An arrest warrant has been issued against the spokeswoman of the Kurdish women's movement TJA, Ayşe Gökkan, on charges of "leading a terrorist organization" and "membership in a terrorist organization."
In Turkey, where the women's organization is particularly targeted by the state, the Kurdish women's movement in particular is systematically criminalized under accusations of terrorism. The spokeswoman of the Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad - TJA), Ayşe Gökkan, faces yet another arrest warrant issued by the 9th Heavy Penal Court in Diyarbakır (Amed) during a hearing held on Wednesday. Gökhan is accused of "directing a terrorist organization" and "membership in a terrorist organization".
Gökkan’s lawyer Nevzat Karaaslan defended the absent defendant, calling the trial "unacceptable" because the indictment was based solely on "secret witness statements." The so-called "secret witnesses" are often police officers who testify in the government's interests with the aim of criminalizing certain individuals, or individuals from whom false "confessions" have been extracted through torture or pressure.
The court rejected the lawyer's objections and issued an arrest warrant against Gökkan on the grounds of "risk of absconding" and "strong suspicion" of a crime.
