Photos & Video From the Free Berivan Protest

Armenian and Kurdish Youth Demonstrate For Human Rights at Turkish Consulate in LA

LOS ANGELES–Armenian and Kurdish youth surrounded the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles on March 24, protesting to expose the plight of  a 15 year old Kurdish girl jailed in Turkey on trumped-up charges of “terrorism.”

Berivan, detained this past October at a pro-Kurdish rally in the Turkish city of Batman, was charged with shouting slogans and throwing stones. Despite denying these accusations and explaining that she was not part of the rally, Berivan was sent to jail for eight years. There are currently hundreds of other Kurdish children in Turkish jails for similarly false accusations and minor offenses.

The demonstration was organized by the United Human Rights Council in conjunction with the Armenian Youth Federation, ARF Shant Student Association, American Kurdish Information Network, Kurdish American Youth Organization and Kurdish Community of Southern California.

Ralph Fertig, a well-known nonviolent activist and professor at USC, spoke  at the protest. Fertig is a plaintiff in a current U.S. Supreme Court case that will determine whether speaking out on behalf of the Kurds constitutes support for terrorism under U.S. law.

Below are photos and videos from the demonstration: