DIYARBAKIR, Northern Kurdistan, — The trail of 151 Kurdish politicians began today in the capital of Kurdistan, Diyarbakir.
The defendants replied to the judges in Kurdish at the start of the trial. The use of Kurdish language in the Turkish courts is forbidden.
Turkish High Court began to trial 151 Kurdish politicians and activists, including 12 elected mayors, charged to have links with KCK (Kurdistan Democratic Confederation), the urban organisation of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party).
The defendants spoke Kurdish as the judge read their names, “they stand up and said “here” in Kurdish,” the reports said.
Hundreds wait outside the Diyarbakir courthouse for the outcome of the first day of the trial.
Members of the Turkish Peace Parliament, representatives of leftist/socialist parties, NGO representatives, rights lawyers and intellectuals are monitoring the trial in Diyarbakir.