The seventh hearing of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Istanbul main trial resumes at Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court.

205 Kurdish politicians (94 in prison) are tried in the KCK Istanbul case.

BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Istanbul executive Nazım Adıgüzel and BDP Sancaktepe former chair Çiçek Arıç have defended themselves in the hearing today.

Arıç pointed out that the KCK case was political and was aimed at legal political works of Kurds and their party BDP.

“I appear on the dock today because of my political identity, and because of the state's repressive and totalitarian policies against Kurds, democratic circles, women and their identity. It is nearly 20 years now that I am taking part in political events -such as press conferences, party meetings and rallies- which are all legal works of the BDP but are being put forwards against me as crimes”, she said.

Responding to the accusations related with the visits she paid to members of the BDP Sancaktepe organization, Arıç said this was true but was not an illegal activity.

In response to the accusation of being a member of the KCK organization -an accusation based on her attending a meeting in BDP Beyoğlu office-, Arıç confirmed that she had attended the meeting which -she said- however was a party meeting and took place in Sancaktepe but not Beyoğlu office of the party.