Demirtaş: 'Those who avoid dialogue are responsible for these deaths'

The Kobanî Trial is underway for 108 individuals, including 18 in custody, among them former co-chairpersons and members of the Central Executive Board of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), based on the protests that took place on October 6-8, 2014, in response to ISIS attacks on Kobani.

During today's hearing, Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the HDP, currently detained in Edirne F Type Prison, made his defense on the merits via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).

"We make our defense for our people and for history"

Beginning his defense in Kurdish, Demirtaş greeted the attendees of the trial. In his speech in Kurdish, he said: 'Dear comrades, I greet each and every one of you wholeheartedly. I hope that each of you is well and healthy. I have been in captivity for 7 years, but this is the first time I am given the right to defend myself. So far, I have spoken in some investigations for various reasons. This is the first time I am making a direct defense. I am not addressing my defense to your panel. Because you are also a part of these attacks. However, we make our defense for our people and for history. I shouldn't recognize your panel. This case opened against us is political, and sometimes I will make a political defense. This is a retaliation, a political trial. You took us captive for your interests. Today, the children of this country are being killed in this war. We share the pain and sorrow of those children."

"We can stop these deaths through politics, by lifting the isolation. The Turkish society needs to raise its voice against this ongoing war. Turks and Kurds should join hands to stop this war. As politicians, we believe in this and work towards a solution. Those who keep us captive here are making war decisions from their comfortable places. The people of Turkey should see who wants this war and who is causing these deaths."

Speaking about the day the verdict will be announced in the trial, Demirtaş continued, 'It is my wish; on the day the verdict is announced, that my wife and my daughters play drums and trumpets in the courtyard of our house in Diyarbakır. That decision has no significance for me personally or for our people."

"We were declared guilty before the trial"

Stating that they were declared guilty before the trial concluded, Demirtaş continued: "All human rights have been violated. Our dear friends lost their loved ones, and they were not allowed to share this moment. Some of our loved ones lost their lives on the roads. Our children grew up away from us. You knew we were innocent, but still, you kept us in prison. If you cared about humanity, how could you do these things? Those who do this have no share in humanity. Your evil bent your head, but ours remained high. We know that you have made your decision. But whatever your decision is, it has no bearing on us and our people."

"Turkish and Kurdish people should raise their voices for peace"

Demirtaş stated, 'We will not give up on our case. I apologize to my people, to my friends and acquaintances who placed their hope in us. We couldn't meet expectations." "But I promise to continue our struggle under the leadership of our party, the DEM Party. I wish success to the DEM Party, and I also wish success to our Co-Chairs, Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları," he said.

Expressing that the solution for the people of Turkey and Kurdistan is to end isolation and return to dialogue methods, Demirtaş continued his defense: "Those who avoid negotiation and dialogue are responsible for these deaths. Any politician who seeks a solution through weapons and war for their own political fate is hypocritical. Those who create a power base for themselves on the blood of the people's children are devoid of morality and conscience. Today, the Turkish and Kurdish people in Turkey should raise their voices for peace. Those who incite you with nationalist fervor while enjoying the benefits are not holding back from sending your children to war."

Highlighting that only the impoverished people can put an end to the current course, Demirtaş remarked, "If Turks and Kurds come together, if they can say 'we are against war,' it becomes much more possible to live together in unity and fraternity. Ensuring peace, fostering democracy becomes much easier. We are politicians who believe in peace and democratic solutions. Despite being held hostage for years just because we wanted this, we still cry out for peace from behind the bars as well. But those in power are making war decisions every day from the comfort of their warm seats."

"It is time to hold politicians accountable"

Demirtaş, stating that the Turkish people need to see this hypocrisy, continued: "They need to understand who wants war and who wants peace. If they defend peace in Palestine but imprison those who want peace in their own country and impose isolation, what is it if not hypocrisy? We will continue to act in line with our principles and advocate for peace in all circumstances. If Turkey is mourning for its children today, it is time to hold politicians accountable. Those who make decisions for operations from their warm seats should be held accountable for loading the Kurdish issue onto the shoulders of young people sent on operations in minus 20 degrees. All those who accuse us of terrorism and murder while we live the pain of burying young children at the age of 20-22 are nourished by this blood. There are parliamentarians who served 5 terms without ever mentioning peace once in their lives."

The trial continues with Demirtaş's statements.(RT/PE)