ANTALYA – Four prisoners standing trial in Antalya on charges of allegedly damaging the wire mesh on the windows were prevented by the judge from presenting their defense in Kurdish.
The four prisoners, held at Antalya Manavgat S-Type High-Security Prison, are being tried by the Manavgat 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on charges of “damaging public property” over allegations that they damaged the wire mesh installed on the windows. The hearing of Umit Tamur, Cesim Yıldırım, Ibrahim Ertas and Ozkan Bayhan was held the other day.
During the hearing, the prisoners stated that they wished to present their defense in Kurdish and requested the appointment of an interpreter. Reacting to the request, the judge said, “These are the courts of the Republic of Turkey. You will speak Turkish. I will not allow Kurdish. Who do you think you are?”
Following the judge’s remarks, lawyer Suheda Ronahi Ciftci stated that the judge’s attitude was not only contrary to the law but also violated human dignity and the principle of equal citizenship. She recalled that the prisoners had previously been allowed to present their defense in Kurdish before other courts. Stating that the court had committed a rights violation, the lawyer filed a motion for the recusation.
Emphasizing that preventing the use of Kurdish in court is an example of the denial of Kurdish identity and the right to defense, the lawyer said that such practices are unacceptable at a time when a process aimed at resolving the Kurdish issue is underway in Turkey. Suheda Ronahi Ciftci stated that they would file all necessary legal and administrative complaints against those responsible.
The prisoners were unable to present their defense at the hearing, and the lawyers’ recusation demand were rejected. The court adjourned the trial until 2 April 2026.