ANKARA - HDP executives drew attention to the fact that the resistance that developed during the Kobanê protests was formed around the Kobanê Case, and said, "Kobanê will not fall in courtrooms either."
The first hearing of the Kobanê Trial, in which 108 people, 28 of whom were detained, including Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, former Co-Chairs of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was held under intense police presence while the court board rejected all demands of the attorneys of the case. In the hearing held in Sincan Penitentiary Institutions Campus, attorneys of the case protested the court board for starting the hearing in the absence of the attorneys and left the court board. The court board, to which the lawyers reacted in terms of the proceedings of the trial, adjourned the hearing for a week. The hearing will resume on May 3.
BAŞARAN: REVENGE OPERATION
Speaking about the first hearing of the case, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Women's Assembly Spokesperson Ayşe Acar Başaran recalled the pre-trial police intervention and said, “Actually, at that time, we more or less guessed how the trial would go. Because we know that these two processes are not independent from each other. The video shared by Süleyman Soylu and the hashtag storm that was initiated, showed us once again how this trial is a political trial and the government is a party."
Stating that what happened yesterday was not a judicial trial but a revenge operation, Başaran said: "They want to put everyone who are on the side of a solution, peace, a common future on trial. The president of the palace have made up his mind but the history will show how this attempt will fail."
'REAL DEFENDANTS AT COMPLAINANT SEATS'
Stating that the ruling party is responsible for those who lost their lives in the Kobanê protests, Başaran said, “Today, those who sit on the complainants' seats are institutions such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Directorate of Security. They are the real defendants of this case. They do not aim to seek justice for those who lost their lives. They aim to target and criminalize the HDP and get their revenge for the failure at the Kobané war. This is why this hearing is for but we are going to frustrate this court. Not only the HDP and their friends should raise their voices for this but also the democratic mass organizations, defenders of democracy and the opposition unite with the HDP. We have to stop this course of the government and end this game together."
GÜNAY: WE UNITED AROUND THE RESISTANCE
HDP Spokesperson Ebru Günay told thatthe Kobané Case is an attempt of the government to get rid of their responsibilities. Underlining that the attorneys and the defendants of the case will expose how this is a political trial to make the public see the truth, Günay said: "There is a process kicked off with the speech of Erdoğan when he said: "Kobané is about to fall". He was trying to declare victory for ISIS when he said Kobané was falling. But just like before, Kurds and the friends of Kurds have gathered around the resistance. The fact that there is so much interest and support despite the pandemic is about gathering around all the enlightenment spread by the Kobanê resistance."
'RESISTANCE CONTINUES'
Günay continued: "Turkey is the only country that declares solidarity with Kobané a criminal element. And everyone knows that because the relationship between Turkey and ISIS is obvious. We all know where the ISIS leaders were captured. We all know that they are wandering freely in Turkey. Therefore, we have to unite and stand against it. Just as there was a resistance line around Kobanê 6 years ago, in terms of struggle for humanity, today the same struggle for humanity continues around the Kobanê file."
TEMEL: THEY WANT TO COVER IT UP
Underlining the Kobané Case is a conspiracy, HDP Vice Co-Chair Tayip Temel said: "We saw that this is a conspiracy yesterday morning in Sincan and that there are things they want to hide. The police officer who blockaded the press and tried to silence our Co-chairs with loud announcements, brought a provocateur group at the scene. That group held a demonstrations with slogans and banners and the pro-government media was there to record this alone. They served these videos to the press. This shows that there was no justice in Sincan. They provided space for this group while they insulted us. The hearing that started at Sİncan will turn into a Kobané resistance. Kobané will not fall in this court room either."