Pınar Selek to attend trial from Paris: ‘Experiencing terrible injustice, but strengthened by solidarity’

Sociologist Pınar Selek, who will once again appear before the judge at İstanbul 15th Heavy Penal Court tomorrow regarding the explosion in the Spice Bazaar in İstanbul in 1998, in which 7 people died and 127 people were injured, will watch the trial at a feminist publishing house in Paris.

Speaking to bianet, Selek, who says, "I am experiencing appalling injustices, but I am strengthened by solidarity," explained what she has been going through before the trial in five questions.

1. It has been six months since the trial in March, how do you feel?

I have given so many statements in the hearings. Constantly repeating the same things, explaining things I didn't do, after a while, you start to watch your own life as if you were watching a movie. Starting everything from scratch feels like a bad science fiction film, and I can't speak. That's why I try not to watch it anymore, maybe. Giving statements repeatedly for 25 years makes you feel fed up.

2. We see incredible solidarity. Academics and activists from many countries around the world, not only from Turkey and France, express their solidarity with you. How does this make you feel?

From the beginning, these people, my comrades in the struggle 25 years ago, are still with me today. I feel like we have established a genuine connection.

I'm going through a difficult process, but I'm not an unhappy woman. There is a price for this happiness. While paying the price, I feel happy because there are people all over the world who support me. This shows that we have created lasting things. Our relationships seem to have institutionalized, so there is solidarity beyond individuals.

Moreover, people I have never met face to face in Turkey, for example, give me tremendous strength. They have read about me in books, got to know me, established a connection, and support me. We also have friends from the "We Are Still Witnesses" Platform. They are all precious. They judged me, they wanted to punish me, but they couldn't cut my connection with people.

3. What are you doing in France?

I am an associate professor in sociology. We conduct migration research in addition to the field of education. We conduct globalization studies. We work to advance thought. We are particularly monitoring significant developments in the media regarding the migration crisis.

I have a specific role, especially as part of the Observatory's coordination. This Observatory operates between France and Italy and focuses on the horrifying impacts of EU policies. In terms of sharing this information, we do not keep it within the university, but share it with all human rights defenders and activists. I am an active member of a human rights association. It is a very important association here. I am also involved in the feminist movement in France, which was established within the framework of abortion rights. It was established for women's bodily freedoms, and the right is attacking us a lot here. I write articles. My articles are translated into other languages.

4. Where will you watch the trial in İstanbul tomorrow (Friday, September 29)?

I will watch it at a publishing house in Paris. This is a women's publishing house. It is like a meeting point for the entire feminist movement in the most beautiful part of Paris. They have also published my books.

5. Finally, would you like to add anything?

I continue to write, think, and speak. What happened to me happened because of my research. It happened because I didn't give the names of the people who spoke in my research. Of course, these are bad things, but this allows me to expand the horizons of my thinking.

This difficult process can last a little longer, it may not be the final trial, this is not just my case.

This is not just my case; it is a matter of injustice and it is not only about me. I think we will continue to fight on this path. (EMK/VK)