Mayor charged with ‘aiding PKK’ in eastern Turkey

ERZURUM, Turkey

A mayor in Turkey's eastern Erzurum province has been charged on Wednesday for his role in allegedly establishing a ‘justice commission’ on behalf of the PKK and judging a person, legal sources have said.

An Erzurum court will see Mayor Hasan Basri Firat, a member of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), face accusations of “aiding and abetting the PKK”.

The mayor of Hinis – who was arrested on Tuesday – allegedly fined and expelled an individual from the district for an unknown reason, through the commission that he purportedly established.

The PKK -- designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- renewed its armed campaign against the Turkish state in late July.

Turkey has been conducting operations against the PKK since then, as a two-and-a-half year lull in the fighting ended.

Since then more than 150 members of the security forces have been martyred while, according to the government, more than 2,000 PKK terrorists have been killed.