This trial is the latest episode to emerge from one of the fundamental principles laid down at the founding of the Turkish state in 1923: its centralist, uniformising nature, which refuses to acknowledge religious, linguistic and ethnic differences. One language, one religion and one ethnic identity were imposed, and the army was set up to forcefully impose this reality of the country.  Repressive policies of assimilation rather than integration have been implemented, and their failure is evidenced by thousands of victims.

Iñigo Iturrate, a Member of Parliament for the Basque National/ Euzko Abertzaleak group, has attended the trial in Diyarbakir to express the solidarity of EAJ-PNV with the accused and argue for the cessation of repression and the restoration of freedom.

Movements to open up to the development of the Kurdish language and culture have been hesitant, but the wave of repression against Kurdish activists has gained strength.  In fact, Turkey is second only to Russia in the number of suits for violation of rights filed against it in the European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe. Most of them were filed from the Kurdish provinces.