MARDİN - Syriac Priest Sefer (Aho) Bileçen was sentenced to 2 years and 1 month to prison with the accusation of "aiding and abetting a terrorist organization".

 

The final hearing of the law suit filed against Mor Yakup Monastery Priest Sefer (Aho) Bileçen, who was detained on January 9, 2020, with 10 people and arrested on January 10, 2020, and released on January 14, 2020, in Nusaybin district of Mardin was held. 

 

The final hearing of the case against Priest Bileçen, whose file was separated, was held with the allegation of "being a member of a terrorist organization" at the Mardin 4th High Criminal Court. While the attorney of Priest Bileçen attended the hearing, Bileçen did not appear in court.

 

In the hearing held after the documents were read, the prosecutor's office reiterated its opinion on the request for punishment, claiming that Bileçen was "aiding a terrorist organization". The court, which announced its decision after the defense of Priest Bileçen's attorney, sentenced Bileçen to a total of 2 years and 1 month in prison for the same reason.

 

'I DONE IT FOR MY BELIEF'

 

After his arrest, Priest Bileçen met with the members of Urfa Bar Association Human Rights Commission and shared the following message through his attorneys: "In 2018, 2 members of the organization came to the monastery. They wanted food from me. I gave them food. Then the Gendarmerie Commander of the time had contacted me via Metropolitan and they met with me. I did not deny it. I asked for security measures to prevent the incident from happening again, but no security measures were taken. I thought the issue was closed. I would give food to whomever come to my door. It is my philosophical and religios obligation. Since I am a priest, I cannot lie. I did this out of my belief, not to help any organization. In a philosophical sense, I could not report it either. It is also like that in a religious sense. I cannot go outside the monastery anyway."