The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued an indictment against Kars Mayor Ayhan Bilgen. According to the indictment dated 18 June 2019, Bilgen had been accused of “disrupting the unity and integrity of the state,” “membership in a terrorist organization,” “disseminating propaganda for a terrorist organization,” “membership in an organization established for the purpose of committing crimes.” On July 3, The Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court sent it to the 23th High Criminal Court in Istanbul to be merged with the ongoing Özgür Gündem main trial, where former executives and members of the advisory board of the shuttered newspaper are on trial.