ANKARA – Following the Kobané Case, HDP MP Rüştü Tiryaki said, "A special court board was established only for this case" and emphasized that it will not be a fair trial.

 

The second hearing of the Kobanê Case, in which 108 people, 28 of whom are currently behind bars is on trial, continues at the Sincan Prison Campus. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Rüştü Tiryaki spoke to Mesopotamia Agency (MA) regarding the hearing.

 

Recalling that the attorneys were not allowed in the court room in the previous hearing, Tiryaki said the court board told them that the lawyers will be allowed in. Underlining that the people are not allowed in the room this time, Tiryaki said: "These are just details, what really matters is this; the AKP MHP government's policy to take people hostage continues. This is a continuation of that policy and this hearing has nothing to do with justice. This is not a criminal investigation.

 

POLITICIANS ARE TAKEN HOSTAGE

 

Noting that the Kobanê protests took place in 2014 and the trial started 6 years later, Tiryaki said: "It has been 6 and a half years and not one single hearing was held. The time will show who's right. Democracy will one day come to this country. AKP is using the judiciary as a tool to take politicians hostage while living their down fall."

 

THERE ARE THINGS THEY WANT TO HIDE

 

Underlining that journalists are being blocked from reporting news, Tiryaki said: "They say they will not allow the journalists in the courtroom if they don't have state issued press cards.. Those who have that press cards will be in a room where they can't observe the hearing. They do not want this hearing to be on the news. The courts were able to be observed and people could report from court rooms during the martial law period back in the 1980's. We understand that there are some things that they want to hide."

 

A SPECIAL COURT BOARD ESTABLISH FOR THIS HEARING ALONE

 

Stating that the lawyers requested a recusition in the last trial, Tiryaki said the Court President rejected the request. Being a lawyer himself,  Tiryaki said: "It is enough to verbally express the request of recusition to the clerk. They wanted to rush things so they told the lawyers to write a petition for it. We are face to face with a court board established for this hearing alone. In the past, there was martial law, there were State Security Courts (DGM), independence courts, courts tasked with CMK 250, but there has never been a court which a single delegation was formed for a single file. It is clear that this will not be a fair trial and it will go down on history just like that."

 

'WE WILL BE THE ONES TO JUDGE'

 

Underlining that the Kobanê Case is not only directed at the politicians on trial but the whole party members, Tiryaki said: "We see this as a case against democracy forces and Kurds who say they stand by those who resist ISIS attacks in this country. We will follow this case until the end. We will tell the whole world. Our attorneys are well prepared. We will do what we need to do in this hearing which has nothing to do with justice. We will see that our friends on trial here will be the ones to judge. Those who resisted against ISIS can not be tried. If you say that you will prosecute these people, you will be standing with ISIS. This is what we mean when we say we will be the ones to judge."