To no one's surprise, a Turkish court earlier this week found Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan guilty of murder and treason and sentenced him to hang. The 14-year war waged by Kurdish separatists has claimed more than 30,000 lives; the measures taken by the Turkish government to combat the insurgency have blackened its image and pose the chief obstacle to the country's integration into Europe. The Ocalan proceedings have been a trial for both the guerrilla leader and the Turkish judicial system. Neither is over.
Mr. Ocalan's guilt is not contested. He conceded that lives were lost during the bloody separatist campaign waged by his organization, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), but denied that he is guilty of treason. During the trial he renounced the separatist war and offered to help forge a peace deal. The depth of his commitment to peace can be questioned: In the next breath, he threatened that his death would unleash terrorist acts across the country.
The court's decision notwithstanding, capital punishment is no certainty. The sentence will be appealed to the country's supreme court. If the death penalty is confirmed, it must then be ratified by the Parliament and the president. That process could take up to 18 months. Public sentiment is running in favor of the death penalty, but Turkey has not executed anyone since 1984.