The fifth hearing of the KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) Istanbul main trial has begun on Thursday at Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court in Silivri Prison Complex.

205 politicians (111 are in prison), are tried in the scope of the so called KCK Istanbul case. Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) politicians, academics and human rights defenders on trial were arrested in a KCK operation which targeted BDP provincial and district offices, politics academies and institutions in Istanbul between 5 and 28 September 2011.

Following the identification of the defendants, the hearing began with the defense of BDP Bağcılar district organization's ex-chairman Eşref Yaşar on behalf of the defendants.

Yaşar pointed out that the banishment and disciplinary practices of the early Ottoman period was continuing today in a way to surround the society to a larger extend by means of modern tools. Yaşar said these practices were at the same time being justified as “actions against illegality”. He said this psychological aggression aimed at cover up the illegitimacy, unlawfulness and nonethical of such mentality.