In her weekly article, Gülseren Onanç, the Founding Chair of the SES Equality and Solidarity Association reflects on Pınar Selek’s trial and the need to maintain solidarity.
Gülseren Onanç
On March 31 we were present at the Çağlayan Courthouse for Pınar Selek’s trial, which has been going on for 25 years. Throughout the years, she was acquitted 4 times. A total of 80 people, consisting of deputies, feminist activists, city council members, academics, members of the media, and lawyers, came from France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Norway to demand justice for Pınar Selek. They demonstrated a good example of what solidarity means. They reminded us that we are not alone against injustice. In both the press conference held yesterday and today’s courtroom, there were more members of delegations from abroad than from our country.
Turkey through the eyes of French feminist politicians
This morning we met with three politicians from France in Serenita, the new venue of the SES Equality and Solidarity Association. Not a single female MP has even met Pınar personally. Believing in the power of her case and Pınar’s rightness, she came to follow the case. Others know Pınar.
I was very happy to see the solidarity of the human rights activists who came to Istanbul for two days to stand up for the Pınar Selek case in these contentious times. These visits, which are real examples of feminist women’s solidarity, became hope for global women’s solidarity. I proudly witnessed once again what a special person Pınar Selek was, who provided the trust underlying this sense of solidarity.
Curious about Turkey, they ask whether rights activists like us feel in danger. How can they not ask? For a very long time, two bus riot police have been remaining at the vicinity of the Republic monument with guns to close Galatasaray Square to the Saturday Mothers. The press statement to be made in front of the Çağlayan courthouse was not allowed. Kagithane District Governor’s Office banned public statements for Pınar Selek for one day. The second floor, where the courtroom was, was filled with dozens of riot police. The entrances to the hall were controlled. The concern of the French for us is actually very valid, but we have become very strong against these threats and intimidations and we are not afraid anymore.
At Pınar’s hearing, dozens of lawyers came to defend Pınar. After the indictment was read, the defense of the lawyers was made. After the debate about whether Pınar Selek’s defense should be made by the French or Turkish authorities, of course, the Turkish courts decided that Pınar Selek’s defense should be made by the Turkish authorities.
The unbearable heaviness of being Pınar Selek
I am sure you are asking yourself what is this they want from Pınar Selek. Why is Pınar Selek perceived as a danger by the establishment?
People like Pınar Selek do not grow easily in these lands. In order to become Pınar Selek, it is necessary to have the courage to question the truths taught to us, one by one. For example, Pınar questions the concept of gender and gender roles, which have been taught in the family for years under the pressure of society. Pınar has supported the LGBTI+ movement since the beginning of the struggle. You should listen to Esmeray, who is now a TİP MP, about how she embraced trans people. Pınar questions discussions around national identity. She rejects the uniform Turkish identity imposed on us, and approaches identities in a pluralistic and embracing way. She defends the rights of Kurds, Armenians and all the peoples of these lands.
Pınar does not judge the other, she just tries to understand. She embraces the victims her big heart. Pınar is a woman who has crowned her intellectual background with conscience and humanism. Her mind and conscience, her thoughts and enthusiasm always go hand in hand. It is precisely for these reasons that being Pınar Selek has an unbearable weight in Turkey.
As a friend and fan of Pınar, I closely followed how she was organized during this trial. The Still Witness Platform came together for this case again. When two of Pınar’s friends, Karin Karakaşlı and Yasemin Öz, talk about their friendship with her at the press conference, you realize how privileged it is to be Pınar’s friend.
We have already won
When we asked Pınar to evaluate this process with her loving and enthusiastic voice, she replied: “We have already won. Lots of young people write to me, I get hundreds of messages a day; I realized that as long as I continue to resist, as long as I don’t get caught in the agenda of this case, as long as I don’t let them set my agenda; As long as I don’t lose the energy inside me, as long as I continue and be patient, I see the reward. Sometimes we see the results, sometimes we don’t, but now I see the fruits of my labor and I am very happy because of that.”
Pınar’s promise “We will bring justice for everyone” was also very valuable.
Pınar, who said that we won in the process after all she went through, gave us hope. As I mentioned in our interview, we actually need people like Pınar. We need people who question, do not accept what is imposed on them, do this with solidarity and always question the system. I believe that after May 14, Pınar will return to her hometown and we will establish a new Turkey, a new democracy and a new feminism together.