The 7th hearing of the so-called "KCK(Kurdistan Communities Union) Leadership Committee" case resumes at the 16th High Criminal Court in Istanbul.

50 people are being tried in the case, 16 of them in custody and most of them lawyers of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Speaking at the seventh hearing, lawyer Ömer Güneş underlined that; "We state clearly, however many of us remain on remand, whatever the verdict, we are not guilty in the eyes of the people. We have proved this throughout this trial. The ones who are guilty are the ones who carried out this political operation."

Detained lawyer Ömer Güneş suggested that Kurdish leader Öcalan should be heard at the court as a witness in line with the principle of equality of arms.

Güneş continued: "In one day 50 lawyers were detained in 16 different provinces. This was not judicial, it was political. It reveals the mentality of assimilation being carried out against the Kurds in this century."

Güneş added that no concrete evidence has been presented during the two-year trial, adding that this demonstrates clearly that they are political hostages.

Güneş emphasised that efforts had been made with the process of resolution to establish peace and democracy in 2013 and that it was significant that no one had died. He said they supported this process and added that courts needed to adapt to this political process, "Some judges and prosecutors are taking decisions opposing the process on account of the fact that they are not aware how these decisions impinge on it. Courts should be aware of the role they play and make decisions to release those in custody," he added, ending by saying: "Annul this trial and make a fair, just decision."

Following the submissions of Güneş, another detained lawyer, Sebahattin Kaya, began to testify. He started his defence by condemning the prison massacre of December 19 2000, in which 28 prisoners were killed, the Roboski massacre, the deaths of three people in Yüksekova and the decisions regarding the BDP MPs, adding: "This trial, the case opened regarding MIT members and the leaking of the Oslo talks are all steps taken to thwart the resolution process."

Recalling that the attempt to prosecute MIT undersecretary Hakan Fidan had been prevented by law reform instigated by the government, Kaya said: "I would like you to foil this conspiracy which took place 17 months ago, but I have now understood during this 27-month trial that you will not do this." Kaya underlined that the main source shown for allegations in the indictment was Öcalan, but that the prosecutor and judges had refused to take this into consideration. Kaya recalled that lawyers had been going to İmralı island to visit Öcalan since 1999, adding: "What happened that meetings that took place in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were deemed to be offences. What changed? It is not possible to understand this."

Kaya continued, saying he had demanded since the beginning of the trial that two persons who had testified against him should be heard as witnesses, but this had not happened. Kaya emphasized that the judges had waged a psychological war against them from the start, saying: "the presiding judge says he understands who will speak Turkish and who speaks Kurdish by looking at our faces. He claims we have established organisational pressure as regards Kurdish. This is why this is not a fair trial." Presiding judge Mehmet Ekinci reacted at this, saying: "This is a slander." Kaya replied, saying: "Everything is obvious".

After Kaya completed his submissions, defence counsel Sinan Zincir said: "You say there is no persecution of Kurdish. But your decisions are there for all to see. You say: 'You are speaking Kurdish due to organisational pressure.' You have said this and it is in the account of proceedings. Presiding judge Mehmet Ekinci denied this, saying: Don't denigrate me, we didn't say that. Bring documentation if you have it." Zincir replied, saying: "I will bring the documents. If you look at the record of the no. 15 Serious Criminal Court's proceedings you will be able to find it."