A case has been filed to shut the Batman branch of KURDÎ-DER, alleging it "has links to the PKK and KCK". The branch chair, Şehmus Aslan, said the case has no legal validity and called for support at the hearing to be held at the Batman Court House on 18 December.

The State Prosecutor in Batman, having already filed a case asking for the closure of the MEYA-DER (Mesopotamia Family Solidarity Association) and the DA-DER (Religious Scholars Association), is now demanding the closure of KURDÎ-DER (Kurdish Language Research and Development Association), which carries out studies of the Kurdish language. The Prosecutor has prepared an indictment asking for the closure of KURDÎ-DER, which has been accepted by the Batman no. 2 Civil Court of First Instance. The Prosecutor's demands are based on allegations that "the association has carried out actions in line with the aims and ideology of the PKK/KCK organisation, outside of its rules and regulations, and that association executives have participated in activities of the aforesaid organisation".

The indictment also alleges that executives of the association "Used the facilities of the association in line with the aims and activities of the organisation, and that the association was under the control of the PKK/KCK organisation." The State Prosecutor therefore demanded that KURDÎ-DER be closed down in accordance with article 89 of the Turkish Civil Code.

'This is an entirely illegitimate act'

KURDÎ-DER Batman branch chair Şehmus Aslan drew attention to the fact that while on the one hand the AKP government claimed it would bring peace to society, on the other it has introduced more bans on Kurdish., adding: "They claim they have never banned Kurdish and that they are not obstructing it, but there are still many prohibitions of the Kurdish language. The cases filed against us and the other associations have absolutely no legitimacy. They do not accept our language, but we will do all we can for the sake of it."

Appeal for Support at the Court

Aslan added that they would win the case, as the allegations are baseless. He said: "We are in compliance with the regulations given to us by the state and we do research into the Kurdish language. We will wage the necessary legal struggle in order that the Kurdish language is not shackled."
Aslan appealed for support at the hearing to be held at the Batman no. 2 Civil Court of First Instance on 18 December.