6.  The applicant was born in 1949 and lives in Ankara. 7.  At the material time the applicant was the leader of the People’s Democratic Party (HADEP). At a party meeting in Ankara in October 1999 he made a speech, which was recorded and scripted by the police officers of the Ankara Security Directorate. 8.  In an indictment dated 8 February 2000 the public prosecutor’s office at the Ankara State Security Court, on account of this speech, instituted criminal proceedings against the applicant on the ground of disseminating propaganda against the indivisible unity of the state with its territory and nation, contrary to Section 8 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Law no. 3713). 9.  In the proceedings before the Ankara State Security Court the applicant pleaded not guilty and maintained that he had never intended to promote separatism. He argued that he expressed his opinion on the country’s important questions as the leader of a political party, which is essential in a democratic society, criticised the existing practice and offered their solution to these problems. He further stated that his speech should be assessed within the scope of freedom of expression. 10.  On 1 June 2000 the Ankara State Security Court found the applicant guilty as charged by the public prosecutor. It ruled that the speech amounted to dissemination of separatist propaganda against the indivisible unity of the Turkish State with its territory and the nation. He was fined the amount of 800,000,000 Turkish liras and sentenced to one-year term of imprisonment. 11.  The applicant appealed against the conviction to the Court of Cassation. On 15 January 2001 the Court of Cassation dismissed the appeal, upholding the State Security Court’s assessment under Section 8 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.