Çetin's lawyers: "We'll closely monitor our client's case"
Sevil Rojbin Çetin was arrested following a raid on her house in Amed on 26 June as part of an investigation launched by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Mardin.
Sevil Rojbin Çetin, a member of the Democratic Local Governments Board of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Free Women's Movement (TJA), was arrested following a raid on her house in Amed on 26 June as part of an investigation launched by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Mardin.
It has now emerged that the investigation was launched against Çetin, who was arrested with the allegation of “being a member of an illegal organization”, based on secret witness statements contained in the files of the investigation against the dismissed and detained HDP Savur, Derik and Mazıdağı Municipal co-mayors.
Reminding that her client was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, lawyer Mehmet Öner, said that it was torture that the very fact that she was kept in custody for 11 days, despite being ill, was another form of torture. Stating that the file was prepared based on “secret witness” statements, lawyer Öner added that there was no concrete statement in the witness declarations.
Lawyer Öner stated that Çetin was an official executive of the HDP and that she had been carrying out political activities legally and reminded that there were similar claims [of being members of an illegal organisation] made against many HDP executives.
Öner also reminded that one of the co-mayors under trial is Mazıdağı co-mayor Nalan Özaydın, who is not in prison, thus proving that Çetin detention would not be necessary.
Lawyer Seda Zengin said that when she first went to ask about Çetin being taken into custody she was told that there was nobody with her name here. When it was finally disclosed that Çetin was in Diyarbakır TEM Branch and lawyer Zengin had the opportunity to meet her, she had already been tortured and “she explained what they did to her in details.”
Lawyer Zengin underlined that they have already filed a criminal complaint and denounced that Çetin is being treated for cancer, therefore she should not be kept in prison but she should be spending this difficult time with her family. “Of course, - said the lawyer – as usual the decision was to continue her imprisonment.”
Lawyer Zengin said that they will be closely monitoring every step of the process and argued that the witness’ statements on which the arrest is based, are “abstract and vague”.
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