"Trial of Kurdish politicians is an extension of unfair trials against leader, prison activists"

The Ankara Supreme Criminal Court issued on May 16;  Selahattin Demirtaş    who has been detained since 2016, was sentenced to 42 years in prison, 30 years and three months in prison for Figen Yogcekdag, and 10 years in prison for Kurdish politician Ahmed Türk. On charges of “undermining the unity and territorial integrity of the state,” “joining the organization,” and “inciting disrespect for the law.”

Since 2021, the Turkish state has been trying 108 politicians and human rights activists, including the co-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yogcekdag, in addition to the prominent Kurdish politician Ahmed Türk, under the name “Kobani Case,” where the Peoples’ Democratic Party played a major role in protecting the city of Kobani and providing support. For the fighters in Kobani and the pressure on the Turkish state during the battles against ISIS.

In this context, ANHA's agency monitored the opinions of a number of male and female administrators in the Autonomous Administration institutions in the city of Kobani, regarding the sentencing of politicians who are considered symbols of the great popular support in Northern Kurdistan for the resistance in Kobani during the battles against ISIS.

 “If there is real justice, then Erdogan is the one who should be tried.”

Aisha Efendi, the co-chair of the Martyrs’ Families Council, said that this trial in this manner against Kurdish politicians does not represent any justice, and that it is the same court that sentenced Kemal Peer and his friends in Amed prison, and it is the same that sentenced leader "APO", and she added: “But when we see... Ahmed Türk, who suffers from heart disease and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, says that he will not leave the country and face this reality, and Selahattin Demirtaş, who tells the Turkish state that you are unable to pass judgment on me, means that the line of resistance that has been extending for years and years does not... It continues in the face of Turkish fascist injustice.”

Aisha Efendi confirmed: “When these Kurdish politicians supported the Kobani resistance and were worthy of our people who were displaced to Northern Kurdistan and shared everything with us, they did not take into account Erdogan and his entourage, and they did not fear anything, and even today, while they are in detention, they refuse to bow to the unfair courts of the Turkish state, and if there was real justice, as the Turkish state was the one that opened its borders to ISIS to enter Syria, and the world realizes this, so Erdogan must be tried. We affirm that we will continue to support our people in Northern Kurdistan and the detained politicians and jurists who did not leave Kobani alone in its ordeal.”

For his part, member of the Democratic Union Party Council, Saleh Nouh, said: “It is shameful for the world and the Turkish state to put on trial those who were responsible for eliminating the global terrorism represented by ISIS, which was threatening the entire world. The Kurdish politicians who are being tried today in Turkey have participated very effectively in the victory of the Kobani resistance, and they did not leave their people alone in Kobani. We did not and will not accept the courts of the Turkish state, which lack honor in the first place. We will remain in the streets supporting our Kurdish people and politicians in Northern Kurdistan without any pause

 “The Peoples’ Democratic Party played a major role in the liberation of Kobani and its recovery after the battles.”

For his part, a member of the Martyrs’ Families Council, Ismail Sheikho, explained: “The call made by leader Abdullah Ocalan from his prison in Imrali to prevent the fall of Kobani into the hands of ISIS had a great impact in mobilizing the Kurdish street throughout Kurdistan, especially in Northern Kurdistan, and thousands of them were stationed.” Politicians, human rights activists, and others on the northern border with Kobani during the battles gave a great moral boost to the city’s defenders.

Ismail Sheikho pointed out: “The Peoples’ Democratic Party contributed to the advancement of Kobani after its liberation as well. The city was a pile of rubble. The party provided all its capabilities to remove the rubble and prepare the infrastructure after the battle that greatly destroyed the city. The issue today is that there is an unprecedented Turkish war against the Kurdish presence wherever it is, and this trial comes within that framework, it requires united Kurdish efforts from us to confront this reality, and it is our responsibility in Kobani to provide the support required to return the debt to our people in Northern Kurdistan.”

In her turn, Ismail Ali, who was wounded in the battle of Kobani, believes that it is unreasonable that: “The victors are being tried for terrorism, while Turkey is sponsoring terrorists, and all of this is happening in front of the eyes of the world and the organizations that claim humanity and human rights.” He wondered where the logic is in that. He said: “Here, what is happening can only be described by saying that it is Turkish revenge for the defeat of ISIS in Kobani. Yes, this is the democracy that Turkey is proud of.”

T/ Satt.

ANHA