ANKARA - In the trial of 108 people over the “Kobanî protests of October 6-8, 2014”, the defendants’ requests for recusal, which were previously rejected by the court, have been rejected by the upper court as well.

 

The "Kobanî trial" continues at the Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court in Sincan Prison Courthouse in the capital city today (June 14).

 

There are 108 defendants from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP); while 28 people have been arrested pending trial, there are judicial control measures on six people and warrants against 75 people.

 

In the trial over the "Kobanî protests of October 6-8, 2014", politicians face life imprisonment aggravated for 38 times.

 

THIS IS A POLITICAL TRIAL

 

Today's hearing started at around 10.30 in the morning. The hearing is followed by HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, HDP MPs, party executives, lawyers and bar association chairs.

 

The attorneys' appeals against the rejection of their request for recusal have been rejected by the upper court.

 

The attorneys of the defendants made their statements as to this rejection.

 

Taking the floor at the hearing, attorney Günizi Satar said, "The inquiry report prepared by the security in 2015 laid the ground for the indictment of the Kobanî case, which was accepted by the Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court on January 8, 2021. From 2015 to the approval of the indictment by the court, nothing was added to the file apart from this security report."

 

Attorney Maviş Aydın also stated, "Even though no new information or documents necessitating the extension of the investigation against new people was added to the file, Prosecutor Ahmet Altun launched an inquiry based on a list, which is not known where and by whom it was prepared, which shows that the investigation has a political aim."

 

Attorney Kenan Maçoğlu demanded an inquiry into the person who appointed the prosecutor of the investigation and for what purpose.