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E-mail: info.turk@ping.be
Chief Editor /Rédacteur en chef:
Dogan Özgüden - Responsible editor/Editrice responsable:
Inci Tugsavul
23e Année - N°247
March/Mars 1999
INTERIOR POLITICS/POLITIQUE
INTERIEURE
STATE TERRORISM/TERREUR
DE L'ETAT
PRESSURE ON
THE MEDIA/PRESSIONS SUR LES MEDIAS
KURDISH QUESTION/QUESTION
KURDE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC/SOCIO-ECONOMIQUE
RELATIONS
WITH THE WEST/RELATIONS AVEC L'OUEST
MIGRATION/IMMIGRATION
BELGIQUE-TURQUIE/BELGIUM-TURKEY
EN BREF/IN BRIEF
INTERIOR POLITICS/POLITIQUE
INTERIEURE
21
political parties taking part in April 18 elections
More than 35 million electors of Turkey will vote on April 18, 1999,
for electing as well 550 members of the National Assembly as municipal
and local council and mayors. A number of maneuvres to prevent pro-Kurdish
HADEP and pro-islamist FP from taking part in elections having failed,
twenty-one political parties are running for the most complicated elections
of the Republican history.
In the right, twelve political parties have entered electoral campaign.
In 1995 elections, six right-wing parties had gained 69.79 percent of the
votes and obtained 425 deputies in the 550-seat National Assembly. This
time, twelve parties are racing for sharing about 70 percent right-wing
votes.
According to recent estimations, three of the right-wing parties
(FP, ANAP and DYP) again have the chance to enter the Parliament. Although
two extreme-right parties, MHP and BBP, also claim a share in the new assembly,
only MHP is recognized a chance if it can climb over the 10% national treshold.
As for the left, among nine political parties, only three (DSP, CHP
and HADEP) may claim a share in about 30 percent left-wing votes. There
is no doubt that Prime Minister Ecevit's DSP has the biggest chance in
the left.
The CHP, the oldest political party of the Republic which had undergone
an unprecedented defeat in 1995 elections is fighting for not falling under
the 10% national treshold.
As for the pro-Kurdish HADEP, it faces as well the problem of climbing
over the 10 percent national treshold, although all observers see it as
the first political power in the Kurdish provinces.
In fact, despite all repressive practices it underwent such as arrests,
raids on meetings, assassinations prior to the 1995 elections, the HADEP's
percentage had reached 54.35% in Hakkari, 46.47% in Diyarbakir, 37.40%
in Batman, 27.77% in Van, 26.68% in Siirt, 25.86% in Sirnak, 22.01% in
Mardin, 21.70% in Igdir, 18.04% in Agri, 17% in Tunceli, 16.77% in Mus
and 13.61% in Sanliurfa. In many of these provinces, the combined vote
of two or three of the major parties was less than that of HADEP. However,
24 HADEP candidates elected by the people could not enter the Parliament
because of the national 10 percent threshold.
This time, repressive measures against HADEP have been increased,
its leaeders imprisoned and a nation-wide campaign organized for destroying
its electoral chance.
On the other hand, the fact that six other left-wing parties (ODP,
IP, DBP, EMEP, BP and SIP) refused to establish an electoral alliance as
well with HADEP as among themselves has destroyed to a great extent a representation
of the radical left in the National Assembly.
If the CHP and HADEP cannot overpass the national 10 percent treshold,
their votes will serve to increase the seats of DSP or FP in the National
Assembly.
Even in the case of such a failure in legislative elections, HADEP
and CHP will no doubt obtain seats in municipal elections. Especially in
Turkish Kurdistan, many cities will be administrated after the elections
by the Kurdish leaders elected on HADEP tickets if the militarists tolerate
such a thing.
Below is the table of the political parties running for 1999 elections
with the indication of the votes obtained by those parties who had participated
in preceding elections.
Right-wing parties:
DTP (Democratic Turkey Party)
DEPAR (Party of Changing Turkey)
BBP (Grand Union Party)**
DEHAP (Democratic People's Party)
DP (Democratic Party)
LDP (Liberal Democratic Party)
Left-wing parties:
DSP Democratic Left Party): Votes in 1995: 4,118,025 (14.64%); Seats:
76
CHP (Republican People's Party): Votes in 1995: 3,011,076 (10.71%);
Seats: 49
HADEP (People's Democracy Party): Votes in 1995: 1,171,623 (4.17%)
IP (Workers' Party): 61,428 (0.22%)
Other left-wing parties that participate
in legislative elections for the first time:
ODP (Freedom and Solidarity Party)
DBP (Democracy and Peace Party)
EMEP (Party of the Labour)
BP (Peace Party)
SIP (Socialist Power Party)
_____________________________________________________________________
*) FP had participated in 1995 elections as RP (Welfare Party) which
was later closed down by the Constitutional Court.
**) BBP leaders had participated in 1995 elections on ANAP ticket.
HADEP autorisé
à participer aux législatives
La Cour constitutionnelle a autorisé lundi le Parti pro-kurde
de la Démocratie du Peuple (Hadep), accusé de liens étroits
avec la rébellion kurde, à participer aux élections
municipales et législatives du 18 avril, a rapporté l'agence
Anatolie.
La Cour constitutionnelle a rejeté à l'unanimité
une demande d'interdiction de participer à ces élections
déposée par le procureur de la Cour de Cassation turque,
Vural Savas, qui accuse le Hadep d'être contrôlé par
le PKK d'Abdullah Ocalan.
Le Hadep continue toutefois de faire l'objet, depuis fin janvier,
d'une procédure d'interdiction pour "liens organiques" avec le Parti
des travailleurs du Kurdistan, également lancée par Vural
Savas.
Depuis longtemps, le Hadep était dans le collimateur de la
justice turque. Plusieurs procès sont en cours devant la Cour de
Sûreté de l'Etat contre lui et ses dirigeants.
Après la capture le 15 février à Nairobi d'Abdullah
Ocalan, ramené le jour suivant par un commando turc en Turquie pour
y être jugé, des centaines de membres du Hadep avaient été
interpellés par la police à Istanbul et à Diyarbakir,
chef lieu du Sud-est anatolien à majorité kurde.
Son chef, Murat Bozlak, est emprisonné depuis la mi-novembre.
Le Hadep, créé en mai 1994, avait succédé
à un autre Parti pro-kurde, celui de la Démocratie (DEP),
qui avait été interdit un mois plus tard.
Le Hadep avait obtenu quelque 4,5% des voix lors des législatives
de 1995. Il n'est pas représenté au parlement faute d'avoir
franchi la barre des 10% des voix. Mais dans le Sud-est, il avait obtenu
à certains endroits jusqu'à 54% des voix (à Hakkari).
(AFP, 8 mars 1999)
RP and MGV Executives on Trial
Ankara SSC Prosecution Office launched a trial against Necmettin
Erbakan, the Chairperson of the Welfare Party which was closed by the Constitutional
Court, and executive members of the RP, the National Youth Foundation (MGV)
and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD).
In the indictment, Necmettin Erbakan was accused of "getting in touch
with pro-Kurdish Islamic organizations" during the period he served as
prime minister.
According to the indictment, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan said the
following regarding Necmettin Erbakan in his testimony to the prosecutor
on 22 February 1999: ìAfter Necmettin Erbakan was assigned as Prime Minister
in 1996, he sent me a message via Mervan Zerti, with the code name A_a,
who is very close to the Syrian government, and via my man in Syria, with
the code name Delil. In his message, he stated that they would bring economical,
political and cultural improvements in the Southeast, and he demanded peace
and a cease-fire for this reason. And I replied him with a letter sent
via the same persons. I declared that I regarded his proposal as positive,
and accepted it."
The indictment demanded the closure of the MGV and the MUSIAD on
the claims that these were "organizations bringing up pro-Sheria (Islamic
law) militants."
The indictment sought the death penalty for Ahmet Tekdal, the former
Deputy Chairperson of the RP, and Sevki Yilmaz, Hasan Huseyin Ceylan and
Ibrahim Halil Celik, former MPs with the same. The case files against Necmettin
Erbakan, Sevket Kazan, the former Deputy Chairperson of the RP, and Oguzhan
Asilturk, Omer Vehbi Hatipoglu and Zeki Ergezen, MPs with the Virtue Party
(FP), were separated as their prosecution requires a different proceeding.
(Cumhuriyet-Radikal-TIHV, March 16, 1999)
Ufuk Uras taken
into custody, later released
In Istanbul, police have taken into custody about 100 Freedom
and Solidarity Party (ODP) officials who met in front of Istanbul
University's Faculty of Pharmacology in Beyazit Square yesterday
to commemorate events that took place on March 16, 1978 in which
seven students died and 41 were injured.
The group, including Party Chairman Ufuk Uras and high-level
party officials, were put in cars and brought to the Political Division
of the Istanbul Police. They were later released.
ODP general headquarters issued an announcement condemning the
detention, stating that ODP members had only met for a commemoration
and that the behavior of security forces against a party leader was
unjustifiable. (Turkish Daily News, March 17, 1999)
Turkish generals menace again!
Turkey's military once again menaced parliament which is discussing
the possibility to postpone legislative elections so as to lift some of
anti-democratic articles in Turkish legislation.
In interview to the daily Hurriyet of March 18, 1999, Chief of General
Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu said: "We are worried delaying elections
will open the way to chaos. Postponement would carry with it too many questions
marks."
Recently, a group of dissident MPs had managed to force the recall
of parliament with the aim of postponing the elections.
They were helped by the Islamist opposition who hoped to use their
strength as the biggest party in parliament to bargain with the government
and repeal article 312 of the penal code used to prosecute their leaders
for sedition.
"The softening of article 312 (covering sedition) will create chaos.
The country cannot allow it," said General Kivrikoglu.
The Chief of Staff also condemned the proposals to lift notorious
Article 8 of the Turkish Penal Code.
It is because of these two anti-democratic articles that many distinguished
intellectuals, writers and political activists are still suffering in Turkish
prisons.
Entirely depended on the military, both President Demirel and Prime
Minister Ecevit immediately supported General's remarks and claimed that
the Army has full right to pronounce on political matters and that the
politicians should act accordingly.
Le
parti islamiste turc menacé par une demande de fermeture
La première étape d'une possible dissolution du parti
islamiste de la Vertu, première formation au parlement turc, s'est
ouverte lundi avec une demande de fermeture du Fazilet déposée
par un procureur auprès de la Cour de Cassation.
Le procureur de la Cour de Sûreté de l'Etat d'Ankara
(DGM), Nuh Mete Yuksel, a demandé l'interdiction du Fazilet au parquet
de la Cour de Cassation, pour "avoir agi en violation de la loi sur les
partis politiques".
Cette demande peut aboutir à l'ouverture d'une information
judiciaire par le procureur général de la Cour de Cassation
Vural Savas, et à terme à la dissolution du Fazilet. Elle
n'empêche toutefois en rien le Fazilet de participer aux élections
législatives et municipales du 18 avril.
M. Savas a déjà envoyé une lettre à la
présidence du parlement pour demander une liste des députés
de l'ex-Refah qui ont rejoint les rangs du Fazilet, selon l'agence Anatolie.
Vural Savas avait lancé une information judidiciaire en mai
1997 contre le Parti islamiste de la Prospérité (Refah) de
l'ex-Premier ministre islamiste Necmettin Erbakan alors que celui-ci était
au pouvoir à la tête d'une coalition gouvernementale à
dominante islamiste.
Cette procédure avait entraîné l'interdiction
du Refah en janvier 1998 pour "activités anti-laïques" par
la Cour constitutionnelle habilitée à dissoudre les partis
politiques.
Dans un document adressé au procureur général
de la Cour de Cassation, M. Yuksel affirme que le Fazilet a violé
l'article 95 de la loi sur les partis politiques, selon lequel les dirigeants
d'un parti politique dissous ne peuvent pas être membres d'une autre
formation politiques.
Or 21 cadres de l'ex-Refah sont devenus membres des instances dirigeantes
du Fazilet à sa formation le 17 décembre 1997, souligne le
document.
Il fait également référence à l'article
68 de la Constitution turque, qui interdit à une formation politique
de devenir le successeur d'un parti politique dissous.
Cette démarche du procureur de la DGM intervient au moment
où les députés du Fazilet tentent, ces derniers jours,
d'obtenir une modification de loi afin d'abolir l'interdiction de politique
pendant cinq ans prononcée par la justice contre M. Erbakan. Le
procureur y voit un lien supplémentaire entre le dirigeant du parti
dissous et le Fazilet. (AFP, 22 mars 1999)
Kurdish
Candidates Hindered in Turkish Election Campaign
The Turkish government has resorted to a variety of methods to hinder
Kurdish candidates from campaigning for office in the general elections
scheduled for 18 April. In recent weeks, security forces have prevented
Kurdish candidates, independent journalists, and election observers from
entering the Kurdish-populated region under a State of Emergency. More
than 4,000 Kurdish activists, including many candidates, have been rounded
up and detained. Other candidates are being forbidden access to their constituencies.
In an interview for the daily newspaper "Cumhuriyet" Hasip Kaplan,
an independent candidate for Parliament from his home town of Sirnak, described
some of the obstacles he has faced so far. Kaplan is one of the lawyers
representing the jailed Kurdish politician Leyla Zana. "24 February was
the last day for registering as a candidate. To register at Sirnak, I first
tried to leave Idil on 22 February. From that moment on the proceedings
began. An armored car and police vehicles parked before the three corners
of my house. On the morning of 23 February I wanted to go...to Sirnak to
file my candidature before the judge in person. But I was stopped and searched
nine times between Idil and Sirnak, which are only 70 km. apart. The car
seats were removed, the trunk was emptied, everything passed through a
fine-toothed comb (, and ) we had to wait an hour at each stop.
"In addition, during the search at Kasrik, some plainclothes policemen
slipped an envelope under one of the seat mats; it contained drugs, fake
dollar notes and identity papers, and a PKK leaflet. Our drivers noticed
this and cleaned out the car. ...10 km. before Sirnak, our identity papers
were confiscated. When I asked why they were keeping them, they replied
that the information computers weren't working and the answers weren't
being returned. I advised the Istanbul Bar Association and the Ministry
of Justice, but was unable to reach Sirnak and had to return to Idil.
"The next day was the last day for registering. On that day, as
soon as I came out of my house I was surrounded by seven police vehicles
and told that I couldn't go to Sirnak, and that they had received special
orders to that effect. I then went to Diyarbekir, to the office of the
High Election Council (YSK). They explained to me that I could register
my candidature through a notary public. I did what was required and deposited
my candidature at the post office for the YSK. ...I was told that the obstacles
were due to a circular from the Prime Minister. The Police Directorate
has been angry with me ever since the Yesilyurt affair in Cizre, as well
as another case regarding Sirnak before the European Court and four more
regarding Idil." [In the "Yesilyurt affair", the European Court of Human
Rights sentenced Turkey to pay financial compensation to villagers who
were forced by security forces to eat excrement. Mr. Kaplan represented
the villagers in court.](Cumhuriyet-IMK-CILDEKT, March 23, 1999)
Istanbul Mayor Erdogan in
prison
Istanbul's former Islamist Mayor Recep Tayyip Erdogan has gone to
prison to serve a conviction for "inciting hatred based on religious differences"
in a speech he made in Siirt nearly a year and a half ago.
Although he twice had the sentence converted into a monetary fine
and postponed, he lost a final appeal and now has to serve 120 days of
a 10-month prison sentence.
Before entering prison, Erdogan spent the day with members of his
political party. He was escorted by a convoy of vehicles numbering in the
hundreds to Eyup Sultan Camii, where an animal was sacrificed and prayers
were offered. From there Erdogan went to Fatih Camii, accompanied by a
crowd of some 2,000 people.
Following the Friday prayer service, Fatih Avenue was closed to traffic
by the police because of the large crowd that had gathered. Then, the 2,000-car
Erdogan convoy set out for the Pinarhisar Prison at Kirklareli where he
will serve his sentence.
The 46-year-old Erdogan himself chose to stay in Pinarhisar Prison. Kirklareli
Pinarhisar has four wards and is only 190 kilometers northwest of Istanbul.
However, Erdogan is to be housed in a section which that has a salon and
a bedroom that have been prepared for him; he will not be in the wards
with the other prisoners there.
Virtue Party (FP) members had the section in which he is staying
painted. A carpet covers the floor and there is a television set, refrigerator
and desk.
In addition Erdogan's food will be brought in from outside. Erdogan's
wife, Emine, is expected to move to Pinarhisar for the duration and three
houses have been rented in the Kirklareli district. Emine Erdogan and Erdogan's
immediate family will be housed in one and the other two will be used for
guests.
Erdogan was bade farewell in Istanbul as if he were the chairman
of the FP. In a statement to the press, he declared: "This is not a farewell.
As I have always said, I hope it is just a pause in a series of songs to
be finished."
In a moving speech, he continued: "I am not saying goodbye. This
is just a pause. We will continue to work on the projects we have worked
on together in the past. The notes that will follow will bring Turkey peace,
love, brotherhood and will continue to unite your love."
Tens of thousands of his supporters chanted, "Turkey is proud of
you," as they saw him off from Istanbul.
Security was tight as the convoy followed Erdogan's car to Pinarhisar.
'We will not turn from our mission'
The speech Erdogan gave that led to his downfall and his prison sentence
was delivered in 1997 in the town of Siirt, in Turkey's troubled Southeast.
The public prosecutor charged Erdogan with "inciting hatred based
on religious differences" at a political rally in Siirt. During his speech,
Erdogan read a poem by nationalist ideologist Ziya Gokalp, in which he
said:
"Our minarets are our bayonets, Our domes are our helmets, Our mosques
are our barracks. We will put a final end to ethnic segregation. No one
can ever intimidate us.
"If the skies and the ground were to open against us. If floods and
volcanoes were to burst, We will not turn from our mission. My reference
is Islam. If I am not able to speak of this, What is the use of living?"
Under the court ruling, Erdogan will be banned from public life forever
and will not be able to take part in politics. Friends of Erdogan, who
is interested in poetry, say he will write a book of poems while in prison.
Erdogan, a former athlete and soccer star, was elected mayor in March
1994 on the Islamist Welfare Party (RP) ticket. When the RP was shut down
in January 1998, he joined the Islamist Virtue Party (FP). He was removed
from office last year.
In his four years as mayor, he speeded up construction of a new subway
system, found new water resources for the city, built new roads and highways
and modernized the fire department.
Until his conviction, he was widely viewed as the man who would eventually
lead the Virtue Party. (TDN, March 27, 1999)
Le parlement turc repart
en vacances
Le parlement turc est reparti jeudi en vacances après une
session extraordinaire de plus de dix jours convoquée à l'initiative
de députés mécontents d'avoir été exclus
des listes de leur parti pour les législatives du 18 avril et soutenus
par les députés islamistes.
Une proposition commune de trois partis politiques pour remettre
en vacances le parlement a été adoptée par les députés
de ces formations, mettant ainsi fin aux réunions de la session
extraordinaire ouverte le 13 mars.
Pendant ces séances, les députés mécontents,
soutenus par les députés du Parti islamiste de la Vertu (Fazilet),
ont tenté de reporter les législatives, et ont déposé
une motion de censure contre le gouvernement minoritaire du Premier ministre
Bulent Ecevit.
Ces tentatives ont été repoussées par les députés
des partis politiques qui soutiennent le gouvernement Ecevit de l'extérieur
sans en faire partie et qui sont fermement en faveur de la tenue des législatives
anticipées le 18 avril.
Les députés islamistes du Fazilet ont de leur côté
tenté en vain d'obtenir une modification de loi en vue d'obtenir
la levée de l'interdiction de politique prononcée par la
justice contre plusieurs de ses cadres, dont l'ex-Premier ministre islamiste
Necmettin Erbakan.
M. Erbakan a été interdit de politique pour cinq ans
après la dissolution de son Parti de la Prospérité
(Refah) en janvier 1998 pour "activités contre la laïcité
de l'Etat".
Le parlement doit se réunir au lendemain du scrutin du 18
avril. (AFP, 25 mars 1999)
STATE TERRORISM/TERREUR
DE L'ETAT
A repressive
circular by the Ministry of Justice
Minister of Justice Selcuk Oztek released a circular, demanding heavy
measures for associations, foundations, publications, persons and organizations
who have the possibility of carrying out activities favoring Abdullah Ocalan,
after the transfer of Ocalan to Turkey. The circular, which was signed
by Selcuk Oztek and sent to the prosecution offices, demanded that ìany
political or cultural initiative which has a separatist context and any
person who attempts to carry out these activities,î should be punished.
The circular reminded the prosecutors that the Anti-Terror Law foresaw
punishment for ìthose who establish terror organizations and organize their
activities, and those who make their propaganda,î and that Article 125
of the Turkish Penal Code foresaw the death penalty for the offense of
ìseparatism.î In the circular, it was stated that the Prime Ministry was
the sole organ entitled to make statements in connection with the investigations
and trials against Abdullah Ocalan, and that the prosecutors should be
on alert on this issue.
The circular demanded the following:
"Actions and statements which aim at weakening the public support
for the security forces in the struggle against separatists circuits should
be hindered; necessary proceedings against persons or foundations, associations
and political parties directly or indirectly make political or cultural
ëseparatismí or support Ocalan should be brought; unauthorized demonstrations
which aim at supporting to the organizational actions in the prisons and
of any kind of organizational actions should be prevented; the activities
by foundations, associations or political parties which aim at taking the
terrorist organization to the political platform should be followed up
and prevented; legal actions for the closure of foundations or associations
which are determined to have carried out separatist activities should be
brought." (Cumhuriyet-Radikal-TIHV, March 3, 1999)
IP Leader Perincek convicted
The trial launched against Dogu Perincek, the Chairperson of the
Worker Party (IP) who is currently on remand in Haymana (Ankara) Prison,
and Aysenur Zarakolu, on charges of ìmaking separatist propagandaî in their
speeches at the Fifth General Congress of the Human Rights Association
(IHD) in 1994, ended at Ankara SSC on 4 March.
In the trial, Dogu Perincek was sentenced to 1 year in prison and
fined TL 100,000,000, whereas Aysenur Zarakolu was acquitted.
In the previous trial at Ankara SSC, Perincek and Zarakolu had each
been sentenced to 1 year in prison and fined TL 100,000,000 on 4 March
1997, but the original decision had been overturned by the Supreme Court
in November 1997. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 5, 1999)
Appel
pour la campagne "Tu n'es pas oublié!"
En Turquie, à l'approche de la fête de sacrifice (du
28 au 31 mars 1999), l'Initiative "Liberté pour la liberté
d'expression" vient de relancer sa campagne "Tu n'es pas oublié!"
pour les prisonniers de conscience dans les prisons turques.
"Les conditions se détériorent sans cesse. En plus
des prisonniers de conscience dans la prison, un nombre grandissant de
gens souffrent des arrestations arbitraires. Ils devraient célébrer
la fête qui vient en prison. La plupart d'entre eux, condamnés
en vertu de "la Loi anti-terreur" ne bénéficieront pas des
"visites ouvertes", c.à.d, ils ne pourront voir leur proches au-delà
des barres de fer sans pouvoir les toucher. Cette pratique constitue une
discrimination flagrante et n'est pas compatible même avec la Constitution
en vigueur." dit M. Sanar Yurdatapan, le porte-parole de l'Initiative.
L'organisation appelle les défenseurs des droits de l'homme
dans le monde à envoyer leur message de solidarité à
un nombre des prisonniers de conscience dont l'adresse se trouve ci-bas:
Hatip Dicle - Député DEP
Ankara Merkez Kapali Cezaevi - Ankara - Turquie
Leyla Zana - Député DEP
Ankara Merkez Kapali Cezaevi - Ankara - Turquie
Orhan Dogan - Député DEP
Ankara Merkez Kapali Cezaevi - Ankara - Turquie
Selim Sadak - Député DEP
Ankara Merkez Kapali Cezaevi - Ankara - Turquie
Murat Bozlak (le président HADEP)
Ankara Gudul Cezaevi - Ankara - Turquie
Ismail Besikci (Sociologue - Ecrivain)
Bursa Ozel Tip Cezaevi - 16013 Bursa - Turquie
Nurettin Sirin (éditeur)
Bandirma Cezaevi - Bandirma - Turquie
Esber Yagmurdereli (juriste-écrivain)
Cankiri Cezaevi - Cankiri - Turquie
Yalcin Kucuk (Ecrivain)
Ankara Merkez Kapali Cezaevi - Ankara - Turquie
Dogu Perincek (Président du parti ouvrier)
Haymana Cezaevi - Haymana - Turquie
Ilknur Birol (enseignant)
Edirne Kapali Cezaevi - Edirne - Turquie
Dogan Guzel (caricaturiste)
Umraniye Cezaevi - Umraniye - Turquie
Les numéros de fax de certaines prisons
Ankara Merkez Kapali Cezaevi (90-312) 319.00.50
Bursa Ozel Tip Cezaevi (90-224) 243.19.70
Cankiri Cezaevi (90-376) 213.24.35
Vous pouvez également envoyer les messages de protestations
aux autorités compétentes en Turquie:
Le Président de la République:
Fax(90-312) 468.63.98
Le Premier ministre
Fax(90-312) 417.04.76
Le ministre de la Justice
Fax(90-312) 417.39.54
Le ministre des affaires étrangères
Fax (90-312) 287.88.11
Veuillez envoyer une copie de vos message aux fax suivants:
Initiative à Istanbul:
Fax: (90-216) 492 05 04 ou 310 11 73
E-mail: antenna@superonline.com
Info-Turk à Bruxelles:
Fax: (32-2) 215 58 60
E-mail: info.turk@ping.be
Police detain
330 people prior to Women's Day
Police detained some 330 people on March 7 in connection with protests
on the eve of the United Nations International Women's Day, Anatolian news
agency said.
In the western city of Izmir, police took into custody 241 people,
mostly women, who were preparing for a demonstration on Monday organised
by Turkey's main legal Kurdish party, the People's Democracy Party (HADEP).
Provincial HADEP leaders were among those detained ahead of an unauthorised
protest which around 2,000 people were expected to attend in a historic
district of the city.
Police set up roadblocks at entrances to the district and detained
protesters as they arrived.
In the city of Izmit, east of Istanbul, some 90 people were held
as they protested outside a court house against the detention of a further
18 people who were appearing at the court.
The initial 18 detainees, who were set free by the court, had been
taken into custody over a statement which union officials made in connection
with Women's Day.
On March 8 last year, police used batons and teargas to disperse
hundreds of people in central Istanbul attending a Women's Day demonstration
backed by HADEP. (Reuters, March 7, 1999)
The guerrilla
claims to have shot down a Sikorsky
The Germany-based DEM news agency said guerrillas loyal to captured
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan shot down the Sikorsky
helicopter on Friday over mountains in Hakkari province, near the border
with Iraq and Iran.
However, Turkish security officials denied claims on Monday by Kurdish
rebels that they had shot down a Turkish military helicopter in the southeast
of the country, killing 20 soldiers.
Turkey has acknowledged losing three troop-carrying Sikorsky helicopters
to rebel fire in the last two years. Most recently the PKK shot one down
close to the Iraqi border in November, killing 16 men.
DEM said one officer was among the 20 killed on Friday. Its written
statement was based on reports from the National Liberation Army of Kurdistan,
the military wing of the PKK.
In a separate unconfirmed report, the news agency said the guerrillas
had killed eight Turkish soldiers in an ambush at Uludere near the border
with Iraq on Sunday. (Reuters, March 8, 1999)
Condamnation
à 15 ans de prison confirmée pour une Allemande
La Cour suprême turque a confirmé le 10 mars la condamnation
à quinze ans de prison d'une Allemande ayant combattu dans les rangs
du PKK. Eva Juhnke, 35 ans, avait été condamnée en
septembre dernier par la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat de Van (est)
pour appartenance à une "organisation terroriste".
Cette condamnation est "conforme à la loi", a estimé
la Cour suprême.
La mère d'Eva Juhnke assistait à l'audience de la Cour,
selon Anatolie.
Eva Juhnke avait été capturée par un groupe
kurde allié à Ankara dans le nord de l'Irak en 1997 et remise
aux forces de sécurité turques.
Juhnke, originaire de Hambourg, a admis s'être engagée
aux côtés des rebelles et avait appelé à la
libération du Kurdistan dans sa défense.
Elle est la première occidentale à avoir été
reconnue coupable d'appartenance au PKK par un tribunal turc.
Selon le PKK, une autre Allemande luttant dans ses rangs, Andrea
Wolf, 33 ans, a été tuée fin octobre par l'armée
turque après une affrontement près de la frontière
avec l'Irak, et son corps enterré peu après par le PKK. (AFP,
10 mars 1999)
600
interpellations à Istanbul en marge d'une manifestation
Près de 600 personnes ont été interpellées
par la police le 12 mars à Istanbul, dans le quartier populaire
de Gazi, en marge d'une manifestation pour commémorer les victimes
d'émeutes en mars 1995 qui avaient fait une quinzaine de morts.
Près de 7.000 policiers ont été déployés
à Gazi et dans les quartiers avoisinants, appuyés par une
unité de 900 soldats.
Plusieurs centaines de manifestants ont défilé dans
le quartier peuplé d'Alévis, une secte musulmane hétérodoxe
et progressiste. Les mères des victimes des émeutes de 1995
marchaient en tête du cortège, portant les portraits de ceux
qui avaient trouvé la mort lors des heurts, a constaté un
photographe de l'AFP.
La police avait dressé des barricades dans les rues menant
à Gazi et contrôlait l'accès au quartier.
En mars 1995, trois personnes avaient été tuées
dans un café fréquenté par des Alévis à
Gazi, par des assaillants armés non identifiés.
Cette attaque avait provoqué pendant plusieurs jours de violentes
émeutes et des affrontements armés entre manifestants de
gauche et forces de sécurité, qui avaient fait au moins 15
morts.
Le chef de la police d'Istanbul, Hasan Ozdemir, cité par l'agence
Anatolie, a indiqué que les forces de sécurité avaient
recu l'ordre de prévenir toute tentative de brandir des symboles
et drapeaux appartenant aux organisations clandestines d'extrême-gauche.
Le mois dernier, Gazi a été de nouveau le théâtre
d'affrontements armés nocturnes entre forces de sécurité
et manifestants qui protestaient contre la capture du chef rebelle kurde,
Abdullah Ocalan, le 15 février à Nairobi. (AFP, 12 mars 1999)
La Turquie
sous le choc après l'attentat d'Istanbul
La Turquie était en état de choc dimanche, après
un attentat contre un centre commercial à Istanbul ayant fait 13
morts la veille, troisième de ce type depuis l'arrestation du chef
rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan.
Des assaillants ont lancé samedi un ou plusieurs cocktail-molotov
contre le centre commercial à Goztepe, dans la partie européenne
d'Istanbul, situé dans un immeuble de six étages. L'incendie
provoqué s'est rapidement propagé aux étages, où
la foule s'est réfugiée pour tenter d'échapper aux
flammes alors que le magasin n'avait pas de sortie de secours, selon les
pompiers.
La plupart des 13 victimes sont mortes asphyxiées par les
émanations de gaz. Six personnes ont été blessés,
dont deux grièvement.
Un groupe kurde inconnu, les "Faucons de le vengance d'Apo", diminutif
d'Abdullah Ocalan, a revendiqué l'attentat auprès d'une chaîne
de télévision, a indiqué dimanche le quotidien à
grand tirage Hurriyet.
Mais la police n'a de son côté fait aucun commentaire.
Cet attentat est le troisième contre un centre commercial
à Istanbul en quatre jours, et le cinquième depuis la capture
le 15 février au Kénya du chef du PKK Ocalan, qui doit être
jugé pour trahison et tentative de diviser le pays et encourt la
peine de mort.
Le PKK avait annoncé le 4 mars, à l'issue de son 6-ème
congrés, qu'il allait "intensifier la guerre" contre l'Etat turc.
Depuis, une série d'attentats a été perpétrée
en Turquie, mais un seul a été revendiqué par le PKK
: le 4 mars, une jeune femme avait perpétré un attentat-suicide
à l'explosif devant un commissariat de police, blessant 4 passants,
à Batman, dans le sud-est à majorité kurde, théâtre
de la rébellion kurde. (AFP, 14 mars 1999)
Officials
hinting at emergency rule in Istanbul
Istanbul Governor Erol Cakir on March 17 announced new security measures
for Istanbul which hint at preparation for emergency rule. The decisions,
which were announced in the Official Gazette, state the rules that every
citizen must observe. The emergency package is in response to the high
death toll in the Mavi Carsi incident which was caused by the lack of a
fire escape ladder.
The Istanbul governor stated that all civilian and regular police
officers, as well as fire and health officials, were on alert in Istanbul.
He added that the law would be respected in the fight against terrorism
and human rights would be protected. Citizens were asked to be careful
when using public transportation and when entering crowded areas and to
report any irregularities to the police.
Here is a list of the security measures taken for Istanbul: The doors
of stadiums, movie theaters and similar buildings will be equipped with
metal detectors within three months. Service sector institutions which
have regular contact with citizens will take precautions against fire and
employ people around the clock to establish security.
The circular published in the Official Gazette notes that there were
important changes in the character of terrorist activities after the capture
of Ocalan. It notes that innocent people became the new target. Private
houses and public places as well as institutions providing economic and
social services were attacked.
The governor's circular states that it is very difficult for security
forces to prevail single-handedly in a huge metropolis like Istanbul which
is beset by problems of unplanned urbanization and illegal construction.
Localities listed under the general rubric of "having regular contact
with the people as a result of athletic, social, economic and other activities"
are shopping centers, large stores, factories and major manufacturing centers,
parking lots, car outlets and plazas, gas stations, LPG outlets, movie
theaters and cultural centers, restaurants, coffee and tea houses, bars,
discotheques, organized residential or shopping districts, bus stops, stadiums,
closed sports facilities, swimming pools, political party headquarters
and offices.
In these places, there will be precautions against fire, security
measures will be taken, metal detectors will be installed where appropriate
and high-level authorities will take responsibility for failures.
Prison sentences for those refusing to comply with these new regulations
will range from three to six months.
The attacks continued in Istanbul. Three assailants, including a
woman, threw firebombs at a billiard parlor in the Kagithane district late
Monday. Luckily, the bombs did not go off and the attackers were quickly
captured and detained by police. (Turkish Daily News, March 17, 1999)
Arrestation
d'Allemands en Turquie: protestation de Bonn
L'ambassadeur de Turquie a dû s'expliquer le 21 mars auprès
du ministère allemand des Affaires étrangères sur
l'arrestation par la police turque de plusieurs ressortissants allemands
et d'Allemands membres d'une délégation d'organisations de
défense des Droits de l'Homme, a annoncé le ministère
dans un communiqué.
Au nom du chef de la diplomatie allemande, Joschka Fischer, le secrétaire
d'Etat aux Affaires étrangères, Wolfgang Ischinger, s'est
entretenu avec l'ambassadeur turc, Tugay Ulucevik, et lui a demandé
des explications sur les conditions de l'arrestation d'Allemands, dont
le nombre n'a pas été précisé, à l'occasion
de la célébration de la fête du Newroz, samedi et dimanche
à Istanbul. (Six ressortissants allemands ont été
placés en garde à vue à Nusaybin (sud-est) pour avoir
tenté d'entrer dans la ville par des voies illégales, a indiqué
dimanche une source turque locale).
M. Ischinger a réclamé "un éclaircissement rapide"
de cette affaire et a "attiré l'attention" de l'ambassadeur "sur
l'importance d'un traitement absolument correct" des personnes arrêtées.
Le ministère, dans son communiqué, indique que l'ambassadeur
turc "s'était engagé à aider à la solution"
de cette affaire.
De nombreux incidents ont opposé samedi et dimanche en Turquie
les forces de l'ordre à des manifestants favorables au PKK à
l'occasion de la célébration de la fête du Newroz.
Plusieurs centaines de personnes ont été interpellées
et une dizaine de policiers, ainsi que plusieurs dizaines de manifestants
ont été blessés, dont certains par balles.
A l'occasion du Newroz, la sécurité a été
considérablement renforcée en Turquie, notamment dans le
sud-est anatolien à majorité kurde, théâtre
depuis 1984 de la rébellion du PKK. Cette fête païenne
d'origine zoroastrienne annonce le réveil de la nature avec l'équinoxe
de printemps, le 21 mars. (AFP, 21 mars 1999)
8,000
Detained in Turkey during Newroz Celebrations
According to the Turkish Human Rights Association (IHD), more than
8,000 people were detained throughout Turkey during the Kurdish New Yearís
festival Newroz on March 21 ? a far larger number than the official police
figure of 2,474. Journalists and observer delegations from abroad were
denied access to Kurdish cities, but reports of massive repression by the
Turkish security forces trickled in from Turkish NGOs and human-rights
organizations throughout the day.
Newroz, which means "new day", is a traditional Middle Eastern festival
celebrating the return of spring which involves singing, dancing, and jumping
over bonfires to symbolize burning away the memories of the past. For the
Kurds, Newroz has the additional overtones of cultural self-assertion and
defiance of oppression. This yearís Newroz was particularly tense, as Turkish
authorities have tightened security throughout the Kurdish region since
the 16 February capture of Abdullah Ocalan, head of the Kurdistan Workersí
Party (PKK).
Well in advance of the date, the Super-Governor of the Kurdish-populated
region under a State of Emergency banned public Newroz celebrations and
forbade foreign journalists and international observers to enter the region.
Thousands of soldiers and policemen lined the streets of the Kurdish metropolis
of Diyarbakir in south-eastern Anatolia. Scores of army personnel carriers
also moved in even before the residents had awakened in Kurdish districts
of the city. In Istanbul, where about three million Kurds now live, the
police took about one hundred people into preventive detention on 20 March.
Clashes broke out nonetheless in many cities between policemen and
Kurds trying to celebrate. In Kurdish districts of Istanbul, hundreds of
riot police charged groups chanting pro-Ocalan slogans. Paramilitary Ñspecial
teamì officers fired warning shots above the crowds and laid siege to suspected
hideouts of the protesters. Newspapers said it was the first time that
Ñspecial teamì officers, created to carry out Ñanti-terroristì operations
in the mainly Kurdish Southeast, had been deployed so extensively in a
major city of western Turkey. Numerous people were injured in the clashes,
and Aziz Akinti was killed under circumstances that remain unclear. According
to the Secretary General of the IHD, Husnu Ondul, the police chief of Istanbul
had ordered police officers to shoot at persons participating in illegal
demonstrations. In one such incident in the Gazi neighbor-hood, policemen
shot at Kurds who had lit a Newroz bonfire; three persons, including a
ten-year-old boy, were wounded, according to Dutch and Belgian observers.
Nearly 1,700 people were taken into police custody.
In Adana, the police used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse
a crowd of about a hundred people. More than a hundred people, including
many children, were injured and 200 people were reportedly detained in
Batman, where the police raided and destroyed many Kurdish homes. In Batman
province, fifty children and teenagers were detained. In Ankara, about
one hundred people were detained. According to the IHD, many of them have
been tortured in police custody.
The clashes in Diyarbakir were especially fierce. In addition to
the massive presence of security forces, combat helicopters circled the
city all day. Not only the city itself but individual neighborhoods were
closed off with police roadblocks. Despite the ban on public meetings,
local Newroz celebrations took place in almost every neighborhood. After
being attacked by soldiers and policemen, the celebrations quickly became
streetfights in which numerous people were injured. Nearly 4,000 people
were detained by the police. The detainees included the chairman of the
Party for Democracy and Peace (DBP) Refik Karakoc, all the members of the
partyís executive board, and its candidates for the cityís municipal elections,
who were seized by police as they distributed carnations to potential voters.
According to Husnu Ondul, a de facto state of emergency exists
in Istanbul and other Turkish cities with a large Kurdish population. In
the Istanbul neighborhoods that are mainly populated by Kurds, police
cars and uni formed policemen have been demonstratively present in the
daytime; at night, armored police vehicles patrol the streets. Ondul also
pointed out that despite the fact that an election campaign is in progress,
an absolute ban on public meetings has been declared not only in the Kurdish
provinces but in the whole of Turkey.
Another IHD spokesperson, the lawyer Eren Keskin, said: ÑIf local
governors had allowed public celebrations to go ahead, this festival would
not have become drenched in blood.ì
About eighty European observers came to Turkey in advance of the
holiday in delegations from France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands,
Austria, and the Scandinavian countries. Many of them were turned back
upon their arrival at Turkish airports or detained by the police for several
hours or overnight. German delegates reported that police guards had reached
though the bars with their truncheons to beat detainees in crowded cells.
A German citizen of Kurdish origin was detained in Malatya on charges of
desertion from the Turkish army although he had already completed his alternative
service in Germany. (IMK, 25.3.1999, Forum for Peace and Democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan, 21.3.99; Berliner Zeitung, Milliyet, Reuters, Turkish
Daily News, 22.3.99; Frankfurter Rundschau, 22, 23.3.99)
L'oléoduc
turco-irakien touché par un attentat à l'explosif
Un attentat à l'explosif a été perpétré
dimanche contre l'oléoduc turco-irakien reliant Kirkouk (nord de
l'Irak) à Ceyhan (sud de la Turquie), interrompant temporairement
l'écoulement du pétrole, a-t-on confirmé de source
officielle turque lundi.
Déjà dimanche, les autorités avaient évoqué
la possibilité que l'explosion, survenue dans une section située
dans la province turque de Mardin (sud-est), ait été due
à un attentat.
L'activité de l'oléoduc a été temporairement
arrêtée après l'explosion, qui n'a causé que
des dégâts matériels, mais devrait reprendre lundi
dans l'après-midi, a-t-on ajouté de même source.
L'écoulement du pétrole dans ce double oléoduc
reprendra après le transfert du brut bloqué dans la partie
sabotée à l'autre canalisation de l'ouvrage, a-t-on indiqué
de même source.
L'attentat pourrait avoir été commis par le PKK à
l'occasion de la fête du Newroz, célébrée le
même jour, a-t-on souligné.
Plusieurs attentats contre l'oléoduc ont par le passé
été attribués par les autorités au PKK. (AFP,
22 mars 1999)
Un mort,
sept blessés dans une attaque à la grenade
Une femme a été tuée et sept personnes blessées
samedi dans une attaque à la grenade dans le centre d'Istanbul,
a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.
L'attaque s'est produite place Taksim au coeur d'Istanbul et visait
apparemment un autocar de police garé à cet endroit.
Trois des blessés sont des policiers.
Un autre explosif a été découvert sur le site
de l'attaque. Une équipe de démineur a été
dépêchée sur place et a désamorcé la
charge. Le quartier a été bouclé et fouillé.
Cette place est situé au coeur du quartier commercant de la
ville.
Une série d'attentats à la bombe ont secoué
Istanbul depuis l'arrestation en février du leader kurde Abdullah
Ocalan, faisait au total 15 morts. (AFP, 27 mars 1999)
Inhuman individual
cells in Turkish prisons
With the decisions of the National Security Council (MGK) of February
28, 1997, the building of special prison cells was begun. Notwithstanding
the unsolvable problems in the prisons like health care, legal defence,
family visits, social-political and cultural rights, 1 trillion TL (1 million
dollars) was spent in three months for building these cells. Although it
was assured that these cells were not intended for political prisoners,
developments show differently.
We will list the major problems, occurring on the agenda because
the state violently takes away the rights of the prisoners in an attempt
to legitimise these special cells.
The building of these cells: After the MGK came up with this decision,
the building of this new cell type was concluded rapidly in 30 prisons.
These cells are meant for housing 2 or 4 persons, as well as for individual
prisoners. The introduction of this new cell type was just concluded in
the recently built Kartal prison on Istanbul. Individual cells were also
created in the prisons of Sakaraya, Aydin, Ceyhan, Kurkculer, Malatya,
Konya, Nigde, Mu-la, U-al, Erzurum, Ordu, Trabzon and Afyon. The building
was also ordered for the prison of Bergama, but the work has not been started
yet. Confronted with the reactions of the people, the minister who ordered
the decree stated on September 29, 1997, that these cells were only meant
for "....homosexuals, bisexuals, for persons whose lives are endangered,
persons who prefer to be alone, prisoners with contagious diseases like
hepatitis, tuberculosis or AIDS, those who are rejected by the other prison
inmates, psychopaths, the mentally ill, the "cell" bosses, Mafia members".
But it is already clear that political, as well as social, prisoners
are locked up in these cells. For example, the DHKP-C prisoner Adem Ye-ilda-
was transferred from the Malatya prison to Elbistan because his life was
said to be in danger. The majority of the points which are mentioned in
the decree cannot be put into practice anyway.
The "cell bosses" participate in the control of the prisons in Turkey.
One can only become a "boss" with the approval of the prison administration,
mostly after paying slush money. And therefore there are no differences
between the department, the "cell bosses", the Mafia bosses, and the prison
guards. On January 3, 1998, the justice minister Oltan Sungurlu openly
stated that the prison cells were not built for 40 people: "the controls
can only be carried out by daily using the gendarmes. The prison guards
can not enter the cells. At the side of the terrorists, the criminals also
begin to commit these crimes. For a solution, we want the public's support
and money..."
The protection of life: The life of the prisoners is not guaranteed,
especially not those of the political prisoners. The state controls the
prisons, up to massacres. A trial was started against the prisoners who
rebelled because of a massacre in UEmraniye prison, but those who planned
and executed the massacre remained unpunished. A official protocol, made
after the massacre in Buca prison, states that the soldiers were not in
the possession of iron bars when they entered the cells, they just removed
the barricades, and while the security forces were carrying out a search
of the cells, the political prisoners threw themselves from the top of
their bunk beds, causing the deaths and the wounded. Again no trial against
those who were responsible for this massacre. The prisoners are finished
off like terrorists and enemies. Like the lives of the political prisoners,
the lives of the social prisoners is endangered in the prisons as well.
Social prisoners who resist torture, or who resist oppression, are murdered
as well.
Health problems: Except for the Sagmalcilar prison, no other prison
has a hospital or medical facilities. But even this one is not well equipped.
The transport of ill prisoners to a hospital is hindered in several ways,
using pretexts like a lack of money, no soldiers available. The soldiers
also show a provocative attitude. The sick who are being brought to hospital
nevertheless, are often not examined because of the presence of the soldiers.
Physicians often claim not to be in duty. The prisons of Sakarya, U-ak,
Buca, Bergama and Aydin haven't bought medicines for the past two months,
claiming there aren't enough financial means. The prison administration
often doesn't allow medicines in which are brought by lawyers or relatives.
And thus the prisoners cannot even treat themselves. Temporary illnesses
or wounds pass or heal before a medical treatment takes place. Prisoners
with serious illnesses are just left to die. Because of the practised arbitrariness,
prisoners die. Kalender Kayap -nar, imprisoned in Canakkale, suffered from
cancer because he was not treated, and even after the disease had become
incurable, his discharge from prison was refused. He was only released
three days before his death. Serpil Kaya, a PKK-prisoner in the Sakarya
prison, died last week because transportation to hospital was refused.
Contagious diseases spread rapidly because of lacking protection. Four
women in Sakarya suffer from tuberculosis. The number of tuberculosis sufferers
in Buca prison is estimated at 78. Prisoners who suffered from incurable
diseases because of their participation in the 1996 Death Fast are not
treated at all, their cell mates have to help them. The prisoners in Cankiri,
Sakarya and Buca were treated with infusions only once after the Death
Fast was ended, and then sent back with the words "your situation has improved".
Visiting problems: Most relatives aren't allowed in. Although it
isn't legally obliged to produce a proof a kinship, this is often used
as a pretext to deny visits. The relatives are verbally abused during all
their visits. They are seen as potential criminals. For example, their
fingerprints are checked in UEmraniye prison. In the Bartin prison, the
visitors are asked if they are wanted by the police. The body searches
the visitors are subjected to, are humiliating. Often the relatives are
arrested after their visits and threatened not to come again.
The legal defence: There are several problems which occur with the
lawyers' visits. Although a lawyer has a right to speak with his client
at all times, and without showing a power of attorney, this is often disregarded.
Lawyers of political prisoners are subjected to a special treatment and
regarded as enemies. Because of their visit, they are seen as potential
criminals and searched. They are also often subjected to attacks by the
gendarmes, security officers and policemen. Soldiers attempt to censure
the defence pleas of prisoners in court.
Visits between prisoners: The department tries to prevent visits
between prisoners with several pretexts. In case social prisoners speak
with political prisoners, they are immediately put in solitary confinement
are transferred to another prison. The right of the social prisoners to
receive open visits is not granted to the political prisoners.
Social problems: It is tried to isolate the prisoners from events
in the world outside. In many prisons, not even daily papers are allowed.
Socialist papers aren't allowed at all. Food supplies are usually rotten
and unhealthy in general. The daily meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
are estimated at 165.000 TL per prisoner by the Justice Department. Ridiculous,
seen the fact that a loaf of bread costs 40.000 TL, and soup 250.000. The
need for food can only be met by gifts from the families. However, reasoning
that this would strengthen the solidarity between the political prisoners,
the Justice Department issued a decree that outlaws the accepting of food,
supplied by the families.
The problems, listed above, reach different dimensions in all the
prisons in Turkey. We say different dimensions, because the status inside
the prisons is connected to the measure in which the tradition of struggle
and resistance by the prisoners has forced the prison administration back
and forced them to negotiate about their rights. The status which is created
inside the prisons is never laid down on paper.
The creation of this new cell type is now on the prisons' agenda.
It is clear that the construction of these cells has nothing to do with
"humanity", as the Justice Department claimed. Because prisoners are dying
because of lacking medical treatment, their provisions are insufficient
and irregular, and they are not transported to court because money for
gas is supposedly lacking. The prisoners in Sakarya weren't brought to
the court sessions during the last two months because the budget for gas
was said to be finished. It was attempted to extort taxes from the families,
supposedly for fare costs. On the other hand, 1 trillion TL is spent for
the construction of cells, proof that this has nothing to do with "humanitarian
conduct". This money could be spend for solving the problems inside the
prisons, health problems, problems with medical treatment, supplies and
transportation to court. In addition, the department's views about the
new cell type equal, seen from the perspective of the social prisoners,
a coffin. The common prisoners, also confronted with exploitation, oppression
and the robbing of their personality, began to resist. In 1997, their was
resistance in several prisons, like the ones in U-cak and Metris, where
five people were murdered. The department, fearing such resistance, aims
at putting away the common prisoners in coffins as well. The Justice Department
is awaiting a suitable time to put the political and the common prisoners
in these cells. It is also attempted to make preparations for new massacres
in the prisons. (Ozgurluk, March 31, 1999)
New operational
orientation of Turkish MIT
In a historic decision the National Intelligence Organization (MIT)
has put an end to the system of using subcontractors in operations. With
the new operational directives adopted by MIT the practices which the public
had become sensitized to during the Susurluk incident will become a thing
of the past.
Meanwhile, the MIT undersecretary's powers involving appointments
and promotions have been curtailed to a significant extent. A six-member
"high board" will be created to deal with these. It will be a body similar
to the Supreme Military Council which decides on appointments and promotions
in the armed forces.
Also, the MIT undersecretary will no longer be authorized to take
decisions on his own about major operations. Major operational decisions
will be made by the "high board" which is being described as a "group of
wise men." The board will consist of the undersecretary, three deputy undersecretaries
and three intelligence directors. Decisions will be taken through voting.
The undersecretary will be authorized to cast two votes instead of one.
(Hurriyet, March 31, 1999)
Turkish police seize 400
Islamists
Turkish security forces say they have arrested about 400 members
of radical Islamic groups in the south east of the country in a series
of raids over the last month.
A local police chief said those arrested were linked with the fundamentalist
group, Hezbollah, according to the semi-official Anatolia news agency.
The police chief in Diyarbakir said raids had been taking place in
three south-eastern provinces against an organisation called the Scientists
Group, which is believed to be connected to the Turkish Hezbollah movement.
The police say they confiscated weapons and propaganda material.
They allege that many of those detained have received military and political
training in Iran.
Several radical Islamic groups are thought to be active in south
eastern Turkey, which is better known for the Kurdish nationalist conflict,
led by the PKK.
The real strength of groups such as Hezbollah is unclear, but the
Diyarbakir police chief said documents found in the raid suggested at least
20,000 members.
Threats to the republic
According to the Anatolia news agency, the authorities believe those
arrested in the last few weeks wanted to establish a Kurdish Islamic state.
The allegation combines two elements which the Turkish military have identified
as the greatest threat to the republic - Kurdish separatism and radical
Islam.
The south east is the poorest region in the country and the most
socially conservative. Central rule from Ankara has never been fully accepted.
It may be no coincidence that the announcement of the arrests comes
less than three weeks before Turkey holds general and local elections.
Many people in the south east are planning to vote for pro-Kurdish
or pro-Islamist parties and the authorities may want to put them off. (BBC,
March 31, 1999)
PRESSURE ON
THE MEDIA/PRESSIONS SUR LES MEDIAS
RSF: Media restricted
from Ocalan case
On 2 March 1999, the Turkish Minister of Justice, Selcuk Oztek, ordered
regional prosecutors to strictly apply the law in regards to separatist
propaganda to all media suspected of supporting Abdullah Ocalan, leader
of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), and currently held in prison. The
minister has made public an order for "legal action to be taken against
all those who directly or indirectly advocate political or cultural separatism,
[...] and publish messages, declarations or images considered criminal."
In RSF's opinion, this measure is aimed at censuring certain media.
Already after Ocalan's arrest, on 15 February, Turkish authorities
placed restrictions on reporting on "the Kurdish problem." As such, the
emergency zone (Ohal), which falls under the control of police headquarters
in Diyarbakir, has been closed to foreign journalists and at least three
reporters have been turned back at the airport. On 23 February, two Turkish
journalists - Ibrahim Atesoglu, cameraman for the private television channel
NTV, and Adnan Simsek, reporter with the press agency Ihlas - were violently
beaten. Police officers used their rifle butts to beat the journalists,
who were covering the clashes between law enforcement officers and shopkeepers
who had organized a "dead city" protest action in Diyarbakir. Atesoglu
was seriously hurt (see IFEX alert of 23 February 1999). At least five
journalists with the pro-Kurdish daily "?lkede G¸ndem" were detained
between 17 and 22 February. Furthermore, on 26 February, in Batman, police
seized all the tapes of reporters working for local and national television
stations; the journalists were about to send their footage to their stations.
RSF is concerned about this latest order in light of existing censorship
of pro-Kurdish media and those of the extreme left. In 1998, at least twenty-three
dailies or periodicals were seized, totaling up to 139 days of suspensions.
The Superior Audiovisual Council (RT?K) ordered a total of ten years and
342 days of suspension against thirty-six radios and television broadcasters;
at least nineteen of these were suspended under the anti-terror legislation
or for having "incited hatred and racial and religious discrimination."
The great majority of censored newspapers and broadcast media were pro-Kurdish
or leftist. During that same period, at least 200 journalists - working
mostly for the extreme leftist and pro-Kurdish media - were questioned
by police. Ten of these were reportedly tortured.
RSF is alarmed about the measures being taken against pro-Kurdish
media which wish to report on the Ocalan trial and on the situation in
the emergency zone. Media are being targeted, while those who leaked information
on Ocalan's confession and questioning -widely published in the mainstream
press- have not faced legal action. According to RSF, these measures are
evidence of a discriminatory policy against certain media. This is a violation
of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey
is signatory.
RSF notes that more than a hundred journalists are currently imprisoned,
while it is impossible to determine how many of these are detained for
their beliefs or for having exercised their profession. (RSF/IFEX, March
5, 1999)
ITC suspends Med TV license
The U.K.'s television licensing body, the Independent Television
Commission (ITC), suspended the license of the London-based Kurdish Med
TV on Monday for 21 days on the basis that the station failed to comply
with the terms of its license. The ITC said in its decision that Med TV
had included in its service one or more programs containing material likely
to encourage and incite its listeners to crime or to lead to disorder of
a nature sufficient to justify revocation of the station's license.
"The Commission considers several broadcasts by Med TV to have clearly
contained such material. In relation to one of these broadcasts in particular,
Med TV agrees that it breached its license and the ITC code. The broadcasts
in question contained various calls to carry out acts of violence in Turkey,"
the ITC statement said.
The Commission is currently hearing from representatives of Med TV
before it decides whether or not it is necessary in the public interest
to permanently revoke the station's license.
The ITC decision came four months after the last warning delivered
to Med TV. On Nov. 23, 1998, the ITC had issued a notice to Med TV saying
that its license would be revoked if its service failed to comply with
terms of its license and the ITC Program Code over the next six months.
The ITC had stated in its decision of last November that Med TV had
failed to provide a balanced service and that there was a clear impression
of bias towards the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "The very regular access
to the service offered to PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was one indicator.
News reports too often included accounts of military activities provided,
without comment, by the PKK or associated sources," the decision had read.
The ITC gave previous warnings to Med TV in November 1996, and a
fine of 90,000 pounds was imposed on the station in January 1998. A further
formal warning was issued in March 1998 for Med TV's failure to take adequate
measures to ensure that incitement to crime was avoided in a program transmitted
in October 1997.
What does the ITC do?
The ITC is an independent body whose powers are derived from the
Broadcasting Act of 1990 and 1996. It issues licenses that allow commercial
television companies to broadcast in and from the UK. These licenses vary
according to the type of service, but they all set out conditions on matters
such as standards of programs and advertising.
The ITC also regulates these services by monitoring broadcasters
performance against the requirements of the ITC's published licenses, codes
and guidelines on program content, advertising, sponsoring and technical
performance. The ITC also has a duty to ensure fair and effective competition
in the provision of these services. It also investigates complaints and
regularly publishes its findings.
Although the ITC is an independent body, there have been arguments
that governments have had influence over it to some extent. Despite Turkey's
complaints over the years about Med TV, British officials have been arguing
that Med TV was regulated by the "independent" ITC and that there was nothing
they could do to control its programs. (TDN, March 23, 1999)
Deaths, persecution
of journalists in 1998
At least 118 journalists were imprisoned in 25 countries at the end
of 1998, and 24 others were allegedly killed during the year while doing
their jobs. A report by the Committee to Protect Journalists
details 500 attacks allegedly aimed at intimidating reporters, editors,
correspondents and their news organizations.
"With more countries wielding insult laws and criminal libel statutes
to muzzle expression, more journalists than ever face a stark choice: Exercise
self-censorship or risk going to jail for hard-hitting reporting," said
Ann K. Cooper, CPJ's executive director.
The 400-page report, "Attacks on the Press in 1998," analyzed journalists'
working conditions in 118 countries. CPJ is a nonprofit organization dedicated
to safeguarding press freedom.
Among the most dangerous areas for members of the media were the
Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. In the latter country, a
producer for Associated Press Television News was killed and two of his
colleagues were wounded in January. For the fifth consecutive
year, Turkey led the list of nations imprisoning journalists - 27 in 1998.
Most were jailed for reporting on Turkey's conflict with the Kurds.
A spokesman for the Turkish Embassy in Washington did not immediately
return a telephone call seeking comment on the report. In 1997,
CPJ reported that 26 journalists had been killed, most of them victims
of political assassination, and at least 129 were being held in 24 countries.
(AP, March 25, 1999)
Press council evaluates
Turkish media
It has been reported by the Press Council that in March three journalists
were taken under custody, the distribution of a periodical was banned,
three journalists were assaulted and a radio station was shut down for
one year by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK).
According to the Press Council report, Sengul Karadag, Serpil Ilgun,
and Deniz Dogan, correspondents from Evrensel Gazette, were taken into
custody on March 20, 1999 while they were in Diyarbakir to report on Nevruz
festivities.
Last month, the 36th issue of the periodical Kaldirac was confiscated
by prosecutors in Istanbul.
The Press Council report also documented the following events occurring
in March, 1999:
- Hurriyet News Agency, Ankara-Beypazari correspondent Muammer Tasdelen
was assaulted by Eray Yertutan, a supporter of the Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP), while he was covering a meeting of the MHP Youth Organization
on March 8.
- Zaman Gazette correspondent Ilhan Kaya was assaulted by police
while he was covering student demonstrations at Istanbul University on
March 17.
- Rahsan Tas, a correspondent with Hurriyet Gazette, was assaulted
by the relatives of a criminal during a hearing on March 3 to determine
who was responsible for a traffic accident in Istanbul.
- The most unpleasant event was an attack on a crew from of Turkish
Radio and Television (TRT) by the Serbs in Yugoslavia. The Serbs also confiscated
the money, cameras and documents of the TRT journalists.
- RTUK banned the radio channel Umut FM for one year. RTUK also banned
Moral FM for three days, Mozaik Radio for 30 days, Radyo Fon for six months,
and Safak Radio for seven days.
Judicial events related to the media for March were as follows:
- The Kucukcekmece Chief Prosecutors Office opened a court case against
Yeni Yuzyil Gazette, accusing them of violating election restrictions.
- The trial began for Ertugrul Ozkok, editor in chief of Hurriyet
Gazette, on charges that an article he wrote violated the personal rights
of Meral Aksener, the deputy leader of the True Path Party (DYP).
- Koray Duzgoren, journalist and author of a book entitled "Freedom
of Thought" was subjected to a two-month prison sentence by the military
court of the Turkish General Staff.
- A court case was opened against Fatih Altayli, a columnist with
Hurriyet Gazette, and Dogan Satmis, the paper's editor, on the grounds
that they had insulted Tufan Algan, the chairman of the Supreme Election
Board (YSK) and other members of the board.
- Haluk Gerger, a journalist, was sentenced to one year and one month
in prison by the Court of Appeals for violating the Anti-Terror Law. (Turkish
Daily News, March 31, 1999)
IFJ and
IPI concerned at the suspension of Med TV
According to the International Press Institute (IPI) and the International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the satellite television service licence
of Med Broadcasting Ltd. (Med TV), based in London, the United Kingdom,
was suspended for 21 days at the end of March. IPI says Med TV is the only
satellite station broadcasting in Kurdish. The Independent Television Commission
(ITC) decided that Med TV had broadcast material several times in February
"likely to encourage or incite to crime or to lead to disorder of a nature
sufficient to justify revocation." Med TV is entitled to appeal within
21 days, after which the Commission must decide whether or not to revoke
Med TV's licence.
According to IPI, "The Turkish government has welcomed the ITC's
decision and called for a permanent halt to the broadcasts of Med TV."
Adds IPI, "the National Security Council of Turkey accuses Med TV of spreading
'separatist propaganda' and has continuously sought to prevent its broadcasts.
In the past, Med TV's news and panel discussion programmes have been targeted
by jamming signals emanating from Turkey, while in Kurdish regions of Turkey,
satellite dishes and antennae have been prohibited and destroyed by soldiers
and police units."
The IFJ says it "is particularly worried about this decision because
Med TV provides cultural and linguistic output to various communities in
Europe. It broadcasts in several languages and celebrates various cultural
and religious traditions." (IFJ/IFEX, March 30, 1999)
Two jailed journalists
die in Turkey
Two jailed journalists reportedly died in Turkey in March, according
to Reporters sans frontières (RSF) and the Writers in Prison Committee
(WiPC) of International PEN. According to RSF, on 27 March, Cetin Gunes,
a columnist with the far-left periodical "Hedef" (Target), died at the
Ankara hospital after succumbing to a serious heart condition. He had been
transferred from the Ankara prison while on a hunger strike. Gunes was
detained for questioning in July 1998, and was sentenced last year to a
16-month prison term for "separatist propaganda" (in accordance with Article
8 of Anti-terrorist Law 3713.) The charge was related to an article published
in September 1994 in the far-left monthly "Sosyalist Alternatif", entitled
"The role and characteristics of a militant of the Turkish revolution."
The journalist had suffered from a heart condition for some time, says
RSF.
The WiPC reports that, according to Amnesty International, journalist
Bayram Namaz announced at a 9 March press conference that fellow journalist
Suleyman Yeter died as a result of torture while they were in custody together.
On 5 March, Namaz, Yeter and three others were taken from the offices of
the newspaper "Dayanisma" and detained in cells in the Anti-Terror Branch
of Istanbul Police Station. The next day, Yeter told Namaz he had been
stripped and beaten, sprayed with cold water and forced to lie on ice.
That night, Namaz and the other detainees heard the cries of someone under
torture; on the following morning the Fatih State Prosecutor reported that
Yeter had died in custody, says the WiPC.
Namaz was released on 9 March and made reports to Turkey's Human
Rights Association and the Office of the Prosecutor in Fatih. According
to the WiPC, "He claims that in the last 12 days he has been repeatedly
followed by police in marked cars and is now fearing for his own safety."
Namaz and Yeter were among 15 detainees whose claims of being tortured
in detention in early 1997 were being officially investigated, and Yeter
had been detained and threatened as a result of this investigation. On
24 March, the WiPC says, "the Istanbul Bar Association expressed concern
that Yeter's death was in direct retaliation for his attempt to bring to
justice those who had tortured him in 1997." (IFEX, March 31, 1999)
KURDISH QUESTION/QUESTION
KURDE
Ocalan's lawyers do not give
up
On behalf of Abdullah Ocalan's Defense Lawyers, Mr. Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu
made the following statement to the press on March 1, 1999:
We are not giving up, we are holding off our defense task. We are
being attacked and threatened in plain view of the public opinion, since
last week, ever since we applied to the State Security Courts (DGM) to
defend Mr. Ocalan who is being held as a prisoner in the Imrali island.
Even though, the domestic and the international law recognize the
sacredness of the right to legal defense and guarantee this right, [the
regime in Turkey] has unleashed some organized and aggressive militants
against us under the guise of "peoples' reaction." Twice in Mudanya (on
February 23 and 25, 1999) and once in Istanbul (on February 26, 1999 when
we held our press conference on Mr. Ocalan's situation) we were the target
of attacks that threatened our lives.
The fact that we were attacked for the second time in Mudanya, just
two days after the initial attack which prompted Prime Minister Ecevit
to state that "the lives of [Ocalan's] lawyers were secured," is
a clear indication of the influence that these invisible forces wield within
this administration. Prime Minister Ecevit [was forced to] make a new statement
because we demanded international help to protect ourselves in the face
of the arrest of our colleague Osman Baydemir during the Press conference
in Istanbul and because the police did not take any measures to protect
us even though there was a clear threat of attacks against us following
the conference.
Prime Minister Ecevit accused us for putting on a show because we
could not find anything to criticize about the conditions of Abdullah Ocalan
in Imrali. The Prime Minister's statement concerning the situation of Abdullah
Ocalan is in total contradiction with the reality. The accusation that
"we found nothing to criticize" in the situation of Abdullah Ocalan who
is being held in an interrogation chamber of the Special Warfare Department
(Counter-guerrilla), totally insulated from the world and located on a
deserted island, is unjust. According to the law, a detainee must be held
in a prison under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. Clearly,
the laws of our country are being violated.
How could the Prime Minister of a State which claims the supremacy
of the rule of law, make such a statement? How could he dismiss our demand
for state protection in the face of the attacks on our right to provide
legal counsel?
The trial of Abdullah Ocalan is going to be the trial of the Century.
To deny or to obstruct the right to legal counsel in such a[n important]
trial, will greatly distress the Turkish State. Therefore, especially the
President and the Prime Minister should change the attitudes they have
displayed so far and be helpful in removing the obstacles put on the path
of the defense lawyers. They should provide protection for us and announce
to the public that -at least from now on- attacks against the right to
defense will not be permitted.
Le
PKK réélit Ocalan à sa tête et appelle à
"intensifier la guerre"
Le parti des Travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) a réélu
Abdullah Ocalan à sa tête après son arrestation et
a appelé à "intensifier la guerre" contre Ankara lors de
son congrès, a annoncé jeudi à l'AFP un représentant
du parti à Vienne, contacté par téléphone.
"Abdullah Ocalan a été réélu président
par le 6ème congrès du PKK", a indiqué Karadas Ender,
membre du Front de libération du Kurdistan (ERNK), l'aile politique
du PKK.
Selon lui, le congrès s'est déroulé en territoire
contrôlé par le PKK dans le "Kurdistan nord" --soit en Turquie
dans la terminologie du PKK-- en présence de 350 délégués.
Les débats du congrès ont débuté fin
janvier, selon Karadas Ender, et se sont poursuivis jusqu'à maintenant.
La décision de réélire Abdullah Ocalan à la
tête de l'organisation a été prise après sa
capture, a-t-il souligné.
Le chef du PKK avait été capturé le 15 février
au Kenya par un commando turc et amené en Turquie, sur l'île-prison
d'Imrali (mer de Marmara, ouest), où il doit être jugé
pour trahison et tentative de diviser le pays. Il encourt la peine de mort.
Le congrès a également appelé à une "intensification
de la guerre" contre la Turquie, a précisé le porte-parole
de l'ERNK.
Le comité central du PKK a appelé ses membres dans
le sud-est anatolien à "utiliser tous les moyens d'auto-défense"
contre la Turquie, a dit M. Ender.
"L'attaque suicide à Batman doit être comprise dans
ce contexte", a-t-il ajouté, en allusion à un attentat-suicide
à la bombe perpétré jeudi par une femme à Batman
(sud-est).
L'auteur de l'attentat a été tué dans l'explosion,
qui a blessé quatre passants, devant un commissariat de police dans
le centre de la ville.
Le congrès du PKK a défini la stratégie politique
et militaire future des rebelles et la marche à suivre après
l'arrestation d'Ocalan, a ajouté le porte-parole de l'ERNK.
"Les jours, les semaines et les mois à venir vont révéler
que l'affirmation de la Turquie selon laquelle elle contrôle le nord
du Kurdistan est de la propagande vide", a ajouté le porte-parole.
Les résultats complets du congrès du PKK doivent être
publiés par l'ERNK et par la télévision pro-kurde
Med-TV dans la journée de jeudi, ont indiqué des porte-parole
des deux côtés.
L'arrestation d'Ocalan avait fait naître de multiples spéculations
sur la personne pouvant lui succéder: le nom de son frère
Osman, commandant pour le nord de l'Irak, et de Cemil Bayik, commandant
en chef de l'ARGK (Armée populaire de libération du Kurdistan),
la branche militaire du PKK, avaient circulé avec insistance dans
les médias turcs. (AFP, 4 Mars 99)
Turkey jails one of
Ocalan's defence
A Turkish lawyer, who had volunteered to defend Ocalan, was jailed
on le 10 mars on an earlier conviction for separatism, Anatolian news agency
said. It said lawyer Medeni Ayhan had reported to a prosecutor and had
been taken to an Ankara jail to start a two-year jail term imposed for
"spreading separatist propaganda" in a 1994 magazine article.
Under Turkey's penal law, Ayhan is unlikely to serve the full two
years and will probably be released in September 2000.
He was one of 15 lawyers, many of them also human rights activists,
who volunteered to represent Ocalan.
European countries have called on Turkey to ensure Ocalan receives
a fair trial.
Okcuoglu, who has taken the lead in the defence case, has only been
able to see his client once in the 23 days since Turkish special forces
grabbed the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader in Kenya and whisked him
back to Turkey.
Okcuoglu also said the Istanbul bar would soon rule on whether to
expel him for an earlier conviction for "spreading separatist propaganda."
He said the case would not prevent him defending Ocalan. (Reuters, March
10, 1999)
L'avocat
affirme qu'Ocalan est "isolé du monde entier"
L'avocat turc d'Ocalan a déclaré le 12 mars dans une
interview à une télévision privée athénienne
que son client "était isolé du monde entier" et "sous pression
psychologique".
Me Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu, qui a rendu visite le 11 mars à M.
Ocalan dans l'île-prison d'Imrali où il est detenu, a indiqué
à "Mega" lui avoir demandé s'il avait "une radio ou s'il
recevait des livres ou des journaux", comme l'avait affirmé le gouvernement
turc dans une réponse détaillée aux questions de la
Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme de Strasbourg.
M. Ocalan lui a répondu que "non". "Je suis isolé et
sous pression psychologique", a ajouté M. Ocalan, selon Me Okcuoglu
pour qui le dirigeant kurde "avait l'air bien mieux que la première
fois qu'il l'avait vu" peu après son transfert à Imrali.
Interrogé par la correspondante de Mega à Istanbul,
Me Okcuoglu a expliqué que la première fois qu'il avait vu
M. Ocalan, juste après sa capture par les autorités turques,
"il a eu peur, car il semblait malade et sous l'effet de médicaments".
"Ces dernières années, j'ai eu l'occasion de voir M.
Ocalan à la télévision" et "j'ai gardé de lui
l'impression d'un homme vif dont les mouvements étaient faciles
et qui s'exprimait avec aisance", a-t-il ajouté.
L'avocat a aussi réaffirmé craindre une possible tentative
d'"élimination physique" du chef dde PKK, maquillée en "faux
suicide".
Il a aussi fait état des "difficultés" des avocats
de M. Ocalan dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions: "on nous traite comme
si nous avions commis nous-même un crime et non comme si nous étions
les défenseurs en justice d'un accusé", a-t-il dit.
Me Okcuoglu a aussi indiqué que même lors de son entrevue
du 11 mars, il n'était pas seul avec son client. Un garde portant
l'uniforme se tenait tout près d'eux. Celui-ci lui a pris toutes
ses notes une fois l'entretien avec M. Ocalan terminé, a ajouté
Me Okcuoglu.
Par ailleurs, selon Me Okcuoglu, Ocalan lui a dit qu'il "s'était
trompé sur Simitis (le premier ministre grec Costas Simitis)" et
"qu'il devait reviser ses relations avec le gouvernement grec" sans autres
détails.
Commentant sa capture, le dirigeant kurde a même dit à
son avocat, "j'ai été crucifié. Le premier clou a
été posé par la Russie, le deuxième par l'Italie,
le troisième par la Grèce et le quatrième par le Kenya
qui m'ont livré à la mort", selon Me Okcuoglu qui s'exprimait
en turc et qui était traduit en grec. (AFP, 12 Mars 1999)
Statement
from imprisoned DEP deputy Hatip Dicle
The following statement was released on March 12, 1999, by the ex-Kurdish
deputy Hatip Dicle from the Ankara Central Closed Prison.
There are moments in history and life when words cease to have any
meaning.
International conspiracy led by the USA against the PKK President
Abdullah Ocalan, is such moment for us.
By targeting Mr Ocalan, the entire struggle of the Kurdish people
for freedom and equality with the Turkish people, is threatened with annihilation.
It is not only the Kurdish people who are targeted but also peoples of
the Middle East and the wave of rising revolutionary struggles throughout
the world. Not surprisingly that the Turkish state, encouraged and strengthened
by the international conspiracy against Ocalan, has escalated its policy
of denial and annihilation against the Kurdish people together with a campaign
of
massive psychological warfare.
The scribblers of the state-controlled Turkish media are now calling
on the Kurdish intellectuals saying "hey, you
the Kurdish intellectuals, it is time to abandon the struggle". This
call is in a way form of an invitation to betrayal. However it also carries
certain positive elements too.
For example, it had a positive impact on me, personally.
My answer to the international scheming and calls for betrayal is
a simple one:
"Since 16 February 1999 in both thought and action I am a PKK militant".
Of course it is not easy to be a PKK militant. It requires recognition
and acknowledgement of human values. Admittedly it is an arduous task.
It is also possible that the PKK may not accept me as its militant.
However, my decision should be interpreted as my response within my own
limits and capabilities, to the international plot. It must be understood
correctly.
This declaration must be understood as the new political stance of
a Kurdish intellectual, a Kurdish politician and a Kurdish deputy who was
elected by his own people. And it must listened to correctly.
Hatip Dicle from Ankara Central Closed Prison
Note: Hatip Dicle was the President of the Democracy Party (DEP)
and member of parliament for the city of Diyarbakir. He was together with
three of his colleagues arrested in March 1995, tried for aiding and abetting
of an illegal organisation and is now serving 15 years imprisonment.
Le PKK déclare
la guerre au tourisme
Le Parti des Travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) a déclaré
lundi la guerre au tourisme, importante source de revenu de la Turquie,
et a averti les vacanciers étrangers qu'ils ne seraient plus en
sécurité, radicalisant sa lutte après la capture de
son chef Abdullah Ocalan.
"Toute la Turquie est une zone de guerre maintenant. Cela inclut
les régions touristiques de la République turque", a souligné
l'Armée populaire de libération du Kurdistan (ARGK), branche
militaire du PKK, dans un communiqué diffusé par l'agence
pro-kurde DEM reçue à Ankara.
"Pour leur sécurité, il est nécessaire que les
touristes ne viennent pas en Turquie, que les Etats préviennent
leurs citoyens et que les agences de tourisme ne fassent pas de telles
réservations", a ajouté le communiqué.
"Notre lutte est entrée dans une nouvelle phase" après
l'arrestation et l'emprisonnement d'Abdullah Ocalan, selon ce communiqué,
qui met particulièrement en garde les touristes européens.
Cette déclaration survient après la capture du chef
du PKK le 15 février à Nairobi, qui est détenu dans
l'île prison d'Imrali où il doit être jugé pour
"trahison et tentative de diviser le Turquie".
Elle intervient également dans la foulée d'une vague
d'attentats qui a particulièrement frappé Istanbul, ville
la plus importante de Turquie, faisant au moins 14 morts.
L'attentat le plus meurtrier a été perpétré
samedi contre un centre commercial dans la partie asiatique d'Istanbul,
faisant 13 morts et six blessés. Cet attentat n'a pas été
revendiqué mais les autorités soupçonnnent les rebelles
kurdes.
Le PKK, qui mène depuis 1984 une rébellion armée
contre Ankara pour créer un Etat kurde indépendant dans le
Sud-est de la Turquie à majorité kurde, avait annoncé
le 4 mars qu'il allait "intensifier la guerre" contre l'Etat turc, à
l'issue de son 6-ème congrès.
Les autorités turques estiment que le PKK menace le tourisme
lorsque ses militants armés sont coincés dans les montagnes
et immobilisés sur le terrain de bataille sous la forte pression
de l'armée.
Ce n'est pas la première fois que le PKK vise le tourisme
en Turquie, qui a rapporté quelque 10 milliards de dollars en 1998
et quelque 7,5 milliards de dollars en 1997 à l'Etat. Les autorités
espèrent recolter près de 12 milliards de dollars en 1999.
Le tourisme est l'un des secteurs les plus dynamiques de l'économie
turque, avec des chiffres croissants d'investissement chaque année.
Selon le PKK, les revenus touristiques de la Turquie "servent à
financer la sale guerre (ndlr: les opérations de représailles
de l'armée turque contre le PKK) contre les Kurdes de Turquie".
Le PKK avait déjà lancé au milieu des années
1990 des campagnes contre le tourisme, commettant une série d'attentats
sur les sites touristiques balnéaires et à Istanbul. Puis
il avait arrêté afin d'améliorer son image et de tenter
de trouver un soutien politique en Europe.
En juin 1993, un triple attentat à l'explosif à Antalya
avait fait 23 blessés, notamment allemands, et le PKK avait enlevé
en juillet 4 touristes français ainsi qu'une Australienne et un
Britannique dans l'est du pays avant de les relâcher.
En 1994, quatre touristes européens avaient été
tués dans des attentats à la bombe attribués au PKK
dans les stations balnéraires du pays et à Istanbul.
En 1995, deux personnes, dont une Jordanienne, avaient été
tuées et une quarantaine d'autres blessés lors de trois attentats
simultanés dans des sites touristiques à Istanbul. (AFP,
15 mars 1999)
Ankara
refuse des observateurs mais accepte des "auditeurs"
Le procès du chef rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan, s'il est
public, sera ouvert à des "auditeurs" venant à titre privé
mais pas à des "observateurs" représentant une institution,
a déclaré mercredi un diplomate turc.
Le président de la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat (DGM)
d'Ankara décidera si le procès est ouvert au public. Si oui,
il sera "accessible à des auditeurs et non à des observateurs,
cela n'existe pas dans notre système", a souligné devant
la presse Faruk Logoglu, sous-secrétaire d'Etat adjoint au ministère
des Affaires étrangères.
Cette position permet en fait que le procès soit suivi par
des personnes faisant fonction d'observateurs à condition qu'elles
ne s'en donnent pas le titre pour ménager la susceptibilité
de la Turquie.
L'Union européenne avait réclamé le 22 février
l'envoi d'observateurs internationaux au procès, ce qu'Ankara a
refusé, y voyant une ingérence.
M. Logoglu a souligné que la Turquie était obligée
de coopérer, de par ses engagements, avec la Cour européenne
des droits de l'Homme et le Comité contre la Torture du Conseil
de l'Europe. Mais elle ne "se pliera pas à des demandes auxquelles
elle n'est pas obligée de répondre, même si la personne
impliquée est exceptionnelle", a-t-il dit.
"Il ne s'agit pas d'un spectacle ou d'un film d'aventure, il s'agit
d'un procès", a souligné le diplomate turc, sans pouvoir
indiquer quand il s'ouvrira. (AFP, 17 mars 1999)
Ocalan
assure depuis sa prison vouloir "la paix et la démocratie"
Abdullah Ocalan, détenu sur l'île prison d'Imrali, a
assuré qu'il souhaitait une "véritable paix et la démocratie
en Turquie", dans une déclaration écrite communiquée
jeudi à la presse par ses avocats.
"Nous voulons une véritable paix et la démocratie en
Turquie", a affirmé Abdullah Ocalan dans cette déclaration.
"Mon combat est celui pour une paix et une démocratie puissantes.
Ce combat se déroule entre ceux qui veulent la paix et la démocratie
et ceux qui ne les veulent pas", a-t-il précisé.
C'est la première fois qu'Abdullah Ocalan s'exprime dans une
déclaration publique depuis qu'il a été capturé
le 15 février à Nairobi et ramené en Turquie pour
y être jugé.
Selon les observateurs, cette déclaration est d'autant plus
insolite qu'Ocalan est sous une garde policière étroite à
Imrali, et il serait surprenant que les autorités l'aient autorisé
à s'exprimer depuis sa prison.
Abdullah Ocalan estime dans ce texte que si la Turquie "adopte une
approche favorable pour une solution de la question" (kurde), ce serait
"une opportunité historique".
"Dans le cadre de l'intégrité territoriale et de l'indépendance
de la Turquie, nous souhaitons la création des conditions d'une
solution politique ouvrant la voie à la co-existence pacifique de
nos peuples" kurde et turc, souligne le chef du PKK.
Aucune date n'a encore été fixée pour l'ouverture
du procès d'Abdullah Ocalan, qui sera jugé par la Cour de
sûreté de l'Etat (DGM) d'Ankara pour "trahison et tentative
de diviser" la Turquie. Il encourt la peine de mort.
Le communiqué signé par quatre de ses avocats, dont
deux sont autorisés à lui rendre visite chaque mardi et vendredi,
rapelle que le PKK a proclamé un cessez-le-feu unilatéral
en septembre dernier.
Cette trêve avait été immédiatement rejeté
par les autorités turques, comme les deux précédentes
proposées par le PKK en mars 1993 et décembre 1995. (AFP,
18 mars 1999)
IHD communiqué
on alleged Ocalan's statements
The Human Rights Association (IHD) made a statement in connection
with the alleged statements of Abdullah Ocalan, which were published in
the daily Hurriyet on 17 and 18 March as a hearsay, in which the IHD was
allegedly named by Abdullah Ocalan as an ìaffiliated organizationî and
the executive members of the IHD as ìappointed persons.î
The statement made by IHD Secretary General Husnu Ondul, read, ìIn
Turkey, there are many examples of handling the indictments to the media
before launching the trial, as well as examples of handling of the preliminary
investigation file and certain documents, which are hidden from the defendant
and his/her lawyers, to the media.î
In summary, the following were said in the statement:
ìThe IHD executive members are not appointed but elected. The general
congresses of the IHD are held under the surveillance and control of the
state authorities. IHD is not a sub-branch, close organization or an affiliation
of any lawful or banned political organization, as known by everybody.
The IHD has thousands of members over Turkey, each having different political
opinions. No one has the right to indicate these people in the orbit of
an outlawed organization. Leave aside the claims of such an affiliation;
thousands of people have worked as the executive members of the headquarters
and the branches in the history of the IHD.
"During this 13-year period, a proposal by a legal or outlawed organization
has never put on the agenda as an item nor a proposal has been made to
put such an item on the agenda. The human rights activists in Turkey and
the IHD members would not allow such things. Naming the IHD as an organizations
having relations with an outlawed organization will bring no contribution
to the strengthening of the human rights and freedoms in Turkey and of
the democratic standards. On the contrary, these accusations will serve
for the narrowing of the range of rights and freedoms.
"The IHD executives and members carry out their activities and elect
their executive members on their own will and on the basis of the international
human rights documents. No accusations or comments will lead the IHD members
to withdraw from their enduring approach in their work of defending human
rights and values voluntarily and without seeking for economic or political
benefits. We will not allow any violation of rights to be hidden in our
country. We are determined to work for the building of a political order
based on human rights in Turkey, despite all hindrance.î
Meanwhile, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan made a statement via his lawyers
Selim Okçuoglu, Irfan Dundar and Niyazi Bulgan, whom he met in Imrali
Prison on 16 March. In his statement, Ocalan said, ìAs far as I'm concerned,
the news and broadcasting about myself are not in the right track. I feel
sorrow for any statement and action that would pave the way to a clash
between Turks and Kurds.î In his statement, Abdullah Ocalan also discussed
the elections to be held on 18 April and the ìpeace.î (Evrensel-TIHV, March
19, 1999)
Le procès d'Ocalan
renvoyé au 30 avril
La Cour de sûreté de l'Etat (DGM) d'Ankara a renvoyé
mercredi à fin avril un procès contre le chef rebelle kurde
Abdullah Ocalan et a décidé de transférer le procès
à l'île prison d'Imrali où il est détenu, a-t-on
appris auprès de la DGM.
Ce procès contre le chef du PKK, intenté en octobre
1997, c'est-à-dire avant sa capture le 15 février dernier
à Nairobi, se base sur une de ses interventions sur Med-TV, station
de télévision pro-kurde émettant à partir de
l'Europe.
Ocalan n'a pas assisté à l'audience devant la DGM pour
des raisons de sécurité. Trois de ses avocats, dont l'avocat
principal Me Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu, ont été présents
à l'audience.
Le tribunal a décidé de transférer le procès
à l'île prison d'Imrali, en mer de Marmara (nord-ouest) pour
des motifs de sécurité et de reporter la prochaine audience
au 30 avril.
Le PKK a lancé en 1984 une rébellion armée dans
le Sud-Est à majorité kurde pour la création d'un
Etat kurde indépendant. Les violences liées à cette
rébellion ont fait quelque 31.000 morts.
Le tribunal a d'autre part accepté une requête déposée
par les avocats des familles des militaires tués dans des combats
contre le PKK dans les Sud-est anatolien, de constituer la partie civile.
L'audience de mercredi a duré une heure et demie et seuls
les avocats ont été autorisés à entrer dans
la salle à l'annonce de la décision.
Les diverses procédures lancées contre Abdulah Ocalan
pourraient être associées par la DGM d'Ankara, selon des sources
judiciaires.
La licence d'émission de la télévision satellitaire
de langue kurde a été suspendue lundi pour trois semaines
par la commission indépendante britannique de régulation
de l'audiovisuel. Cette chaîne a ses principaux studios d'information
et de production en Belgique, bien qu'elle émette depuis Londres.
Ce procès avait été lancé d'après
l'article 125 du code pénal turc qui sanctionne les délits
visant à diviser le territoire turc et à créer un
Etat distinct sur ce territoire, un délit qui est passible de la
peine de mort.
Une cinquantaine de personnes, pour la plupart des familles des militaires
tués dans des combats contre le PKK, brandissant des drapeaux turcs,
rassemblées devant le palais de justice avant l'ouverture de l'audience,
ont scandé des slogans contre le chef rebelle kurde et le PKK.
Ocalan, transféré en Turquie après sa capture
au Kénya, doit être jugé pour trahison et tentative
de diviser la Turquie dans un nouveau procès qui lui sera prochainement
intenté, après l'élaboration d'un acte d'accusation.
Ce nouveau procès pourrait s'ouvrir en avril mais aucune date
précise n'a encore été fixée. (AFP, 27 mars
1999)
SOCIO-ECONOMIC/SOCIO-ECONOMIQUE
Economists
Reject Ecevitís Southeast Package as Flimsy
The Turkish governmentís latest package of economic support for its
underdeveloped southeastern provinces, which are mainly populated by Kurds,
was criticized by economic analysts this week. The development package
introduced by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit on 1 March falls far short of
repairing the damage wrought by fourteen years of armed conflict, they
said.
Ecevitís development program calls for 40.5 trillion Turkish lira
($ 114 million) to be spent over the next two years completing unfinished
investments and strengthening the health and education infrastructure.
Analysts said this was woefully inadequate for a region where economic
development is stunted and incomes are a fraction of the levels in the
western part of the country. In an editorial for the newspaper ÑSabahì,
a columnist pointed out that the program amounts to a mere fraction of
the $ 65 billion that Turkey has spent over the past fifteen years
fighting separatism in the region. These military actions have resulted
in the economic disintegration of the region and caused an estimated
two million of its Kurdish inhabitants to migrate to other parts of the
country.
Analysts criticized Ecevitís announcement as a maneuver to gain votes
in the national elections set for April 18 and doubted that the government
would go beyond making promises. Nine similar incentives in as many years
have crumbled when confronted with the southeastís economic and social
woes. (Reuters, March 2, 1999)
12-month inflation at
78.5 percent
Turkey's 12-month aggregate inflation rate at the end of February
has reached 78.5 percent in wholesale and 64.8 percent in retail prices.
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) disclosed Tuesday that consumer
prices had increased by 3.2 percent and wholesale prices by 3.4 percent
in February.
Data provided by the DIE indicated that while the 12-month inflation
of the country was at 78.5 and 64.8 percent in wholesale and retail prices
respectively, annual inflation was at 48.3 percent in wholesale and 63.9
percent in retail prices. (Turkish Daily News, March 4,1999)
Avril
perdu pour le tourisme, selon les professionnels
Le mois d'avril est perdu pour le secteur du tourisme en Turquie
après les avertissements lancés par le PKK aux touristes
étrangers, a déclaré mardi à l'AFP un responsable
de l'industrie du tourisme.
"Le mois d'avril est très sérieusement affecté",
a admis Talha Camas, président de l'Association des agences de voyage
en Turquie (TURSAB). Mais, selon lui, à partir du mois de mai, les
activités reprendront dans ce secteur, source cruciale de revenus
pour la Turquie.
Lundi, le PKK avait averti que les touristes étrangers n'étaient
dorénavant plus en sécurité en Turquie après
la capture de son chef Abdullah Ocalan. "Toute la Turquie est une zone
de guerre maintenant. Cela inclut les régions touristiques de la
République turque", avait prévenu le PKK.
"Malheureusement, nous y sommes habitués", a souligné
M. Camas, précisant que ce type de menaces est proféré
"depuis des années".
Selon M. Camas, en 1993, lorsque le PKK avait commencé à
commettre des attentats visant les touristes, les professionnels avaient
été en proie à la panique. Mais, a-t-il affirmé,
la Turquie a depuis acquis l'expérience lui permettant de gérer
de telles situations de crise.
En juin 1993, un triple attentat à l'explosif à Antalya
avait fait 23 blessés, notamment allemands, et le PKK avait enlevé
en juillet quatre touristes français ainsi qu'une Australienne et
un Britannique dans l'est du pays avant de les relâcher. En 1994
et 1995, d'autres attentats avaient fait des morts et des blessés.
(AFP, 16 Mars 1999)
Annulation
des vols d'El Al vers la Turquie de craintes d'attentats
La compagnie aérienne israélienne El Al a annulé
deux vols prévus vendredi à destination ou en provenance
de la Turquie pour des "raisons de sécurité", a indiqué
jeudi un porte-parole de la compagnie.
Cette mesure concerne un vol prévu vendredi matin vers Istamboul
et un deuxième vol dans l'après-midi d'Istamboul vers Tel-Aviv.
El Al prendra désormais une décision sur le maintien
ou l'annulation de chaque vol à destination de la Turquie au cas
par cas en fonction de la situation de la sécurité, a ajouté
la compagnie en soulignant que ces mesures de précaution avaient
été prises après consultations avec le ministère
israélien des Affaires étrangères.
Les passagers des vols annulés devront prendre une autre compagnie.
Selon la radio militaire, les responsables de El Al redoutent des
attentats que pourraient commettre des militants kurdes avant le procès
d'Ocalan. (AFP, 18 mars 1999)
RELATIONS
WITH THE WEST/RELATIONS AVEC L'OUEST
Une délégation
du CE a rencontré Abdullah Ocalan
Une délégation du Comité contre la torture (CPT)
du Conseil de l'Europe a rendu visite mardi au chef des rebelles kurdes
de Turquie Abdullah Ocalan sur l'île-prison d'Imrali où il
est détenu, en mer de Marmara (ouest).
Trois experts du Comité, membres d'une délégation
de 11 personnes, ont quitté l'île mardi en fin d'après-midi,
après s'y être rendus dans la matinée à bord
d'un hélicoptère qui avait décollé d'Istanbul.
Les experts sont restés quelque huit heures à Imrali,
selon l'agence.
Cette visite est la première d'une délégation
étrangère autorisée par le gouvernement turc depuis
la capture d'Ocalan le 15 février à Nairobi par un commando
turc.
Avec la visite de cette délégation, la Turquie a respecté
son engagement de pays ayant ratifié la Convention contre la torture,
qui permet au CPT de visiter n'importe quel lieu de détention dans
tous les pays européens concernés.
Avant la venue de la délégation européenne,
les seuls contacts d'Ocalan avec le monde extérieur avaient été
son interrogatoire par trois procureurs de la Cour de sûreté
de l'Etat (DGM) d'Ankara, puis une brève rencontre avec deux de
ses avocats jeudi dernier.
Ces avocats s'étaient sont ensuite plaints d'être victimes
de menaces de mort et d'intimidation et avaient décidé vendredi
de suspendre leur défense.
La Turquie refuse en revanche la présence d'observateurs internationaux
au futur procès du chef du PKK, accusé de "trahison et tentative
de diviser le pays", qui risque à ce titre la peine de mort.
Le vice-président du parlement turc, Uluc Gurkan, a ainsi
démenti mardi des informations de la presse norvégienne selon
laquelle il aurait invité une délégation du parlement
norvégien au procès du chef rebelle kurde.
Il a accusé, sans donner de noms, certains pays européens
de vouloir transformer ce procès en "cirque". Mais "cela n'empêche
pas qu'il puisse être suivi par des personnalités étrangères
puisque les tribunaux sont ouverts au public", a-t-il dit, se faisant l'écho
de la position officielle turque.
Ankara avait également refusé une visite la semaine
dernière du président de l'Assemblée parlementaire
du Conseil de l'Europe, lord Russell-Johnston. Ce dernier avait l'intention
de demander au gouvernement turc des garanties afin que la détention
et le procès de M. Ocalan soient en conformité totale avec
la convention européenne des droits de l'Homme.
Les pays de l'Union européenne ont réclamé à
plusieurs reprises qu'Abdullah Ocalan, qui sera jugé par la DGM
d'Ankara, bénéficie d'un procès "équitable".
Un porte-parole du Comité contre la torture avait déclaré
le 23 février qu'il suivait de "très près" le cas
Ocalan.
Le même jour, le Comité avait publié un rapport
sur sa visite en octobre 1997 en Turquie, réclamant notamment qu'Ankara
intensifie ses efforts pour combattre la torture et les mauvais traitements
subis par des détenus.
Le PKK, qui a déclenché en 1984 une rébellion
armée contre le pouvoir central d'Ankara pour la création
d'un Etat kurde indépendant dans le Sud-Est, est considéré
par la Turquie et plusieurs pays occidentaux, dont les Etats-Unis, comme
une organisation terroriste. (AFP, 2 Mars 1999)
Appel
européen en faveur des droits culturels des minorités kurdes
Le Conseil de l'Europe, par le biais du Congrès des pouvoirs
locaux et régionaux d'Europe (CPLRE), a lancé jeudi à
Strasbourg un appel aux autorités turques pour la reconnaissance
des droits culturels et linguistiques des minorités, notamment kurdes.
Alain Chénard (France, Socialiste), président du CPLRE
qui était réuni jeudi en mini-session à Strasbourg,
a exprimé le souhait que s'installe en Turquie "une véritable
autonomie régionale", avec un président de province élu
et "la reconnaissance de droits culturels et linguistiques spécifiques
aux provinces où les minorités sont les plus présentes,
en particulier dans le sud-est".
Le congrès a notamment invité la Turquie à signer
et ratifier la Charte européenne des langues régionales ou
minoritaires ainsi que la convention-cadre pour la protection des minorités
nationales, "ce qui constituerait un geste politique très significatif".
"En prenant de telles mesures, la Turquie construirait une avenir
européen pour l'ensemble de ses citoyens, quelle que soit leur identité
culturelle ou religieuse", selon M. Chénard.
Le CPLRE, qui compte 286 membres, représentants élus
des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux, a pour objectif principal de garantir
la participation des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux au processus d'unification
européenne et aux travaux du Conseil de l'Europe. (AFP, 4 Mars 99)
Le
Conseil de l'Europe somme la Turquie de respecter un arrêt de la
Cour
Le Comité des ministres du Conseil de l'Europe a mis en demeure
la Turquie, le 4 mars à Strasbourg, de libérer l'ancien président
du parti socialiste turc (SP), emprisonné malgré un arrêt
de la Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme.
L'exécutif des "40" a enjoint la Turquie de respecter, "comme
elle en a l'obligation" en tant qu'Etat membre, un arrêt de la Cour
européenne du 25 mai 1998 qui condamne ce pays pour avoir dissous
le SP pour "visées séparatistes" et violé ainsi le
droit à la liberté d'association.
Dogu Perincek, ancien dirigeant du SP, a été emprisonné
le 29 septembre 1998 pour purger une peine de 14 mois de prison en vertu
d'un arrêt de la Cour de cassation turque qui avait confirmé
cette condamnation pénale.
L'arrêt de la justice turque était postérieur
à la décision de la Cour européenne.
Le Comité "insiste sur l'obligation que la Turquie a (...)
d'effacer sans retard, à travers l'action des autorités turques,
toutes les conséquences de la condamnation pénale".
Dans sa résolution, le Comité des ministres note cependant,
sans autre explication, que le gouvernement turc a versé au requérant
un dédommagement de 50.000 FF (7.622,45 euros) exigé par
la Cour européenne.
Le SP a été dissous parce qu'il prônait un système
fédéral dans lequel Turcs et Kurdes seraient représentés
sur un pied d'égalité. (AFP, 4 Mars 99)
L'assemblée
des "40" insiste pour avoir des représentants au procès d'Ocalan
L'Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l'Europe a insisté
vendredi pour avoir des "représentants" au procès du chef
rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan, selon un communiqué des "40".
Le bureau de l'assemblée, composé des présidents
et vice-présidents de chaque groupe politique, a chargé son
président, lord Russell-Johnston, "de prendre les mesures nécessaires
afin d'assurer la présence de ses représentants" lors de
ce procès prévu fin mars.
Les présidents des groupes ont "unanimement considéré
que la présence de leurs représentants lors du procès
Ocalan était de l'intérêt de la Turquie", selon le
communiqué du bureau publié à Strasbourg.
Cevdet Akcali, vice-président turc de l'assemblée parlementaire
des "40" et membre du parti "La vraie voie", a pour sa part déclaré
qu'il était disposé à aider les représentants
de l'Assemblée dans leurs démarches administratives et pratiques
sur place.
Le bureau a également décidé de tenir un débat
d'actualité au sujet de l'affaire Ocalan à l'occasion des
réunions de l'assemblée à Rome du 29 au 31 mars.
La Turquie a refusé la présence d'"observateurs internationaux"
au procès du chef kurde mais cela n'empêche pas, selon elle,
que des personnalités étrangères y assistent.
Ankara avait également refusé une visite de Lord Russell-Johnston,
qui avait l'intention de demander au gouvernement turc des garanties sur
la détention et le procès de M. Ocalan. (AFP, 5 mars 1999)
Des
députés européens pensent qu'Ocalan n'aura pas un
procès équitable
Quatre députés européens estiment que la Turquie
n'offrira pas un procès équitable au chef des rebelles kurdes
Abdullah Ocalan, ont-ils déclaré lors d'une conférence
de presse à Bruxelles, de retour d'une "mission d'investigation"
à Istanbul (Turquie).
"Le sentiment général de la délégation
est que la Turquie n'a pas l'intention de tenir compte des craintes et
demandes du Parlement européen sur la tenue d'un procès équitable
et sur les possibilités d'accepter des observateurs européens",
ont-ils déclaré.
Ces quatres députés, Anne André-Léonard
(libéral belge), Janis Sakellariou (socialiste allemand), Luigi
Vinci et Pedro Marset (communistes italien et espagnol) se sont rendus
en Turquie de leur propre initiative (sans constituer une mission officielle
du Parlement européen) et y ont rencontré des représentants
du parti Hadep (pro-kurde), des associations des droits de l'homme et un
des avocats chargé de la défense dans le procès de
M. Ocalan.
"De ces entretiens, il est apparu que M. Ocalan n'a pu s'entretenir
qu'une fois avec son avocat et ce en présence de juges. Il ne peut
donc s'exprimer librement", ont-ils estimé. "Il faudrait maintenant
que le Parlement européen envoie une délégation officielle
en Turquie", ont-ils ajouté.
La première audience du procès de M. Ocalan, jugé
pour "tentative de diviser la Turquie", a été fixée
au 24 mars. Ses avocats, faisant état de menaces de mort et en l'absence
de garanties de l'Etat turc pour leur sécurité, boycottent
pour le moment la défense du chef kurde. (AFP, 5 mars 1999)
La
Cour européenne somme le gouvernement turc de garantir les droits
d'Ocalan
La Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme a sommé le
gouvernement turc de garantir les droits du chef rebelle kurde Abdullah
Ocalan, incarcéré en Turquie, a-t-on appris vendredi auprès
du Conseil de l'Europe.
Répondant à une lettre d'Ankara du 26 février,
la Cour rappelle que par deux fois déjà elle a jugé
non conforme à la Convention européenne des droits de l'Homme
les tribunaux d'exception et souligne que Ocalan risque d'être jugé
devant un tel tribunal qui peut prononcer la peine de mort.
Elle demande à Ankara de respecter l'article 6 de la convention
qui prévoit que toute personne puisse être jugée par
un tribunal équitable, indépendant et impartial.
Ankara est également sommé de respecter les droits
de l'accusé à être défendu par des avocats de
son choix, qu'il doit pouvoir consulter en privé et par le biais
desquels il doit pouvoir déposer une plainte, sans entrave, devant
la Cour européenne.
La Cour demande enfin au gouvernement turc de l'informer de toute
décision ou mesure qu'il prendra concernant le cas Ocalan.
Dans sa lettre datée du 26 février, le gouvernement
turc démentait notamment les allégations des avocats d'Ocalan
affirmant ne pas avoir pu entrer en contact avec leur client.
La Cour à Strasbourg avait demandé des "éclaircissements"
à Ankara à la suite d'une requête déposée
par les avocats d'Ocalan. (AFP, 5 mars 1999)
Offensive
européenne pour garantir à Ocalan un procès équitable
Toutes les instances du Conseil de l'Europe intensifient leurs initiatives
en direction d'Ankara pour garantir une détention juste et un procès
équitable au dirigeant kurde Abdullah Ocalan.
Pour lundi au plus tard, la Cour européenne des droits de
l'Homme attend une réponse du gouvernement turc concernant notamment
les conditions de transfèrement et de détention du leader
kurde dans l'île prison d'Imrali.
En outre, les délégués des ministres du Conseil
de l'Europe ont décidé de poursuivre la semaine prochaine
leur réunion à Strasbourg dont l'un des principaux thèmes
est l'affaire Ocalan.
La longueur très inhabituelle de cette réunion, qui
dure depuis plus de dix jours, témoigne des difficultés des
"40" à trouver un consensus sur le problème.
Durant la semaine, la Cour et le Comité européen contre
la torture (CPT), deux piliers de l'organisation paneuropéenne garante
des droits de l'Homme, avaient déjà proféré
des menaces à l'encontre d'Ankara. Selon l'agence turque Anatolie,
une délégation du CPT s'était rendue mardi sur l'île
d'Imrali.
La délégation a réussi à s'entretenir
pendant trois heures avec Ocalan, sans témoins, alors qu'Ankara
a jusqu'ici refusé les visites de toute autre organisation internationale.
Rien n'a filtré du contenu de ces entretiens ni du résultat
de la visite, le CPT entourant toujours ses missions de la plus grande
confidentialité, conformément à son mandat. Il a pour
mission de visiter toutes les prisons des Etats membres du Conseil de l'Europe.
La Cour, très insatisfaite des récentes justifications
des autorités turques, a sommé le gouvernement de garantir
les droits d'Ocalan dans une lettre publiée vendredi.
Elle rappelle que par deux fois déjà, elle a jugé
les tribunaux d'exception non conformes à la Convention européenne
des droits de l'Homme et qu'Ocalan a le droit d'être défendu
par des avocats de son choix. Il doit aussi pouvoir déposer une
plainte, sans entrave, devant la Cour européenne.
L'Assemblée parlementaire des "40" a insisté pour envoyer
des représentants au procès d'Ocalan, malgré le revers
essuyé par son président, Lord Russell-Johnston qui a récemment
été déclaré indésirable en Turquie où
il souhaitait se rendre. (AFP, 7 Mars 1999)
L'Internationale
socialiste: "Ocalan a droit à un procès loyal"
L'Internationale socialiste estime que le chef rebelle kurde Abdullah
Ocalan "a droit à un procès loyal" et "se propose d'envoyer
une délégation suivre le déroulement de ce procès".
Dans un communiqué publié le 9 mars, Pierre Guidoni, secrétaire
national du Parti socialiste français, chargé des relations
internationales, indique que le groupe de travail de l'Internationale socialiste
sur la question kurde qui s'est réuni le 5 mars à Paris,
a estimé aussi que "l'Union européenne pourrait contribuer
utilement au règlement pacifique et politique de la question kurde
en proposant d'ouvrir un bureau d'information à Diyarbakir (sud-est
de la Turquie)".
"L'Internationale socialiste n'a jamais approuvé les objectifs
et les méthodes du PKK et de son chef (Abdullah Ocalan). Cela ne
justifie pas pour autant les méthodes de répression utilisées
par la Turquie", souligne le groupe de travail.
"Il convient que les débats du procès d'Ocalan soient
publics et que des observateurs internationaux puissent garantir que les
droits de l'accusé soient pleinement respectés", ajoute-t-il.
L'IS "rappelle que la Turquie, membre du Conseil de l'Europe ainsi
que de l'OSCE, signataire de la déclaration de Barcelone et candidate
à l'Union européenne, est tenue de respecter ces règles".
(AFP, 9 mars 1999)
Manifestation
à Athènes en faveur d'Abdullah Ocalan
Une manifestation de soutien au chef de la rébellion kurde
en Turquie Abdullah Ocalan, qui a réuni près de 1.000 personnes
selon les organisateurs et quelque 300 personnes selon la police, s'est
déroulée mardi soir à Athènes.
La manifestation, qui était organisée par une trentaine
de groupuscules grecs appartenant à la mouvance des "autonomes",
a rassemblé notamment des jeunes Grecs et Kurdes qui ont scandé
des slogans en faveur d'un procès équitable pour Ocalan,
qui est détenu dans l'île-prison d'Imrali en Turquie.
Des jeunes gens ayant déployé des banderoles du PKK
ont aussi participé à cette manifestation qui s'est dispersée
sans incidents, a-t-on précisé de source policière.
Scandant des slogans contre le gouvernement grec qu'ils ont accusé
d'avoir "livré" Ocalan aux Turcs, les manifestants sont passés
notamment devant le Parlement et le siège de la Commission européenne.
Ils se sont dispersés devant l'ambassade américaine après
avoir crié des slogans "contre le rôle de la CIA" dans la
capture, le 15 février, d'Ocalan par les autorités turques
alors qu'il était sous protection diplomatique grecque au Kenya.
(AFP, 16 Mars 1999)
Ankara
accuse des pays européens de céder aux menaces du PKK
La Turquie a accusé le 18 mars des gouvernements européens
de céder aux menaces du PKK contre les touristes.
"Les menaces proférées par l'organisation terroriste
PKK contre le tourisme turc sont un chantage visant la liberté de
voyager des Européens. Il est déplorable que certains gouvernements
européens se soumettent à ce chantage alors qu'ils devraient
lutter pour protéger les droits de leurs citoyens", indique un communiqué
du ministère des Affaires étrangères, sans désigner
nommément ces gouvernements.
Le PKK a déclaré lundi la guerre au tourisme, importante
source de revenu de la Turquie, et a averti les vacanciers étrangers
qu'ils ne seraient plus en sécurité.
La Hongrie, la France, la Belgique, la Grande-Bretagne, l'Autriche
et l'Allemagne notamment ont pris au sérieux les menaces du PKK
et appelé leurs ressortissants voyageant en Turquie à la
prudence et à la vigilance.
"Nous avons la conviction que le bons sens européen va prévaloir
et que les touristes européens ne prêteront pas l'oreille
à ce chantage pour continuer à bénéficier des
possibilités de vacances en Turquie", ajoute le communiqué.
(AFP, 18 mars 1999)
CSCE:
"Stop The Torture in Turkey - or Move This Year's Summit."
The following was released in Washington by the Commission on Security
and Cooperation in Europe today:
"Systematic State-sponsored torture in The Republic of Turkey should
be brought to a halt before the Summit that is planned for Istanbul this
Fall," said Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Chairman Rep.
Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) today at a Commission hearing entitled "The
Road to the OSCE Istanbul Summit and Human Rights in the Republic of Turkey."
"Testimony today has confirmed our worst fears," said Smith. "For
over a year-and-a-half, Commissioners and other Members of Congress tried
to make clear that siting the Summit in Istanbul was an inappropriate reward
for a participating State that practices thirty-seven different types of
torture, as documented by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey. And today's
depiction by Amnesty International of the electric shock torture of a twelve-year-old
girl for stealing bread -- in the Ankara Police Headquarters, in the capital
of Turkey -- confirms our worst fears that there is little guarantee of
the basic human right of physical safety and due process guaranteed by
one's government."
"Additionally," said Smith, "it has become increasingly necessary
for the international community to monitor and defend the defenders, those
non-governmental organizations and people who speak out in defense of human
rights despite constant threats and harassment from the Government of Turkey.
Thus, sadly, the human rights situation in this most important U.S. ally
has deteriorated."
The hearing provided a timely review of U.S. policy regarding both
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as preparations
get underway for the OSCE Summit Meeting scheduled to convene in Istanbul
later this year and the status of human rights in Turkey in light of Ankara's
OSCE human dimension commitments. Unfortunately, all of the witnesses were
less than sanguine regarding Turkey's human rights progress.
Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Marc Grossman,
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Harold
H. Koh, Amnesty International USA's Stephen Rickard, The Center for Victims
of Torture's Executive Director Douglas A. Johnson, and Lawyers Committee
for Human Rights' Neil Hicks all presented testimony and answered questions
from Commissioners. (PRNewswire, March 18, 1999)
Eurocopter
to sell aircraft to Turkish police
Franco-German Eurocopter is poised to sign a 600-million franc ($100
million) contract for the sale of eight Cougar helicopters to the Turkish
police, backed by a loan, Le Monde said on Friday.
Eurocopter is 70 percent owned by France's Aerospatiale and 30 percent
by Germany's DaimlerChrysler Aerospace.
"The contract has not been signed, discussions are still going on,"
a Eurocopter spokeswoman said.
Turkey chose the Eurocopter aircraft over U.S. competition from Boeing-Sikorsky,
the newspaper said, citing a Eurocopter executive in Ankara. Turkish police
special forces already use Eurocopter's Puma.
The purchase would be partly financed by a loan, the details of which
have not been defined, the report said.
Turkey has also decided to re-instate Eurocopter's Tiger combat helicopter
in its tender for 145 military aircraft, after dropping it at the end of
1998, the newspaper reported. The purchase is worth an estimated $4 billion.
The Tiger will undergo tests in France in the near future for the
Turkish evaluation, it said.
Relations between France and Turkey were soured last year when the
French National Assembly adopted a bill that accused Turkey of genocide
against the Armenians in 1915.
The Turkish company Tusas Aerospace Industries (TAI) obtained a licence
in 1997 to build Eurocopter's Cougar Mk 1 aircraft, the report said. The
Turkish army, at the same time, bought 30 Cougar Mk1s in a deal worth 2.5
billion francs. These will be built by TAI.
The Tiger is pitched against the AH-1 Cobra from Bell Helicopter
Textron, AH-64 Apache from Boeing McDonnell Douglas, A129 Mangusta from
Italy's Agusta and the Kamov 50 from Russia. (Reuters, March 19, 1999)
European
Parliament renews call to find solution to Kurdish problem
A European Parliament resolution adopted late Tuesday once again
urged Turkey to "capitalize on the existing situation in order to find
a political solution to the Kurdish problem."
The resolution is based on a report on the influx of migrants from
Iraq and neighboring regions prepared by the Committee on Civil Liberties
and Internal Affairs. But four amendments added to the resolution have
drawn attention to the Turkish incursions into Iraq and underlined the
need for Turkey to improve its human rights record.
An amendment tabled by the author of the report, Anna Terron i Cusi
from the Socialist Party, "referred to earlier resolutions on Turkey and
emphasized that a solution to the human rights violations and minority
problems should be sought before the Turkish government could act like
an agent or adviser to the European Union."
The report maintains that it is problematic to work with Turkish
officials on the question of refugees and asylum seekers. "There is more
than a rumor that the European Community is working with the Turkish government
to ensure that refugees from the region are accommodated in Turkey and
are not able to reach the member states of the Union," the report said.
The report also said that there should be "acceptable conditions"
for refugees and that the practice of illegally smuggling refugees should
be fought.
"In view of the human rights situation in Turkey, however, extreme
caution is required," the report said, adding, "Technical aid can be turned
against Turkey's own people and against minorities." It suggested that
financial aid directed to Turkish authorities be avoided whenever possible
and resources be given instead to the U.N. High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR) and comparable institutions. (TDN, March 25, 1999)
Kosovars and Kurds
in the eyes of Clinton
Last night, March 24, 1999, President Bill Clinton addressed the
nation to cite his reasons for America?s entry into the war as part of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) against Serbia. Among
these, he said, *In 1989, Serbia?s leader, Slobodan Milosevic, ... stripped
Kosovo of the constitutional autonomy its people enjoyed, thus denying
them their right to speak their language, run their schools, [and] shape
their daily lives.?
In the same address, referring to Turkey, he noted that it is our
ally.
Given the tremendous demands placed upon his shoulders, President
Clinton may not know that in Turkey, an ethnic minority known as Kurds
numbering some 15 million people can not speak their language, run their
schools and shape their daily lives no different than the Kosovars in Serbia.
But Clinton?s aides know this and know more, for example, that it
is the United States supplied weapons that have enabled Turkey to enforce
these draconian laws on the Kurds. Some among the Kurds have taken
up arms, the way the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has, and have fought
the Turkish army that has cost the lives of 37.000 people, the destruction
of 3432 Kurdish villages and the displacement of more than 3 million Kurds.
But silence
prevails in the case of the Kurds.
To count on Turkey as an ally to undo the wrongs of Slobodan Milosevic
in Kosovo while letting Turkey get away with the same faults in the Turkish
controlled Kurdistan can only interpreted as disingenuous. President
Clinton has had strange bedfellows before, but in an adventure that may
cost the American lives, it behooves him to disassociate himself from Turkey.
The American Kurdish Information Network (AKIN) condemns this blatant
double standard and urges the United States government to counsel its own
ally as it continues with the costly adventure of undoing the wrongs of
Mr. Milosevic in Kosovo. (AKIN, March 25, 1999)
MIGRATION/IMMIGRATION
Bonn met en
garde contre l'expulsion de Kurdes
Le ministère allemand des Affaires étrangères
déconseille aux autorités allemandes concernées d'expulser
actuellement des Kurdes vers la Turquie, affirme le quotidien Berliner
Zeitung à paraître mercredi.
Cette mise en garde figure dans un rapport du ministère sur
la situation en Turquie daté du 25 février, ajoute le journal.
Selon ce rapport, il existe depuis l'arrestation du leader indépendantiste
kurde Abdullah Ocalan "un risque accru pour les Turcs d'origine kurde en
instance d'expulsion", croit savoir la Berliner Zeitung.
Le rapport ajoute toutefois ne pas disposer d'indices sur une éventuelle
répression de Kurdes expulsés vers la Turquie depuis la capture
de M. Ocalan à la mi-février, ajoute le quotidien.
Le ministère a refusé mardi soir de commenter l'article
de la Berliner Zeitung. Ces rapports, destinés à informer
tribunaux et ministères régionaux de l'Intérieur,
ne sont pas rendus publics, a précisé un porte-parole. (AFP,
16 Mars 1999)
Un Kurde meurt
brûlé vif pour protestation
Un Kurde de 17 ans a succombé à ses blessures après
s'être brûlé vif vendredi en Allemagne à Kassel
(centre) pour protester contre les tortures infligées selon lui
au chef indépendantiste Abdullah Ocalan emprisonné en Turquie,
a indiqué la police samedi.
Selon de premières informations, il s'est aspergé d'essence
avant de mettre le feu à ses vêtements. C'est aux deux passants
qui l'ont trouvé qu'il a exposé les raisons de son geste.
Outre les manifestations parfois violentes auxquelles a donné
lieu dans l'importante communauté kurde d'Allemagne la capture d'Abdullah
Ocalan le 15 février à Nairobi, certains sympathisants ont
déjà tenté de s'immoler par le feu. (AFP, 27 mars
1999)
BELGIQUE-TURQUIE/BELGIUM-TURKEY
Les propos
du "Soir" déformés en Turquie
Mauvaise surprise pour "Le Soir": dans ses éditions d'hier,
sous le titre "La presse européenne se réveille enfin," le
quotidien turc "Hürriyet" citait un article de notre correspondant
à Istanbul, mais de manière tronquée ou carrément
mensongère. Alors que notre article parlait de la vague d'attentats
qui secoue actuellement la Turquie et la replaçait dans son contexte
-- l'arrestation du chef du PKK et les appels à réagir "de
toutes les façons" lancés, sur Med-TV, par certains responsable
du mouvement kurde--, "Hürriyet" a pris la licence d'écrire:
Le journal belge à grande tirage "Le Soir" a déclaré:
"L'appel au terrorisme se fait par Med-TV qui est la presse du PKK." Ou
encore: "Le Soir" souligne que les ordres d'en appeler au terrorisme viennnent
de Med-TV. "Le Soir" ne peut que déplorer de telles pratiques journalistiques.
(Le Soir du 17 mars 1999)
*
La deuxième édition de la déformation
S'ils considèrent PKK une organisation terroriste, comment
se fait-il qu'ils permettent à une telle organisation terroriste
de faire des émissions TV.
Le journal Le Soir, édité en Belgique, rapportait clairement
dans son numéro du 20 février 1999 que Med-TV avait fait
appel à toute sorte de la violence. (Oktay Eksi, Hürriyet du
21 mars 1999)
*
Quelques remarques
o Le numéro du Soir dont le contenu est déformé
par le Hürriyet n'était pas daté du 20 février,
mais du 15 mars 1999.
o L'auteur de la deuxième édition de cette déformation,
M. Oktay Eksi, n'est pas un chroniqueur occasionnel mais l'éditorialiste
permanent à la une de ce journal. Au lieu de s'excuser au nom de
son journal d'avoir publié une telle déformation, il continue
à utiliser le même mensonge afin d'influencer les autorités
belges.
o Ce qui est le plus grave pour la crédibilité des
médias turcs: M. Oktay Eksi est également le président
du Conseil de la presse turque, censé de veiller au respect de la
déontologie de la presse! (Info-Turk, 21 mars 1999)
Une atteinte
flagrante à la liberté d'expression
Malgré plusieurs avertissements contre les chantages et les
pressions du régime fasciste d'Ankara, les autorités
européennes ont finalement procédé à la fermeture
de la Med-TV, la seule voix libre du peuple kurde opprimé par les
militaristes turcs.
Est-il juste et équitable d'interdire la Med-TV sous les chantages
du régime d'Ankara alors que les quotidiens et télévisions
au service du terrorisme de l'Etat turc continuent en toute liberté
à intoxiquer sans cesse la communauté immigrée turque
de la haine non seulement contre les défenseurs des droits du peuple
kurde mais également contre tous ceux qui ne s'inclinent pas devant
l'agressivité et l'arrogance des militaires turcs?
Les autorités européennes ont-elles déjà
oublié le vandalisme des Loups Gris d'il y a trois mois contre des
associations kurdes à Bruxelles à la suite d'une série
d'émissions provocatrices des chaînes ultra-nationalistes
turques?
Ce sont les mêmes chaînes qui annonçaient depuis
plusieurs jours l'interdiction imminente de la Med-TV par les autorités
européennes.
Les autorités européennes ne les ont pas déçus!
Depuis hier elles annoncent une nouvelle victoire historique de la
diplomatie turque!
La seule voix du peuple kurde est étouffé par l'Europe
en privant une poignée de journalistes kurdes en Belgique et en
Angleterre de leur seul moyen d'expression et de subsistance.
Par contre, des insultes, des blasphèmes et des menaces des
chaînes turques déchaînées sont vociférées
dans chaque foyer turc orné d'antenne parabolique dans les métropoles
européennes comme Bruxelles, Londres, Francfort, Paris,
avec la bienveillance de la même Europe.
Les médias, notamment audiovisuels...
Les associations professionnelles des journalistes...
Les associations pour la défense des droits de l'homme...
Les partis politiques démocratiques...
Les syndicats...
Vont-ils se taire devant cette nouvelle complicité de l'Europe
avec les militaristes turcs?
Vont-ils digérer l'étouffement de la seule voix du
peuple kurde dans un pays comme la Belgique, composé de trois communautés,
qui reste toujours fort attentif à l'équilibre linguistique
notamment dans le domaine des médias audio-visuels? (Info-Turk,
23 mars 1999)
EN BREF/IN BRIEF
(Dépêches
de la Fondation des Droits de l'Homme de Turquie-TIHV)
Death penalty demand: The trial launched against 235
prisoners and prison guards in connection with the incidents that arose
at Metris Prison on 7 and 8 July 1997 (6 persons were killed during the
incidents) continued at Bakirkoy Heavy Penal Court No.2 on 1 March.
In the trial, death penalty is demanded for 906 times for 116 of the defendants.
(Cumhuriyet, Evrensel-TIHV, March 2, 1999)
Closed TV channels: The Radio and Television Supreme
Board (RTUK) decided closure of private TV channels Kanal 6 and Kanal E
for 3 days, NTV and TGRT for 2 days, and Show TV, HBB, Flash TV, Kanal
D and ETV for one day, each. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 2, 1999)
Lawyer on trial: In connection with the incidents that
broke out between prison warders and prisoners in Ceyhan (Adana) Prison
on 19 October 1998, a trial was launched against lawyer Mustafa Cinkiliç,
Adana Representative of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, and lawyer
Kemal Kiliç from Istanbul Bar Association, on charges of "aiding
an illegal organization by acting as its couriers," under Article 169 of
the Turkish Penal Code. (TIHV, March 3, 1999)
Journalist convicted: Ahmet Ergin, the editor-in-chief
of the daily Emek, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and fined TL 2,000,000
in the trial he was prosecuted under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code
on the accusations of "inciting people to enmity" in a news story published
in the issue of the daily dated 23 July 1998. The Istanbul SSC also decided
to close the daily Emek for one month. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 4, 1999)
"Freedom to Thought-34": Sanar Yurdatapan, who has
republished in the booklet ìFreedom to Thought-34,î some sections of the
book, ìDagdan Kopan Ozgurluk (Freedom That Break Off From Mountain)î by
Abdulkadir Konuk, which had led the conviction of Aysenur Zarakolu, the
responsible person for the Belge Publications, made a press statement out
of Istanbul Court House on 3 March, and denounced himself to the prosecutor.
(Evrensel-TIHV, March 4, 1999)
Pressure on the EMEP: Aslan Topal, an Executive Board
Member of the Laborís Party (EMEP) Manisa Provincial Organization, and
Yusuf Sapanci, a member of the EMEP, were beaten and detained by the police
on 3 March while they were selling the daily Evrensel. In Amasya, EMEP
Amasya Provincial Organization Chairperson Ismail Arslan and 3 other persons
whose names could not be revealed were detained by the police on 2 March.
Ismail Arslan and the 3 persons were released in the night on the same
day. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 4, 1999)
Trade unionist on trial: The trial launched against
Ali Urkut, the Chairperson of the Trade Union of Health and Social Service
Workers (SES), in connection with a statement he made in Diyarbakir on
15 November 1998 regarding PKK leader Abdullah Ocalanís leave to Italy,
started at Ankara SSC on 3 March. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 4, 1999)
Incidents in manifestations: Sixty students were wounded
during the incidents that broke out in Gaziantep University on 3 March
between left-wing students and the students adhering the Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP). In Cukurova (Adana) University, the police intervened in the
demonstration that the students attempted to hold in order to protest Abdullah
Ocalanís transfer to Turkey, and detained 15 students. (Radikal-Cumhuriyet-TIHV,
March 4, 1999)
Doctor and lawyer on trial: The prosecution of Zeki
Ruzgar, one of the lawyers of the Peopleís Law Office, Cumhur Akpinar,
a doctor in charge at Forensic Medicine Institute and a former executive
member of Ankara Medical Chamber, Ayse Betul Gokoglu, the Chairperson of
the Association for Solidarity with the Relatives of Arrested Prisoners
and for Human Rights (TUYAD), and Ali Ercan Gokoglu started at Ankara SSC
No.1 on 4 March. They are accused of illegal organization. (Cumhuriyet-Radikal-TIHV,
March 5, 1999)
Presures on the HADEP: Celal Ata, the Secretary of
the HADEP Nusaybin (Mardin) District Organization, Hamdin Turan, the Accountant
of the same, and Seyithan Efe and Suleyman Peklay, the HADEP candidates
for municipality council, were detained in police raids against their houses
in the night of 4 March. In Nusaybin, an act of closing shutters was reportedly
staged on 4 March, and the shutters of about 300 shops were broken by the
police. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 5, 1999)
Trade unionist on trial: The trial launched against
Muslum Kiliç, Urfa Branch Chairperson of the Egitim Sen (Trade Union
of Education, Science and Culture Laborers), Kadri Gonullu, Urfa Branch
Chairperson of the Trade Union of Health and Social Service Workers (SES),
Suleyman Sili, Urfa Branch Chairperson of the Tarim Gida Sen (Trade Union
of the Agriculture and Food Workers), on charges of "aiding the PKK and
sheltering its members" under Article 169 of the Turkish Penal Code, started
at Diyarbakir SSC on 4 March. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 5, 1999)
Death in detention: Limter Is Union Education Specialist
Suleyman Yeter, who was detained during the raid against the office of
the journal Dayanisma on 5 March, died at Istanbul Security Directorate
Political Police Center where he was under custody. The prosecution office
had established that Yeter should be kept in detention until 9 March. Fatih
Public Prosecution Office approved that Yeter had died in detention. (Evrensel-Radikal-TIHV,
March 8, 1999)
Human rights defenders on trial: The prosecution of
Zeki Ruzgar, one of the lawyers of the Peopleís Law Office, Cumhur Akpinar,
a doctor in charge at Forensic Medicine Institute and a former executive
member of Ankara Medical Chamber, Ayse Betul Gokoglu, the Chairperson of
the Association for Solidarity with the Relatives of Arrested Prisoners
and for Human Rights (TAYAD), and Ali Ercan Gokoglu, continued at Ankara
SSC No.1 on 5 March. Meanwhile, 65 lawyers, who raised rejections against
the judges in the hearing on 4 March, were each fined TL 2,000,000 for
"unnecessarily raising rejections to the judges," under Article 26 of the
Code of Criminal Proceedings (CMUK). Lawyers will be given 80 days' imprisonment
if they do not pay the fines. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 8, 1999)
Incidents in demonstrations: Incidents broke out during
the demonstrations staged by high schoolers in Istanbul, Ankara, Malatya,
Kocaeli, Hatay and Izmir on 5 March, demanding equal opportunities in education.
In Istanbul, the students who gathered at Bakirkoy Ozgurluk Square were
quelled by the police. About 30 students were detained under harassment
during the incident. In Ankara, the students assembled in front of the
Human Rights Monument on Yuksel Street while they were waiting for their
representatives who took their petitions to the National Education Ministry,
but they were dispersed by the police. In Izmir, students and their teachers
who support them, were also quelled by the police. (Evrensel-TIHV, March
8, 1999)
Saturday Mothers: The relatives of disappeared persons,
known to the public as Saturday Mothers since they make sit-in acts every
Saturday in front of the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul, were prevented
by the police on 6 March. Because of the security measures that were stiffened
after Abdullah Ocalanís transfer to Turkey, the Saturday Mothers made a
press statement in front of the office of the Human Rights Association
(IHD) Istanbul Branch as they did last Saturday. (Evrensel-TIHV, March
8, 1999)
Raids on media offices: The headquarters of the journal
Atilim in Aksaray, Istanbul, and its office in Kartal, Istanbul were raided
by the police on 5 March. Fatma Saygili and Kamber Saygili were detained
during the raid against the office in Kartal. In addition, Aksaray Office
of the journal Dayanisma, Varyos Publishing House and the offices of Lawyer
Keles Ozturk and Gulseren Yoleli were also raided on the same day. On 6
March the offices of the journals Azadiya Welat and Kurtulus in Izmir were
raided by the police. During the raid against the office of Kurtulus, reporter
Turan Tasçi and Ozkan Karatas, who was a guest in the office, were
detained. Muhammet Unal and Azat Beltas, who were among the five persons
detained on allegations that they had thrown a bomb to the Harvard Cafe
in Istanbul, were arrested by Istanbul SSC on 5 March. (Evrensel-Hurriyet-TIHV,
March 8, 1999)
Political Party Executives on Trial: The trial launched
against The Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) Adana Provincial Chairperson
Mehmet Beyaztas, Seyhan District Chairperson Hasan Sarikaya and 7 executive
members of the ODP on the accusations that they ìinsulted the policeî in
their speeches during the ìSolidarity Nightî held on 28 February 1998,
started at Adana Heavy Penal Court No.2 on 8 March. They are indicted on
the demand of sentences between 1 year and 6 years in prison. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 9, 1999)
Journals Closed: The journal Hevi was closed by Istanbul
SSC for 10 days on the grounds that ìseparatist propaganda was madeî in
a news story published in the journal. The issue of the journal Kurtulus
was published with empty columns because of the confiscation ordered by
Istanbul SSC Prosecution Office on the grounds that ìseparatist propaganda
was disseminatedî in certain articles. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 9, 1999)
Culture Center Raided: The Science Labor Culture Art
Foundation (BEKSAV) was raided by the police on 5 March. During the raid,
16 were detained, including Emine Kral, a member of the music band Vardiya,
Nevin Dogan, Ember Yilmaz, Deniz Salman and Yasar Aktas, players of Imge
theater group. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 9, 1999)
ODP Executive Members on Trial: The trial launched
against executive members of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) in
connection with the posters they published in support of the students who
opened a placard in the Parliament, continued at Ankara SSC on 9 March.
In the trial, ODP Chairperson Ufuk Uras, deputy chairpersons Yildirim Kaya,
Serpil Boga, Central Executive Board members Necmi Demir, Saruhan Oluç,
Atilla Aytemur, Serpil Boga, Burhan Sonmez and Sultan Ozcan are prosecuted
on the demand of sentences between 4 years 6 months and 7 years 6 months
in prison under Article 169 of the Turkish Penal Code. The trial on 9 March
was
adjourned to a further date. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 10, 1999)
Students Detained: In Beytepe Campus of Hacettepe University,
the gendarmerie intervened in the boycott that was started by the students
13 days ago on the demands of ìcheap and healthy food,î on 9 March. The
gendarmerie scattered the food prepared by the students by their own means,
and detained students named Hulya Aksi, Necla Karakaya, Yasemin Bayramoglu,
Taner Bayramoglu, Ersin Ergul and Elif (surname could not be revealed).
(Evrensel-TIHV, March 10, 1999)
Clash in Tokat: Three persons died in a clash that
broke out in the vicinity of Coregibuyuk Village of Tokat on 8 March. It
was claimed that the 3 persons, the names of whom were reported as Kemal
Tutus, Ayfer Celep and Munire Sagdiç, were the Workersí and Peasantsí
Liberation Army of Turkey (TIKKO) members. Dursun Sahin, the owner of the
house in which the militants allegedly stayed, and his son Kenan sahin
were detained. (Hurriyet-TIHV, March 10, 1999)
Pressure on the HADEP: Ali Yavuz, HADEP former Izmir
Provincial Chairperson and a MP candidate, made a press statement on 10
March, and disclosed that the executive members of the HADEP were not allowed
in the party office and the elections activities were hindered. The HADEP
meeting in Ercis District of Van on 10 March was dispersed by the police,
who detained about 15 people under beating. In Baskale District of Van,
certain people, including HADEP MP candidate Hamdi Tanpinar, were detained
during the house raids carried out in the night of 8 March. In Diyarbakir,
many people were detained during the recent house raids. Seven people who
were detained in Iskenderun (Hatay) are still kept in detention. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 11, 1999)
MP on Trial: The 1 year imprisonment given to Hasan
Huseyin Ceylan, an MP for the Welfare Party (RP) which was banned by the
Constitutional Court, was upheld by the Supreme Court. Hasan Huseyin Ceylan,
whose parliamentary immunity was lifted when the RP was banned, had been
prosecuted at Ankara SSC in connection with a speech he had delivered in
Kirikkale prison to the general elections in 1993, and sentenced to 1 yearís
imprisonment on the accusations of "inciting people to enmity." With the
Supreme Courtís decision of upholding the sentence, Ceylan has been banned
from political activities for his lifetime. (Hurriyet-TIHV, March 11, 1999)
Students on Trial: The prosecution of 10 high schoolers,
8 of whom are on remand, on the accusations that "they had established
an organization under the name Kurdistan Contemporary Students Association
(KCOD) in line with the policy of the PKK," started at Diyarbakir SSC on
10 March. (Milliyet-TIHV, March 11, 1999)
German PKK Member on Trial: The Supreme Court upheld
the sentence of 15 years in prison passed on Eva Juhnke, a PKK member of
German origin, by Van SSC. The trial launched against Eva Juhnke, who had
been captured by Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) peshmerges during the operation
launched by Turkey in Northern Iraq in September 1997 and then brought
to Turkey, had ended at Van SSC on 18 September 1998. (Hurriyet-TIHV, March
11, 1999)
Journalist and Artist on Trial: The trial launched
against journalist Koray Duzgoren and artist Nilufer Akbal in connection
with the ninth booklet of the ìFreedom to Thought,î ended at the Military
Court of General Staff Office on 9 March. In the trial, Koray Duzgoren
and musician Nilufer Akbal were each sentenced to 2 months in prison and
fined TL 1,520,000. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 11, 1999)
Confiscated Publication: The sixth issue of the journal
Atilim was confiscated by Istanbul SSC on the grounds that ìseparatist
propaganda was disseminatedî in certain articles. (Evrensel-TIHV, March
11, 1999)
Prevention from Medical Treatment: Isil Taybas, a prisoner
in Gebze Special Type Prison, was reportedly prevented from receiving the
necessary medical treatment although she had a heart attack. Making a statement
as to the incident, prisoners disclosed that "Isil Taybas, who was convicted
to 12 years 6 months in prison in a Dev-Sol (Revolutionary Left) trial,
had a heart attack on 9 March, but she was kept in the wing for two hours
because of the bureaucratic problems." (Evrensel-TIHV, March 12, 1999)
Torture in Detention: It was reported that villagers,
who were detained by soldiers in Hasanpasa Village of Malazgirt, Mus, on
7 March, were tortured. The soldiers, who raided the village on 7 March,
upon the burning of the flag which was hoisted in front of the primary
school in the village, reportedly detained about 150 people, including
women and children, and beat them. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 12, 1999)
Conscientious Objector on Trial: Osman Murat Ulke,
former Chairperson of Izmir War Resistersí Association (ISKD), was sentenced
to 10 months in prison by Eskisehir Military Court in the trial he was
prosecuted on charges of "disobeying orders." In the trial that ended on
10 March, Osman Murat ulke was released, taking into consideration the
period he served in the prison. In contrary to many trails which were launched
previously on the same charges, the Military Court did not decide to "send
Osman Murat ulke to Bilecik Gendarmerie Regiment Headquarters under the
surveillance of the soldiers." After the trial ended, Osman Murat ulke
was released from Eskisehir Military Prison, and went to Izmir. (TIHV,
March 12, 1999)
Poet Imprisoned: Poet Yilmaz Odabasi, who was prosecuted
at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No.2 on the accusations of "insulting
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic," in his book,
"Dus ve Yasam" (Dream and Life), was imprisoned as the sentence passed
on him was upheld by the Supreme Court. His lawyer Hulya Sarsam disclosed
that the sentence of 1 year 6 months in prison had been upheld by the Supreme
Court in February, and the application made by the lawyers for a permission
for the delay of imprisonment had been rejected. Lawyer Sarsam stated that
the sentence of 1 year 6 months in prison and the fine of TL 933,000,000
given to Odabasi by Ankara SSC under Article 8 of the Anti-Terror Law on
the accusations that ìseparatist propaganda was disseminatedî in the aforementioned
book, had been overturned by the Supreme Court. Odabasi will serve for
8 months in Buca prison in line with the Law on Execution of the Sentences.
(TIHV, March 12, 1999)
Youths on Trial: The sentences passed on 16 youths,
who were prosecuted at Izmir SSC on the claims of "being a member of the
Revolutionary Peopleís Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C)," were overturned
by the Supreme Court for the second time. However, no decision of release
was issued for the youths, 10 of whom have been under arrest for more that
4 months. Duygu Senol, the lawyer of the youths, stated that her
clients were innocent, and said, ìMy clients were heavily tortured in detention.
They had to sign the statements prepared at the security directorate in
order to avoid torture, and because of these statements they were charges
with membership to an organization.î (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 12, 1999)
Death Penalty Demand, Radical Islamists on Trial: The
prosecution of 29 people, 28 of whom are on remand, on charges of ìbeing
members of a radical Islamic 'Anatolian Federated Islamic State' (AFID),"
started at Istanbul SSC on 11 March. The indictment prepared by Istanbul
SSC Prosecution Office sought the death penalty for some of the defendants
and various imprisonment terms for the others. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March
12, 1999)
Bombings in Istanbul: In Istanbul, about 50 houses
were reportedly raided and 20 people were detained subsequent to two bombings.
Meanwhile, the IHD reproached the attacks. The following were said in the
statement, which was made by IHD Secretary General Husnu Ondul: ìEvery
action which aims at defenseless and unprotected persons, children and
women, and those which do not aim at these persons directly but endanger
the lives of civilian persons and put them under threat should be convicted
before the principles of the humanitarian law.î (Radikal-TIHV, March 12,
1999)
Play Banned: In Turhal District of Tokat, the District
Governorate banned Ankara Birlik Theaterís play entitled ìGurbet Kuslari,î
on the grounds that ìsecurity could not be maintained.î (Cumhuriyet-TIHV,
March 12, 1999)
Journalist on Trial, Lawyers Prevented: The trial launched
against 30 people, including journalists Abdurrahman Dilipak, Ahmet Tasgetiren
and Ekrem Kiziltas, in connection with the demonstration held in Istanbul
on 11 October 1998 to protest the ban on wearing headscarves at universities,
started at Istanbul SSC on 12 March. During the hearing, 4 lawyers wearing
headscarves among the 55 lawyers, created to problems. Istanbul SSC Prosecutor
Selamettin Celep demanded that the 4 lawyers be taken out of the court
hall in line with the circulars issued by the Ministry of Justice and the
Turkish Bar Association. (13 March, Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 13, 1999)
Prisoners on Trial: Ankara Public Prosecution Chief
Office launched a trial against 28 prisoners, 22 of whom are convicted,
with the demand of up to 8 years imprisonment on the accusations of "attempt
to flee from Ankara Central Closed Prison by digging a tunnel." The indictment
sought imprisonment terms for each of the remanded prisoners under Article
299 § 3 of the Turkish Penal Code, on the grounds that a tunnel was
revealed out in the kitchen of the wing for female prisoners on 26 January.
(Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 13, 1999)
Teacher Attacked by Grey Wolves: Zeynel Polat, the
Deputy Director of Istanbul Umraniye Industrial Vocational High School,
sustained an attack on 12 March by persons who are reportedly adherents
of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The assailants stabbed Zeynel
Polat in his lower belly when he came to the school at about 08.00, and
then ran away. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 13, 1999)
Hunger Strikes in Prisons: Hunger strikes staged by
political prisoners in many prisons after the transfer of Abdullah Ocalan
to Turkey are under way. The health conditions of prisoners named Medya,
Fiden and Sara (surnames could not be revealed), who participate in the
hunger strike started at Sivas E Type Prison on 16 March, reportedly deteriorated.
Hunger strikes in Elbistan (Maras), Diyarbakir, Mardin, Antep E Type and
Siirt prisons are under way. Some political prisoners in Sakarya, Bursa,
Bergama, Burdur, Istanbul Bayrampasa, Umraniye and Gebze prisons who are
prosecuted in the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) trials reportedly
started a hunger strike on 12 March. In Mersin Prison, 21 political prisoners
started a 3-day alternate hunger strike. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 14, 1999)
Saturday Mothers: The relatives of disappeared persons,
known to the public as Saturday Mothers since they make sit-in acts every
Saturday in front of the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul, and who were
prevented during their acts in the last 30 weeks, gathered at the "Missings
Forrest," which was formed in Piyalepasa Boulevard in Okmeydani by Istanbul
Group of Amnesty International, on 13 March. The police did not allow the
relatives of the disappeared persons to make a press statement, and detained
10 people. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 14, 1999)
Closed Radios and TV Channels: The Radio and Television
Supreme Board (RTUK) decided the closure of Radyo Umut, which broadcasts
in Istanbul, for one year, on the grounds that "people were incited to
violence, terror and ethnic discrimination via the broadcast of the radio."
The RTUK also decided the closure of BTV (which is known to have a broadcast
policy favoring the Family Ciller) for a total of 7 days, which will be
put into implementation for 3 days first, 2 days later and then one day
for twice. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 14, 1999)
Trade Unionists on Trial: The trial launched against
Kemal Bal, the Chairperson of the Egitim Sen (Trade Union of Education,
Science and Culture Laborers), and former members of the Central Executive
Board on the accusations that "separatist propaganda was disseminated"
in an article entitled "Right to Have Education in Mother Tongue", which
was published in the book that covers the outcomes of "Democratic Education
Congress" held by the Egitim Sen between 2 and 6 February 1998, ended at
Ankara SSC on 15 March in acquittals of the defendants. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 16, 1999)
Student Threatened: Murat Ercan, a student at Cukurova
University in Adana, disclosed that he had been abducted on 11 March by
two persons, who had introduced themselves as police officers, and he had
been threatened to death unless he became an informer for the police. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 16, 1999)
Detentions, Arrests: Akif Ozarduk and Durdane Gungor,
executive members of the HADEP Sincan District Organization, and nine university
students were detained in Ankara during the operations by the police. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 16, 1999)
Prisoner Died: A convicted prisoner named Huseyin Altuntas
(70) died at Ankara Numune Hospital where he was under treatment on 16
March. IHD Secretary General Husnu Ondul disclosed that Altuntas, who was
convicted to 70 days in prison, had been referred from Osmancik (Corum)
Closed Prison to Numune Hospital because of his illness, and he had been
given the medical treatment as handcuffed to the bed in his feet. (TIHV,
March 17, 1999)
Death of Suleyman Yeter: It was revealed that Suleyman
Yeter, the Limter Is Trade Union Education Specialist who had died at Istanbul
Security Directorate Political Police Center where he was under custody
on 7 March, was suffocated to death. In the autopsy report furnished by
the Forensic Medicine Institute, it was stated that Suleyman Yeter had
"died because of pressurizing on the neck." The report read the following:
ìFractures on right hyoid bone and neck of troid cartilage, and echimosis
in the surrounding area...î (TIHV, March 17, 1999)
Lawyer and Journalists on Trial: The trial launched
against Lawyer Zeki Ruzgar, who is on remand in connection with another
trial, Ahmet Ergin, the editor-in-chief of the defunct journal Emek, and
Halit Keskin, the owner of the same, continued at Ankara SSC on 16 March.
Zeki Ruzgar had been put on trial in connection with a press statement
he made after the house raid carried out in Adana on 28 January 1998, and
Ahmet Ergin and Halit Keskin for publishing the statement in question in
the daily Emek. During the trial, the SSC board fined Lawyer Ender Buyukçulha
TL 2,130,000 for "unnecessarily raising rejections against the judges."
(Evrensel-TIHV, March 17, 1999)
Person Shot Dead by Police: A person named Fuat Unlu
was shot dead by the police in Kocasinan Quarter of Bahçelievler,
Istanbul, on 17 March. The police authorities claimed that Fuat Unlu, who
had been about to throw a Molotov cocktail at a shop in Kocasinan, had
opened fire on police officers, who had suspected him of carrying out an
attack, and that he had died in the subsequent clash. One police officer
was slightly wounded during the incident. (Hurriyet-TIHV, March 18, 1999)
Journalist Remanded: Celal Aslandogan, the editor-in-chief
of the journal Ozgur Gelecek who was detained in Istanbul on 16 March in
order to receive his testimony in connection with an article published
in the 39 th issue of the journal, was remanded by Istanbul SSC on 17 March.
Aslandogan was put in Umraniye Prison. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 18, 1999)
Singer on Trial: Istanbul SSC Prosecution Office launched
a trial against singer Ahmet Kaya on the accusations of "aiding the PKK
and inciting people to enmity." Kaya had been detained upon stating that
he "demanded a TV channel to broadcast his clip that would be in Kurdish"
during the evening program organized by the Association of Magazine Journalists
on 10 February. Subsequently, the media broadcast the news and scenes from
the night organized by the Kurdish Businessmen Association in Germany in
1993 in which he had participated. In the trial, which was launched under
169 Articles 169 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code, an imprisonment term
up to 13 year 6 months is sought for Ahmet Kaya. (Sabah-TIHV, March 18,
1999)
Trade Unionists Detained: Yener Kaya, the Chairperson
of Deri-Is (trade union of leather workers) and 12 trade unionists were
detained after making a press statement in Kartal, Istanbul, on 17 March
in support of the workers who were fired from Aymasan Shoe Factory. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 18, 1999)
Torture in Detention: Emin Acar (17), who was detained
in Germany on 10 March and deported back to Turkey on 12 March, was reportedly
tortured at the Political Police Center of Istanbul Security Directorate.
It was disclosed in a statement made by three prisoners that Emin Acar
had been brought to the prison on 15 March, half-fainted. According to
the statement, Acar had been subjected to various torture methods such
as ìsuspending on a hanger, squirting pressurized water, giving electricity,
falanga, suffocating in a bag, isolation in a dirty and dark cell lacking
of fresh air, mock execution and threatening to death, squeezing testicles.î
(TIHV, March 19, 1999)
Convicted, Prosecuted and Remanded Journalists:
Ihsan Sureyya Sirma, a columnist with the daily Milli Gazete, was fined
to TL 17,200,000 in the trial he was prosecuted on the accusations of insulting
Supreme Courtís Chief Prosecutor Vural Savas in one of his articles. In
the trial that was held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No.2 on
18 March, the trial against Ekrem Kiziltas, the editor-in-chief of the
daily, was adjourned to a further date. Ankara Public Prosecution Office
launched a trial against Fatih Altayli, a columnist with the daily Hurriyet,
and Dogan Satmis, the editor-in-chief of the daily, on the demand of imprisonment
terms between 6 months and 3 years on the accusations that Altayli had
insulted the members of the Supreme Election Board in one of his articles.
Meanwhile, in a statement made from the journal Ozgur Gelecek in connection
with Celal Aslandogan, the editor-in-chief of the journal who was detained
during the raid against the journal on 16 March and subsequently remanded,
it was disclosed that persons named Kamil Tas, Muharrem Yigitsoy, Betul
Kiliçaslan and Ufuk Balçik had also been detained. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV,
March 19, 1999)
Musicassettes Banned: Ordu Governorate banned the selling,
playing and possession of certain audio cassettes within its provincial
borders. The names of the band and singers whose albums were banned are
as follows: Grup Kizilirmak (1 album), Ali Asker (1 album), Grup Yorum
(2 albums), Ferhat Tunç (4 albums), Ahmet Kaya-Selda Bagcan (1 album),
Ahmet Kaya (24 albums). (Hurriyet-TIHV, March 19, 1999)
Meeting Banned: The meeting, ìStudent-Member Congress
99,î which would be held by the TMMOB (the Union of Chambers of Turkish
Architects and Engineers) Mechanical Engineers Chamber on 20 March was
banned by Ankara Governorate. The Governorate showed the Newroz and the
election bans as the grounds for its decision of banning the meeting. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 19, 1999)
Detentions, Arrests: The police intervened in the Newroz
(21 March) celebrations held at Ege (Izmir) University Campus on 18 March.
The police officers reportedly detained 59 students as well as the two
persons who were hired by the students to play drum and horn during the
celebrations. In Diyarbakir, the police raided a private lecture house
after a demonstration held by the students on the occasion of Newroz at
noon on 18 March, and detained 36 people, including the director of the
lecture house, Ibrahim Oguz, and one of the teachers, Burhanettin Varolgunes,
under harassment. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 19, 1999)
SSC Boycott by Political Prisoners: About 12,000 political
prisoners in Turkey started a boycott against the State Security Courts
(SSC). The statement made in the name of the prisoners reminded that the
issue of "withdrawing military judges from the SSC boards came on the agenda"
after the transfer of Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey, and asserted that the
SSCs were special courts which are against the law," that "they were not
independent," and that ìthe discussions for simply removing military judges
from the court boards were nothing but simply a disguise.î (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 19, 1999)
Pressure on the Press: A trial was launched against
Erhan Palabiyik, the owner of the local daily Demokrat Baykan which is
published in Baykan, Siirt, on the accusations of "insulting police officers"
in an article published in the daily. The trial will reportedly be heard
at Iskenderun Heavy Penal Court for "security" reasons. The Supreme Court
upheld the 2 yearsí imprisonment given to Zeynel Engin, the editor-in-chief
of the journal Halkin Gunlugu, under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code.
The Supreme Court also upheld the 10 daysí closure of the journal. The
journal Odak was closed for 10 days by Istanbul SSC. Besides, the 39th
issue of the journal Halkin Gunlugu and the 25th issue of the journal Mucadele
Birli_i were confiscated by Istanbul SSC in connection with certain articles
published in the journals. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 20-21, 1999)
Saturday Mothers: The relatives of disappeared persons,
known to the public as Saturday Mothers since they make sit-in acts every
Saturday in front of the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul, and who were
prevented during their acts in the last 30 weeks, ceased their act. The
Saturday Mothers, who went to the ìForrest of the Disappearedî on 20 March,
disclosed that they ceased their act. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 21, 1999)
Students on Trial: Ankara SSC Prosecution Office launched
a trial against 30 students, who were detained on the claims of being members
of the Revolutionary Peopleís Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), and 28 of
whom were remanded later on. In the trial, imprisonment terms between 15
years and 22 years 6 months are sought for the students under Article 168
§ 2 of the Turkish Penal Code and Article 5 of the Anti-Terror Law.
(TIHV, March 21, 1999)
Former MP on Trial: Ankara Public Prosecution Office
launched a trial against Naif Gunes, former Siirt MP with the Democracy
Party (DEP) which was closed down by the Constitutional Court in 1994,
on the accusations of ìbeing a member of the PKK.î Naif Gunes, who was
remanded on 11 February, will be prosecuted on the demand of a sentence
between 15 years and 22 years 6 months in prison under Article 168 §
2 of the Turkish Penal Code. (Sabah-TIHV, March 21, 1999)
Trade Unionists Detained: Yener Kaya, the Chairperson
of Turkiye Deri-Is Trade Union (trade union of leather workers) and 12
trade unionists, who were detained after making a press statement in Kartal,
Istanbul, on 17 March in support of the workers who were fired from Aymasan
Shoe Factory, were released by Kartal Public Prosecution Office on 18 March.
(Evrensel-TIHV, March 21, 1999)
Person Shot by the Police: Hamza Bas (19) was shot
dead by the police in Merter, Istanbul, on 19 March. Istanbul Security
Directorate disclosed that the police had asked for the IDs of two persons
whom they had suspected, that upon this the two persons had opened fire
at the police officers and Hamza Bas had been in the clash that broke out.
According to the statement, the second person had run away. (Hurriyet-TIHV,
March 22, 1999)
Torture in Detention, Students Remanded: Out of the
6 students from Antalya Akdeniz University and Burdur Suleyman Demirel
University who were detained on 18 March on the claims of ìbeing members
of the Revolutionary Peopleís Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C),î Erdal Tasbas,
Seyhan Korku, Ulas Kartal and Filiz Akkaya were remanded on 22 March. Making
a statement after having been released, Tevfik Guner and Nazan Calgiç
disclosed that they had been tortured in detention. (Evrensel-TIHV, March
23, 1999)
Yalcin Kucuk Convicted: The trial launched against
writer Yalcin Kucuk on the accusations of ìeasing the activities of the
PKK by naming its acts as a sacred struggle and thus making the propaganda
of the organization,î in two speeches he delivered in Kecioren District
of Ankara and on the MED TV, ended at Ankara SSC on 22 March. Yalcin Kucuk
was sentenced to 7 years 6 month in prison under Article 169 of the Turkish
Penal Code. Yalcin Kucuk is currently in prison because of the sentence
he was given in another trial. (Radikal-TIHV, March 23, 1999)
Journalists on Trial: The trial launched against Gulsum
Cengiz, one of the columnists of the defunct daily Emek, Ahmet Engin and
Halit Keskin, the editor-in-chief and the owner of the same, respectively,
in connection with a news story published in the daily during the Newroz
Feast of 1998, continued at _stanbul SSC on 22 March. In the trial, the
3 journalists are prosecuted under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code
and Article 8 of the Anti-Terror Law. The trial was postponed to a further
date for the defenses. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 23, 1999)
EMEP Prevented: Laborís Party (EMEP) Chairperson Levent
Tuzelís visit to Diyarbakir, which was planned to be held on 22 March within
the course of the election activities of the EMEP, was prevented by security
officers. Besides, Diyarbakir Provincial Organization office of the EMEP
was raided. Levent Tuzel and persons accompanying him were stopped at Degirmendere
region near Diyarbakir on 22 March, and they were told that their entrance
to Diyarbakir had been banned by the State of Emergency Regional Governorate.
During the raid against the EMEP office, the police seized the posters
and leaflets of the part. Meanwhile, EMEP Urfa Provincial Organization
Chairperson Cuma Ilbeyle and 7 of his friends were reportedly detained
in the night of 21 March. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 23, 1999)
Incidents in Istanbul: It was claimed that fire was
opened from a car at a gendarmerie vehicle waiting outside the Municipality
Bus Garage on Kayalar Street in Istanbul on 21 March. The gendarmes stopped
the car by opening fire, and detained driver Osman Goren (18). A child
named M.D. (17), who was claimed to have run away from the scene, was detained
later. It was claimed that M.D. was carrying a gun a with a blank-cartridge.
In the same region, fire was opened at a gendarmerie vehicle which went
to the scene upon burning of tires. A person named Bulent Alp was reportedly
detained on the claims of firing at the gendarmerie vehicle. (Radikal-TIHV,
March 23, 1999)
Lawyers on Trial: The trial launched against lawyer
Mustafa Cinkiliç, Adana Representative of the Human Rights Foundation
of Turkey, and lawyer Kemal Kiliç from Istanbul Bar Association,
in connection with the incidents that broke out between prison warders
and prisoners in Ceyhan (Adana) Prison on 19 October 1998, started at Adana
SSC today. (TIHV, March 23, 1999)
Journalist and Publisher on Trial: The trial launched
against writer-journalist Oral Calislar and publisher Muzaffer Erdogdu
under Article 8 of the Anti-Terror Law on the accusations that "separatist
propaganda was disseminated" in Calislarís book, "Ocalan ve Burkayíla Kurt
Sorunu (The Kurdish Problem: Interviews with Ocalan and Burkay)," continued
at Istanbul SSC on 23 March. (Milliyet-TIHV, March 24, 1999)
Human Rights Defenders on Trial: The prosecution of
Zeki Ruzgar, one of the lawyers of the Peopleís Law Office, Cumhur Akpinar,
a doctor in charge at Forensic Medicine Institute and a former executive
member of Ankara Medical Chamber, Ayse Betul Gokoglu, the Chairperson of
the Association for Solidarity with the Relatives of Arrested Prisoners
and for Human Rights (TAYAD), and Ali Ercan Gokoglu, continued at Ankara
SSC No.1 on 23 March. In the hearing, the lawyers raised rejection against
the judges, as in the previous hearing. Upon this, the court board fined
the lawyers and Zeki Ruzgar TL 6,390,000 each for "unnecessarily raising
rejections against the judges," under Article 26 of the Law on Criminal
Proceedings (CMUK). (Evrensel-TIHV, March 24, 1999)
Attacks Against the Press: Evrensel reporters Deniz
Dogan, Serpil Seher Ulgun and Sengul Karadag were reportedly detained on
21 March when they were in Diyarbakir to follow the Newroz celebrations.
Tulay Koçak, the editor-in-chief of the journal "Ezilenlerin Kurtulusu
Icin Isci Demokrasisi (Workerís Democracy for the Salvation of the Repressed),"
was remanded by Ankara SSC on 23 March. A trial was launched against the
staff of the journal Kizilbayrak on the accusations that "separatist propaganda
was disseminated" in certain articles. Besides, Istanbul SSC decided to
close Kizilbayrak for 15 days. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 24, 1999)
Attack Against Student: Ercan Kalender, a student at
the Faculty of Literature of Istanbul University, sustained an attack by
a group of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) adherents on 23 March.
Ercan Kalender, who is reportedly a member of the Youth Branch of the Freedom
and Solidarity Party (ODP), was wounded with meat-cleavers. The health
condition of Ercan Kalender is reportedly well. (Hurriyet-TIHV, March 24,
1999)
Death in Prison: Murat Keles (16), an ordinary prisoner
on remand at the juvenile wing of Izmir Buca Prison, died on 23 March.
Murat Keles reportedly died at the hospital where he was taken to after
having been heavily beaten in the wing. (Radikal-TIHV, March 25, 1999)
HADEP Trial: The trial launched against HADEP Chairperson
Murat Bozlak and 47 executive members of the HADEP in connection with the
hunger strikes staged in support of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan continued
at Ankara SSC on 24 March. The 48 executive members of the HADEP are on
trial on the accusations of "aiding an illegal organization and sheltering
its members." Eighteen defendants, 16 of whom are on remand, attended the
hearing, during which the court board rejected the release demand by the
remanded defendants. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 25, 1999)
Journalist Convicted: Ahmet Ergin, the editor-in-chief
of the defunct daily Emek, was sentenced to 2 years in prison and fined
TL 3,040,000 in the trial he was prosecuted on the accusations that ìpeople
were incited to enmityî in a news story entitled ìGreat Pressure on the
People in Mazgirt (Mazgirtíte [Tunceli] Halka Buyuk Baski),î which was
published in the issue of the daily dated 6 July 1998. The imprisonment
term was later commuted into a fine, thus Ahmet Ergin was fined to a total
of TL 6,690,000. In the trial that ended at Istanbul SSC on 24 March, the
fine given to Ahmet Ergin was reprieved. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 25, 1999)
Sentence to Gerger Upheld: The Supreme Court upheld
the 1 year 1 monthís imprisonment term passed on journalist/writer Haluk
Gerger by Istanbul SSC under the Anti-Terror Law. Gerger had been prosecuted
on the accusations of "disseminating separatist propaganda" in his article
entitled "Who is the Real Loser of the War (Savasi Asil Kaybeden Kim),"
which was published in the issue of the daily Ozgur Gundem on 18 December
1993. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 25, 1999)
Pressure in Prisons: Mehmet Candemir and Yakup Soylu,
who were transferred from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig Prison on 23 March,
and Cetin Ciftçi who was transferred from Siirt E Type Prison to
Batman E Type Prison, were reportedly tortured on the way. Lawyer Cemsit
Bilek, who met the prisoners in Elazig on 24 March, said, ìIn the cells
they have been confined, the prisoners continue to stage the hunger strike
they started on 16 February. Their health conditions are bad. There are
traces on their bodies as they were tortured throughout the way. The Public
Prosecutor and the Prison Director rejected our demand to meet the prisoners
in person. We have only been able to meet with Mehmet Candemir, and only
behind a window." (Evrensel-TIHV, March 26, 1999)
Hunger Strikes in Prisons: The hunger strikes staged
after the transfer of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey are under way.
According to the information provided by the Association for Solidarity
with the Relatives of Arrested Prisoners, the breakdown of the hunger strikes
in prisons is as follows: Sivas Prison: 112 women prisoners, death strike;
Bayrampasa Prison: 28 people, indefinite hunger strike; Bayrampasa Prison:
4 people, death strike; Burdur Prison: 20 people, indefinite hunger strike;
Amasya Prison: 32 people, indefinite hunger strike; Ordu Prison: 4 people,
death strike; Siirt Prison: 12 people, death strike; Ceyhan Prison: 20
people, indefinite hunger strike; Mus Prison: 8 people, death strike; Antep
Prison: 15 people, death strike; Cankiri Prison: 10 people, indefinite
hunger strike; Nazilli Prison: 20 people, indefinite hunger strike." Meanwhile,
many prisoners who are staging an indefinite hunger strike at Nazilli (Aydin)
Prison, have reportedly been suffering from dizziness, nausea, difficulties
in seeing and walking, and feeling of numb in the hands and the legs. (Evrensel-TIHV,
March 26, 1999)
Forcing to Become a Police Informer: Oguzhan Durmus,
a member of the music band ìGrup Yanki,î was reportedly forced to become
an informer for the police during the period he was kept in detention at
Istanbul Security Directorate. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 26, 1999)
Trial Against Akin Birdal: Akin Birdal, the Chairperson
of the IHD, testified at Ankara SSC on 25 March in connection with the
trial he has been prosecuted on charges of "inciting people to hatred and
enmity by emphasizing on regional differences" in a speech he made in Tarsus
when he was an MP candidate of the bloc of 4 political parties for the
general elections on 24 December 1995. The trial launched against Akin
Birdal under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code is under way at Adana
SSC. (TIHV, March 26, 1999)
Concluded Trial: Out of the 16 people who were prosecuted
at Diyarbakir SSC on the accusations of "being members of the radical Islamic
Hezbollah organization," three were given life sentence under Article 125
of the Turkish Penal Code. Another defendant was sentenced to 12 years
6 months in prison, whereas 12 defendants who were prosecuted without arrest
were acquitted. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 26, 1999)
Journal Confiscated: The journal Ozgur Genç
was confiscated by Istanbul SSDC on the grounds that "separatist propaganda
was made and illegal organizations were praised" in certain articles published
in the forth issue of the journal. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 26, 1999)
Torture in Detention: Hakan Kerenciler, the Youth Commission
Chairperson of the HADEP who was detained in Kartal, Istanbul, on 22 March,
disclosed that he had been tortured during the 3 days he had been kept
in detention. Kerenciler was given a medical report proving his inability
to work for 5 days. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 27, 1999)
Torture in Detention: Sefik Sumer, the Chairperson
of Adana Branch of the Mesopotamian Cultural Association (MKM) who was
detained in Adana on 23 March, disclosed that he had been tortured in detention.
Sumer added that he had been given a medical report proving his inability
to work for one day, and that he had lodged an official complaint with
the prosecution office. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 27, 1999)
Doctor and Nurse Beaten by Soldiers: Dr. Mehmet Cankaya
and nurse Gunay Beyhan, who are in charge at the Health Center in Keles
District of Bursa, were beaten by the soldiers from Keles Gendarmerie Headquarters,
who brought a prisoner to the health center for medical treatment. Gunay
Beyhanís arm was reportedly broken during the incident that took place
on 26 March. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 27, 1999)
Death Penalty Demand: Diyarbakir SSC Prosecution Office
launched a trial against five persons on the accusations of "being members
of the PKK." They face death penalty under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal
Code. (Evrensel-TIHV, March 27, 1999)
CHP officials on Trial: A trial was launched against
executive members of the CHP Iskenderun District Organization in connection
with the meeting they hold in commemoration of journalist Ugur Mumcu on
the anniversary of his killing. The CHP Chairperson Bestami Corapci and
his colleagues were accused of "acting in contravention of the Law on Meetings
and Demonstrations." (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, March 30, 1999)
Suicide Attack in Istanbul: PKK militant named
Meral Mamyak died and 11 people were wounded in the suicide attack carried
out by Mamyak at Taksim Square in Istanbul on 27 March. Meral Mamyak approached
to a police bus waiting at the square at about 12.40, and she was halted
by the police 20 meters to the bus. Upon this, she kept waiting police
officers to approach her, with her hands up, and exploded the bombs she
was holding. (Cumhuriyet-Evrensel-TIHV, March 28-31, 1999)
