The Trial of 46 ESP Activists Started on 11 March
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The first trial of 46 ESP activists, who were arrested as a result of police assault to the protest action organised by ESP (Socialist Platform of the Oppressed) against the Penalty and Execution Law on 7 December 2004 in Ankara, started on 11 March 2005 in Ankara new DGM (State Security Court). Whilst ESP activists defended the legitimacy of their struggle in the court room, about 500 ESP activists have organised a demonstration that lasted whole day in front of the court building. At the end of the trial, while 28 ESP activists released, it is being decided to continue with the imprisonment of other 18 ESP activists.

The fascist dictatorship tries to prevent development and increase of a revolutionary mass movement in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. The dictatorship have placed ESP, who always forcing through various tools and methods of struggle the liberal borders drawn by the State, and other revolutionary forces to the target of liquidation and domestication. This assault of the State aims to rubber out the oppressed people's struggle and their right to engage in politics.

However, ESP's attitude towards these attacks was not to remain in silence or to make back step, but to place the State more and more into the target of pillory by developing the struggle. ESP organised the campaign for immediate release of the 46 under the slogan of "freedom of speech, action and getting organised". Before the trial, many activities were organised in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. During the actions, while making public the State attack, it was also emphasised that the ESP will continue with its struggle in the line of legitimate struggle.

The trial started on 11 March has turned into a demonstration where people defended the actions and legitimacy of ESP both in the court room and outside the court building. While 62 lawyers attended to the court in order to defend ESP activists, there were also international delegations from Germany and France to support the people of ESP. The participation of many trade unionists, representatives of democratic mass organisations, intellectuals and representatives of other revolutionary organisations to the court have represented the good example of the solidarity and the united opposition to these attacks of the State. In the court, where 150 people in total attended as audiences, the speech for the defence of Deniz Bakir, ESP Ankara representative, has been welcomed with applause by the audiences. The Judge in the court, Orhan Karadeniz, who could not endure to this, has sent people out of the court room. By defending the legitimacy of the struggle of ESP and their action on 7 December, ESP Ankara representative Deniz Bakir has said that the people who should be tried in the court have to be the policemen who attacked them on 7 December, but not them selves. Like Deniz Bakir, all other imprisoned ESP activists have also defended both the struggle against the solitary confinements and the freedom of speech, action and getting organised in their speeches.

About 500 ESP activists, who gathered in front of the court room in very early morning, have also turned front of the court building into a demonstration place by carrying ESP flags and the banner saying "Release the 46 ESP Activists". ESP activists have urged the immediate release of their imprisoned comrades by shouting slogans in joy and reading out press statements throughout the day. From other revolutionary organisations, HOC (Rights and Freedoms Front), SDP , EHP , Partisan and Kaldirac have also supported by joining in the action.

The demand of lawyers on taking the case out of the coverage of membership to an illegal organisation to the Meeting and Demonstration Laws and dealing with the case in the Court of First Instance rather than the new DGM (State Security Court) was refused by the court. The refusal of the court was later protested by lawyers via statements that were made. The lawyers, who prepared a common defence about the allegations of the persecutor and presented to the court, stressed out that this case was an attack on the freedom of being organised.

The struggle that was developed on the State terror before the 11th of March on the street have turned into an achievement on 11 March, and the court of fascism has had to release 28 ESP activists. The court, which decided to continue with the imprisonment of 18 ESP activists consisting of representatives of ESP, workers from Atilim (Surge) and Dayanisma (Solidarity) Newspapers and the BEKSAV Cultural Centre, defined the 27th of April at 14:00 hours as the next date and timing of the second trial. Despite considering the allegation paper prepared by the prosecutor as being not sufficient and asked for a new police report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the DGM judges have clearly shown that this case is being considered as not a lawful case but a political case and that they target the legal, democratic and legitimate organisations through their decision continuing with the imprisonment of other 18 ESP activists.

By evaluating the result of the court, ESP has announced that it will continue with the campaign "freedom of speech, action and getting organised" on the personalities of the 18 imprisoned ESP activists, continue to increase the struggle for political freedoms and spoil the game of the State.
 

 

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The Trial of 46 ESP Activists Started on 11 March
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The first trial of 46 ESP activists, who were arrested as a result of police assault to the protest action organised by ESP (Socialist Platform of the Oppressed) against the Penalty and Execution Law on 7 December 2004 in Ankara, started on 11 March 2005 in Ankara new DGM (State Security Court). Whilst ESP activists defended the legitimacy of their struggle in the court room, about 500 ESP activists have organised a demonstration that lasted whole day in front of the court building. At the end of the trial, while 28 ESP activists released, it is being decided to continue with the imprisonment of other 18 ESP activists.

The fascist dictatorship tries to prevent development and increase of a revolutionary mass movement in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. The dictatorship have placed ESP, who always forcing through various tools and methods of struggle the liberal borders drawn by the State, and other revolutionary forces to the target of liquidation and domestication. This assault of the State aims to rubber out the oppressed people's struggle and their right to engage in politics.

However, ESP's attitude towards these attacks was not to remain in silence or to make back step, but to place the State more and more into the target of pillory by developing the struggle. ESP organised the campaign for immediate release of the 46 under the slogan of "freedom of speech, action and getting organised". Before the trial, many activities were organised in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. During the actions, while making public the State attack, it was also emphasised that the ESP will continue with its struggle in the line of legitimate struggle.

The trial started on 11 March has turned into a demonstration where people defended the actions and legitimacy of ESP both in the court room and outside the court building. While 62 lawyers attended to the court in order to defend ESP activists, there were also international delegations from Germany and France to support the people of ESP. The participation of many trade unionists, representatives of democratic mass organisations, intellectuals and representatives of other revolutionary organisations to the court have represented the good example of the solidarity and the united opposition to these attacks of the State. In the court, where 150 people in total attended as audiences, the speech for the defence of Deniz Bakir, ESP Ankara representative, has been welcomed with applause by the audiences. The Judge in the court, Orhan Karadeniz, who could not endure to this, has sent people out of the court room. By defending the legitimacy of the struggle of ESP and their action on 7 December, ESP Ankara representative Deniz Bakir has said that the people who should be tried in the court have to be the policemen who attacked them on 7 December, but not them selves. Like Deniz Bakir, all other imprisoned ESP activists have also defended both the struggle against the solitary confinements and the freedom of speech, action and getting organised in their speeches.

About 500 ESP activists, who gathered in front of the court room in very early morning, have also turned front of the court building into a demonstration place by carrying ESP flags and the banner saying "Release the 46 ESP Activists". ESP activists have urged the immediate release of their imprisoned comrades by shouting slogans in joy and reading out press statements throughout the day. From other revolutionary organisations, HOC (Rights and Freedoms Front), SDP , EHP , Partisan and Kaldirac have also supported by joining in the action.

The demand of lawyers on taking the case out of the coverage of membership to an illegal organisation to the Meeting and Demonstration Laws and dealing with the case in the Court of First Instance rather than the new DGM (State Security Court) was refused by the court. The refusal of the court was later protested by lawyers via statements that were made. The lawyers, who prepared a common defence about the allegations of the persecutor and presented to the court, stressed out that this case was an attack on the freedom of being organised.

The struggle that was developed on the State terror before the 11th of March on the street have turned into an achievement on 11 March, and the court of fascism has had to release 28 ESP activists. The court, which decided to continue with the imprisonment of 18 ESP activists consisting of representatives of ESP, workers from Atilim (Surge) and Dayanisma (Solidarity) Newspapers and the BEKSAV Cultural Centre, defined the 27th of April at 14:00 hours as the next date and timing of the second trial. Despite considering the allegation paper prepared by the prosecutor as being not sufficient and asked for a new police report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the DGM judges have clearly shown that this case is being considered as not a lawful case but a political case and that they target the legal, democratic and legitimate organisations through their decision continuing with the imprisonment of other 18 ESP activists.

By evaluating the result of the court, ESP has announced that it will continue with the campaign "freedom of speech, action and getting organised" on the personalities of the 18 imprisoned ESP activists, continue to increase the struggle for political freedoms and spoil the game of the State.