Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP for Hakkari, Leyla Güven, who is jailed in Diyarbakır E Type Prison, is on the 49th day of her hunger strike against the isolation regime imposed on Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan by the Turkish state.

Up to 46,5 years in prison is sought for Güven because of her statements against Turkish military occupation of Afrin and her works within the DTK.

Fourth hearing in the case against the Kurdish politician has begun at Diyarbakır 9th Heavy Penal Court, in the hall specially built for the trial of 152 Kurdish politicians in the so-called ‘KCK case’.

While Güven herself is not present in the hall, those attending the hearing include HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan, DTK Co-chair Berdan Öztürk, HDP MPs Ayşe Acar Başaran, Selçuk Mızraklı, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, Semra Güzel, Ebru Günay, Meral Danış Beştaş, Saliha Aydeniz, Musa Farisoğulları, Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir, Remziye Tosun, Tayip Temel, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, Hişyar Özsoy, İmam Taşçıer, TJA activists, DBP (Democratic Regions Party) Co-chair Mehmet Arslan, IHD (Human Rights Association) Co-chair Öztürk Türkdoğan, HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress) Co-spokesperson Onur Hamzaoğlu and Leyla Güven’s children.

The hearing began amid intense security measures in and around the courthouse and continues with the defence of Güven’s lawyers.