The 7th hearing of the trial of Figen Yüksekdağ, former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was held at the Sincan Prison Court Hall. HDP Group President Ayhan Bilgen, HDP vice co-chair Murat Çepni, HDP Emine Kaya, deputies Habip Eksik, Oya Ersoy, Tulay Hatimogullari, ESP MYK Member Sahin Tumuklu and representatives of international institutions attended the hearing.

Ibrahim Ayhan remembered

Yüksekdağ started her speech by remembering Ibrahim Ayhan, the Kurdish politician who lost his life after suffering a heart attack while in Hewler.

The jailed former HDP co-chair expressed her gratitude to the late politician and offered condolences to his family, remembering the noble struggle he carried out for the democratization of Turkey.

Heavy Crisis

Turkey, said Yüksekdag, is facing a very heavy crisis. “This crisis – she added – has at its core a crisis of justice. And if it continues in this way this justice crisis will grow bigger and it could end up being a source of social tension”.

Millions of people are facing this crisis of justice, said Yüksekdağ, adding: "In the past few months, dozens of people have become rich in dollars. They have made millions of dollars. Some are multimillionaire in this country, while some others struggling because of the price of bread".

Recalling the ongoing brutal attacks on workers and the fact that the judiciary did not stand by the people, the former HDP co-chair said that “we cannot expect a healthy trial under these circumstances".

"We are hostages"

Yüksekdağ recalled the situation of HDP MP Leyla Güven who has yet to be released from prison. "We are hostages", she said.

In her defense, Yüksekdağ also noted: "We will endeavour all this to be the voice of history, to be the voice of truth. We will continue to be the resistance of all honest people of this country".

Recalling the famous Galileo Galilei trial, the HDP politician said: “Galileo was punished by the Inquisition for saying that the world was turning. He was sentenced to death and yet when he learned his sentence he said, ‘well, the world is still turning’”.

Yüksekdağ, responding to the accusation made against the DTK (Democratic Society Congress), said that DTK is a democratic mass organization and it has stepped up its activities. "If you want to carry out an investigation related to the DTK in this country, these courtrooms will not be enough. What are you going to do to hundreds of thousands of people who have gone to the DTK rally" she asked.

Yüksekdag added: "Turkey's society is victim of a despotic mentality. Against this mentality – she added – we will be fighting, whether it will be in prison or in the street. But everyone should contribute to this struggle. The DTK is one of the most respected institutions of the democratic culture of this country. I have participated in all the DTK work and I am proud of it. I am honoured to have worked with the DTK”.