There is no justice or democracy in German courts, but the eyes of comrades only show love, hope and belief
A classic of lawlessness – the Anatolian Federation trial
The trial of Anatolian Federation members in Stuttgart High State Court continued on November 11, and it was seen that the court and the prosecution had determined its direction long before based on agreements with Turkey and the USA.
Grup Yorum folk songs in the courtroom
At the hearing, the BKA (Federal Criminal Office) called as a witness a German police officer of Turkish origin and he started making claims about the music group Grup Yorum. The police witness said he knew Grup Yorum well (!) as an opposition music group, that it had been present at a number of illegal actions in Turkey and held concerts in Germany in which tens of thousands of people took part and it was necessary to call all this “terrorist activities”. As an excuse he presented some sections of the 2013 and 2014 “One voice, one heart against racism” concerts held in Germany and shown on Youtube and said these images were proof. Concert videos were brought together for the court and the prosecution and these were said to be “folk songs of terrorism supporters”, and the slogans shouted and the speeches by Grup Yorum were described as propaganda, as was the “giant red flag” and the banners of the People’s Front and Dev-Genc (Revolutionary Youth), according to the BKA’s policeman.
After a short pause for the prisoners’ lawyers to evaluate them, the videos were shown.
“Oh Kizildere Valley”
The first video shown was enough to bring smiles and happiness to the faces of the prisoners. It was presented as a “criminal exhibit”. It was “Oy dere Kizildere” (“Oh Kizildere Valley”), a popular folk song. At this point, one of the Free Prisoners, Muzaffer Dogan, asked to be able to question the policeman and with some surprised looks from the court members he began to do so in German:
Muzaffer Dogan: Do you know the story of the events behind the Kizildere folk song?
Policeman: No.
MD: You said it was a Grup Yorum song. Actually it is a very well-known people’s folk song first set to music in the 1970s by minsterls like Sah Turna, Zulfu Livaneli and other artists. Do you not know what belongs to Yorum and what does not?
Policeman: No, I didn’t know.
MD: You said you know Grup Yorum well. But you don’t know who the songs they sing belong to and you don’t know when they were composed.
Policeman: I did not say I knew them well.
MD: No, you said it and I made a note of it, so you are lying!
At this point the judge and the prosecutor interrupted with the aim of protecting the policeman. When the interpreter only translated the line, “Do not suppose that one day there will be no reckoning from the fascists”, Muzaffer Dogan again intervened and asked why the whole folk song was not translated. The interpreter said he did not understand all the words and moreover had not taken notes. Muzaffer Dogan warned the interpreter that it was necessary to interpret the whole of the folk song. When the defence lawyers intervened the song was heard for a second time and a complete translation made.
The second “criminal exhibit” put forward by the policeman was a Grup Yorum video and for the third time Muzaffer Dogan wanted to speak, saying he wanted to question the BKA’s policeman, and without waiting for the court to give permission he lined up his questions:
MD: Up to now, have you heard the names Nazim Hikmet, Pablo Neruda, Pir Sultan Abdal, Zulfu Livaneli and Theodorakis?
Policeman: I have heard of some of them but I do not know who they are.
MD: They are well-known artists, poets and minstrels. The song sung by Grup Yorum has lyrics by Pablo Neruda which are not by Grup Yorum!
After an afternoon break the hearing resumed. The court could not conceal its unease over Muzaffer’s questioning of the policeman and warned the defence lawyers. They replied that there was no other way of knowing whether the interpretation was wrong or had untranslated parts and said they found nothing wrong with his intervention.
The defence lawyers stressed that in Germany the constitution guarantees freedom of artistic expression while in this case a music group was accused of “terrorist activities” and statements contrary to the constitution, but they objected that there were oppositional music groups in Germany and in the videos shown, with the “giant red flag” and other banners, there was nothing that could substantiate the claims being made, and the speeches of Grup Yorum were part of the Gezi Park resistance and this was a people’s resistance supported by people in Turkey and indeed the whole world, and a number of young people had lost their lives, been left handicapped or had been imprisoned. And the whole world knew this.
The prosecutor said that the Neo-Nazi music band Landser had been prosecuted, which caused the defence lawyers to protest at a group like Yorum being compared to a far right band. One of the lawyers had an argument with the prosecutor and left the court, resulting in a short recess. After this a date was set for the next hearing, 9:30 on November 13. And on that day the examples of illegality continued.
German imperialism’s courts consider thinking, the singing of songs and affection for comrades to be a crime. It is a crime to write to prisoners or to say “hello” to them.
They want to intimidate. They want you to think, if you organise a concert, if you listen to Grup Yorum songs, this is where you will end up. They say, forget sharing a cup of tea, forget whole-hearted smiles, forget embracing your comrades! Forget the traditions of Anatolia, forget standing up for those you love!
But they are wrong! We are honourable and from the people! We come from a culture where there is a 40 year memory of even a cup of coffee!
Our comrades will step into the line of fire to save other comrades! We do not refuse to support friends and comrades!
In the German courts it is certain that they will show films but there is no justice or democracy! But there are eyes gazing with longing and love at comrades. They say to them, “We are on your side,” giving comrades strength, and there is the tradition of revolutionary prisoners resisting and not surrendering.
[highlight]From socialist magazine Yuruyus, No.444, November 23, 2014, translated from Turkish[/highlight]
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