An investigation had been launched on April 4, 2017 against 35 people including Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s sister and brother Fatma and Mehmet Ocalan, as well as Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Leyla Guven, who has been on a hunger strike for 149, for celebrating Ocalan’s birthday.

The investigation was launched for attending the birthday celebrations held in the Amara (Omerli) village of Urfa’s Halfeti district, but was subsequently dismissed.

Two years later, the investigation is now turning into a lawsuit. Urfa Public Prosecutor Ozkan Girgin launched an investigation against the group of people detained on the day of the celebrations and then released.

The prosecutor had ruled for dismissal on January 9 on the grounds that there was not enough evidence, the police did not warn the crowd to disperse, and there were no illegal slogans chanted in the action.

The same prosecutor forewent his ruling 20 days later, on February 1, and demanded a lawsuit against Leyla Guven and the others without any alterations to the accusation or the status of the evidence. Prosecutor Girgin is now asking for 1 to 5 years in prison for 35 people.

The indictment was accepted by the Urfa Heavy Penal Court No.10.

The court sent proceedings to the Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court No.5 for Leyla Guven to give a statement as she is registered in Amed.

Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court No.5 held a hearing on March 27 for Leyla Guven to give a statement but Guven was unable to attend due to her hunger strike. The court launched an arrest warrant.

The first hearing of the case against Guven and Ocalan’s siblings was heard in Urfa on April 3.

Lawyers said the case was launched without the removal of the dismissal ruling, and as such should be halted. The court rejected the demand.