The summary judgment trial of the case, which was opened against 31 people included KESK (Confederation of Public Workers Unions) General President Lami Özgen and Eðitim-Sen(Education and Science Workers Trade Union) Women's Secretary Sakine Esen Yilmaz on charges of “acting within the KCK structure”, began at Ýzmir 8th High Criminal Court.

Members of the KESK gathered in front of the court building before the trial to give support to the arrested defendants and made a statement which was attended by chairs of trade unions affiliated to KESK, DISK Secretary General Tayfun Görgün, Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block Istanbul MP Levent Tüzel, as well as representatives of unions outside Turkey such as the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR), the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), French SNES Union and Cyprus Turkish Public Servants' Union (KTAMS).

Making the statement, KESK Secretary-General Ismail Hakki Tombul remarked that KESK gave s struggle for life and peace. Tombul underlined that people are put on trial for using the word ‘peace’ and for the fight they give for peace and asked “where else in the world people are judged for asking for peace”.

Referring to the recent increasing military operations, Tombul said; “The government should take the first step to stop the war. The Kurdish problem can be solved under circumstances of democracy, not by adding one another to cross-border operations. The AKP should immediately take its hand from the gun to enable peace since nothing can be changed by blood and death.”

Noting that one more statement would be made after the trial, Tombul expressed their wish that the court’s decision would be legal, not political.