Indictment Against Death Fasting Grup Yorum Member Gökçek

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An indictment has been filed against seven people, including İbrahim Gökçek, the imprisoned member of Grup Yorum music band.

As the İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court has accepted the indictment, Gökçek will have his first hearing on February 14, 2020. He has been charged with "establishing and leading a [terrorist] organization".

40-year-old guitarist İbrahim Gökçek was detained in a raid against İdil Cultural Center in İstanbul at around 2.30 a.m. on February 26, 2019. Taken into custody as part of an investigation, Gökçek was arrested by the İstanbul 1st Penal Judgeship of Peace on March 1, 2019.

İbrahim Gökçek has been on a death fast for the last 219 days.

Demanding his right to a fair trial and protesting the constant police raids against their cultural center, Gökçek went on a hunger strike 219 days ago, then turned his hunger strike into a death fast two weeks ago.

Witness: 'He is a member of Grup Yorum'

The 159-page indictment against İbrahim Gökçek starts from Kızıldere on March 30, 1972. The Counter-Terrorism (TEM) records kept about him since 2005, the statements of nine separate witnesses and the alleged "[terrorist] organizational attitude" displayed by him while serving time in prison are the only evidence cited in the indictment.

The records of İstanbul Security Directorate's Counter-Terrorism Branch go as far back as the years of 2004 and 2005. As for the records of profiling, they start from the year 2005.

In the first archive records, a witness testifying about Gökçek said, "I have learned his name and open identity from you. He is a member of the music band named Grup Yorum, which is a legal institution of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C)."

State Security Court verdict becomes 'evidence'

In another record, it is indicated that Gökçek was caught while he was searched by the police and he was released after it was understood that he deposed in relation with the offense charged on December 30, 2005.

In the records cited in the bill of indictment, there is also a verdict given by the then State Security Court in 2003.

In none of these records is there a charge filed against Gökçek. As for the National Judiciary Informatics System (UYAP) records about him, they indicate that Gökçek is categorized in the Gray "Wanted Terrorist List" of the Ministry of Interior, without explaining its reason.

Evidence: He didn't eat the served meal

Among the alleged criminal evidence cited against İbrahim Gökçek is also a chapter entitled 'His organizational attitude during detention procedures." His refusal to eat the served meal is also listed as evidence under this chapter:

"It has been understood that during the time when he was in custody, suspect İbrahim Gökçek showed resistance to the officers, chanted slogans, threatened the commissioned personnel, refused to eat the served meal and went on a hunger strike, he did not put his signature on the minutes of attorney visitation and went on a hunger strike by rejecting the served meal."

'We don't flee from justice, it flees from us'

In his deposition at the penal judgeship of peace, İbrahim Gökçek has stated that he does not accept the offenses charged:

"The only group that I am a member of is Grup Yorum. My only job is to perform music at Grup Yorum. Apart from that, I am not a member of anything, I am not an executive. I work at İdil Cultural Center.

"And the place where I was caught is the studio. We do not flee from justice or anything. The justice is fleeing from us.

"Free us, let us perform our art."

'Our ways part before even fulfilling our longing'

İbrahim Gökçek has also indicated that he does not accept the statements of the witnesses against him:

"I do not accept the statement of witness C.B. Even s/he only says that 'I think so.' People cannot be slandered by saying 'I think so.'

"My wife was released a month ago. Our ways are parting before we can even fulfill our longing. If you really say 'Trust the justice', then I will. Give us a chance to trust the justice and release us so that we do our job. We have not gone anywhere. We are in Turkey." (AS/SD)