A massive 32,600-page verdict in the long-running Kobanê trial has drawn harsh criticism from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, which says the court-imposed seven-day appeal deadline severely restricts the right to a fair defence. On Friday, party officials described the case as a politically motivated effort to punish Kurdish politicians and suppress democratic opposition.
The Kobanê trial, heard by Ankara’s 22nd Heavy Penal Court, involves over 100 defendants—many of them members of the DEM Party’s predecessor, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). The case stems from protests in October 2014, when demonstrators across Turkey reacted to the Turkish government’s perceived inaction as the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobanê came under siege by the Islamic State (ISIS). The protests turned deadly, and state prosecutors accused the HDP of inciting violence.
On 16 May 2024, the court issued over 400 years of combined prison sentences. But it took more than a year to produce the full written verdict, which DEM Party MP Ali Bozan described as a “legal scandal”. “This is not a legal ruling—it’s political revenge,” he said. Bozan noted that the sheer size of the verdict, which would take months to read, prevents lawyers from filing proper appeals. “A citizen might assume that 32,600 pages must contain evidence, but these pages are largely empty,” he added.
The appeal process has raised serious concerns. The seven-day deadline began when the verdict was made available—but the court’s digital system could not handle the file size, forcing lawyers to access it in incomplete parts or via physical CDs. Nuray Özdoğan, from the DEM Party’s Legal Commission, said this makes the appeal process practically impossible. “The entire procedure seems designed to obstruct the defence,” she said, noting that much of the text consists of political commentary rather than legal evidence.
Critics also say the trial violates basic legal protections. Bozan pointed out that the court failed to re-evaluate the pre-trial detention of key figures like Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ every 30 days, as Turkish law requires. “This is one of the worst examples of prolonged, unlawful detention in the country’s legal history,” he said.
Özdoğan argued the trial is part of a broader effort to delegitimise the HDP and remove pro-Kurdish voices from political life. A separate case seeking the party’s closure is currently pending before Turkey’s Constitutional Court. Despite European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings in favour of Demirtaş and others, Turkey has yet to comply. “This isn’t just a legal case—it’s a political operation,” she said.
The case also casts a shadow over Turkey’s stalled peace process, which between 2013 and 2015 aimed to resolve the Kurdish issue through dialogue with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), rather than conflict. Many of the meetings and actions cited in the indictment occurred during this peace period, raising questions about the government’s current stance. “You cannot talk about peace while punishing people for pursuing it,” said Özdoğan.
The DEM Party views the trial as a test for Turkey’s future. Bozan said the release of imprisoned politicians would not only correct a major injustice, but also open the door for renewed dialogue on democratic reforms. “This verdict is more than just a legal issue—it’s about the future of peace in Turkey,” he said.
As appeals begin under tight constraints, observers say the Kobanê case may become a defining moment for the rule of law, democratic accountability, and the broader Kurdish question in Turkey.
