The trial of Aram Publishing House owner Hakkı Boltan and his employee Delil Zengeralp, who are charged with “terrorism propaganda,” was postponed until 14 April after the prosecutor requested more time to prepare their opinion

ARDIL BATMAZ, DİYARBAKIR

The second hearing in the trial of Aram Publishing House’s owner Hakkı Boltan, and his employee Delil Zengeralp, who are charged with “terrorism propaganda” following the seizure of two books at the Aram Publishing House stand in 2024, was held at the Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court on 27 January 2026.

Resul Temur, the lawyer representing Boltan and Zengeralp, was present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24. Boltan and Zengeralp did not attend the hearing.

At the first hearing on 9 October 2025, the case file was sent to the prosecutor to prepare their final opinion on the case. The prosecutor requested that the defendant be punished for the impugned crime. When the presiding judge reminded him that there was more than one defendant in the case, the prosecutor realized he had mixed up the files and requested more time to prepare their final opinion on the case.

The court accepted the request for more time and postponed the case until 14 April 2026.

Background of the case

During a book fair held on 30 November 2024, at the Mesopotamia International Fair and Congress Center in the Yenişehir district of Diyarbakır, law enforcement officers conducted a general inspection. During the inspection, it was alleged that the book “Dildare Serkeftina” (Lovers of Success) by Mahmut Aba, located at the Aram Publications stand, contained “content constituting propaganda for PKK/KCK terrorist organization.” The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation against Delil Zengeralp, an employee of the publishing house present at the stand. Thirteen books at the stand were seized by order of the Diyarbakır 3rd Criminal Court of Peace on 3 December 2024.

On 4 December 2024, law enforcement officers conducting a general inspection at the Aram Yayınları stand at the fair again seized the book “Efrin Direniş Günlüğü” (Efrin Resistance Diary) was found to allegedly contain “content constituting propaganda for PKK/KCK terrorist organization,” and the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into Delil Zengeralp, an employee of the publishing house at the stand. Six books at the stand were seized by order of the Diyarbakır 3rd Criminal Court of Peace on December 5, 2024.

The indictment prepared by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that Hatip Dicle had left the country in 2016 and that Mahmut Aba's identity could not be determined. The indictment requested that Hakkı Boltan, the owner of the publishing house, and his employee Delil Zengeralp, who were found criminally liable under Article 11/4 of Press Law No. 5187 due to the inability to identify the authors/their location abroad, be tried on charges of “terrorism propaganda."