In the trial against Kenan Ayaz, the State Security Senate at Hamburg Higher Regional Court has once again made it clear that it does not attach great importance to publicity and considers it to be an imposition.
The trial against Kenan Ayaz continued at Hamburg Higher Regional Court on Friday, unfortunately once again in courtroom 288. This courtroom is notorious among trial observers because the acoustics are very poor and are also influenced by whether the person speaking is willing to make an effort to make themselves understood. After all, if the judges are far away from the microphone and then speak unclearly, the acoustics are anything but good. Added to this is the overlay of other noises in the room, such as the interpreter. These are problems that could be solved objectively and technically. However, the court has decided that the acoustics in this room are good. On Friday, the court also did not believe the audience’s objections that they had not understood the reading or interpreted them as harassment. It therefore refused to repeat an incomprehensible reading.
In doing so, the court once again made it clear that it does not attach great importance to the public and sees it more as an imposition. One example of this is that the court fined a female spectator at a previous hearing because she had allegedly spoken to the court in an improper manner. Then they started copying the ID cards of all the members of the audience because there had been brief applause for Kenan Ayaz on some previous main hearing days. In addition, almost all the evidence was read outside the trial using the self-reading method, so that the audience did not know what was in it. And once again yesterday, the court made it clear that it finds the fact that people in the audience do not understand anything irrelevant. The judge’s behaviour can only be understood as meaning that she does not like the public attention that Kenan Ayaz’s trial is attracting.
Apart from that, not much else happened on yesterday’s trial day. Decisions were announced and documents were read out that the Attorney General had brought with him. A report was read out and photos were shown of Kenan Ayaz at the 2019 Newroz celebration in Frankfurt. It was interesting that the defence noted that these documents came from another case, namely the case against Özgür Aydin. The defence said that the selective selection of images and other aspects that were said to concern Kenan Ayaz was an example of the Federal Criminal Police Office looking for incriminating evidence about Kenan Ayaz in its files, while the latter did not have the opportunity to search for exculpatory circumstances in the relevant files. The Attorney General replied that Kenan Ayaz must know best what was wrong with the indictment. Accordingly, he had to explain what was not true and yet say what could exonerate him. Defence lawyer Antonia von der Behrens protested strongly against this view and referred to the defendant’s right to remain silent.
The trial will continue on 24 April. The court has announced that it will then decide on the defence’s motion that the informants from the domestic secret service should be asked written questions.
Further scheduled dates are: 24 April, 2 May, 31 May from 1 p.m., 6 June, 19 June until 1 p.m., 27 June, 2 July, 9 July, 11 July, 17 July, 22 July and 19 August. The trial will take place on the 1st floor of the Hamburg Higher Regional Court at Sievekingplatz 3, either in room 237 or 288. The hearings usually start at 9.30 a.m.
Postal address and donation account
The website kenanwatch.org provides information in Greek, English and German about the trial and the protests in Cyprus and Germany. Kenan Ayaz is happy to receive mail. Letters can also be written in languages other than Kurdish or Turkish, as translation is guaranteed. Please note the spelling of the authority’s name ‘Ayas’ so that the letters can be delivered.
Kenan Ayas
Hamburg remand centre
Holstenglacis 3
20355 Hamburg
Donation account:
Rote Hilfe e.V. OG Hamburg
Keyword: Free Kenan
IBAN: DE06200100200084610203