KCK suspect defends herself in Turkish despite legal reform

ERZURUM – Doğan News Agency

Beritan Doğan. DHA Photo

A suspect arrested as part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) case, who previously refused to make her defense in Turkish, has now said she will defend herself in Turkish because she does not actually speak Kurdish, despite a new law allowing for legal defense in Kurdish.

Beritan Doğan was arrested in an operation against the KCK in the eastern province of Ağrı’s Doğubayazıt district in December 2011.

She refused to defend herself at the first trial on Dec. 19, 2012, when her demand to make a defense in Kurdish was denied by the court.

At the second trial on Feb. 6 she was allowed to defend herself in Kurdish thanks to a recent law allowing defense in mother tongues in courts. However, Doğan told the court that she would defend herself in Turkish because she had grown up in a metropolis and did not speak Kurdish due to “assimilation policies.” She said she had previously denied defense in Turkish in order to give support to her friends.
 
Doğan denied all charges and demanded her release. The court eventually decided in favor of her release.