A press statement was made in front of Izmir Bayraklı Courthouse 6th High Criminal Court before the first hearing of the trial of the gun attack against HDP Izmir Provincial Organization and the murder of Deniz Poyraz.

HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan, Women's Council spokesperson Ayşe Acar Başaran, Group deputy chair Meral Danış Beştaş, HDP members, Women's Coordination members, MPs, DBP co-chair Saliha Aydeniz, CHP Deputy chairperson Gülizar Biçer, CHP ceputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu , HDK co-spokesperson Esengül Demir, Green Left Party co-spokesperson Ayşe Erdem, TİP chair Erkan Baş, SYKP co-chair Cavit Uğur, SODAP Spokesperson Sevtap Akdağ, SKM General Spokesperson Çiçek Otlu and EMEP, Community Centers, DİSK, TÖP, Revolutionary Party, representatives from Alevi Bektashi Associations, Women Strong Together and Peace Mothers all went to the trial.

Pervin Buldan said that the bullet fired at Deniz Poyraz was aimed at the hope of peace and democracy. “Today, the first hearing of the trial on the murder of our friend Deniz Poyraz will be held. Our friend Deniz Poyraz was brutally murdered in the attack on our İzmir Provincial Organization on 17 June. A killer will be tried here today, but the powers behind this killer, those who gave orders to this killer, those who directed him to pull the trigger, have not been named or questioned. They planned great chaos when they killed Deniz that day. Of course, the bullet shot against Deniz is a bullet shot to the hope of those who want to live together in this country. The bullet fired at Deniz is also the bullet fired at the hopes of peace and democracy. Those who sent the killer to our party to shoot this bullet were in pursuit of chaos. But the peoples of Turkey did not allow this chaos to happen. Instead, millions became Deniz in the country. Millions in Turkey protested the murder of Deniz.”

The government opened the way to hatred

Buldan added: “We know that, especially the language of hatred and anger used by the government, to target the HDP every day, caused Deniz to be killed. The atmosphere of that day can never be handled independently from the language used by this government. As long as the killers of the Roboski Massacre are not brought to account, the killers of Ankara Train Station and Suruç are not brought to account, and the forces behind Deniz's killers are not named. Unfortunately, it seems that killings and attacks will continue in this country.”

Buldan underlined that “a new attack was attempted against our Istanbul Bahçelievler District Organization on Tuesday, but it was unsuccessful. Those who create this atmosphere should know this: the peoples of Turkey will never allow your fascism, your racism, and your attempt to put people against each other. A killer will be tried in Izmir Courthouse today. However, as long as the forces behind this killer are not brought to justice and held accountable, this will not end. Everyone knows that the killer went to Manbij and received training before the attack on our party.”

Buldan ended the statement by saying: “We promise you, my dear comrade Deniz, that those who killed you and ordered your killing will be held accountable. While we are making great efforts to bring peace, democracy and justice to this country, those who try to create chaos in this country and those who are in favour of war should know that we will never give up on democratic administration, law and justice.

We pay tribute to Deniz and we express our condolences to her family, friends, our party, the Kurdish people and our friends, especially Deniz’ mother.”