The trial of Ayşe Gökkan, former spokesperson for the Free Women’s Movement (TJA), who is being held in custody, will be heard tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at the Diyarbakır 9th Heavy Penal Court. Ahead of the trial, statements of support have been made both from within Turkey and from the international community.
While TJA called on women’s rights advocates to attend the trial, the Swiss-based Paul Grüninger Foundation, the European Civic Forum, and various human rights advocates demanded “full acquittal and immediate release” of Ayşe Gökkan.
The foundation stated, “Gökkan sacrificed her body for peace and defended the will of her people” and called for the full acquittal and immediate release of Ayşe Gökkan.
International human rights advocates also appealed to the Ministry of Justice and the 9th Criminal Court of Diyarbakır, demanding Ayşe Gökkan’s acquittal and release.
The signatories of the appeal are as follows:
* Dr. Thomas Schmidinger – Middle East Expert, University of Vienna / University of Kurdistan Hewlêr
* Julie Ward – Former Member of the European Parliament (2014-2020), Member of the FEMM Committee
* Maryam Namazie – Women’s Rights Advocate
* Montserrat Cervera Rodon – Associació Ca la Dona (Barcelona)
* Tina Leisch – Film and Theater Director, Vienna
* Dr. Berivan Aslan – Member of the Vienna City Council