when a Kurdish mother from the eastern Muş province -whose 24-year-old daughter disappeared to join the PKK- approached him for assistance. Sakık has reportedly said that the mother should be "proud" about her daughter's decision, and that this was not his duty as a 'politician.'