Defence in Kurdish at Court

Ruken Yetişkin, former Mayor of Yüksekova (south-eastern Anatolia), appeared at court on Monday (25 July) because of a statement she made during a sapling planting campaign on 1 April 2011. The campaign had been launched by the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Yüksekova Women Assembly members at the Esentepe district.

The Yüksekova Magistrate Criminal Court allowed Yetişkin to present her defence in Kurdish as her mother language. Her speech was then translated into Turkish by an interpreter.

Ruken Yetişkin attended the Monday hearing together with her lawyer M. Salih Akbulut. They announced to present the defence speech in Kurdish. The court board accepted Yetişkin's request and appointed a process-server to translate the defence speech into Turkish.

Yetişkin said that she rejected the allegations put up against her. She highlighted the fact that this was the first time she has made a statement in Kurdish in front of a judge. Yetişkin said that she appreciated this situation.

Her trial was postponed to 26 December 2011.

At the sapling planting campaign in April this year, Yeşkin had said, "These saplings will grow in a free environment and with the leadership of the Kurdish people the saga of peace will be told underneath these trees not long from now". (ZD/ŞA/VK)

Source: Yüksekova Haber