towards the Directorate of Religious Affairs, marked by the "Thank-you Letter" above and the fact that in addition to other government departments, he arranged for copies of the defence speeches to be sent also to them. In fact, previous to their arrests. and subsequently. he sent students to them to seek their co-operation.

• The Trial Continues

Another fact supporting the claim that the trial was an officially-backed conspiracy against Bediuzzaman and the Risale-i Nur movement was that he was denied all sorts of legal rights in the trial. In addition to being denied access to such important documents as the report, he was even frequently denied the right to speak in the Court itself. His being totally isolated for the first eleven months of his imprisonment, during the trial, was clearly both to prevent him receiving information and assisting with his students. Thus, he was also often not allowed anyone to assist him with the writing out of his defence. Of course. Bediuzzaman never learnt The Latin alphabet, so he was dependent on his students or others for the reading of all official documents, and also the writing of any document or letter that had to be presented to the Court or authorities. As with his dress, he refused to compromise. Since the Ottoman script was now illegal and invalid, when his signature was necessary on official papers. they used either his finger-print or a rubber-stamp with his name on it in the new letters.
Nevertheless, Bediuzzaman and his students were not in any way intimidated by the wrongs and injustices they suffered. A gendarme who served both in Emirdag and Afyon Court, called lbrahim Mengüverli, described how on one occasion Bediuzzaman rose to speak in Court, and continued for two hours. Then. when the Judge told him that was enough.. "Bediuzzaman grew exceedingly angry, traced a circle in the air with his hand and jabbed his forefinger at the Judge, saying:
" `I have the right to speak for eight hours. I'll speak for as long; as I want.' "
There were three lawyers who acted as defence lawyers: for