ISTANBUL - Describing the Kobanê Case decisions as "the declaration of the government", Ahmet Faruk Ünsal said: "If they want to take revenge on ISIS, this is a waste of effort."

 

A lawsuit was filed against the People's Democratic Party (HDP), citing the protest actions that took place between 6-8 October 2014 against ISIS's attacks on Kobanê. The decision hearing of the case filed against 108 names, including former HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, was held on May 16. While Demirtaş was sentenced to 42 years and Yüksekdağ was sentenced to 30 years and 3 months, other politicians were also given heavy sentences. 5 politicians were released and 12 people were acquitted. The files of some names were also separated.

 

Politician-human rights defender Ahmet Faruk Ünsal, who was a politician in the AKP for a while and one of the founders of the DEVA Party, evaluated the decisions of the case.

 

Ahmet Faruk Ünsal

 

'DECLARATION OF POLITICAL POWER'

 

Ünsal stated that although the decision in the Kobanê Case was given by the court, it cannot be explained by law. “This decision will be evaluated together with the Supreme Court processes, but at first glance, it is a decision taken within the political expectations and plan that wants to criminalize Kurdish politics and makes it impossible to do politics within legal limits. Because we have not seen this government take seriously the decisions of either the Constitutional Court or the international court, the European Court of Human Rights. It seems that they write a text that suits their political needs and submit it to the courts and have it read as a court decision. Therefore, I see this as a declaration of political power rather than a trial" Ünsal said.

 

'IF YOU WANT TO TAKE REVENGE ON ISIS, IT'S A WAST OF EFFORT'

 

Pointing out that the political structure and achievements in Northern and Eastern Syria are being tried to be criminalized with the heavy penalties given to politicians, Ünsal said: “The decisions have a side to do with the nullification of the success there. But honestly, from now on, I do not think that ISIS will be able to regain the greatness it had in 2014-2015. Because while ISIS was on the defeated side of history, the Kurdish movement, especially in Northern and Eastern Syria, was on the contrary, on the right side of history. If they want to take revenge on ISIS from here, it is a waste of effort. Because ISIS is a movement that is in the wrong place in history and has doomed itself to destruction and nothingness."

 

'A GREAT EVIL HAPPENED TO TURKEY'

 

Ünsal pointed out the discussions about "softening" in politics and said that with the decision, it became clear that the "softening" in question did not include Kurdish politicians. Ünsal said: “The government may be aiming for softening and normalization with other parties or political actors. However, when it comes to Kurdish politics, we are faced with a political practice that criminalizes it, does not engage with it, and does not consent to normalize with it."

 

"The decisions have been turned into revenge by the court," said Ünsal, adding, "Therefore, these decisions have no legitimacy and are a great evil done to Turkey."

 

MA / İbrahim Irmak