The trial against the co-chairman of the Human Rights Association (IHD), Öztürk Türkdoğan, has begun before the 19th Heavy Penal Court in Ankara. The human rights activist is charged with three counts of "membership in an armed organisation", "disparagement of the Turkish nation" and "insulting public officials" for naming the Armenian genocide as thus and for his statements on Kurdish issues. He faces a prison sentence of several decades.

The first day of the trial was attended by the lawyer and co-chair of the IHD, Eren Keskin, representatives of the Libertarian Lawyers' Association (ÖHD), the Progressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD), the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) and many other parties and civil society organisations. Among them was HDP MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu.

"Procedure aims at intimidation"

Türkdoğan said: "This case against me aims to intimidate human rights defenders, our association and us personally. I think the case against me was initiated by the Ministry of Interior. I will continue to carry out my human rights activities. This violation of the law must stop."

Keskin: "Lawyers have never been so helpless"

Türkdoğan's defence lawyer, Kerem Altıparmak, demanded the withdrawal of the charges. Lawyer Eren Keskin, who also represents Türkdoğan, said: "I can't remember a time when we as lawyers have felt so helpless. Turkey is violating all the international conventions it has signed itself."

Ban on leaving the country extended

The court decided to leave Türkdoğan's ban on leaving the country in place and adjourned the hearing until 19 April.

In the indictment, Türkdoğan's statements on the Turkish attack on the Gare region of southern Kurdistan, the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan and the violation of prisoners' rights, as well as telephone conversations with lawyers and journalists are criminalised. In this case alone, the sentence previously determined amounts to seven to 15 years in prison. In total, the 52-year-old faces more than two decades in prison.

The most serious charge against the human rights activist, who has co-directed the renowned human rights association IHD since 2008 and is one of the co-founders of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV), is probably that of alleged membership in a "terrorist group fighting with armed force". According to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Türkdoğan acted "in accordance with the instructions" of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The basis for this are dissenting opinions on so-called taboo topics, such as criticism of the grave human rights situation in the country - including that in the prisons and especially on the prison island of Imrali, where PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan has been held in aggravated solitary confinement for years.