Thousands of people pour onto the streets in Van after learning that the city mayor, Bekir Kaya had been released from prison pending trial.
Van Criminal Court had ruled earlier in the evening the liberation of a 8 Kurdish politicians under trial, including the city mayor.
People showed great joy and affection for the Van, as Kaya himself said once out of prison. "The biggest tribute - he said - was the people's welcoming". Indeed coincidentally the day of the liberation, 29 of March, was also the anniversary of the BDP victory in the local elections of 2009.

Thirteen politicians were detained on 7 June 2012. Of these, 8 were still in prison, including the mayor of Van.

In the 710-page long indictment, all activities organized and joined by 13 elected politicians were re-classified as crimes. These include civilian Friday prayers (weekly Islamic prayers not organized by government’s official religious leaders) and even press statements (such as the one from Newroz on the 8th of March honoring International Women Workers Day).

"The state of the indictment - said the BDP - and the evidence clearly shows that this lawsuit is not filed due any violent action on the part of the defendants. The actions undertaken by the elected mayors and politicians in their official capacity should not be the subject of criminal proceedings. Yet these leaders have been imprisoned for months without seeing any indictment. Politicians were arrested and prosecuted for participating in politics, and mayors for engaging in municipal work and for implementing the policies of their party".