Indictment blames HDP for all deaths that occurred during 2014 Kobane protests

Duvar English 

The indictment into the 2014 Kobane protests put the blame on all deaths that occurred at the time on the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) even though it was recently proven that soldiers, police officers, village guards, members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkish Hizbullah supporters and ISIS were at fault as well.

A total of 108 HDP politicians are tried in the case and are held responsible for the deaths of 37 individuals. They each face 15,051 years in prison, totaling 1,625,000 years in jail. 

The Kobane protests took place between Oct. 6 and 8, 2014 and caused the deaths of dozens. Protesters flooded streets in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast at the time, outraged over the Turkish government's inaction in protecting Syrian Kurds as ISIS besieged Kobane, just across the Syrian border. 

In October last year, dozens of HDP members, including former Kars co-mayor Ayhan Bilgen, were arrested over the protests six years later in what critics say as part of a politically-motivated probe.

The Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court on Jan. 7 accepted the indictment into 108 people, including jailed former HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, in connection with the protests.

While Ankara accuses the HDP of inciting violence, the HDP says that it was doing everything it can to prevent bloodshed via being in contact with government officials.

According to the Human Rights Association (İHD), 46 people died during the protests, while Demirtaş puts the number at 43. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan puts the death toll at 53.

In various statements, Demirtaş said that six of those killed were members of the Free Cause Party (HÜDAPAR), two were security officials, two were Syrian refugees and 33 were HDP members. 

The first indictment into Kobane protests was prepared in 2015 and it concerned the deaths of Yasin Börü, whose killing is frequently mentioned by Erdoğan and the AKP to accuse the HDP of terrorism, and three of his friends. The second indictment, however, cites the deaths of 37 individuals. 

All the while, investigations were launched and trials were held and soldiers, police officers, village guards, AKP members, Turkish Hizbullah supporters and ISIS were accused of being involved in the killings as well. 

The HDP asked parliament to form a commission to look into what really unfolded during the protests over 10 times, but they were all rejected by the AKP.