Eight people, including Sema Barbaros, Istanbul Provincial Chair of the Labour Party (EMEP), who were detained on 18 February over allegations of membership in the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), appeared before the judge. The court ruled for the release of Sema Barbaros and seven others.

The first hearing of the case, in which eight people—including Labour Party Istanbul Provincial Chair Sema Barbaros—were tried over alleged HDK membership after being detained and arrested on 18 February by order of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, was held at Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court in Çağlayan Courthouse.

While a single file was prepared for Yakup Kadri Karabacak and Ece Yıldız Karabacak, Labour Party Istanbul Provincial Chair Sema Barbaros, Ayşe Bengi, Aynur Cengiz, Melek Kızılocak, Şengül Erdoğan, and Erkin Barın Göylüler were tried under separate files in the same court. The court ordered the release of EMEP Istanbul Provincial Chair Sema Barbaros, Yakup Kadri Karabacak, Ece Yıldız Karabacak, Aynur Cengiz, Ayşe Bengi Çelik, Erkin Barın Göylüler, Melek Kızılocak, and Şengül Erdoğan. The hearings were adjourned to 23 October and 30 October.

In her defence, Sema Barbaros said: *"I have lived in the same neighbourhood for 10 years and the same house for eight. I have an eight-year-old daughter and have been Istanbul Provincial Chair of the Labour Party for seven years. My husband is the General Chair of the Journalists’ Union of Turkey. There is a clear manipulation of the judiciary. I had to explain this situation to my daughter, who visits me every Thursday. The child we protect from violence was confronted with soldiers and boots. Special operations police asked us, ‘Why are you so surprised?​’ and ‘Has your house never been raided before?​’ None of this should be normalised. I have been held in prison for 3.5 months on charges of armed terrorist organisation membership without any evidence. I demand my release and acquittal."*

The prosecutor also requested Barbaros’s release in their opinion.

"What is on trial here is the freedom to organise"

Barbaros’s lawyer, Nazlıcan Çelik, pointed out that the HDK’s 12th Congress had been defined as a crime in the indictment, saying: "A congress was held in Şişli, the heart of Istanbul. Footage of the publicly held congress was requested to identify individuals—how is this an attempt to gather evidence?"

Lawyer Elif Ergin stated that Sema Barbaros had been a member of the Labour Party since the age of 18, adding: "Sema Barbaros cannot take orders from any other institution, NGO, or political formation. Party members act according to the party’s programme and bylaws. The highest decision-making body is the general congress."

Ergin noted that security camera footage of Barbaros walking towards the HDK congress was included in the file, saying: "It is presented as if she were committing a crime. What is on trial here is the freedom to organise. For this reason, we demand our client’s immediate acquittal—or at the very least, her release."

Lawyer Mustafa Söğütlü emphasised that there was no concrete evidence in the file, stating: "Even judicial control measures would be excessive under these circumstances. The indictment attempts to establish a connection by simplistically claiming, ‘The PKK’s bylaws are this, the HDK’s bylaws are this, they are similar, therefore anyone associated with the HDK is a member of the organisation.’ This is an unsubstantiated claim, akin to saying, ‘Truth is bitter, if baklava is sweet then it’s a lie.’ The charges in the indictment are not individualised."

After the statements, the court ruled for Barbaros’s release.

"We are being tried for acts within the scope of freedom of expression"

Ece Yıldız Karabacak and Yakup Kadri Karabacak also stated in their defence that the file contained no crime or evidence, saying they were being tried for acts within the scope of freedom of expression. The prosecutor also requested their release.

Yakup Kadri Karabacak’s lawyer highlighted that the HDK was a legal and legitimate organisation, stating: "In this context, attending two HDK meetings in 2011 is presented as a crime. Additionally, it is alleged that my client was an HDK delegate. First, being an HDK delegate is not a crime. The document allegedly proving his delegate status was found during a search at the HDK Beyoğlu branch. We have no information on how this document was obtained or how the search was conducted. Even a message he did not reply to was included in the file as criminal evidence."

Ece Yıldız Karabacak’s lawyer said: "The word ‘dev’ [‘giant’] on a piece of paper was interpreted as Ece being part of a ‘revolutionary students’ group. In fact, it was an abbreviation for the ‘Democracy and Freedom’ magazine. We are talking about legal websites and political institutions here. The HDK is still active today. If you look at the HDK’s website, you will see nothing but peace." He demanded her release.

The court ruled for the release of Ece Yıldız Karabacak and Yakup Kadri Karabacak.

"The file contains panels and panel invitations"

Aynur Cengiz, who appeared before the judge next, stated that the trial was baseless, lacked objectivity, and was built on assumptions, arguing that constitutional rights were being criminalised. Cengiz demanded her release and acquittal. The prosecutor also requested her release.

Cengiz’s lawyer stated there was no evidence linking the HDK to any armed organisation, saying: "Many people have been unlawfully deprived of their freedom this way. I searched the file for evidence of my client’s organisational membership—there are only various panels and invitations to them. The criteria for organisational membership have not been met. There is no code name, no membership fee, no guidance for the organisation, nor any crime committed on its behalf." He demanded Cengiz’s release and acquittal. The court ruled for her release.

"Democratic organisations are being criminalised"

Writer and screenwriter Ayşe Bengi Çelik, who said her detention for over three months was unacceptable, spoke about her artistic work. Bengi, who attended HDK’s public events, said: "I participate in similar events, working with women, LGBTQ+ individuals, refugees, and disadvantaged groups. These are transparent activities. They do not constitute crimes."

Describing the phrase "illegal under a legal guise" in the indictment as "scandalous," Bengi stated that democratic organisations were being criminalised this way. She recounted how her door was broken down with a battering ram on the morning of her arrest, how she was denied access to a lawyer for over 24 hours, and how her statement was taken without legal representation. She said: *"House raids were conducted with baseless arguments, new criminals were announced every day. I have committed no crime and reject the criminal allegations against me. While I was in prison, my 91-year-old father was deprived of my support and had to visit me every week. My work on a project was cut off, and accusations that could leave me unemployed for a long time were made."* She demanded her release and acquittal. The prosecutor also requested her release.

Bengi’s lawyer explained that many professional activities had been criminalised in the indictment. Noting that Bengi had worked as a screenwriter for numerous TV series and films, the lawyer stressed that her name appearing in unrelated Excel files or messages could not constitute a crime.

After the statements, the court ruled for Bengi’s release.

"Meeting with prisoners cannot be a crime"

Next, Erkin Barın Göylüler, an advisor to DEM Party MP Burcugül Çubuk, was tried. Göylüler stated that the HDK was a platform where all segments of society came together to discuss the country’s problems and was a legal institution. Regarding his being accused of acting as a visitor for prisoners, he said: "Visitation is a right granted to all of us. This cannot constitute a crime."

Göylüler rejected the claim that his participation in panels was criminal, stating that panels and other democratic activities could not be crimes. He also noted that books not subject to any ban or confiscation order had been treated as criminal evidence in the indictment.

Pointing out that HDK co-chairs had made a statement outside the courthouse when he was arrested, Göylüler asked: "Which armed organisation holds press statements in front of a courthouse?" and demanded his release. The prosecutor also requested his release.

Göylüler’s lawyer stated that details such as which phone operator he used, whom he met in prison, or which books he read could not be linked to armed organisation charges, saying: "He attended panels in his capacity as an MP’s advisor. It is ironic that someone who earns a living working for the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was arrested over flight risk. Even if he were not an advisor, anyone could attend a public panel out of curiosity." The lawyer emphasised that books found at his home were being used as grounds for detention, showing malicious intent, and demanded his acquittal and release.

After the statements, the court ruled for Göylüler’s release.

Melek Kızılocak stated that the indictment described her as a "guest," "delegate," and "executive," which was impossible, and said she had attended the HDK congress out of curiosity. She recounted being detained in a house raid where guns were pointed at her despite the lack of evidence, and demanded her release.

The prosecutor also requested Kızılocak’s release. Her lawyer stated that attending a congress held by the legal HDK platform in a central Istanbul venue could not be a crime and demanded her release and acquittal.

The court ruled for Kızılocak’s release.

Şengül Erdoğan stated that the HDK was a legal platform and that activities within it could not be crimes, saying: "I consider the detention of a teacher who served the state for 27 years and educated thousands of students—through a house raid and handcuffing—over an investigation into a legal platform as an attack on dignity and honour." She said she was accused of crimes such as attending funerals and being in WhatsApp groups, none of which could individually constitute crimes, and demanded her release.

Erdoğan’s lawyer stated that the HDK was being criminalised without evidence of ties to any armed organisation, saying: "Despite being established in 2011, attempts are being made to associate it with institutions like the DTK in the past year. However, the HDK continues its activities legally, with a clear address and events." The lawyer stressed that Excel files of unknown origin or WhatsApp groups could not be crimes and demanded Erdoğan’s release.

After the statements, the court ruled for Erdoğan’s release.

"We will not surrender to fear"

Before the hearing, the Labour Party made a statement outside the courthouse. The statement was supported by EMEP Istanbul MP İskender Bayhan, DEM Party Izmir MP Burcugül Çubuk, the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TYS), Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK), DEM Party, Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), Labourers’ Movement Party (EHP), Kaldıraç, SODAP, Call for a New World, Köz, and Partizan.

KESK Istanbul Branches Spokesperson Hüseyin Tosu said: "The political authority carries out periodic operations to silence the poor, workers, and labourers to maintain its oppression. We know these operations have no legal basis. Their main purpose is to suppress the voices of the oppressed, spread fear, and sustain power through this fear. We will not surrender to this fear."

Labour Party General Chair Seyit Aslan said: *"For 98 days, dozens of people have been held in prison under the government’s judicial repression. Those detained are the bright faces of this country—people who struggle for peace, brotherhood, and a classless, exploitation-free order. They fight against femicide, child abuse, and the seizure of public assets. But we know this palace regime, this one-man rule, is intensifying repression to maintain its system and secure its future. Our detained comrades, the patriots and bright faces of this country, are our honour."*

Addressing the government, Aslan said: "First, imprison those who have plundered this country. Women’s murderers roam freely—sanction them first. Those who kill workers in workplace accidents are rewarded with impunity. Child abusers and enemies of democracy are elevated as respectable figures. But the intellectuals, patriots, revolutionaries, and socialists of this country face violence, imprisonment, and torture for opposing repression. The government should not forget: the policies of oppression will end with the struggle of Turkey’s working class and poor. We reiterate: all political prisoners must be released immediately." (EVRENSEL DAILY)

Forwarding to the next article...

Click to cancel forwarding

10 seconds remaining

---

Click to load now-> EP Deputy Carola Rackete: “Israel’s attacks on Iran is illegal, like Gaza and Lebanon”