What is the Permanent People’s Tribunal against Turkey?
The PPT on Rojava vs. Turkey is a judicial platform established to investigate and expose to the public the crimes committed by the Turkish State and its paramilitary forces since the occupation of Afrin in 2018 up to the present day.
This People’s Tribunal is organized by:
- The Committee of Justice and Law
- Department of Foreign Relations and The Committee of Justice and Law of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES)
- The Center for Research and Protection of Women’s Rights
- Human rights organizations in Al-Jazira and Afrin
- MAF-DAD e.V (Association for Democracy and International Law)
- ELDH (European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights)
- IADL (International Association of Democratic Lawyers)
- The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)
- The Kurdish Institute of Brussels
- And the Free University of Brussels (VUB).
And the following PPT judges are going to take part:
- Giacinto Bisogni (Italy)
- José Elías Esteve Moltó (Spain)
- Frances Gail Webber (UK)
- Domenico Gallo (Italy)
- Gabrielle Lefévre (Brussels)
- Rashida Manjoo (South Africa)
- Czarina Musni (Spain)
Why a people’s tribunal?
Since the beginning of the war in Syria, the northeastern region of the country, including Rojava, has stood out for its inclusive, democratic, and egalitarian societal model. This unique initiative has successfully brought together Kurds, Arabs, Yazidis, Christians, and other minorities under a spirit of peaceful coexistence, based on principles of autonomy, women’s rights, cultural diversity, and social justice.
The Turkish State and its militias have regularly attacked this region with the aim of dismantling this model, depopulating the area, and conducting ethnic cleansing. However, no significant efforts have been made within the framework of international law to address these attacks, nor has a mechanism been established to hold them accountable. Therefore, the need for a people’s tribunal arose to document the facts from the perspective of victims, witnesses, and experts, and to condemn them in the court of public opinion.
Are there precedents for similar people’s tribunals?
People’s tribunals have a long history. Many communities have resorted to them in the face of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. This tribunal draws inspiration from the Russell Tribunal of 1967, which exposed war crimes in Vietnam, and the Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT), established in Italy in 1979.
The Rojava Permanent People’s Tribunal is conducted with the support of the PPT. In March 2018, a similar tribunal was organized in Paris against the Turkish State, addressing crimes committed against the Kurdish people, including the assassination of three Kurdish women revolutionaries in 2013. The verdict was presented two months later in a session at the European Parliament.
Why focus on the war crimes of the AKP-MHP regime?
Since 2015, the AKP-MHP regime has implemented an extermination policy against the Kurdish people, inspired by the “Sri Lanka model,” which targeted the Tamil population. This approach, known as the “Collapse Strategy,” has been applied not only to the Kurdish people in northern Kurdistan within Turkey but also to Rojava and southern Kurdistan. Advanced weaponry, including drones, chemical weapons, and prohibited gases, has been used indiscriminately against civilians, with no obstacles or reactions from international powers.
What specific war crimes are being investigated?
The investigation focuses on crimes committed since the occupation of Afrin in 2018. These include the forced displacement of civilians, bombing of residential areas, schools, and homes, torture, extrajudicial executions, gender-based violence and rape, ecological crimes, destruction of historical and religious sites, and damage to essential infrastructure like electricity, gas facilities, food supplies, and drinking water.
How will the trial in Rojava against Turkey be conducted?
The tribunal will adhere to the principles of fairness and procedural rigor. A jury of experts will analyze evidence presented by witnesses, victims, and specialists. An international team of prosecutors will prepare the indictment, and the jury will issue a summary judgment followed by a detailed and reasoned decision.
While the tribunal’s decisions are not legally binding, they will contribute to documenting the truth, raising awareness among the international public, and shaping future legal processes.
Who will participate in the tribunal?
In addition to the jury, prosecutors, witnesses, and experts, the tribunal will involve international civil society organizations, intellectuals, political figures, human rights advocates, lawyers, and representatives of various communities.
How can we support the Rojava People’s Tribunal against Turkey?
You can apply to participate by attending the tribunal and disseminating its findings within your community. You can also support the tribunal by following and sharing its activities on social media:
- Twitter: @rojavaTribunal
- Instagram: @rojava.tribunal
Civil and political institutions that support the Tribunal: