The 9th hearing of the 3rd hearing of the Kobani Trial in which 108 HDP members, 24 of whom are jailed pending trial, including the former co-chairs of the party, members of the central executive board (MYK) and party executives are tried, resumes at the Ankara 22nd High Criminal Court. Many people, as well as HDP deputies, are following the hearing held in the courtroom of the Sincan Prison Campus.

Former Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel, HDP former spokesperson Günay Kubilay, HDP Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) member Ali Ürküt, former deputy Emine Beyza Üstün, İbrahim Binici, former HDP MP and TJA activist Ayla Akat Ata, HDP Foreign Relations Commission member Nazmi Gür, HDP new term MYK members Alp Altınörs, Meryem Adıbelli, HDP former treasurer Zeki Çelik, HDP former MYK members Pervin Oduncu, Ayşe Yağcı, Bircan Yorulmaz, Bülent Parmaksiz, İsmail Şengül, Dilek Yağ and Sibel Akdeniz and writer Nezir Çakan are present at the courtroom.

HDP former co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ, deposed co-mayor of Amed Metropolitan Municipality Gültan Kışanak, HDP former Central Executive Board (MYK) member Zeynep Ölbeci are attending the hearing through the sound and video information system (SEGBİS) from the prisons where they are held.

Former MYK members Can Memiş, Berfin Özgü Köse and Cihan Erdal, who were released last week, were also connected to the hearing with SEGBİS from Istanbul.

HDP former MPs Gülser Yıldırım Aysel Tuğluk and Emine Ayna who are jailed pending trial and İmralı Delegation Spokesperson Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Ahmet Türk, Gülfer Akkaya and Altan Tan who are tried without arrest did not attend the hearing by citing excuses. Former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş did not attend the hearing since he was preparing his defence. Kars Municipality former co-mayor Ayhan Bilgen did not attend either because he is excluded from the hearing due to health problems.

HARASSMENT AND MISTREATMENT

HDP Foreign Relations Commission member Nazmi Gür talked about the ill-treatment they have faced in prison.

“Officials check us twice with x-ray device from the ward to the outside. But today, we were subjected to harassment by an officer working there during body search. We were faced with a hostile attitude. We protest and cannot accept it. We will report it to the prison administration and the Ministry of Justice, but we reject this attitude of the prison administration and staff. The attitude of the gendarmerie is not good either while they bring us here. We are mistreated. Prison staff tried to read the defenses we prepared, we do not accept this,” Gür said.

The hearing is continuing with Emine Ayna's defense.