Halise Aksoy, who has been detained for approximately nine months based on the testimony of state witness Ümit Akbıyık, will face continued imprisonment after a recent court hearing at the Diyarbakır (Amed) 10th High Criminal Court. The case against Aksoy, involving accusations of providing a “safe house” for militants, has been marked by inconsistencies and a lack of substantial evidence.
In attendance at the hearing were representatives from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), including MPs Adalet Kaya and Ceylan Akça.
During the proceedings, witness Hatip Güney, a now-surrendered former member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), was heard. Contrary to previous claims, Güney did not support the allegations that Aksoy’s house was used as a reliable haven for militants.
The prosecution requested the continuation of Aksoy’s detention, citing concerns about her fleeing and the gravity of the alleged offences. In her defence, presented in Kurdish and translated by an interpreter, Aksoy firmly rejected the allegations and requested her release, stating, “I am unjustly here, and I refute the false accusations against me.”
Aksoy’s legal team, including lawyers Necat Çiçek and Zeynep Karayılan, challenged the prosecution’s stance. They highlighted contradictions in the dates of alleged aid deliveries and inconsistencies in Akbıyık’s statements to the police and prosecutor.
The court decided to continue Aksoy’s detention, citing the risk of escape, strong suspicion of crime, and the nature of the alleged offences. The decision was met with protests in the courtroom, as attendees voiced their support for Aksoy. In response to the court’s ruling and the public’s expressions of solidarity, Aksoy affirmed her resilience, stating, “Don’t worry about me; I am resisting here.”
Following the hearing, DEM Party MP Adalet Kaya condemned the legal proceedings, labelling them a travesty of justice. “We witnessed a legal farce today. Halise Aksoy is being held in prison based on a fabricated case. She has health issues, and the treatment she has received is well-known to us all. The way her son’s remains were returned to her in a box is a testament to this. We see this trial as a vendetta against Kurdish mothers. Halise is a mother to us all, and we stand with her and her legal battle. Supporting her is a matter of conscience,” Kaya remarked.
Background
Halise Aksoy, aged 52, is known in Turkey for the traumatic delivery of her son Agit İpek’s remains to her in a cargo box. İpek, who was killed in Tunceli (Dersim) on 23 May 2017, had his remains withheld from his family for three years, only to be delivered in a demeaning manner to Aksoy in Diyarbakır earlier last year. Despite her religious beliefs, she was unable to give her son a proper burial, leading to ongoing nightmares and distress.
Aksoy’s family faced continuous raids and detentions. The family moved frequently to escape police harassment. In 2015, the raids intensified, and Aksoy refused to cooperate with the authorities, leading to further problems.
Finally, Aksoy’s house was raided, and she was detained after being beaten. From her prison cell, Aksoy sent a message of defiance, vowing to become more knowledgeable and troublesome for the authorities.
