The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office has prepared an indictment on Monday against the head of Diyarbakır Bar Association, Tahir Elçi, who is accused of propagating for the PKK terrorist organization, asking the court to sentence him for up for 7.5 years.
Elçi was detained last week following his statements on October 14 on CNN Turk's late-night show 'Tarafsız Bölge' (The neutral zone) that the PKK was not a terrorist group. He was referred to court for arrest but was later on the same day released on the condition of an overseas travel ban.
During the CNN Turk's show, Elçi also said that the PKK was "an armed political movement with political demands" and received "wide support" from the public.
The PKK -- designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- renewed its armed campaign against the Turkey this summer.
Since July, more than 150 members of security forces were killed while, according to the government, more than 2,000 PKK terrorists have been killed.
