The third hearing of the KCK trial in Van, a Kurdish-majority city in south-eastern Turkey, was held on 12 April. A total of 17 defendants, 14 of whom are detained, stand accused of their alleged affiliation to the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK), the umbrella organization that includes the armed outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Joint attorney Mensur Işık reiterated the request for presenting the speeches of defence in Kurdish. Once again, the court declined the demand. Thereupon, the lawyers presented the defence of their clients who did not make their statements in Turkish.
The hearing at the Van 3rd High Criminal Court was observed by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Van MP Özdal Üçer, the Mayor of Van, Bekir Kaya, Independent Van MP Candidate Nazmi Gür and relatives and friends of the defendants. The court decided to keep the defendants in detention. The trial was postponed to 28 June.
Only detained defendant Ferzinde Abi was released pending trial because he suffers from prostate cancer.
Release pending trial for health reasons
Abi's lawyer Zeki Yüksel said in a statement made to bianet that his client fell ill with bladder cancer when he was in prison. The corresponding medical reports were submitted to court. Yüksel demanded the release of Abi in respect to the right to life.
Lawyer Yüksel noted that his client Abi was the first person to be released in the context of the KCK trial.
"Ferzinde Abi is a person who lost his child in the armed conflicts. Hence, he wants the weapons to fall silent and a permanent peace to be ensured. As the President of the Mesopotamia Association of Those Losing their Relatives (MEYA-DER) in Van he is very popular among the people because of his political and humanistic stance", Yüksel said about his client.
"Ferzinde Abi's is not in good health. He receives medical treatment in Diyarbakır because of this disease. He will be transferred to Ankara to complete his treatment", the lawyer explained.
Defence in Kurdish dismissed again
Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Sıddık Güler told bianet that the defendants answered the questions regarding their identity in Kurdish. Subsequently, the court asked them whether they were going to present their defence.
As reported by Gündem newspaper, defence lawyer Mensur Işık claimed that the trial was not legal but politically motivated. He reiterated the request for a defence in Kurdish. However, the court dejected his demand.
Five-year-old boy disturbed conscience of President Judge
DİHA reporter Güler said that Court President Bülent Kına decided to expel defendant Eylem Açıkalan's son Argeş from the court room. The five-year-old boy is staying in prison together with his mother. Açıkalın objected but Judge Kına stated that the boy was "disturbing his conscience". Thereupon, Argeş had to wait on his own in front of the court room until the end of the hearing. (EKN/BB/VK)
