ANKARA - HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar made statements regarding the Kobanê Trial. Speaking in a statement, HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan pointed out that the Kobanê Trial is a historical one and said: "The AKP government will never get the result it wants from here."

 

The 3rd hearing of the Kobanê Political Genocide Trial opened against 108 people, including the former Co-Chairs of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Central Executive Board (MYK) members and executives, has started at the Ankara 22nd High Criminal Court. HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, HDP MPs, HDP provincial and district organization members, many citizens, bar association chairs of many cities, and many lawyers and journalists attended the hearing to be held in the Sincan Prison Campus Hall. Representatives of the US and British Embassies, members of the European Union (EU) Delegation of Turkey and Amnesty International representatives also attended the hearing.

 

After the recessed hearing, HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar made statements.

 

‘The government has declared war on the memory of the society’

 

Speaking first, Mithat Sancar stated that the Kobanê conspiracy trial started with a new period. Stating that they always say that the Kobanê Trial is a case of conspiracy, Mithat said: "We need to make new characterizations with new developments in the trial. There is the pitifulness of the government. Prosecutors and the government, who do not take an action when there are hundreds of crimes, think that all means are permissible when the HDP and Kurds are involved. They are making fun of the public mind with this case. Through this case, the government has declared a war on the mind, conscience, and memory of the society. No power can win the war against memory. The winners here are those who walk with dignity and resistance. Our friends on trial do just that. They walk with dignity, defend their rights and freedom. Therefore, the government has no chance of winning. Those who resist and keep going will win. As you can see, the HDP and the Kurdish people are again targeted to make people forget the crimes against humanity and their dirty practices committed to cover up the conflicts and contradictions within themselves through the war. This case targets not only HDP and Kurds, but also politics and the whole society. It is useful to say it again, with this case, there is the misery of the government and the pitifulness of using the law for this. Our expectation from fair judges is that they accept the recusation demand. I believe there are fair judges who will do this. We will do our best to put their consciences to rest against this conspiracy. We will continue to expand the struggle for justice."

 

‘This trial will go down in the history of Turkey as an important case’

 

Speaking afterwards, Pervin Buldan stated that the Kobanê Trial, which they call a political case rather than a legal one, continues from where it left off. She emphasized that those sitting in the defendant's chair wanted to remind the rulers of the country that they were political actors of a time, those who struggled for democracy and peace. Pervin said: "This trial will go down in the history of Turkey's democracy as an important case. The decisions to be taken will enter a process that will be very closely related to Turkey's democratic future. We hope that the decisions to be made will be democratic and legally appropriate. We can see how this decision will result, together with the orders they have taken, especially the court board, which came before the defendants with an empty indictment that was implemented with political allegations."

 

‘The issue is the future of Turkey’

 

Pervin concluded her speech as follows: "Without giving up hope and without losing our faith in the rule of law, we want to see even a drop of democracy in this country. Here, not only the Kurds, but also the comrades of the Kurds, not only the HDP, but also the representatives of other political parties that set their hearts on the HDP are on trial. I would like to express that the issue is not only the Kurds. The entry of ISIS in Kobane was not only about the Kurds, it is an understanding that aims to destroy all the peoples living in Kobane together. That is why the issue is the future of Turkey. That is why we say that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government will never get the result it wants from here. As long as we exist, we will continue all our legal initiatives in this and all similar cases and do our best. This case is a historical case, and the decisions to be made will be historical decisions."