MÊRDÎN
Trial proceedings started today against 70 citizens, 17 of them children, who were arrested after being released on 26 May 2016 during the curfew the in Nisêbîn district of Mêrdîn.
The occupying Mêrdîn 4th Heavy Penal Court, in the context of the proceedings, held the trial of 7 citizens today.
FA: “PRIVATE WAR POLICIES CONTINUE”
First, 17-year-old FA was put on trial, which was held closed to the public due to his age. In his defense made in Kurdish FA said:
“Today, the genocide of the Turkish State continues against the Kurdish people. Today, Kurdish children are crushed under panzer and tanks. Today, the cities of the Kurdish people are being destroyed and bombed. This shows that the state’s policy of special wars against the Kurdish people continues. ”
“The desired life is a democratic and free life. Cizre, Şırnak, Silopi, İdil, Nusaybin, Sur and many other Kurdistan cities declared autonomy to end this war of extermination. This was a legitimate and democratic desire. In the face of this request, the attitude of the state has been to ban, destroy and curfew.
In these prohibitions, hundreds of civilians were killed and murdered. Hundreds of people were tortured and arrested. We know very well what happened in the basements of Cizre. The Kurdish people will never forget the massacre of Cizre. And one day the account will be heavily asked.”
REFUSED TO STAND WHEN THE DECISION OF THE COURT WOULD BE SHARED
FA’s defense ended with the slogan, “Bijî serok Apo” and “Bijî biratiya gelan” (long live Leader Ocalan, and long live the brotherhood of the peoples). After the defense, before the court would announce its decision, FA refused to stand up. After the soldiers tried to force FA to stand before the court, he would carry out a sitting action. FA would be seen rushed out of the court room with his mouth held shut by the soldiers.
FA’s lawyer speaking on the subject, said they would make a criminal complaint about the situation.
21 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS OF PRISON
The court ruled that because FA was between 12 and 15 years of age at the time of the incident, and was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment on the allegation of “Disrupting the Unity and Country Integrity of the State.”
The court also sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years and 6 months for “attempting to kill intentionally, and an extra year and month for damaging public property”.
FROM ERKAN BENLİ TO THE COURT: YOU WILL BE JUDGED IN PUBLIC COURTS
Following the trial of FA, was the trial of artist Erkan Benli was held. Benli, who made a defense in Kurdish at the hearing in which the lawyer was present, said:
“The struggle under the leadership of the PKK has been going on for the last 40 years. None of you know the sociological structure in Kurdistan. Here you defend the massacre, genocide and fascist structure. That’s why you make unfair decisions. You punish the old woman, children, everyone. This constitution is a constitution that denies the Kurdish people.
Benli said, “I don’t know your decision. The judiciary under the direction of power has adopted a position that suits itself. I want you to know that you will be tried by the public courts.”
3 LIFE SENTENCES, 20 YEARS 3 MONTHS PRISON
Afterwards, the occupying court, which announced its decision, sentenced Benli to three times of aggravated life imprisonment with the claim of “Breaking the Unity and Country Integrity of the State.” In addition, he was sentenced to 15 years for “Attempted to Kill Intentionally, 3 years for Damaging Public Property, and 1 year and 15 months for Propaganda of the Organization through Press”.
THE ARREST OF 4 PRISONERS IS DEFERRED
Mehmet Faruk Engin, the detainee who was seen at the hearing, said that he would not make a defense, citing the lack of his indictment. Engin demanded that the indictment be sent to him again.
The court rejected the request for a new indictment and announced that it would decide at the hearing, which was postponed to 6 December 2019.
On the other hand, the next hearing of the detainee Ramazan Eroğlu was postponed to 11 November 2019, the hearing of Resul Ergün was postponed to 22 November 2019 and the trial of Oktay Gül was postponed to a later date.
