Q&A: Ocalan trial at a glance 

Q: Where is the trial being held? A: The trial is taking place in a converted cinema on the prison island of Imrali, some 55 kilometers (35 miles) south of Istanbul. Ocalan is the only inmate on the island. Lawyers, journalists, Ocalan's relatives and families of Turks slain in the fighting will be transported to the island each day. 

Q: How long is the trial anticipated to last? A: The trial started on May 31 and is expected to end before a judicial recess on July 20. Trial proceedings are usually lengthy in Turkey, with one-month intervals between each hearing, but the court has decided to hold hearings in the Ocalan trial on consecutive days. 

Q: At which court is Ocalan facing trial? A: Ocalan is standing before the Ankara State Security Court (DGM) No. 2, which decided to continue court proceedings on the island of Imrali because of concerns for the security of the separatist terrorist PKK chieftain. DGMs are empowered by the Turkish Constitution to handle matters relating to national security. A military judge sits on each court's three-member judicial panel. The European Court of Human Rights and human rights groups have criticized the courts, saying they are not independent. The Turkish government is considering removing the military judge from the panel. Such a development, however, requires a Constitutional amendment, and the Nationalist Motherleft coalition government, which came to power only last weekend, has not yet begun the process of trying to amend the 1982 military-engineered Constitution. 

Q: What are the charges Ocalan faces? A: Ocalan has been charged with treason for threatening the unity of the state, which carries the death penalty. He is being held responsible for the death of some 30,000 Turkish nationals who lost their lives in PKK-related violence. 

Q: Is Ocalan's right to defense being recognized? A: Ocalan is represented by a team of team of lawyers. Lawyers representing the families of victims of PKK terror are also attending the trial. 

Q: Is Ocalan provided with adequate security measures? A: On the first day of the trial, Ocalan sat behind a specially constructed bomb- and bullet-proof transparent cage. This arrangement will continue in the subsequent hearings. In addition, the court has ordered beefed-up security controls for all the journalists, relatives of PKK victims, representatives of diplomatic missions, foreign parliamentarians and others who are allowed to attend the court sessions. 

Q: Are there any foreign observers at Ocalan's trial? A: Turkish law on legal proceedings does not allow foreigners or Turks to attend court sessions with the status of observer. Thus, although some foreign parliamentarians are being allowed to attend the court sessions, they are not being given observer status.