KCK Trial Starts with Protests

The so-called 'KCK case' against 151 defendants, 103 of them detained, will start in Diyabakır (south-eastern Turkey) today (18 October). Several members of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and executives of non-governmental organizations such as the Human Rights Association (İHD) are incriminated in the trial which is going to be observed by many politicians and rights advocators from Turkey and Europe.

Police raids on 14 April 209 right after the local elections on 29 March 2009 resulted in the first wave of arrests.

The indictment comprises a total of 7,500 pages and was prepared in June 2010. Some of the defendants are facing life sentences, others imprisonment of up to 15 years. They are indicted with "disrupting the unity of the state and the integrity of the country", "membership and leadership of a terrorist organization" or "aiding and abetting a terrorist organization".

The prosecution charges the defendants with "membership of the Democratic Confederation of Kurdistan/Turkish Assembly (KCT/TM) as the urban organization of the PKK", the Kurdistan Workers Party.

Among the defendants are 28 executives of the dissolved pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), twelve mayors including Osman Baydemir, Metropolitan Mayor of Diyarbakır, two Chairs of Provincial Assemblies and two municipality council members.

Another defendant  is the Branch President of the İHD Diyarbakır, Muharrem Erbey.

Trial observers and protests

According to information of the BDP, more than 2,200 were taken into police custody in different provinces since 14 April 2009 in the scope of the 'KCK operation'. Approximately 1,500 people are in detention still. While a small number of defendants have been convicted already, some others were released pending trial. Most recently, another eight people were arrested in Urfa.

On the first day of trial protest actions will be organized in Diyarbakır and other provinces.

The İHD in Izmir and Istanbul are going to issue announcements accordingly.

Members of the Turkish Peace Parliament, representatives of leftist/socialist parties, NGO representatives, rights advocators and intellectuals are expected to monitor the trial in Diyarbakır.

The BDP Diyarbakır organization is going to set up a tent opposite of the courthouse.

Request for release

The DTP was strengthened by the result of the local elections on 28 March last year, even thought the ruling party (Justice and Development Party, AKP) had claimed the opposite. The so-called 'KCK operations' started right after the elections. The government had initiated the 'democratic opening' in July the same year. However, after a number of meetings the atmosphere had changed to the contrary by the end of 2009.

Attacks by the PKK had intensified and the number of casualties increased. The issue was again advanced by a ceasefire announced by the PKK in spring 2010, more frequent talks with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, the referendum on the constitutional reform package in September and discussions on constitutional amendments.

The basic request of the rights defenders and activists and most of all of the BDP is to release the defendants pending trial. The joint attorneys criticized that the long duration of detention has turned into a punishment itself. They announced to apply to the European Court of Human rights on behalf of several defendants. (EÜ/VK)