Öznur Değer

 

ANKARA - The women who followed the Kobanê Trial stated that the hearing was not based on legal grounds and pointed out that the struggle for democracy and freedom was wanted to be convicted through the trial. People Democratic Party (HDP) member Tülay Hatimoğulları pointed out that the trial "reminds the inquisition".

 

The Kobanê Trial, which 108 people, 28 of whom were detained, including HDP former co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, were tried, started in Sincan Prison Campus yesterday with the participation of many politicians, representatives of non-governmental organizations, foreign delegations and journalists. 

 

While the debate and reactions started in the first minutes of the trial, the failure of the head of the delegation to let the nearly 100 attorneys outside were protested by the participants in the courtroom and the politicians on trial. The attorneys and participants who followed the trial emphasize that the case was carried out unlawfully.

 

Following the trial, Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP) co-chair Canan Yüce, HDP Adana MP Tülay Hatimoğulları and Figen Yüksekdağ's attorney Ezgi Güngördü evaluated the first day of the trial.

 

'The trial started with obstructions'

 

Criticizing the trial, SYKP co-chair Canan Yüce stated that the only thing all friends on trial do is to be an HDP member, to defend democracy and freedom, and to wage a women's struggle. Canan emphasized that they were faced with an indictment equipped with false information and drew attention to the participation that took place on the first day of the trial. Mentioning that the trial started with obstacles, Canan said: “Unfortunately, we can say that it was a start with the fact that the press members were restrained at the door first and were not allowed to make a statement. It continued inside as well. While more than 300 police forces have filled the courtroom, the attorneys are not allowed to enter because there is no place and the chief judge insistently says, 'There is a place, you do not enter', 'Connect with Sound and Video Information System (SEGBİS), not everyone should be here', ignoring the law, no defense is an approach that counts."

 

'The truth will be revealed'

 

Underlining that the court board started the hearing by accepting the indictment, Canan pointed out that the indictment was a conspiracy and an untrue indictment. Canan stated that the hearing started with an order and they once again saw that the government wanted to criminalize the HDP, convict the HDP through this case, and condemn the struggle for peace, democracy and freedom. Canan added that they wish the defense to be proper in the next period and said: “However, we know that the law does not work. We are responsible to society, to the people. We know that we are right. We know that if not today, if not tomorrow, of course the truth will be revealed."

 

'HDP is judging'

 

HDP Adana MP Tülay Hatimoğulları noted that the Kobanê Trial they watched reminded the inquisition courts. Noting that there is no right and no law, Tülay said that a court was held in which not all attorneys were allowed into the courtroom. Expressing that this reveals that this case is purely political, Tülay said: "They have shown us once again that this is not a legal case in this court atmosphere, just like the martial law courts. We will never accept this. HDP cannot be tried, HDP is judging."

 

'We went out saying that there can be no fair trial'

 

Ezgi Güngördü, the attorney of Figen Yüksekdağ, said that they had about 100 friends in the courtroom as well as as many friends who were not allowed in. Expressing that in their meetings with the head of the board before the hearing, the chief judge stated that there would be no obstruction, Ezgi said: “He told us that we would not encounter any obstacles in terms of attorneys or press. But when we entered the hearing, we said that more than 100 of our attorney friends were left out, and we voiced our objections. However, the judge started the identification without evaluating our objections. We said that following the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMK) provisions, they cannot identify without attorneys. However, he did not listen to us and made clear that he will ignore us. We went out saying that a trial like this cannot be within the scope of a fair trial. Later, our friends said that the indictment was about to be read and the judge insisted that "Our door is open to attorneys, they come if they want". At the same time, we learned that the SEGBİS system was closed during Figen Yüksekdağ's speech. Thereupon, we entered the courtroom again. However, we encountered the same treatment again.”