The 4th hearing in the case where 53 people arrested during the genocidal attacks in Mardin’s Nusaybin district continues on its third day. The hearing is held in the Social Security Institution (SGK) offices’ conference hall by the Mardin High Penal Court No.4 and prisoners are brought in from various prisons.

The hearing started under heavy police presence after the attendees were put through a standard ID check. Only 10 people from the families were allowed into the courtroom, as well as Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Mardin MP Pero Dundar.

“I WAS MOVED BY THE EXECUTIONS AND WENT TO NUSAYBIN”

Hamit Acun, on remand in Tokat Type T Prison, spoke first. Acun gave his defense in Kurdish and spoke about why he went to Nusaybin, summarizing the meetings the state had with Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan for the solution to the Kurdish issue and the developments afterwards.

Acun said the deaths of Haci Lokman Birlik in Sirnak, Mother Taybet in Silopi and Ekin Van in Mus shook him deeply: “I couldn’t turn away from Nusaybin and the demands of the Kurdish people. I went to Nusaybin out of my own volition.”

“WE WERE SUBJECTED TO ALL KINDS OF TORTURE”

Acun said silence is a crime against humanity: “When we were detained, we were subjected to insults for days. They poured hot water on us, they electrocuted us and we were subjected to horrible insults. They broke 3 of my teeth and my nose during the torture sessions. There are tears in my knees and I still have bruises on my body, even though it has been 3 years. What affected me the most was that we were exposed through the media.”

“A DIGNIFIED STANCE”

Acun stressed that there was a dignified stance displayed in Nusaybin in the name of humanity: “The Kurds need a status and they need to defend themselves. I will never give up on this idea of mine. And I will continue to voice and defend this idea everywhere.”

The hearing took a break and will continue in the afternoon.