In the case filed againt Hakkı Boltan, the owner of Aram Publishing House, and his employee Delil Zengeralp, on charges of “terrorism propaganda,” the prosecutor has demanded a sentence for “aiding a terrorist organization”

MİZGİN TABU, DİYARBAKIR

The fourth hearing in the case, which was filed following the seizure of certain books displayed at the Aram Publishing stand during the 2024 Diyarbakır Book Fair against Hakkı Boltan and publishing house employee Delil Zengeralp on charges of “terrorism propaganda,” was held at the Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court on 16 July 2026.

Boltan and Zengeralp were absent from the hearing, but their lawyer, Resul Temur, was present. P24 monitored the hearing.

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case demanded the conviction of Boltan and Zengeralp for “aiding and abetting a terrorist organization.”

Lawyer Resul Temur requested time to make a statement in response to the prosecutor’s opinion. The court granted his request and adjourned the case until 1 December 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."