A political party leader in the north has been ordered to pay a bond of 50,000 Turkish lira (or €3,000) after a court there ordered she face trial for charges pressed against her by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.

According to media in the north, a district court said Mine Atli, head of the Community Democratic Party (TDP), will remain free until the trial in the case gets underway.

The complaint against Atli was filed by Tatar, who alleges that she slandered him and “insulted his personality”.

A police investigator told the court that Tatar’s complaint relates to a post that Atli made on Facebook on May 10.

Giving a statement in court, Atli said this was a case of free speech. As an attorney herself, she said, she advises clients to post what they want online.

Atli spoke of an attempt at intimidating her, adding that she would “go nowhere” and stand trial.

If found guilty of the charges, she could face up to five years in jail.

“We are not afraid, we will continue to say everything we say,” Atli said earlier.