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INFO-TURK

A non-government information center on Turkey

Un centre d'information non-gouvernemental sur la Turquie

38th Year / 38e Année
Mai
 
2011 May
N° 393
53 rue de Pavie - 1000 Bruxelles
Tél: (32-2) 215 35 76 - Fax: (32-2) 215 58 60
Chief Editor /Rédacteur en chef: 
Dogan Ozgüden

Responsible editor/Editrice responsable:

Inci Tugsavul
Human Rights
Pressures on  media
Kurdish Question
Minorities
Interior politics
Armed Forces
Religious affairs
Socio-economics
Turkey-Europe
Turkey-USA
Regional Relations
Cyprus and Greece
Migration


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Titres des évènements du mois
Titles of this month's events



Droits de l'Homme / Human Rights

Un attentat à Istanbul fait huit blessés

Students in Jail for at Least 20 Months for Posting Banner
 352 children taken into custody, 116 remanded in custody in 4 months
TIHV: ‘Blood doesn’t help anyone’
Amnesty slams Turkey over human rights violations
Arrest waves, house raids and military operations continue
Three members of Group Yorum among 34 detained in a police raid
La démocratie turque à l’œuvre: deux paraplégiques torturés par la police
Maltreated at Home, Harassed and Threatened at the Police
 Teacher Ali Ekber Yürek might have justice after 30 years
Prominent Lawyer Halit Celenk Died
The Dersim Genocide began 74 years ago
Anti-Terror Law Took the Lead in 2010
1er mai: grand rassemblement à Istanbul


Pression sur les médias / Pressure on the Media

Publishers’ union awards jailed journalist, Kurdish publisher

Kurdish writer receiving death threats
Turkish journalists have become today's 'slaves,' research says
Solidarity with journalist Necati Abay: No evidence but conviction!
Poet's Criticism of Prime Minister 'Free of Charge'
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Grand prix: errance nocturne et portrait social en Turquie
Journalist Celik Sentenced for News about Police Officers
OSCE: La nouvelle loi et la censure d'internet, risques pour les médias
Bruxelles met en garde la Turquie sur la censure d'internet
 Des milliers dans la rue en Turquie pour dénoncer la censure d'internet
Déclaration finale du Congrès pour la Libération des Journalistes
Aysenur Zarakolu Freedom of Expression Awards to Three Journalists
Caricatures - A History of Censorship
Declaration of the Freedom for Journalists Congress
Journalist Necati Abay sentenced to 18 years and 9 months imprisonment
Freedom of Expression Defendants Name by Name
International Call for Freedom for Arrested Turkish Journalists
Comic book artist facing prison time for insulting Atatürk
Freedom House: 'Worrying' decline in Turkey's press freedom
IPI condemns Turkey for treatment of journalists
RSF: Online censorship now bordering on the ridiculous in Turkey
Top court ruling further restricts freedom of press in Turkey
Journalist Sued for Calling Deputy "Manservant of the People"
Journalists Mavioğlu and Soykan at Court
World Press Freedom Day: 103 "Defendants of Opinion" in Turkey
A freedom of expression monument unveiled in Istanbul
Prosecutor Pleaded for Acquittal of Journalist Erdal
138 Words Banned from the Internet



Kurdish Question / Question kurde

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) before the general election

Y a-t-il une solution politique à la question kurde?
Probe into Zana opened over Öcalan remarks
Top Turkish parties trade places on Kurdish question
La tension monte au Kurdistan
Violent protest breaks out at PKK funeral in SE Turkey
Cocktail Molotov en main, des jeunes Kurdes se battent pour leur héros emprisonné
Kisanak: government increased pressure and violence
Zana et Baydemir, deux personnalités kurdes de premier plan
 Riots in South-Eastern Turkey after Military Operations
 La passionaria des Kurdes de Turquie prépare son retour au Parlement
12 guérillas kurdes, un soldat turc tués dans le sud-est de la Turquie
Kurdish Mass Protests Against 12 Kurdish Guerrillas' Death
Massive increase of violations in East and South East Anatolia
Deux policiers tués dans une attaque dans le sud-est
Ocalan: After general elections either negotiation will begin or war
AKP sème la terreur sur les kurdes
Deux rebelles kurdes abattus par l'armée dans le Sud-Est
12 People Arrested after KCK Operations
Incidents lors d'obsèques de rebelles kurdes abattus par l'armée
MGK and AKP Coalition and the ‘Civil Disobedience’ Campaign



Minorités / Minorities

Le carnet de Talaat Pasha traduit en anglais
Les enseignants turcs deviennent-ils les falsificateurs d’histoire?
Conference at the European Parliament: Dersim 1937-1938
Besikçi: Armenian, Syriac and Kurdish questions should be taken as a whole
Australian Group Recognises Assyrian, Armenian, Greek Genocide
US court requests Turkey’s defense in lawsuit filed by Armenians
IHD to sue Turkish general staff for Armenian soldier’s assassination
Les oubliées du génocide arménien
BDP opened Hrant Dink Park in Mersin
1915 deprived Turkey of its Armenian language publications
Le Sénat français a rejeté le texte sur la négation du génocide arménien
Bernard-Henri Lévy "indigné" par la position de certains sénateurs
Génocide arménien: "on ne peut plus nier la vérité historique"
Pour l'interdiction du négationnisme du génocide des Arméniens par la loi
Dink Trial to be Merged with "Ergenekon"?


Politique intérieure/Interior Politics

Head of leading business group fires back at deputy PM

CHP leader pledges autonomy for local governments in Hakkari rally
 Fiasco of Prime Minister's Visit to Kurdish Province Hakkari
CHP leader vows to end Turkey's PKK conflict, poverty, corruption
Démissions en série après un chantage sexuel pré-électoral
 La Turquie est dans un processus fragile - Ahmet DERE
Elections Manifest of the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block
Le problème kurde perturbe la campagne pour les législatives
 Le DTK menace de boycotter les élections législatives en Turquie
Un policier tué lors d'une attaque après un meeting d'Erdogan
Arrestations dans des municipalités tenues par l'opposition


Forces armées/Armed Forces

Eight Turkish officers released after 12 hours of testimony

Eloge du chef de l'Armée aux organisateurs du génocide des Arméniens
Isolation Punishment for Conscientious Objector Executed
Veteran journalist: secularists provoked coups in Turkey
Semdinli case sent back to civilian court
Another child died because of military devices left on a field
Conscientious Objector on Hunger Strike for 14 Days


Affaires religieuses / Religious Affairs
 

Un journaliste turc soupçonné d'être proche d'Al-Qaïda arrêté au Kirghizstan

 Manifestation à Istanbul pour dénoncer la mort de Ben Laden


Socio-économique / Socio-economic

Turkey on black list of ILO
Environmentalists will continue to march until their demands are met
La justice suspend certaines restrictions contre la vente d'alcool
Regularized Number Plates - The Latest Black List
La Russie signe un contrat en vue de la construction de la centrale turque
Séisme de magnitude 5,9 en Turquie: deux morts, 79 blessés
95 Percent of Turkish Population Plunged in Debt
Massive Workers' Protest against AKP Government
Deux villes autour d'Istanbul pour parer aux dangers d'un séisme
13 pays européens s'engagent à lutter contre la violence visant les femmes
Une majorité de Turcs contre les projets nucléaires du gouvernement


Relations turco-européennes / Turkey-Europe Relations

PACE delegation's report on the elections in Turkey

L'Autriche organisera un référendum sur l'entrée de la Turquie dans l'UE


Turquie-USA/ Turkey-USA

Speculations over real motives of US General visit to Turkey

 US reconnaissance plane supplying Turkey with intelligence
Une majorité de Turcs désapprouvent l'élimination de Ben Laden
Remzi Kartal: "The United States Treasury is Lying"


Relations régionales / Regional Relations

Un an après le fiasco de la flottille, nouvel avis de tempête pour Israël

Ankara est prête à contribuer aux initiatives pour une solution en Libye
Une troupe de théâtre israélienne annule des spectacles
La Turquie met en garde Israël avant le départ d'une flottille vers Gaza
Ankara condamne les violences près d'une mosquée bulgare
Ankara estime qu'il est encore temps de faire des réformes en Syrie
Anniversaire de la "Nakba": manifestations contre Israël en Turquie
Mavi Marmara: la justice turque réclame à Israël les noms des responsables
Erdogan: "trop tôt" pour dire si le président syrien doit partir
Turquie/Israël: situation bloquée près d'un an après le drame du Mavi Marmara
Anti-Israel protest held prior to UN conference in Istanbul
Erdogan change de ton et appelle Kadhafi à partir "immédiatement"
Ankara se félicite de la mort de Ben Laden
La Turquie se prépare à une vague éventuelle de refugiés syriens


Chypre et la Grèce / Cyprus and Greece

La coalition au pouvoir confirmée par les législatives chypriotes


Immigration / Migration

La Belgique durcit les règles du regroupement familial... pour les Belges

Installation spéciale à Bruxelles du Monument de l'Humanité détruit en Turquie
Roj-TV: pour la N-VA, Leterme ne peut être au service de la Turquie
Leterme souhaite une plus proche collaboration policière avec la Turquie
 La Turquie veut une libéralisation de la politique de visas de l'UE



Droits de l'Homme / Human Rights

Un attentat à Istanbul fait huit blessés

Un attentat à la bombe a fait huit blessés, dont un policier, jeudi dans un quartier résidentiel de la rive européenne d'Istanbul, ont annoncé des responsables turcs, le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan ayant désigné les rebelles kurdes comme les possibles auteurs.

"L'explosion d'une bombe composée d'un explosif de puissance moyenne placé sur une bicyclette électrique a fait sept blessés dont un policier. Leurs jours ne sont pas en danger", a dans un premier temps déclaré le chef de la police d'Istanbul, Hüseyin Capkin.

La direction de la santé a ensuite publié un communiqué faisant état de huit blessés, dont deux dans un état grave. Il s'agit de personnes âgées de 23 à 55 ans, dont trois femmes.

Une femme a eu un pied arraché par la déflagration et une autre souffre de brûlures du système respiratoire, a déclaré un responsable de cette direction, cité par l'agence de presse Anatolie.

La bombe a explosé vers 09H00 (06H00 GMT) sous un pont, près d'un arrêt d'autobus, dans le quartier cossu d'Ettiler, blessant des passagers d'un autobus et des passants.

Deux autobus, un taxi et une voiture étaient immobilisés avec leurs vitres brisées au coeur du périmètre de sécurité établi par la police dans l'éventualité d'une nouvelle explosion et pour permettre aux experts d'examiner les lieux, selon un photographe de l'AFP.

"Le fait que l'explosion s'est produite à proximité d'une école de police laisse penser que l'attentat a peut-être visé la police", a commenté M. Capkin, refusant d'émettre des hypothèses sur les responsables de l'attentat. (AFP, 26 mai 2011)

Students in Jail for at Least 20 Months for Posting Banner

The third hearing of the trial against Ankara University student Berna Yılmaz and Trakya University student Ferhat Tüzer, members of the Youth Federation, was held at the Beşiktaş (Istanbul) Courthouse on Monday (23 May). Both students are facing prison terms of up to 15 years because they posted a banner reading "We want free education" during the speech of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Romani Meeting in Istanbul on 14 March 2010.

The prosecutor requested the release and the acquittal of students Yılmaz and Tüzer. However, the court board decided to keep them both in detention and postponed the trial to 6 October 2011.

The Monday hearing was monitored by executives of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK) and the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-Sen), representatives and members of various democratic mass organizations, poet Ataol Behmramoğlu and author and script writer Bilgesu Erenus.

"Protest is a constitutional right"

Defence lawyer Taylan Tanay spoke to bianet after the hearing. He said that the Public Prosecutor demanded his clients' acquittal in his final plea.

Tanay explained that the prosecutor referred to Articles 24, 25 and 33 of the Constitution (freedom of conscience; freedom of thought and opinion; freedom of association). The prosecutor underlined that in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights it was a constitutional right to organize and attend meetings and demonstrations. In the prosecutor's opinion, both students made use of their rights accordingly.

Therefore, Tüzer and Yılmaz could not be punished for these reasons the prosecutor concluded and requested their acquittal.

Tanay continued, "The court allowed us time for the final speech of defence and decided to continue the detention [of Tüzer and Yılmaz]. The court postponed the case to 6 October 2011".

"The Public Prosecutor demanded both their release and their acquittal but the court did not decide according to this demand. This is how this weird and unlawful situation occurred".

"Politically motivated decision"

Summarizing the defence speeches of Yılmaz and Tüzer, lawyer Tanay reported that both students claimed that they only asked for education free of charge and that this could not be accounted for as a crime.

"Just as the public prosecutor declared, they fully used their constitutional rights and asked for free education within the principle of a social state. Applying Article 33 of the Constitution in particular, a student has the right to be active in an association. The terror the students are exposed to by this trial is unbelievable".

"These students will remain in detention for at least 20 months only because they posted a banner. This situation cannot be explained by the law; this decision is nothing but politically motivated", Tanay criticized.

"This trial was opened because of a protest against the Prime Minister on 14 March [2010]. In fact, this is a trial that has been opened directly by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan", the lawyer said. (BIA, Ekin Karaca, 26 May 2011)

352 children taken into custody, 116 remanded in custody in 4 months

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch has published a new report on the number of children who have been taken into custody and arrested in the first four months of the year.

The figures are shocking. According to the report, 352 children were taken into custody, while 116 of them were then remanded in custody. In the same period last year, the number of children taken into custody had been of 286 while those subsequently arrested had been 95.

In the last 16 months the number of children taken into custody rose to 638 while the children arrested have been 211.

IHD Diyarbakır Branch Secretary Raci Bilici accused the government, which changed the Anti-Terrorism Law in 2006, of allowing these children to be tried as if they were adults.

Lawyer Keziban Yılmaz also criticized the law, saying that: “these children were arrested for having taken part in a demonstration, having thrown stones, having chanted slogans or having shown victory signs. All of which was considered enough evidence for the court to punish them for being members of an illegal organizations. Some of the sentences given for such crimes are even longer than their age. The latest changes made to the Law on June 22, 2010, did not help to solve this problem. There is a law currently in effect allowing courts to punish children as if they were adults. We need to change it to save our children.”

At the same time of the İHD’s Diyarbakır press conference to denounce the trial against children, a child was remanded in custody together with seven adults for “producing propaganda for an illegal organization". They had been detained with 12 others following police’s house raids in Urfa and Cizre, two days ago.

Meanwhile the military operation in Diyarbakır’s district Lice continue, while the people in Adana held a protest against military operations. Police attacked the crowd and injured five demonstrators.

Furthermore it has been reported that a police allegedly threatened Musa Kurt, who denounced being harassed by the police during a house raids in Hakkari. Kurt said he has been threatened to withdraw his complaint. Kurt filed one more complaint and also applied to the IHD Hakkari Branch.

Finally, 48 detainees, mostly college students, in İstanbul appeared in court for their first hearing. Police had arrested them two days ago accusing them of having taken part to the meeting held by the independent candidates running in the upcoming parliament election, to protest against ongoing military operations in which 10 Kurdish guerrillas lost their life. The police had arrested 20 of them while they were already on the bus ready to go to the meeting. (ANF, 20 May 2011)

TIHV: ‘Blood doesn’t help anyone’

Reactions and condemnations against 10 HPG members’ deaths are unabated across Turkey. Faruk Aydın, father of Hanefi Aydın (Berxwedan Malazgirt) one of the 10 HPG members who lost their life between 13 and 14 May in Uludere and was buried yesterday, claimed that his son died as a result of torture, not as a result of a clash.

His funeral was attended by 20 thousand people who flocked to the village of Hasretpınar (Tendürek) in the province of Malazgirt/Mus.

While visits continue to the tent of condolence which was put up for Aydın, father Aydın said: “There was a bullet mark on my son's leg. I could see it clearly when his body was delivered to us. He also had marks on different parts of his body; on the head and nose in particular. My son was tortured to death; he didn’t die in a clash. We will appeal to court for necessary procedures when the condolence visits end. He is a martyr of all Kurdistan, not only mine. My condolences are for the Kurdish people and Kurdistan.”

Mardin Governor did not allowed the other deceased HPG member Riyat Berkel's (Xebatkar Kobani) body to be brought to Nusaybin in order to take to Syria. Special teams surrounded the convoy includes 50 vehicles on their way toward the Kilis border gate with Syria.

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) issued a press statement to condemn military operations and killings young people.

Warning military and political leaders, the statement was said that; “All kind of violations and killings need to be ended, before to be late. There is and will be no helpful consequences if this bloodshed continues. The operations have to be stopped; political prisoners have to be released and asking these human rights has not been criminalized as well.”

According to the data TİHV released 48 people lost their lives in between March 1 and March 24 because of military clashes between soldiers and HPG members.

In addition, Kurdish and Turkish leftist political leaders, İbrahim Kaypakkaya, Ferhat Kurtay, Eşref Anyık, Necmi Öner and Mahmut Zengin were commemorated by numerous NGOs, political parties, including BDP, intellectuals and independent candidates through mass demonstrations, meetings and various kinds of actions in İstanbul, Adana, Van, Ağrı Diyadin and Muş and its districts. (DIHA, May 18, 2011)

Amnesty slams Turkey over human rights violations

Despite increasingly open debate regarding previously taboo issues, numerous criminal prosecutions in Turkey are following the expression of dissenting opinions, Amnesty International said Friday.

In its annual analysis of the world's human rights, Amnesty International said “especially those relating to criticism of the armed forces, the position of Armenians and Kurds in Turkey and ongoing criminal prosecutions. Alongside various articles of the Penal Code, anti- terrorism laws carrying higher prison sentences and resulting in pre-trial detention orders were frequently used to stifle legitimate free expression.”

The rights group said, “Allegations of torture and other ill-treatment persisted, especially outside places of detention, including during demonstrations, but also in police custody and during transfer to prison.”

“In November, the U.N. Committee against Torture issued a series of recommendations to the authorities to combat “numerous, ongoing and consistent allegations of torture” for which the committee expressed grave concern during their review of Turkey,” the report noted.

On violence against women the report said the government failed to achieve significant progress. “The government’s National Action Plan 2007-2010 to combat domestic violence failed to record significant progress, due in part to a lack of coordination, insufficient resource allocation and the lack of measurable goals,” it said.

The group criticized the Turkish government by saying independent human rights mechanisms proposed by the government were not established against human rights abuses in the country. “For example, civil society was not effectively consulted over the draft law to establish the Human Rights Institution (a body proposed to protect human rights and prevent violations), which failed to provide the necessary guarantees of independence,” it said.

Allegations of ill treatment in prisons persisted, especially of remand prisoners directly following transfer. Denial of effective access to medical treatment and arbitrary limitations applied to prisoners’ rights to associate with each other continued, according to the report.

While constitutional amendments in Turkey and revisions to the Anti-Terrorism Law represented positive steps, unfair trials under anti- terrorism legislation continued, and anti-terrorism laws carrying higher prison sentences and resulting in pre-trial detention orders were frequently used to stifle freedom of expression, Amnesty said. (Hürriyet Daily News, May 13, 2011)

Arrest waves, house raids and military operations continue

According to DIHA’s report, police took 232 people, including five children, into custody in four months in İstanbul as part of government’s political operations against Kurdish Communities Union (KCK). Public prosecutors ordered 128 of them, including Peace and Democracy Party managers, branch chairs and members of BDP’s youth organization Democratic and Patriot Youth (DYG), to be arrested.

*Beginning on 14 April 2009, in a series of police operations known as the KCK operations, 2,000 people were taken into custody, 151 people were imprisoned on the basis of alleged links to illegal organizations. Only six of these people were brought to trial together for 23rd hearings in Diyarbakir, today. Following the court board’s assignments of new lawyers for them, the defendants announced that they will boycott the next hearing as their lawyer did, as long as the Court allow them to give their statement in Kurdish. The historical trial was postponed to August 2, after a series of protests.

By the time the KCK trails began on 18 October 2010, many of the defendants had been in custody for a period of 18 months. Much of the evidence had apparently been gathered from wiretapping and phone bugging, and there was a lack of clarity regarding the exact charges, and the basis for such charges, against each defendant.

*Thirty four people have been taken into custody this morning following simultaneous house raids carried out by police at several addresses. The places raided are believed to be the Rights and Freedoms Association (Haklar ve Özgürlükler Derneği) in Okmeydanı. Among the detained people are three member of historic music band Group Yorum.

*Police detained one teenager in Şırnak today, while the prosecutors ordered 29 out of 41 detainees in Bismil; two out of nine in Eruh, a district of Siirt; three out of 14 in Hakkari.

*Anonymous people attacked on the Labor, Freedom and Democracy Block’s election office in İstanbul, late last night. The attackers vandalized the office.

*In Mardin, Midyat Public Prosecutor opened new investigations against the managers and members of BDP for writing in Kurdish on the signs of party buildings and banners for celebration of Newroz, Kurdish newyear. BDP Midyat Branch replaced the party signs in four languages, Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic and Syriac, on January 12 and March 17 for Newroz celebrations.

Eighteen BDP managers and members will be tried next weer for writing in Kurdish.

* Labor, Freedom and Democracy Block’s candidates were in Kars, Siirt, Iğdır, Hakkari, Urfa, Kızıltepe, Hazro, Derik, Ceylanpınar, Bulanık, Patnos, Güroymak, Ardahan, İzmir, Aydın, Manisa, Balıkesir, Konya, Mersin, Antep, Mardin, İstanbul, Adana and Balıkesir for electoral work. Their common propaganda was about PKK leader Abudullah Öcalan and his important role for peace.

*Military operations are still going on in the countryside of the region despite Kurdish people and Turkish intellectuals’ demands the government to stop.
Here some of the operations: On 4 May; the Turkish Army Forces launched a military operation against the Valley of Sevdin, the areas of Barav and Balpayam, on the city borders of Bingöl and Dersim; on 5 May, in the Hillsides of Kirmizidag, Hozmerek, Uzuntarla, Derhagi, Marcik and Serkeftin, districts of Dersim; on 5 May, in Xireba and Kurika ir Nusaybin, a district of Mardin; on 7 May, in Sehit Xebat, Dola Weske, Dola Amed, Dola Nexwesxane and the Strait of Bandoz, in Bingol; On 7 May the Cobra type helicopters intensively bombarded the area; on 6 May, in Sederiye inNusaybin, a district of Mardin.
(DIHA, May 10, 2011)

Three members of Group Yorum among 34 detained in a police raid

Some 36 people, including three members of a music band, have been taken into custody in a security operation launched by the police in three separate locations in Istanbul’s Şişli and Beyoğlu districts on charges of membership in the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C.

Among those taken into custody were Ali Aracı, Ali Papur and Caner Bozkurt, three members of Group Yorum, a left wing music band.

“The culture center and the associations are legal institutions. Three members of Group Yorum were taken into custody at the culture center. There was no search warranty for the arrest. Grup Yorum attracted tens of thousands of people to its concerts. The police could have searched these locations in the morning but came around 2 a.m. It is said there is a confidentiality decision in relation to this matter. There was no legal basis for this raid,” said Taylan Tanay, a lawyer who visited the scenes of operations, according to Doğan news agency.

Organized crime units raided the İdil Culture Center on Piyalepaşa Avenue in Beyoğlu, the Youth Federation Association and the Rights and Freedoms Association on Mektep Street in Şişli with assistance from riot police around 2 a.m., following a decision taken by the Istanbul 3rd Court of Serious Crimes. When those inside failed to open the door despite the police’s search warranty, the police broke the windows and threw tear gas inside. In turn, the people inside reportedly began chanting slogans and singing marches. The police waited until 5 a.m., after which time they forced the doors open by using battering rams.

The police seized large sacks full of documents relating to organizational activities. A red flag hanging at the entrance of the association was brought down by the police who also closed the area of operations with a long security cordon. Crime scene investigation units and special forces were also involved in the operation. The suspects were taken to the Istanbul Police Headquarters.
(Daily News, May 10, 2011)

La démocratie turque à l’œuvre: deux paraplégiques torturés par la police

Bahar Kimyongür, Bruxelles, le 10 mai 2011

Vous vous en souviendrez, le 7 octobre 2007, Ferhat Gerçek, un tout jeune militant alors âgé de 17 ans avait été la cible des balles de la police à Istanbul parce qu'il distribuait "Yürüyüs", un hebdo de gauche. Cet attentat policier l'avait handicapé à vie. Il se déplace depuis en chaise roulante. Sept policiers ont été poursuivis dans cette affaire. Mais l'enquête est systématiquement sabotée par la machinerie judiciaire: il y a quelques mois, le T-shirt transpercé et ensanglanté de Ferhat a curieusement disparu alors qu'il était consigné au greffe. Et le 6 mai dernier, c'est carrément la balle fatale du policier qui s'est évaporée. Mais le pire dans cette histoire est à venir. Tout mutilé et victime qu'il est, Ferhat est lui aussi poursuivi. La police l'accuse d'avoir enfreint la loi sur les rassemblements et de rébellion. Alors qu'une peine de 10 ans de prison est requise contre les policiers, Ferhat, lui, est menacé de 15 ans de prison !

Mais Ferhat n'est toujours pas au bout de ses peines. La nuit dernière, la police antiterroriste a mené une vaste opération dans plusieurs quartiers d'Istanbul. Officiellement, le but de cette opération était de neutraliser des militants de l'organisation marxiste clandestine DHKP-C (Parti-Front révolutionnaire de libération du peuple). La réalité est que les 46 personnes arrêtées sont toutes actives dans des associations de quartier et des centres culturels. Parmi celles-ci, il y avait Ferhat.

Ferhat se trouvait à l'Association pour les droits et les libertés du quartier d'Okmeydani lorsque des dizaines de policiers armés ont surgi de nulle part. Ils l'ont éjecté de sa chaise roulante et roué de coups. Couché à plat ventre et ne pouvant bouger, Ferhat n'ai rien vu si ce n'est les bottes des policiers. Ils l'ont ensuite menotté et traîné au sol tandis que d'autres lui assénaient des coups de pieds. Ses camarades ont été eux aussi passés à tabac. Certains, dit-il, avaient le visage couvert de sang. Tandis que ses compagnons étaient emmenés au commissariat, Ferhat a été gardé en garde à vue, les bras menottés dans le dos, dans les locaux de son association. Il a fallu l'intervention de son avocat pour qu'il puisse retrouver sa liberté. En sortant de sa garde à vue improvisée, Ferhat a croisé un autre camarade paralysé. Atteint d'un syndrome cérébelleux et condamné lui aussi à la chaise roulante, Irfan Yilmaz a subi un sort guère plus enviable. Il a d'abord été rossé alors qu'il était assis et inerte, puis il a subi une véritable séance de torture après avoir été jeté à terre.

A la lecture d'une telle débauche de violence, on peut légitimement être interloqué par le silence assourdissant des médias occidentaux face à la terreur que fait régner une police turque qui se comporte désormais en milice privée de la confrérie religieuse des Nourdjou (Nurcu), elle-même télécommandée par le prédicateur Fetullah Gülen exilé aux États-Unis.

Comme le fait remarquer Me Taylan Tanay, le président stambouliote de l'Association des juristes progressistes (CHD) et avocat de Ferhat Gerçek, l'AKP et sa police font systématiquement régner la terreur dans les quartiers déshérités, prenant pour cible les pauvres, les Kurdes et la gauche révolutionnaire. De nombreuses sources indépendantes confirment cette augmentation du terrorisme d’État dans les rues d'Istanbul, de Diyarbakir ou de Hakkari.

Les médias occidentaux si prompts à rapporter le moindre détail des exactions commises en Libye ou en Syrie sont pourtant si peu loquaces s'agissant des victimes du terrorisme de l’État turc, surtout si les victimes sont "d'extrême-gauche".

Et qu'en est-il des autres "terroristes" arrêtés nuitamment ?

Certains d'entre eux sont enseignants, syndicalistes, cinéastes ou musiciens. On compte même trois membres du Grup Yorum, un groupe musical ethno-rock très populaire en Turquie.

En juin dernier, Grup Yorum, connu et apprécié pour son répertoire et ses actions politiques mais persécuté depuis sa création en 1985, est parvenu à remplir un stade de football. Le 17 avril dernier, près de 150.000 personnes ont assisté à un concert de ce groupe organisé sans le moindre sponsor. Du jamais vu en Turquie. Malgré la censure et la répression, Grup Yorum a vendu près de 3 millions d'albums. Du jamais vu aussi. Ce groupe se situe pourtant dans une mouvance révolutionnaire turque qui connut ses heures de gloire dans les années 60, 70 et 90 mais qui, depuis, a été laminée par les juntes militaires et les escadrons de la mort. Aujourd'hui, dans les bas-quartiers et les bidonvilles de Turquie, le marxisme révolutionnaire et le discours de classe semblent timidement regagner le terrain conquis par un Islam ultralibéral et farouchement anticommuniste, fabriqué dans les hautes sphères de l'Etat par des généraux prétendument laïques, avec l'appui de la tentaculaire confrérie de Fetullah Gülen.

Manifestement, l'AKP, en campagne contre ses opposants de tout bord, depuis les kémalistes jusqu'aux autonomistes kurdes en prévision des législatives du 12 juin prochain, digère mal les récents soubresauts de cette gauche extraparlementaire qui, le 1er mai dernier, a réussi à mobiliser des centaines de milliers de travailleurs, de chômeurs et d'étudiants sur la place Taksim à Istanbul. Si une grande partie de cette gauche-là ne participe pas aux élections pour des raisons stratégiques, ses mobilisations populaires et radicales n'en inquiète pas moins les élites turques.

Ces élites que l'on a cesse d'ériger en "modèle" pour le monde arabe et musulman. Un modèle ? Mieux encore: l'AKP, c'est un pic, c'est un cap. Que dis-je, c'est une "étoile polaire" ! Cette dernière formule élogieuse sort en réalité de la bouche même de M. Tayyip Erdogan alias Mister One Minute, chevalier de Davos et héraut de la "démocratie avancée". Seulement voilà, pour l'heure, les seules étoiles que les démocrates turcs et kurdes aperçoivent dans leur ciel assombri, ce sont celles des shérifs de l'AKP.

Maltreated at Home, Harassed and Threatened at the Police

A female individual with the initials T.A. from Çorlu/Tekidağ (west of Istanbul) was harassed by a police officer when she complained at the police station about violence imposed to her by her husband. She reported the incident to the Dicle News Agency (DİHA). Subsequently, DİHA, the Özgür Gündem newspaper and her lawyer Eren Keskin were called "supporters of terrorism" by the police.

The woman was harassed by Chief G.B. of the Çorlu Public Police Station in March this year after she had complained about violence imposed to her by her husband. The issue made the headlines after she had conveyed the incident to DİHA.

It turned out that the police officer had previously harassed 33 women in similar situations. Yet, since he was "a relative of a former minister", he was able to avoid complaints. An investigation was launched by the Police General Directorate after the topic had come up in the press. As a result, G.B.'s police ID and his weapon were seized and he was laid-off.

Complainant T.A. gave her statement at the Çorlu Police Directorate. She recalled, "When I went to the police, they asked be to testify again because 'an inspector from Ankara had come', they said. When they took my statement, they told me 'Why did you go to the press with this incident, there was no need to do that, we would have settled the issue internally'".

T.A. replied that she would seek her right against the injustice she experienced on every level. She said that Çorlu District Chief of Police E.Ö. raised his voice thereupon and threatened her.

"Police officer might return because you served supporters of terrorism"

According to T.A., the chief of police answered, "Well, you are seeking your good right but you are looking for it at the wrong people. The person called Eren Keskin who allegedly is working as your lawyer and the Dicle News Agency that published this incident and also the Özgür Gündem newspaper published by them are [people and] publications that support terrorism".

T.A. added, "The chief said 'They are enemies of the state, we know what they are. They are trying to confuse you and draw you into their dirty machinations'. About laid-off G.B. he said, 'He might be suspended for one or two months. But he might come back to duty because you served the purpose of supporters of terrorism in this matter'".

Two DİHA reporters taken in custody in Istanbul

At the same time, DİHA reporter Çağdaş Kaplan and trainee Bilal Gündem were stopped by plainclothes police officers for and "identity check". Kaplan and Gündem were covering the opening of an election office of Mustafa Avcı in Bağcılar (Istanbul). Avcı is a candidate for the pro-Kurdish "Labour, Freedom and Democracy Block".

Kaplan and Gündem were taken into custody to check "if there was anrrest warrant released for them".

The two journalists were taken to the Bağcılar Central Police Station and released later on.  (BIA, 10 May 2011)

Teacher Ali Ekber Yürek might have justice after 30 years

The Public Prosecutor ruled the opening of the grave where teacher Ali Ekber Yürek who was tortured to death in Afsin district of Maras in 1981, is buried.

Yürek’s grave in Ovacik district of Dersim will be opened today. Brother Mehmet Yürek accused Maras Martial Commander Yusuf Haznedaroglu to be responsible for his brother’s death.

Prosecutor Mehmet Kuş decided for the opening of Ali Ekber Yürek’s grave (tortured to death in 1981 after being detained by police and soldiers) after listening to the testimonies of two new witnesses. Among the suspects is Maras Martial Commander Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu. Brother Mehmet Yürek filed a complaint about his brother's death last year, two days before the September 12 referendum on Constitutional amendments. He filed a criminal complaint against Kenan Evren, Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu as well as other accountable in the district at the time of his brother's death.

Malatya Special Attorney General sent the file no 2011/150 to Ankara Special Attorney General as the investigation of the putschers was conducted there. While the document related to Ali Ekber’s death under torture was sent to Afsin Prosecution, the file was given to Prosecutor Mehmet Kus who took the testimonies of the brother and Ali Kepez along with the statement by Akif Keçeli who had been detained at the same time with Ali Ekber. Prosecutor Kuş decided for the opening of Yürek’s grave to verify claims of bone fractures and torture signs on the body. After 30 years, Ali Ekber Yürek’s grave will be opened on Friday as ordered by the prosecution office and Yürek’s remains will be sent to Forensic Medicine Institute.

‘Tortured to death’

Yürek’s family, came to Dersim following the prosecutor's decision, and said that many torture cases will stand a chance to be reopened if the case of their relative will be fully investigated. Underlining that those responsible for Yürek’s death have not gone to trial and that justice has failed them for 30 years, brother Mehmet Yürek expressed their relief at the opening of the new investigation to hold the responsible accountable for the crime.

“My brother was 24 years old and a teacher here. He went to Maras as a member of Revolutionary People's Union Movement and was caught in a house in Elbistan. He was detained and tortured to death within two weeks. When the body was delivered to us, we were told that he had committed suicide and hung himself with the tightrope of his coat. His coat didn’t have a tightrope. That is the statement of his friends who watched him during the torture”.

‘My brother’s torturer is Martial Commander Yusuf Haznedaroglu’

Noting that Ali Ekber was questioned and tortured by the Maras Martial Commander Major General Yusuf Haznedaroglu himself, Yürek’s brother said the followings; "Haznedaroğlu personally joined the interrogation for 2.5 weeks. In the final session, he put my brother’s head into a barrel of cold water. My brother is said to have lost his life during this session. When the body was delivered to us, his lips and teeth were almost destroyed with electric burns. His toes and sexual organ were also burnt and his arms and ribs were blackened. His friends under detention were threatened with the same end in case of speaking anything about the happenings. We lost our brother under torture. This is the first time I am visiting his grave for 30 years. I still can’t look at his pictures. We can’t accept his death. We are witnessing times when the putschers, from Chili to Greece, are put on trial. I demand the same in this country too and promise to give a fight for that”.

85-year-old mother Fecire Yürek also asked for the detection of her son’s tortures. (ANF, 6 May 2011)


Prominent Lawyer Halit Celenk Died

Prominent Lawyer Halit Celenk, one of the principal human rights defenders of Turkey, died on May 5, 2011 in Ankara.

He was the lawyer of the three socialist youth leaders in the 1970s, Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan. His funeral will be held May 6 at Ankara’s Kocatepe Mosque on the 39th anniversary of the execution of Gezmiş, Aslan and Inan.

Celenk, 89, was undergoing medical treatment for cancer and asthma.

Born in 1922 in Antakya, Celenk graduated from Istanbul University Law Faculty in 1944 and served in Turkey’s Labor Party.

Remaining among the founders of Turkey Human Rights Association, İHD, and Human Rights Foundation, or TİHV, Celenk also served as lawyer in the cases of Turkey’s many far-left organizations and parties including Dev-Genç, Dev-Yol and Turkey Communist Party, or TKP, during the military coups of March 12, 1971 and Sep.12, 1980.

Along with iconic figures of Gezmiş, Aslan and İnan, Celenk also was the lawyer for other Turkish significant figures.

Celenk had many publications including “The Memoirs of Execution Night,” in which he depicted the execution night of the three student leaders.

Halit Celenk had also fought against the Turkish Government's decision to deprive Info-Türk editors Dogan Özgüden and Inci Tugsavul of Turkish nationality.


The Dersim Genocide began 74 years ago

Today 4 May marks the 74th anniversary of the beginning of the Dersim Genocide. The Turkish government has massacred thousands of people, those who survived were banished, Dersim was depopulated. The cause of these merciless acts was being Kurdish, Alevi and Kizilbash.

74 years have passed, and yet Turkey is not willing to acknowledge this Genocide like many other Kurdish Genocides. Those responsible for the deaths of thousands of people have never been tried nor have they been brought out into light. The broken families could never discover their past. Thousands of people still haven’t received news from their families and close friends. The whereabouts of the Kurdish children taken by the Turkish Government at the time are unknown. Many other world countries who have had a similar experiences and committed genocide against its people have acknowledged the injustice and sorrow they have caused and have apologised. However Turkey is continuing to resist and use “it does not exist” strategy with the Kurdish Genocide just as they have with the Armenian Genocide."

It was sociologist Ismail Beşikçi who started to shed some light on one of the "forgotten Genocides" of Turkey. In 1990 he published a book in Turkey that by its very title accused Turkey's one- party regime of the 1930s of having committed genocide in the Kurdish district of Dersim. The book was immediately banned and did not generate the debate its author. As author and academic Martin Van Bruinessen recalls "Beşikçi was the first, and for a long time the only, Turkish intellectual to publicly criticize Turkey's official ideology and policies regarding the Kurds, beginning with his 1969 study of the socioeconomic conditions of eastern Turkey through a whole series of increasingly polemical works." Ismail Beşikçi paid a heavy price for his moral and intellectual courage; all his books were banned, and he spent more than ten years in prison for writing them.

As Van Bruinessen wrote himself studying the Dersim genocide, "Dersim is an inaccessible district of high, snowcapped mountains, narrow valleys, and deep ravines in central Eastern Turkey. It was inhabited by a large number of small tribes, eking out a marginal existence by animal husbandry, horticulture, and gathering forest products. Their total numbers were, by the mid-1930s, estimated at 65,000 to 70,000." Dersim was a culturally distinct part of Kurdistan, partly due to ecological-geographical factors, partly to a combination of linguistic and religious peculiarities. Some of the tribes spoke Kurdish proper, but most spoke another, related language known as Zaza. All adhered to the heterodox Alevi sect, which separated them socially from the Sunni Kurds living to the east and south (among whom there were both Zaza and Kurdish speakers). Although there are Alevis in many other parts of Turkey, those of Dersim constitute a distinct group, with different beliefs and practices.

Dersim was, by the mid-1930s, the last part of Turkey that had not been effectively brought under central government control. The tribes of Dersim had never been subdued by any previous government; the only law they recognized was traditional tribal law. Tribal chieftains and religious leaders wielded great authority over the commoners, whom they often exploited economically. They were not opposed to government as such, as long as it did not interfere too much in their affairs. Many chieftains, in fact, strengthened their position by establishing close relations with the military and police officers appointed to the region. There was a tradition of refusing to pay taxes — but then there was little that could be taxed, as the district was desperately poor. Young men evaded military service when they could, but by 1935 a considerable proportion of them did in fact serve in the Turkish army.

The military campaign against Dersim was mounted in response to a relatively minor incident, and it would seem that the army had been waiting for a direct reason to punish the tribes. One day in March 1937, a strategic wooden bridge was burned down and telephone lines cut. Seyyit Riza and the tribes associated with him were suspected. The army may have believed this to be the beginning of the expected rebellion. One Turkish source mentions that there was around the same time another minor incident elsewhere in Kurdistan and suggests coordination by Kurdish nationalists.

The first troops, sent in to arrest the suspects, were stopped by armed tribesmen. The confrontations soon escalated. When the tribes kept refusing to surrender their leaders, a large campaign was mounted. Military operations to subdue the region lasted throughout the summer of 1937. In September, Seyyit Riza and his closest associates surrendered, but the next spring the operations were resumed with even greater force. They must have been of unprecedented violence and brutality.

The number of slaughtered people ranged between 12 thousands, according to official figures, and 70-90 thousand according to the people of Dersim. More than 10 thousand people were exiled.

In 2008 the European Parliament held a conference on the Dersim genocide. And the committee for the Dersim '38 conference has applied to the International Criminal Court.

There have been some personal initiatives as well by victims of the Dersim genocide. For example Efo Bozkurt who lost his whole family in the massacre applied to court under allegations of "crimes against humanity" last year but his complaint was now dismissed.

86-year-old Bozkurt lost both of his parents and his five siblings in 1938 in the village of Çaytaşı in the Dersim district of Hozat.

The Hozat Public Chief Prosecution decided to drop procedures on 18 February 2011. It was stated, "The Turkish Criminal Law in effect at the time of the incidents that allegedly happened in Dersim in 1938 did not include 'genocide and crimes against humanity' as imputed by the complainant". It was furthermore said in the decision that the alleged cases of death were to be evaluated as "homicide" and thus fell under the statute of limitation. (ANF, 4 May 2011)

Anti-Terror Law Took the Lead in 2010

According to the BİA 2010 Media Monitoring Report, 220 people, 104 of whom are journalists, were tried in the scope of freedom of thought and freedom of expression in 2010. The fines handed down to Turkey by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) increased to TL 547,300 (€ 281,100). 33 people were sentenced to imprisonment of 365 years and three months in total and monetary fines amounting to TL 49,200 (€24,500) under the Anti-Terror Law. 30 journalists are in prison.

On 56 pages, the report sums up the struggles of 777 people under the headings "killed journalists", "attacks and threats", "arrests and detentions", "trials related to press freedom and freedom of expression", "corrections and legal redress", "reactions to censorship and monopolization", "European Court of Human Rights", and "RTÜK applications".

The report cannot fully encompass all breaches of press freedom and freedom of expression. It rather aims at giving an idea about the situation regarding the quantity and quality of violations. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, 3 May 2011)

Full text: http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/129711-anti-terror-law-took-the-lead-in-2010

1er mai: grand rassemblement à Istanbul

Des dizaines de milliers de manifestants se sont rassemblés dimanche pour célébrer le 1er mai sur la place Taksim, la plus connue d'Istanbul, où des dizaines de personnes avaient été tuées il y a 34 ans.

D'importants cortèges de plusieurs milliers de militants syndicaux ont progressé en bon ordre dans la matinée vers l'esplanade, entièrement bouclée par des kilomètres de barrières métalliques, et à laquelle les manifestants ne pouvaient accéder qu'après un contrôle de sécurité et des fouilles, a constaté l'AFP.

Selon les chiffres officiels, 38.000 policiers avaient été mobilisés à Istanbul, une ville d'environ 15 millions d'habitants, pour assurer la sécurité du rassemblement, qui avait lieu pour la deuxième année consécutive Place Taksim.

Aucune estimation du nombre de manifestants n'était disponible en début d'après-midi, heure à laquelle la police n'avait pas fait état d'incidents majeurs.

Avant le 1er mai 2010, la place était interdite aux manifestants, et ce depuis le 1er mai 1977, lorsque des inconnus avaient ouvert le feu sur la foule. Dans la panique générale, les incidents avaient fait 34 morts.

Les auteurs de l'attentat n'ont jamais été identifiés, mais les soupçons s'étaient portés sur des militants d'extrême droite soutenus par les services du renseignement.

Dimanche, au début du rassemblement, des responsables syndicaux ont déposé des oeillets rouges là où les coups de feu avaient été tirés, demandant aux autorités que la lumière soit faite sur cet événement tragique.

Un podium et des hauts parleurs géants avaient été installés sur la place pour les prises de parole, et une gigantesque bannière déployée devant le Palais de la Culture Atatürk, montrant un ouvrier, une main enchaînée et l'autre brandissant un drapeau rouge.

Des militants des cinq confédérations syndicales organisatrices, de nombreux partis d'opposition, dont le Parti républicain du peuple (CHP) et le Parti pour la paix et la démocratie (BDP, formation pro-Kurde), étaient présents, brandissant des banderoles sur lesquelles on pouvait lire: "Les travailleurs unis ne seront jamais vaincus", ou "Liberté pour le peuple kurde".

D'importantes rassemblements ont eu lieu ailleurs en Turquie, notamment à Ankara et Izmir, selon la presse. (AFP, 1 mai 2011)


Pression sur les médias / Pressure on the Media

Publishers’ union awards jailed journalist, Kurdish publisher

The Turkish Publishers’ Union, or TYB, has granted its Freedom of Expression and Thought Award to journalist Ahmet Şık, who was arrested in connection with the Ergenekon coup-plot trials, and publisher Bedri Adanır, who prints books in Kurdish. 

“Our current situation is much worse than after the 1980 coup. Some 67 writers, publishers and journalists are awaiting trial in jails without a single indictment against them,” Metin Celal, the TYB board chairman, told the Hürriyet Daily News.

The supposed changes enacted upon Article 301, which criminalized insulting the Turkish state, are lies, according to Celal, adding there are laws much more catastrophic than Article 301, such as the Anti-Terror Law.

“If this award is still around, that means there is no freedom of thought in this country. Turkey wants to be a big power in the region, but Turkey has relevance in the world only in terms of its relationship with the global capital. We wish Turkey could be an exemplary country in terms of human rights and justice, rather than global capital,” said Ertuğrul Mavioğlu, who took the award on behalf of Şık, who could not attend the ceremony because he was still in prison.

“My brother did not kill a person, he merely published a book. Why is there so much fear about a book? He is being tried on anti–terrorism charges,” said Bedri Adanır’s sister Kadriye Adanır, adding that her brother has been held in a D-type prison in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır for a year and a half with his trial postponed to July 26. (Daily News, VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU, May 26, 2011)

Kurdish writer receiving death threats

A Kurdish writer formerly jailed on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization has been receiving death threats, the Human Rights Association, or İHD, said in a press release issued Thursday.

The individuals who threatened him over the phone asked whether he was still alive and claimed to be members of an anti-terrorism unit within Turkey’s security forces, writer Mehmet Güler told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

“They openly say it on the phone. They say they are following me in connection to a memorandum issued by the Interior Ministry relating to anti-terrorism [laws.] I am worried about my own life as well as the lives of my family,” he said.

Güler added that he was going to file a complaint.

“I was discharged [from prison] in 2001. I have been outside of [prison] for 10 years and I believed my legal rights had been restored like everyone else’s,” he said. “Events have shown otherwise.”

A novel by the author, “Decisions Harder Than Death,” was published last year by Uluslararası Belge Publishing House, but was banned a short while later on the grounds that it propagated the views of an illegal organization. A lawsuit was filed against Güler in the process; the verdict has yet to be announced.

Güler was sentenced to 15 months in prison in March, this time for another book he wrote, “The KCK File: Global State and Stateless Kurds.” The publishing house that released it was fined 15,000 Turkish Liras.

The Kurdish writer was imprisoned between 1992 and 2001 on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization and now lives in the eastern province of Van.

The Kurdish Communities Union, or KCK, is an illegal organization that is alleged to be the urban wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. (Daily News, VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU, May 27, 2011)

Turkish journalists have become today's 'slaves,' research says

Turkish journalists, who are subject to the Media Labor Law, can be forced to work up to 939 hours overtime. DAILY NEWS photo
An upper limit to Turkish journalists’ long working hours throughout the year must be implemented to prevent further danger to their health, according to a journalists’ union and an official at the Labor Ministry.

“Journalists can work up to 11 hours by law and are often forced to work for longer hours; they have become our era’s ‘modern slaves,’” the Executive Board of Turkey’s Journalists Union’s Ankara Branch said in a recent statement, adding that the failure to reduce the limits on journalists’ working hours endangered their mental and physical health.

The working hours of journalists in Turkey are often prolonged to unbearable levels, the board said.

Turkish journalists, who are subject to the Media Labor Law, can be forced to work up to 939 hours overtime, compared to a maximum of 270 extra hours per year for others under the country’s Labor Law, according to Arif Temir, who conducted research on the working hours of journalists in Turkey for the ministry.

“This period of 939 hours may threaten the individual’s health, so a ceiling must be implemented against this amount [by law],” Temir said.

Temir said the Media Labor Law had to be changed in accordance with the present conditions while also taking into account related European Union legislation, which has already been implemented in terms of the Labor Law. White-collar workers must profit from contemporary labor law regulations just as blue-collar workers already do, he added.

According to their contracts, journalists are expected to work eight hours per day and six days per week for a total of 48 hours per month, Temir said, adding that these figures must be reduced to 7.5 hours per day and 45 hours per week. He also said journalists should not be forced to work overtime unless it is called for in their contract.

Temir said journalists working graveyard shifts should not be forced to work extra hours and added that presenting a medical report saying there was no obstacle for the relevant individuals in working night shifts should be compulsory.
(Anatolia News Agency, May 29, 2011)

Solidarity with journalist Necati Abay: No evidence but conviction!

Necati Abay, author of Atilim newspaper and spokesperson of Solidarity Platform of the Imprisoned Journalists was sentenced to prison for 18 years and 9 months in relation with the case of Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) by Istanbul 12th Assize Court.  It has been alleged in reasoned decision of the court that Mr. Abay is responsible for the coordination of cell houses in the structure of MLKP.  

However, it is clear that this sentence has been given to Necati Abay for authorship activity in Atılım newspaper and his effective struggle in Solidarity Platform for Imprisoned Journalists as a spokesperson for 8 years and central role that he played in signature campaigns as an intellectual. 

First, in justification of the decision it is exactly stated that:  “even if a complete conviction occurred that the accused is the member of illegal MLKP organization, it has been understood that his direct connection and participation in activities committed under the case could not be determined..." As it can be seen, the court could not determine "the direct connection and participation" of Necati Abay with the organization.  There is just a “conviction” on this way.  That is to say, the sentence was given without evidence but conviction. 

Second, only evidence which is provided for judgement of Abay, is the statement given by an accused during the absence of his lawyer. The accused has declared in the court later that he gave his statement under torture and he did not say anything about Necati Abay because he did not know him.  The four line passage in new statement against Necati Abay is the fabrication of the police  The police threatened Necati Abay when it arrested him because of his works in Atılım newspaper in February 2003 two months before it submits the abovementioned statement to the court on April 2003 as:  “If you report bombing activities, you always be in trouble.  If such news continues, Necati Abay, we can make you imprisoned any time.  We shall decide when we make you imprisoned.”  The logic here is clear:  Abay is forced to self-censor by the police because of the broadcasting policy of Atilim newspaper.  Since he rejected this, a conspiracy was organized for him.  That is to say the sentence for Abay is sentence for the journalism. 

Third, it very unrealistic that an author who acts in the glare of publicity from authorship of Atilim newspaper to many massive campaigns as an intellectual, works as “responsible for the coordination of cell houses".   Abay has been tried to sentence in the basis of police record. Punishing professional efforts of journalists who are opponent to the system and government by linking these efforts with another type of activities have increasingly become widen used method.   Pressures on Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık happened in front of the public. 
However, the more serious is the cases which are not in front of the public.  The case of Necati Abay appears a typical example of disregarding freedom of expression of the journalist under the excuse of punishing other kind of offenses.  As the court confessed that there is no evidence for the act that Abay was accused in its own justification, the only logical result is that Abay has been sentenced because of his activities as journalist. 

Enormous punishments given to other journalists in recent period display that the situation moves toward a very serious point.   Vedat Kurşun, owner of Azadiya Welat, was sentenced for 166 years, and Emine Demir, other owner of the newspaper, for 138 years, and Hatice Duman, former owner of Atılım newspaper, for life.  We, undersigned, considers as a very serious event that the conviction of Necati Abay for 18 years and 9 months with unlawful methods as an example of the pressure on journalists and highlight that recognizing freedom to journalists means providing freedom of information. 

Ankara Freedom for Expression Initiative
http://gercek-inatcidir.blogspot.com

Communication: Spokesman Necati Abay. GSM: 05359297586
e-mail: necatiabay@gmail.com

Poet's Criticism of Prime Minister 'Free of Charge'

The Ankara 15th Civil Court of First Instance rejected the TL 20,000 (€ 10,000) compensation claim filed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) against Turkish poet and author Ataol Behramoğlu.

The writer was prosecuted over his utterances made as a guest of the program "Neural Zone" ('Tarafsız Bölge') broadcasted on the Turkish news channel CNN Türk on 12 January 2010.

He said, "I do not say that AKP will not hold the elections. Yet, I say that they did everything, visible and invisible, to prevent elections by illegal and anti-democratic means. That is what I think".

In a statement made to bianet, the poet's lawyer Elif Tığlı reported that the court decided to evaluate Behramoğlu's statement within the scope of freedom of thought and thus decreed to drop procedures. (BIA, 26 May 2011)


Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Grand prix: errance nocturne et portrait social en Turquie

"Il était une fois en Anatolie" de Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Grand prix dimanche à Cannes, ex-aequo avec les frères Dardenne, est à la fois une longue errance nocturne dans les plateaux d'Anatolie et une galerie de portraits dans cette région austère de la Turquie.

Avec ce sixième film, le cinéaste turc, déja primé deux fois à Cannes, reste fidèle à son cinéma impressionniste et lent et se montre à nouveau un maître de l'image, notamment dans la première partie entièrement tournée de nuit à la lueur de phares de voitures.

Un groupe d'hommes - meurtrier, gendarmes, policiers, procureur, médecin - est à la recherche d'un corps dans la campagne déserte.

Le film change ensuite de registre pour suivre de près certains des protagonistes, notamment le médecin venu d'Ankara pour exercer dans cette ville perdue. Une occasion aussi d'aborder les liens sociaux et familiaux confrontés à la modernité.

Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 51 ans, est un habitué du festival où ses films ont été primés à plusieurs reprises. En 2003, son film "Uzak" ("Lointain") obtient le Grand Prix et un double prix d'interprétation masculine 2003. Cinq ans plus tard, "Les Trois Singes" obtient le Prix de la mise en scène.

Le cinéaste a également siégé comme juré en 2009, sous la présidence d'Isabelle Huppert.

Né en 1959 à Istanbul, cet ingénieur de formation décide rapidement de poursuivre des études de cinéma. Dans ses films, il aime parcourir son pays "beau et incompris", auquel il avait dédié son prix à Cannes en 2008.

Jouant parfois l'acteur, mais aussi le chef-opérateur, il professe régulièrement son admiration pour Bergman, Ozu et Tarkovski, autant d'indices pour appréhender son travail.

"Je ne travaille pas spécifiquement le style, je travaille simplement d'instinct, je ne peux rien y faire", a-t-il expliqué.

Le réalisateur était venu à Cannes dès 1995 avec un court métrage ("Koza"). Avant de réaliser ses deux premiers longs, "Kasaba" en 1998 et "Nuages de mai" en 2000, sélectionné au Festival de Berlin. Ont suivi "Ukak" en 2003, "Les climats" en 2006 et "Les trois singes" en 2008. (AFP, 22 mai 2011)

Journalist Celik Sentenced for News about Police Officers

Imprisonment of ten months was the verdict for journalist Ersin Çelik on the grounds of a news item about the death of Dicle University student Aydın Erdem. In his article, Çelik had put forward that Erdem died from police bullets when he attended a demonstration in 2009.

The student had actually joined a protest march for people who lost their lives because they were shot by the police and was then gunned down himself. Çelik, reporter for the Dicle News Agency (DİHA) at the time, was tried because he named the alleged perpetrators in his article.

It was reported on Friday (13 May) that the Diyarbakrı 6th High Criminal Court handed down a ten-month prison sentence to the journalists on charges of "disclosing the identity of a public official on anti-terror duties".

Çelik was not able to attend the hearing because he is currently being detained in the scope of another trial. He was represented by his lawyer Servet Özen.

The prosecution renewed their final plea due to a change of the court board and requested the court give a decision accordingly.

Lawyer Özen demanded his client's acquittal.

After the final decision was announced, Özen declared to file an appeal.

Convicted despite exculpatory statement

In January 2010 in the context of a different case, journalist Çelik and a further 26 defendants were sentenced to imprisonment of six years and three months each by the Malatya 3rd High Criminal Court. They were found guilty of "membership of an illegal organization".

Journalist Çelik's lawyer Hasan Doğan pointed out that his client, as a DİHA Agency journalist, was working in and around the province of Şırnak at the south-eastern tip of Anatolia. Therefore, Çelik could de facto not have been seen in the central Anatolian province of Malatya. Lawyer Doğan underlined that the only thing Sade said about his client was "I know him. He is a DİHA journalist".

In the confrontation in the hearing on 2 June 2008, Sade said about Çelik: "I know him. He works for the Dicle News Agency. He does not have any connections to YDGM", Doğan recalled. "This statement is not against but in favour of my client", Doğan said and requested Çelik's acquittal. (BIA, 16 May 2011)


OSCE: La nouvelle loi et la censure d'internet, risques pour les médias

La récente modification de la loi sur les médias et la censure d'internet qui doit bientôt entrer en vigueur en Turquie risquent de restreindre la liberté d'expression et l'accès à l'information dans ce pays, a mis en garde l'OSCE mardi.

D'après une décision du 2 mai de la Cour constitutionnelle, des poursuites pourront être engagées contre des journalistes plusieurs années après publication de leurs articles, alors que la loi prévoyait auparavant un délai de deux mois pour un quotidien et de quatre mois pour tout autre support écrit, rapporte l'Organisation pour la sécurité et la coopération en Europe dans un communiqué.

"Si cela reste ainsi, cette décision signifie que les journalistes qui expriment un point de vue critique travailleront sous la menace permanente de poursuites en justice", a dénoncé la représentante pour la liberté des médias de l'OSCE, Dunja Mijatovic, citée dans le communiqué.

Mme Mijatovic a adressé une lettre au ministre des Affaires étrangères turc Ahmet Davutoglu pour lui faire part de ses inquiétudes à ce sujet.

Elle a d'autre part évoqué le projet du gouvernement turc d'introduire un filtrage obligatoire des contenus internet pour tous les utilisateurs en Turquie.

"Cette mesure limiterait le droit des individus à accéder à l'information", a souligné Mme Mijatovic.

"Les utilisateurs d'internet doivent pouvoir décider librement d'utiliser des filtres pour le contenu. Si elle entrait en vigueur, cette mesure contreviendrait aux règles internationales et de l'OSCE en matière d'accès à l'information", a-t-elle mis en garde.

Un autre projet consiste à interdire une liste de 138 mots dans les noms de domaine des sites internet, avec le but officiel de protéger les enfants des contenus dangereux.

"Ce projet peut toutefois mener à la fermeture de sites actifs dont les noms de domaine incluent les mots interdits, ce qui renforcerait le nombre déjà élevé de sites interdits en Turquie", a souligné Mme Mijatovic.

L'Union européenne a elle aussi demandé mercredi à Ankara de ne pas mettre en oeuvre ce projet de censure d'internet, au nom de la liberté d'expression. (AFP, 17 mai 2011)

Bruxelles met en garde la Turquie sur la censure d'internet

La Commission européenne a exhorté mardi les autorités turques à ne pas se livrer à de la censure sur internet limitant le droit à la liberté d'expression, alors qu'une nouvelle réglementation controversée dans ce domaine doit bientôt entrer en vigueur.

"Nous suivons cela de très près et, sur le principe, nous soulignons que tout blocage de contenu internet doit être ciblé et proportionné et doit suivre une procédure judiciaire", a déclaré sa porte-parole pour les questions liées aux pays candidats à l'adhésion à l'Union européenne, Natasha Butler.

La fermeture de sites internet sur la base d'une liste de mots interdits par les autorités "peut porter atteinte aux droits à la liberté d'expression et à l'accès à l'information", a-t-elle ajouté.

"Nous réitérons notre préoccupation au sujet de fermetures fréquentes de sites internet en Turquie qui sont disproportionnées dans leur ampleur et leur durée", a encore dit la porte-parole.

Des milliers de manifestants ont investi dimanche les rues de plusieurs villes de Turquie pour protester contre la censure à laquelle sont soumis les sites internet dans ce pays.

L'accès à des milliers de sites internet a déjà été bloqué en Turquie, souvent en raison de contenus sexuels mais aussi pour des motifs politiques, comme les insultes à Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, le fondateur de la Turquie moderne, qui a valu au site de partage de vidéos Youtube trois ans d'interdiction.

La situation est dénoncée par les défenseurs de la liberté d'expression, qui s'indignent du flou de la législation en vigueur et de l'opacité des procédures conduisant à la censure de sites.

Les manifestants ont dénoncé en particulier un nouveau projet de réglementation prévoyant que tout utilisateur d'internet s'identifie avec un mot de passe au moment d'entrer sur la Toile et soit contraint de choisir parmi quatre filtres le niveau de restriction de son accès aux sites.

La mesure, qui comprend également la possibilité de poursuites, doit entrer en vigueur le 22 août.

L'instance de surveillance de l'internet a déjà suscité la polémique en avril en interdisant l'usage de 138 mots --parfois très anodins comme "liseli" (lycéen), "hayvan" (animal) ou "sarisin" (blonde)-- comme noms de domaines. (AFP, 17 mai 2011)

Des milliers dans la rue en Turquie pour dénoncer la censure d'internet

Des milliers de manifestants ont investi dimanche les rues de plusieurs villes de Turquie pour protester contre la censure à laquelle sont soumis les sites internet dans ce pays.

A Istanbul, près de 5.000 personnes ont investi l'avenue Istiklal, principale artère commerçante de la ville, en scandant "Turquie libre, Internet libre" ou encore "Tayyip, ôte tes pattes de mon Internet", faisant référence au Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a constaté un journaliste de l'AFP.

"Halte à la censure", "Contre le filtrage par l'imam, pour l'Internet libre", "Touche pas à mon porno", pouvait-on lire sur les banderoles des manifestants.

Des manifestations étaient prévues dans une trentaine de villes de Turquie. A Ankara, quelque 500 manifestants ont répondu aux appels à la mobilisation d'associations diverses et de petits partis de gauche, a constaté un photopgraphe de l'AFP.

L'accès à des milliers de site internet a déjà été bloqué en Turquie, souvent en raison de contenus sexuels mais aussi pour des motifs politiques, comme les insultes à Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, le fondateur de la Turquie moderne, qui a valu au site de partage de vidéos Youtube trois ans d'interdiction.

La situation est dénoncée par les défenseurs de la liberté d'expression, qui s'indignent du flou de la législation en vigueur et de l'opacité des procédures conduisant à la censure de sites.

Dimanche, les manifestants ont dénoncé en particulier un nouveau projet de réglementation prévoyant que tout utilisateur d'internet s'identifie avec un mot de passe au moment d'entrer sur la Toile et soit contraint de choisir parmi quatre filtres le niveau de restriction de son accès aux sites.

La mesure, qui comprend également la possibilité de poursuites en cas de tentative de contourner ces filtres, doit entrer en vigueur le 22 août.

L'instance de surveillance de l'Internet a déjà suscité la polémique en avril en interdisant l'usage de 138 mots --parfois très anodins comme "liseli" (lycéen), "hayvan" (animal) ou "sarisin" (blonde)-- comme noms de domaines. (AFP, 15 mai 2011)

Déclaration finale du Congrès pour la Libération des Journalistes

Le Congrès pour la Libération des Journalistes s’est réuni à Istanbul le 3 mai, Journée Mondiale de la Liberté de la Presse, avec la participation de représentants des organisations professionnelles de journalistes. Le Congrès a débattu des menaces qui pèsent contre la liberté de la presse et la liberté d’expression, autrement dit, du droit du public à être informé.

Le Congrès a traité le cas des journalistes en prison et a souligné sa détermination de combattre dans le cadre d’une solidarité internationale.

Le Congrès exprime son inquiétude face au risque de voir accroitre le nombre de journalistes emprisonnés. Il appelle les autorités à franchir les pas suivants afin que la Turquie ne se retrouve plus en queue de liste dans l’index mondial :

−    Que les journalistes emprisonnés soient immédiatement libérés,

−    Que lumière soit faite sur tous les crimes commis envers les journalistes dans le passé sous tous leurs aspects et qu’un terme soit mis à l’impunité pour les cas d’agression envers les journalistes, comme cela fut le cas dernièrement dans le cas du meurtre de Hrant Dink,

−    Que les dispositions relatives à la Loi Antiterroriste restreignant la liberté de la presse et la liberté d’expression soit abolies,

−    Que plus de 20 articles du Code pénal turc limitant la liberté de la presse et la liberté d’expression soient amendés ou annulés, conformément aux normes contemporaines, démocratiques et universelles déterminées par les conventions internationales,

−    Que les dispositions permettant la mise sur écoute et l’annihilation de la liberté de communiquer ainsi que les lois servant de motif pour rendre inaccessible l’accès à l’Internet soient immédiatement amendées,

−    La Cour Européenne des Droits de l’Homme considère comme violation de la liberté de la presse chaque condamnation qui empêche les journalistes d’exercer leur profession en raison de leurs écrits ou de leurs opinions : par conséquent, que l’on renonce à la pratique d’aggravation des peines lorsqu’il s’agit de “délits commis par voie de presse et d’émission” et à l’application disproportionnée de peines d’amendes administratives susceptibles de mettre les médias et les journalistes en situation financière difficile,

−    Que la Loi sur la Procédure Pénale soit amendée de manière à garantir un procès juste et équitable et à anéantir le risque d’une transformation d’une détention provisoire en une punition. Le Congrès pour le Libération des Journalistes appelle à l’abolition des “Tribunaux dotés de pouvoir spéciaux”, instance qui demeure contraire aux droits universels mais qui, dans la pratique, constitue un obstacle majeur devant les droits et libertés fondamentaux en général, et la liberté de la presse ainsi que la liberté d’expression en particulier,

−    Qu’un terme soit mis à la saisie des outils ou documents dont disposent les journalistes, incarcérés ou non, mais poursuivis en justice en raison de leur profession et que ces outils ou documents leur soient restitués,

−    Le Congrès souligne que la garantie de la sécurité du travail ainsi que le droit à l’organisation syndicale constitue la condition sine qua non de la liberté de la presse : Que les droits des journalistes en ligne soient protégés par les lois,

−    Le Congrès soutien le travail d’observation des procès effectué par la « Plateforme pour la Libération des Journalistes » et les visites aux journalistes en prison sous forme de délégation. Il souligne l’importance de poursuivre une telle collaboration. (rzarakolu@aol.com,  3 mai 2011)

Aysenur Zarakolu Freedom of Expression Awards to Three Journalists

2011 Aysenur Zarakolu Freedom of Expression Awards organised every year by the Human Rights Association of Turkey Istanbul Branch were given to three journalists in Turkey who are being prosecuted for expressing their views and reporting news.

The Awards first introduced by Human Rights Association (IHD) of Turkey, Istanbul Branch, following the death of Aysenur Zarakolu, publisher and human rights activist, in 2002. Ayşenur Zarakolu  is the founder of the Human Rights Association and the International Belge Publishing House with her husband Ragip Zarakolu. She was the first person to be presented with the Publishing Freedom Award by the International Publishers Association in 1998 and devoted her life to struggles for justice and democratization. Shortly before her death, the New York Times referred to her to be "one of the most relentless challengers to Turkey's press laws.”

This year’s Freedom of Expression Awards were given to  Ismail Saymaz, Necati Abay and Emine Demir who are facing long years of imprisonment  for their writings and journalism activities.

The awards were given  at a ceremony organised at the IHD Istanbul Branch office on 9th May 2011. 

Ismail Saymaz, a reporter of the Turkish daily Radikal, faces 79 years in prison  on charges of “insult”, “violation of the secrecy of an investigation” and “attempt to influence fair trial” in his articles reporting about the ongoing Ergenekon case against a group of retired army generals and ultra-nationalist figures accused of conspiracy for a military takeover.

Necati Abay, editor and journalist of the magazine “Atilim”,  was sentenced to 18 years and 9 months’ imprisonment on charge of being a member of an illegal organisation. Necati Abay is also the spokesperson of “Platform in Support of Imprisoned Journalists”.  

Emine Demir, the editor of the only Kurdish weekly in Turkey, Azadiya Welat, was sentenced to a total of 38 years’ of imprisonment for the reports published in the weekly, on charge of “praising the ‘terorrist’ organisation”.  (rzarakolu@aol.com,  9 mai 2011)

Caricatures - A History of Censorship

The Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) and the Association of Caricaturists noted that humour has been censored ever since the days of the Ottoman Empire until today. Censorship of humour was the topic of the panel discussion entitled "Press Freedom in the Light of Humour and Comics" organized in co-operation of the two associations. At the same time, the panel in the press museum marked the opening of the "Press Freedom Caricature Exhibition" to be seen in Istanbul till the end of May.

TGC President Orhan Erinç said in his speech that caricaturists are being gagged in countries where the press was not free. The creations of caricaturists were being restricted by law suits and compensation claims, Erinç criticized.

"The judiciary should display more tolerance towards cartoonists. This is one of the recommendations of the European Council to widen the concept of freedom of expression. This decision was also signed by ministers from Turkey. However, the necessary legal amendments to apply this decision are not being made", Erinç pointed out.

Humorous Press silenced for 33 years by Abdul Hamid II

The President of the Association of Caricaturists, Akdağ Saydut, talked about the long history of censoring caricatures. He emphasized that starting with the reforms until today, caricaturists who were opposing the governing power were always punished. Saydut gave a brief history of censorship of caricatures.

* The first censorship during the Ottoman times: In 1867, the humorous magazine "Diogenes" was banned from publication on the grounds of the restrictive attitude of the ministers.

* During the reign of Abdul Hamid II, all magazines are being closed down. All humorists went abroad and the humorous press fell silent for 33 years.

* Upon the declaration of the constitution in a more relaxed political environment a total of 92 humorous magazines are published in Turkey.

* With the regime of the Unification Progress that tightened up after the land loss in 1911, censorship of the press became more prevalent.

* The Eşşek magazine as the first and most important materialist magazine reaches a circulation of 42,000 copies. The government decided to shut the magazine down.

* The former laws are still valid after the proclamation of the Republic in 1923.

* Sabahhattin Ali, Aziz Nesin, Rıfat Ilgaz and Mim Uykusuz founded the Markopaşa magazine. With a class-orientated perspective, the circulation of the magazine increases from 6,000 to 60,000 copies. All four founders of the magazine go to jail. The magazine was re-opened under seven different names. Sabahattin Ali, who was planning to go abroad, became the victim of an unsolved murder. The perpetrators were never found.

811 journalists in jail for 57 years under Democratic Party

* 811 journalists are sentenced to imprisonment of 57 years in total during eight years when the Democratic Party was in power.

* Censorship of the press experiences an increase after the military coup on 27 May 1960.

* A referendum on the constitution was held after the military coup on 12 September 1980. Calls to vote against the referendum were expressed on blue cards featuring the word "no". Thereupon, caricaturist İsmail Gülgeç was banned from using the colour blue.

* Dozens of trials on the grounds of an alleged attack on the personal rights of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were lodged against humorous magazines since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power.

"It's the blank piece of paper that inspires the caricaturist, not the politician"

Caricaturist Semih Poroy said that a caricature is the most effective way of mocking and weakening all members of the political leadership.

"A caricature mocks the family, religion, school - in short all structures of the power. Therefore, the ban of caricatures is a reflex of the power. It is not the politician that inspires the caricaturist but the blank piece of paper". (BIA, Nilay VARDAR, 10 May 2011)


Declaration of the Freedom for Journalists Congress

200 journalists and human rights advocators from Turkey and abroad discussed press freedom and freedom of expression at the Freedom for Journalists Congress that marked World Press Freedom Day on 3 May in Istanbul. Journalists and representatives of international professional organizations also allocated one session to freedom to information.

The Freedom for Journalists Congress touched upon the situation of journalists in prison and international solidarity for this part of the struggle was assured. Concern was expressed about existing laws and the comprehension of judgements that might bring many more journalists to jail.

In a final declaration, the participants of the congress called for the following measures to help Turkey improve the country's rear position in the world press freedom index:

- Journalists in prison should be released immediately.

- All murders of journalists must be solved in all aspects; all facts and perpetrators must be revealed. Impunity as it could be observed in the context of the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink must be brought to an end.

- Provisions of the Anti-Terror Law (TMY) that restrict press freedom and freedom of expression must be abrogated.

- More than 20 articles of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) that are restricting press freedom and freedom of expression must be either lifted or essentially amended in line with contemporary, democratic and universal criteria as defined by international agreements.

- Laws that abolish the freedom to information by enabling telephone tapping should be amended immediately as well as provisions that justify internet bans.

- The European Court of Human Rights considers all punishments based on opinions and writings that prevent journalists from fulfilling their profession as violations of press freedom. Therefore, courts must refrain from aggravating punishments on the grounds of the provision related to "crimes committed via the press or the media" as stipulated for several articles. Courts should also refrain from administrative monetary fines that exceed the economic strength of the media institution.

- Necessary amendments must be made in the Criminal Procedure Law (CMK) to guarantee the right to a fair trial and to stop pre-trial detention from being transformed into punishment. The Freedom for Journalists Congress urge to abolish "special authority courts" that are contrary to universal law principles. The applications of special authority courts constitute the biggest obstacles before fundamental rights and freedoms in general and press freedom and freedom of expression in particular.

- The seizure of documents and tools used by detained or prosecuted journalists must stop. The journalists make use out of these documents and tools as the necessary means of professional practice. Seized documents and equipment should be given back to the journalists.

- The congress underlines that guaranteeing work security and the right to unionized association for journalists is an essential part of press freedom. Copyright must be guaranteed by law for journalists who make news in the internet.

- The Freedom for Journalists Platform (GÖP) follows up trials against journalists; delegations sent by the Platform visit journalists in prison. The congress emphasizes the importance of this sort of support and the continuation of solidarity. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, 6 May 2011)

IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS (UNDER ARREST AND CONVICTED)
(As of 9th of May 2011)

1.    Abdulcabbar Karadağ, Azadiya Welat Newspaper’s representative in Mersin
2.    Ahmet Akyol, DİHA, Reporter in Adana
3.    Ahmet Birsin, Diyarbakır Gün TV, Chief Broadcast Coordinator
4.    Ahmet Şık, freelance Journalist
5.    Ali Buluş, DİHA, Reporter for Mersin
6.    Ali Çat, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Worker in Mersin
7.    Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Elazığ Representative
8.    Baha Okar, Bilim ve Gelecek Magazine, Editor
9.    Barış Açıkel, İşçi-Köylü Newspaper, Owner and Editor in Chief
10.    Barış Pehlivan, Odatv, Execytive Editor
11.    Barış Terkoğlu, Odatv, News Desk Manager
12.    Bayram Namaz , Columnist of Atılım Newspaper
13.    Bayram Parlak, Mersin representative of Gündem Newspaper
14.    Bedri Adanır, Owner of  Aram Print house and Chief Editor of  Hawar BNewspaper published in Kurdish
15.    Behdin Tunç, DİHA, Şırnak Reporter
16.    Berna Yılmaz, Yürüyüş Magazine, Dealer
17.    Cihan Gün, Yürüyüş Magazine, Worker
18.    Coşkun Musluk, Author
19.    Deniz Yıldırım, Executive Editor of  Aydınlık 
20.    Dılşa Ercan, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Worker
21.    Dilek Keskin, Atılım Newspaper Istanbul Reporter
22.    Doğan Yurdakul, Odatv,
23.    Emine Altınkaya, DİHA, Ankara Reporter
24.    Ensar Tunca, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Iğdır Reporter
25.    Erdal Süsem, Eylül Hapishane Kültür Sanat Magazine, Editor
26.    Erdoğan Altan, DİHA, Reporter (Batman)
27.    Erol Zavar, Owner and Chief Editor  of Odak Magazine
28.    Faysal Tunç, DİHA, Şırnak Reporter
29.    Fazıl Duygun, Yeni Nizam and Baran Magazines, Author/Columnist
30.    Füsun Erdoğan, Özgür Radio Executive Editor of broadcast
31.    Hakan Soytemiz, RED Magazine, Columnist
32.    Halit Güdenoğlu, Owner and Chief editor of  Yürüyüş Magazine
33.    Hamdiye Çiftçi, DİHA, Hakkâri Reporter
34.    Hasan Aksoy, Yürüyüş Magazine, Dealer
35.    Hasan Coşar, Atılım Newspaper, Columnist
36.    Hatice Duman, Owner and chief Editor of Atılım Newspaper
37.    Hayri Bal, Özgür Halk Magazine, Worker
38.    Hıdır Gürz, Halkın Günlüğü Newspaper, Editor in Chief
39.    Hikmet Çiçek, Aydınlık Magazine, Ankara Representative
40.    İbrahim Çiçek, Executive editor of Atılım Newspaper
41.    İhsan Silmiş, Azadiya Welat  Newspaper, Worker
42.    Kaan Ünsal, Yürüyüş Magazine, Worker
43.    Kadri Kaya, DİHA, Diyarbakır region Office representative
44.    Kenan Karavil, Radio Dünya (Adana) Chief Broadcast Editor
45.    Mahmut Güleycan, Özgür Halk Magazine Worker
46.    Mehmet Karaaslan, Dicle News Agency (DİHA), Mersin Reporter
47.    Mehmet Yeşiltepe, Devrimci Hareket Magazine, Worker
48.    Musa Kurt, Kamu Emekçileri Cephesi Magazine, Executive Editor
49.    Mustafa Balbay, Cumhuriyet Newspaper, Ankara Representative, Author/Columnist
50.    Mustafa Gök, Ekmek ve Adalet Magazine, Ankara Representative
51.    Müyesser Yıldız, Odatv,
52.    Nedim Şener, Millet Newspaper, Reporter
53.    Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Worker (Tunceli)
54.    Ozan Kılınç, former Chief editor of Azadiya Welat Newspaper
55.    Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal, Kanal B Television,Chairperson of Board of Directors/ Rector of Başkent University
56.    Sait Çakır, Odatv, Columnist
57.    Sedat Şenoğlu, Atılım Newspaper, Publication Coordinator
58.    Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Adana Representative
59.    Sinan Aygül, DİHA, Bitlis Reporter
60.    Soner Yalçın, Odatv, Owner /Journalist
61.    Suzan Zengin, İşçi-Köylü Newspaper, Worker (Kartal Office)
62.    Şafak Gümüşsoy, former Editor in Chief of Mücadele Birliği Magazine
63.    Şahin Baydağı, Azadiya Welat, Dealer
64.    Şeyhmus Bilgin, Günlük ve Azadiya Welat, Worker
65.    Tuncay Özkan, OPwner of Kanal Biz Television, Journalist
66.    Vedat Kurşun, former Editor in chief of Azadiya Welat Newspaper
67.    Yalçın Küçük, Author/Journaslit
68.    Ziya Ulusoy, Atılım Newspaper, columnist

SANCTIONED JOURNALISTS
(As of 19th of april 2011)

1.    Ahmet Çalık (Sabah, İstanbul, 5.000 TL monetary fine)
2.    Ahmet Topçu (Vira Karadeniz, Rize, 11 months of imprisonment)
3.    Arat Dink (Agos, İstanbul, 1 year of imprisonment)
4.    Monthskut Işıklar (Budays, İstanbul, 14.000 TL monetary fine)
5.    Monthsten Özdoğan (Kızıl Bmonthsrak, İstanbul, 1 year 3 months of imprisonment)
6.    Aziz Özer (Daysey dergisi, İstanbul, 1 year 6 months of imprisonment )
7.    Bahtiyar Doğruyol (Yürüyüş, Ankara, 10 months of imprisonment)
8.    Berna Yearsmaz (Yürüyüş, Ankara, 10 months of imprisonment)
9.    Cevheri Güven (Star, Ankara, 1 years 3 months of imprisonment)
10.    Ersin Çelik (Dicle News Agency, Malatya, 6 years 3 months of imprisonment)
11.    Fatma Sarıbıyık (Değişim/Gerçek, Kırklareli, 24 months of imprisonment)
12.    Fehmi Kılıç (Devrimci Hareket, İstanbul, 1 year 3 months of imprisonment)
13.    Fikret Akfırat (Monthsdınlık, İstanbul, 1 years 8 months of imprisonment)
14.    Hakan Tahmaz (Birdays, İstanbul, 10 months of imprisonment)
15.    Harun Aksoy (Vakit, İstanbul, 616.000 TL monetary fine)
16.    Hasan Aksoy (Yürüyüş, Ankara, 10 months of imprisonment)
17.    İbrahim Açıkyer (Dicle News Agency, İzmir, 10 months of imprisonment)
18.    İbrahim Sarp (Star, İstanbul, 7 years of imprisonment)
19.    İbrahim Çeşmecioğlu (Birdays, İstanbul, 16.600 TL monetary fine )
20.    İrfan Aktan (Express, İstanbul, 1 year 3 months of imprisonment)
21.    İsmail Beşikçi (Çağımızda Hukuk ve Toplum, İstanbul, 1 year 3 months of imprisonment)
22.    Lokman Dmonthsan (Dayseydoğu Ekspres, imprisonment)
23.    Maaz İbrahimoğlu (Taraf, 1.740 TL monetary fine)
24.    Mehmet Güler (Yazar, İstanbul, 1 year 3 months of imprisonment)
25.    Melis Ciddioğlu (Yürüyüş, Ankara, 10 months of imprisonment)
26.    Merve Erol (Express, İstanbul, 16.600 TL monetary fine)
27.    Murat Güreş (Hakimiyet, Gaziantep, 3.480 TL monetary fine)
28.    Musa Ağacık (Serbest gazeteci, İstanbul, 10.000 TL monetary fine)
29.    Mustafa Arıgümüş (Simav’ın Sesi, Kütahya, 11 months 20 days of imprisonment)
30.    Mustafa Karaalioğlu (Star, İstanbul, 1 year 2 months 17 days of imprisonment)
31.    Müge Anlı (Kanal D, İstanbul, 3 months of imprisonment)
32.    Nazlı Ilıcak (Sabah, İstanbul, 11 months 20 days of imprisonment / 5.000 TL / 1.740 TL monetary fine)
33.    Nuri Monthskon (Vakit, İstanbul, 616.000 TL monetary fine) (Passed away)
34.    Önder Monthstaç (Yeni Şafak, İstanbul, monetary fine)
35.    Özgür Boğatekin (Gerger Fırat, Adıyaman, 1 years 2 months 17 days of imprisonment)
36.    Pakize Suda (Kanal D, İstanbul, 3 months of imprisonment)
37.    Ragıp Zarakolu (Belge Ymonthsınları, İstanbul, 16.000 TL monetary fine)
38.    Reyhan Şan (Kanal D, İstanbul, 3 months of imprisonment)
39.    Sakine Yalçın (Alınteri, İstanbul, 1.620 TL monetary fine)
40.    Serdar Turgut (Akşam, İstanbul, 10.000 TL monetary fine)
41.    Serkis Seropyan (Agos, İstanbul, 1 year of imprisonment)
42.    Sevda Turaçlar (Ekspres, İstanbul, 11 months 20 days of imprisonment)
43.    Sevilmonths Yükselir (Sabah, İstanbul, 2 months 27 days of imprisonment)
44.    Şamil Tmonthsyar (Star, Ankara, 1 years 3 months, 1 years 8 months, total of 50 months of imprisonment in three cases)
45.    Şenol Sağaltıcı (Atılım, İstanbul, 2 years 3 months 15 days of imprisonment)
46.    Vedat Yearsdız (Dicle News Agency, imprisonment)
47.    Veysi Sarısözen (Dayslük, İstanbul, 1 years 3 months of imprisonment)
48.    Yalçın Erdaysdoğan (Sesonline, 2.100 TL, 3.500 TL, 10.000 TL monetary fines )
49.    Ziya Çelik (Dayslük, İstanbul, 1.660 TL monetary fine)
50.    Zeycan Balcı (Çağımızda Hukuk ve Toplum, İstanbul, 16.600 TL monetary fine)

JOURNALISTS BEING PROSECUTED AFTER RELEASE FROM IMPRISONMENT
(As of 19th April 2011)

1.    Abdulbesir Yapıcı, Azadiya Welat Newspaper Şanlıurfa Worker
2.    Abdurrahman Gök, Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Reporter
3.    Adnan Akfırat, Ulusal Kanal Board Member, journalist- Author
4.    Aylin Duruoğlu, Vatan Newspapernin internet sitesi gazetevatan.com’un Executive Editor
5.    Berivan Eker, Rengê Hêvîya Jinê Magazine (Kadının Umudunun Rengi), Editor in Chief
6.    Çağdaş Küçükbattal, Atılım Newspaper Reporter
7.    Deniz Doğruer, Özgür Gençlik Magazine Worker
8.    Eda Ünalan, Kızıl Bayrak Magazine Ankara Reporter
9.    Emcet Olcaytu, Aydınlık Magazine Columnist
10.    Erdal Güler, Devrimci Demokrasi Newspaper, Owner and former Editor in Chief
11.    Ferit İlsever, Ulusal Kanal Chief Broadcast Editor, Journalist - Author
12.    Gençağa Karafazlı, Show TV, Birgün and Evrensel Newspapers’ Rize Representative - Journalist
13.    Gurbet Çakar, Rengê Hêviya Jinê Magazine (Kadının Umudunun Rengi), former Editor in Chief
14.    Güler Kömürcü, Journalist
15.    Gülşen Bozan, Özgür Kadın Magazine Worker
16.    Hacı Boğatekin, Gerger Fırat Newspaper, Owner
17.    Hacı Orman, Sanat ve Hayat Magazine Executive Editor
18.    Hatice Özhan, Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Diyarbakır Reporter
19.    Hayati Özcan, Ulusal Kanal İzmir Representative
20.    İsmail Eskin, Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Kocaeli Reporter
21.    İsmail Yıldız, www.postager.com, Editor
22.    İsminaz Ergün, Demokrat Radyo Worker
23.    Mahmut Tutal, Gündem Newspaper, Şanlıurfa Worker
24.    Mehdi Tanrıkulu, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Editor in Chief
25.    Metin Bulut, Yürüyüş Magazine Owner and Editor in Chief
26.    Müge Molvalı, Yeniden Atılım Newspaper former Editor in Chief
27.    Nadiye Gürbüz, Demokrat Radyo Broadcast Coordinator
28.    Necati Abay, Atılım Newspaper, Columnist
29.    Özgür Aytulum, Demokratik Dönüşüm Magazine Editor in Chief
30.    Sabri Adanır, Gündem Newspaper, Dealer
31.    Serhan Bolluk, Aydınlık Magazine Exeutive editor
32.    Serkan Demirel, DİHA, Elazığ Reporter
33.    Sonnur Sağlamer, Atılım Newspaper Worker
34.    Tuncay Mat, Atılım Newspaper Reporter
35.    Ufuk Akkaya, Ulusal Kanal, Chief of İstanbul Offices
36.    Vedat Yenerer, journalist

Journalist Necati Abay sentenced to 18 years and 9 months imprisonment

Necati Abay, the spokesman of our platform who was on trial without arrest and wanted to be sentenced to life imprisonment, was sentenced to 18 years and 9 months in the judgment trial of the 8-year-lawsuit before 12th High Criminal Court of Istanbul on May 4th, 2011 on the grounds that he was “a director of terrorist organization”. Hatice Duman, former owner and chief clerk of Atılım Journal, who was arrested, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the same trial.

While an arrest warrant was not raised for Necati Abay who was on trial without arrest, the lawsuit was submitted to the Supreme Court of Appeals.

We think that this verdict given by Special High Criminal Court for Necati Abay, the spokesperson for Solidarity Platform with Imprisoned Journalists, is an attitude toward freedom of press, freedom of opinion and expression of our platform and toward the fight aiming at the release of arrested journalists. We believe that this verdict is a scandal and will be heavily discussed. This verdict is a direct attack to Atılım Journal through Hatice Duman and Necati Abay. 

While Necati Abay was working in Atılım Journal as a columnist-editor, he was taken under custody together with his computer from his house in Kadıköy on April 13th, 2003. Any element of crime could not be found during the search in his house. When Necati Abay was taken to the Anti-Terror Branch, it was seen that he was subject to immaterial averments and police conspiracy like Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener. He denied the accusations.

Police conspiracy and conspiracy document stepped in when person called Aligül Alkaya whom Necati Abay has never known signed a “statement” prepared by the police under torture in the security directorate and Necati Abay was taken under custody. Except this so-called “statement” (Aligül Alkaya constantly states that this statement does not belong to him in his statements before prosecution office, investigating judge office and during ongoing trials and that the police added this statement), there is no evidence in the file against Necati Abay. In addition, any counter-evidence has not been added to the file during 8 years of proceedings. 


Necati Abay appeared before prosecution office after 4-day-custody and he was referred to the investigating judge office by arrest demand of prosecution office. The investigating judge did not take seriously this so-called statement that is alleged to belong to Aligül Alkaya and Necati Abay was released. The conspiracy was thought to be overcome in a short time but conspirators were still on the job and upon objection of the prosecution office, Necati Abay was taken under custody again and was arrested and put into Type F prison in Tekirdağ on the same day. The criminal charges were prepared and based on 4 lines in the statement of Aligül Alkaya in the security office (that Necati Abay was the responsible of cell houses located in Istanbul and provided liaison among cells and used the code name Emre for confidentiality purposes), he was demanded to be sentenced to life imprisonment pursuant to Article 146/1 of Turkish Criminal Code. However, 4th State Security Office (then existed) released Necati Abay on conditions of trial without arrest in the first trial on October 3rd, 2003. However, Special High Criminal Court that replaced State Security Offices sentenced Necati Abay in the judgment trial to 18 years and 9 months on the grounds that he was “a director of terrorist organization” pursuant to Article 168/1 of Turkish Commercial Code. The file was submitted to the Supreme Court of Appeals.

As Solidarity Platform with Imprisoned Journalists, we severely protest the fact that Necati Abay, the spokesman of our platform, was sentenced to 18 years and 9 months and Hatice Duman, Former Owner and Chief Clerk of Atılım Journal, was sentenced to life imprisonment and call for all professional organizations and especially the press, people and institutions that are sensitive to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of press to show their democratic reactions.
 
This verdict by Special High Criminal Court is a new indicator of counter attitude of Turkey that ranks first in the world in terms of the number of imprisoned journalists toward freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of press.
 
Please find attached the defence of Necati Abay in the first trial on October 3rd, 2003.

Solidarity Platform with Imprisoned Journalists
(TGDP)
May 4th, 2011
 
CONTACT: Necati ABAY- Spokesman of TGDP, Mobile: 0535 929 75 86,
E-mail: necatiabay@gmail.com,
Blog: http://tutuklugazeteci.blogcu.com/,

Freedom of Expression Defendants Name by Name

The Independent Communication Network (BİA) Media Monitoring Desk on the first quarter of 2011 revealed that a total of 103 people, 62 of whom are journalists, were tried in cases related to freedom of thought and freedom of expression.

This is a compilation of the names of journalists tried under various articles of the Anti-Terror Law (TMY) and the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) and who won their cases at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Journalists in Prison

Azadiya Welat newspaper former chief editros Vedat Kurşun and Ozan Kılınç, Aram Publishing concessionaire and Hawer newspaper executive Bedri Adanır, İşçi Köylü newspaper editor-in-chief Barış Açıkel and Proleterce Devrimci Duruş newspaper writer Nevin Berktaş entered the year 2011 in prison on the grounds of their writings and books. As of 31 March 2011, they are still in jail.

42 journalists are being imprisoned in the context of major trials like "Ergenekon", "KCK", "Revolutionary Headquarters", "MLKP" or "Sledgehammer". Journalists Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener were arrested on 6 March in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation based on their books they published or were preparing to be published.

Hamdiye Çiftçi (DİHA), Ali Buluş (DİHA), Mehmet Karaaslan (DİHA), Sinan Aygül (DİHA), Behdin Tunç (DİHA), Faysal Tunç (DİHA), Haydar Haykır (DİHA), Emine Altınkaya (DİHA), Hıdır Gürz (Halkın Günlüğü), Müyesser Yıldız (Odatv.com), Sait Çakır (Odatv.com), Doğan Yurdakul (Odatv.com), Soner Yalçın (Odatv.com), Barış Pehlivan (Odatv.com), Barış Terkoğlu (Odatv.com), İbrahim Çiçek (Atılım), Sedat Şenoğlu (Atılım), Bayram Namaz (Atılım), Hasan Coşar (Atılım), Dilek Keskin (Atılım), Halit Güdenoğlu (Yürüyüş), Kaan Ünsal (Yürüyüş), Cihan Gün (Yürüyüş), Seyithan Akyüz (Azadiya Welat), Ali Konar (Azadiya Welat), Deniz Yıldırım (Aydınlık), Himet Çiçek (Aydınlık), Kenan Karavil (Adana Radyo Dünya), Ahmet Birsin (Gün TV), Mustafa Balbay (Cumhuriyet), Tuncay Özkan (Kanal Biz), Suzan Zengin (İşçi Köylü), Füsun Erdoğan (İstanbul Özgür Radyo), Erol Zavar (Odak), Musa Kurt (Kamu Emekçileri Cephesi dergisi), Mustafa Gök (Ekmek ve Adalet), Erdal Süsem (Eylül), Baha Okar (Bilim ve Gelecek), Hakan Soytemiz (Red) ve Sabri Adanır (Gündem). Berivan Eker was released pending trial.

Journalists taken into police custody

Ahmet Hakan Coşkun (Hürriyet), İklim Bayraktar (Odatv.com), Ayhan Bozkurt (Odatv.com), Necip Çapraz (Yüksekova Haber), Çağla Yeleser (DİHA), Deniz Kısmetli (Halkın Günlüğü).

Defendants under the Anti-Terror Law

Abdullah Çetin, Adnan Demir, Ahmet Can Karahasanoğlu, Ahmet Sami Belek, Ahmet Türk, Aysel Tuğluk, Aziz Özer, Berivan Eker, Büşra Erdal, Erdal Güler, Ertuğrul Mavioğlu, Fatih Taş, Ferhat Tunç, Filiz Koçali, Hakan Tahmaz, Hayri Beşer, İbrahim Çeşmecioğlu, İsmail Beşikçi, İsmail Muzaffer Öztürk, İsmail Saymaz, Kenan Kıran, Mehmet Güler, Metin Arslan, Neşe Düzel, Ragıp Zarakolu, Ramazan Pekgöz, Rıdvan Kaya, Saadet Irmak, Uğraş Vatandaş, Veysi Sarısözen, Yüksel Genç, Zeycan Balcı Şimşek, Ziya Çiçekçi, 13 people from the refugee camps in Mahmur and Qandil.

Convicted: Fatih Taş, Aziz Özer, Hakan Tahmaz, İbrahim Çeşmecioğlu, Ziya Çiçekçi, Veysi Sarısözen, Ragıp Zarakolu, Mehmet Güler, İsmail Beşikçi, Zeycan Balcı Şimşek, Erdal Güler, Berivan Eker, Uğraş Vatandaş.

Tried on charges of insult:

Adnan Demir, Ahmet Akyüz, Ahmet Altan, Ahmet Can Karahasanoğlu, Ahmet Keskin, Ahmet Topçu, Alaeddin Yüksel, Ali Dağlar, Barış Yarkadaş, 16 members of the Beyoğlu Troupe of Actors, Engin Kaşdaş, Fatih Bayrak, Haldun Açıksözlü, Halil Savda, İlhan Taşçı, İsmail Saymaz, Kenan Kıran, Levent Kelleci, Murat Demirci, Murat Güzel, Nazlı Ilıcak, Nergis Şişek, Neşe Düzel, Oktay Ekşi, Rıdvan Kaya, Sacit Şahin, Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Yasemin Çongar.

Convicted: Nazlı Ilıcak, Ahmet Topçu, Ahmet Akyüz.

Attacked journalists:

Ali Bakoğlu (Zümrüt Rize newspaper), Çetin Yılmaz (İstanbul Alternatif Doğuş), Hamza Gül (NTV), Necati Dilli (Rize, freelance), Kazım Şen (Uşak TV) and employees of Kapadokya TV.

Threatened journalists:

Adem Yavuz Arslan (Bugün), Bahadır Baruter (Penguen), Hüseyin Orhan (Ereğlinin Sesi), Mehmet Metiner (Star) and Murat Aktaş (Amasya Objektif).

Journalists facing compensation claims:

Ahmet Sami Belek, Ataol Behramoğlu, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Hacı Boğatekin, Hasip Kaplan, İbrahim Tığ, İlhan Taşçı, İsmail Muzaffer Öztürk, İsmail Saymaz, Oktay Ekşi, Orhan Pamuk, Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Taylan Tanay.

On trial for "violation of confidentiality":

Ahmet Şık, Bahar Kılıçgedik, Ertuğrul Mavioğlu, Hasan Çakkalkurt, İsmail Saymaz, Mustafa Dolu, Semra Pelek.

Sued for "influencing the judiciary":

Ahmet Can Karahasanoğlu, Hasan Çakkalkurt, İsmail Saymaz, Kenan Kıran, Mustafa Dolu, Oral Çalışlar, Rıdvan Kaya, Semra Pelek, Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Yasemin Çongar.

Charged with "praising crime":

Ercan Atay, Fehmi Korkmaz, Ferhat Tunç, M. Kemal Çelik, Maşallah Korkmaz, Pınar Sağ.

Allegations of "alienating the public from military service:

Ahmet Aydemir, Davut Erkan, Fatih Tezcan, Halil Savda, Mehmet Atak.

Tried under Article 301: Osman Baydemir and Temel Demirer.

At court for alleged "incitement to hatred and hostility: Ahmet Altan and Orhan Miroğlu.

Prosecuted for speaking Kurdish: Ahmet Türk

Alleged "propaganda for an illegal organization": Şiar Rişvanoğlu

Charged for "insult of the presinet": Barış Yarkadaş

Tired for opposing the Law on Crimes against Atatürk: Neşe Düzel.

Complainants who won at the ECHR:

Nevin Berktaş, Elif Çamyar, Ünsal Öztürk, Faruk Temel, Güler Menteş and ten detainees of the Tekirdağ F Type Prison and the Bolu Prison. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, 4 May 2011)

International Call for Freedom for Arrested Turkish Journalists

Representatives of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Association of European Journalists (AEJ), the World Association of Press Councils (WAPC), the World Editors Forum (WEF), the International Press Institue (IPI), Reporters without Borders (RSF), the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) came together in Istanbul on the World Press Freedom Day on 3 March for the Congress on Freedom for Journalists.

The participants agreed that the struggle for journalists in Turkish prisons was an encouraging signal for other countries where press freedom was experiencing a pullback.

The congress was organized by the Turkish Freedom for Journalists Platform (GÖP). In respect to arrests of journalists like Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener and also considering the effect of prosecutions based on news items and further oppressions against journalists, the participants defined the judicial practices as a problematic area and pointed to the government in this aspect.

Un-detained defendants and relatives or close friends of detained defendants had their say as well.

Philippe Leruth, Deputy Head of the EFJ, indicated that European countries like Hungary and France constituted examples for the tendency of a setback in press freedom for journalists.

"The press is the temperature gauge for a democracy. Yet, it does not help to break the temperature gauge because the democracy is not doing well", Leruth said.

Javier Fernandez Arribas, Vice President of the AEJ, remarked that the government and the judiciary were used to suppress press freedom in Turkey. Arribas emphasized the need for an infrastructure that would enable the media to steer itself.

WAPC Secretary General Chris Conybeare called the more than 200 participants of the congress for a minute of silence to commemorate the journalists all over the world who lost their lives while practicing their profession. Conybeare reminded that in 1997, Turkey was the country with the highest number of arrested journalists. Targets set in 2004 fuelled great optimism for Turkey but in the present situation this optimism could not be preserved, he declared.

"The journalists should be released on bail or by other means. They have to be given the right to defence regarding the allegations brought up against them", the WAPC representative claimed.

Chairman of the WEF board and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), Erik Bjerager, said, "Journalists in Europe are not arrested for the work they do. Turkey has to improve its record".

IPI press freedom advisor Steven Ellis underlined that arrested journalist Nedim Şener continued his efforts to gather and share information on the background of the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink despite the threats Şener had received.

Johann Bihr, head of the RSF European Desk, mentioned that press freedom in France has been on the decline for some time but in Turkey "massive violations bound to paranoiac and authoritarian applications" were being encountered. Bihr said that the arrest of journalist Ahmet Şık created a big stir in Paris. He also expressed the expectation to have the Dink murder case solved.

Mirjana Tomic from SEEMO conceded that she was not too familiar with the situation in Turkey in particular. Referring to the Balkan countries that are anticipating their accession to the European Union, Tomic highlighted the fact that the mafia is threatening press freedom regarding to labour and politics.

OSCE Media Freedom Representative Dunja Mijatovic pointed out that problems in Turkey stem from a lack of freedom to criticize the government, which is a problem encountered in other countries as well, and from the fear felt towards different opinions.

"I will continue my struggle at non-governmental organizations and before governments. Data bases on arrested journalists must be updated. There are positive indicators that the authorities are going to respond to our call. I am going to keep you informed about the developments", Mijatovic said.

The OSCE representative announced to share the problems of press freedom in a meeting with the European Commission on Thursday (5 May). "You are not alone, we are with you", she stressed. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, 4 May 2011)

Comic book artist facing prison time for insulting Atatürk

The writer and illustrator of a comic book that portrayed the founder of modern Turkey as being arrested and tortured are facing a sentence between 18 months and 4.5 years in prison.

A main opposition deputy filed a compliant against a comic book called “Genç Mustafa” (Young Mustafa). Republican People’s Party, or CHP, Manisa deputy Şahin Mengü targeted the book saying the memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was offended and reviled.

“Do not think of the book as a documentary,” Alpay said previously. “It is a work of fiction in harmony with historical facts.”

The book, published in November last year, was illustrated by Barış Keşoğlu. The book includes a sergeant in the Ottoman Palace telling a story depicting how Atatürk was taken to the palace and beaten by a commander while his hands were tied, the petition said.

According to the story, Atatürk was kicked while he was lying on the floor and his mouth was bleeding.

“Our great leader Atatürk was humiliated with the comic book scenes including torture that is not based on any historic facts,” the petition said. “Atatürk has been presented to the public and new generations as a person accused of plotting against the sultan, as a prisoner in a weak and helpless situation.

“The author Alpay says in the introduction of the book that there are no nations that did not fight with Atatürk after separation from the Ottoman Empire. Furthermore, we are unaware about many aspects of Atatürk’s private life and opinions even though we may refer to him and them many times in our daily life,” said the petition, which concluded that the introduction proves the author’s motivation is to fight Atatürk.

Adalar Court has sent the file to the Kartal regional Court of Serious Crimes with the decision of lack of jurisdiction. The Adalar court also stated that the address of Gaia publishing house could not be found. According to the daily Milliyet, the investigation revealed the publishing house has no official license. The investigation report said the place previously displayed as a publishing house is a triplex apartment on Istanbul’s Büyükada Island where Yalın Alpay, the book’s author stays during the summer.

Portraying Atatürk in documentaries and fictional works invariably raises debate in Turkey, which last experienced such discussion with the release of the movie “Mustafa,” directed by journalist and documentary filmmaker Can Dündar. (Daily News, May 4, 2011)

Freedom House: 'Worrying' decline in Turkey's press freedom

Turkey is ‘moving in the wrong direction’ in press freedom, according to a senior Freedom House researcher. Turkey had a significant decline of three points in the ‘Freedom of the Press 2011: A Global Survey of Media Independence’ list that was released earlier this week by the Washington-based advocacy group’s latest press freedom index

The “significant” decline observed last year in press freedom in Turkey indicates the country is “moving in the wrong direction,” a senior Freedom House researcher said Monday.

Turkey is still in the Partly Free category in the Washington-based advocacy group’s latest press freedom index, but dropped by three points last year.

“Three points is considered a significant decline,” Karin Deutsch Karlekar, a senior researcher at Freedom House, who served as managing editor of its Freedom of the Press 2011 survey, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review in a telephone interview Tuesday.

Released early this week, “Freedom of the Press 2011: A Global Survey of Media Independence,” found that a number of key countries – including Egypt, Hungary, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, Ukraine and Turkey – experienced significant declines in press freedom last year. The result is a global landscape in which only one in six people live in countries with a press that is designated Free.

“In 2010, we saw a lot of worrying trends [in Turkey] and there is already an increased use of laws against journalists, particularly the anti-terrorism laws,” Karlekar told the Daily News. “That led to increased self-censorship among Turkish journalists.”

According to the study, the largest numerical change in the Western European region in 2010 was the decline in Turkey’s score, which fell from 51 to 54 as a result of heightened harassment of journalists under a number of laws, including articles 301 and 216 of the Turkish penal code and anti-terrorism legislation.

Elsewhere in Western Europe, the report cited negative developments in Denmark and Iceland and indicated that the United Kingdom remains a concern due to its expansive libel laws, while heavy media concentration and official interference in state-owned outlets continues to hold Italy at Partly Free.

“In 2010 we saw significant decline in Turkey’s score on the index. Already in 2011, the decline has continued because of the arrest of [more] journalists. We might expect Turkey to get worse next year because of what has happened to journalists recently,” Karlekar said.

A number of journalists, including investigative reporters Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener, were detained as part of a probe into an alleged organization purportedly aimed at toppling the government. The arrests drew adverse reactions from the European Union, the United States and human-rights watchdogs, casting serious doubts over press freedom in Turkey.

“Like the previous year, Turkey was categorized in 2010 as Partly Free but it is moving in the wrong direction,” said Karlekar. “Some of the journalists detained last year are still in jail and have not yet been charged. That’s a continuing concern.”

The Freedom of the Press index assesses the degree of print, broadcast and Internet freedom in every country in the world, analyzing the events and developments of each calendar year. Ratings are determined through an examination of three broad categories: the legal environment in which media operate; political influences on reporting and access to information; and economic pressures on content and the dissemination of news.

Of the 196 countries and territories assessed during 2010, a total of 68 (35 percent) countries were rated Free, 65 (33 percent) were rated Partly Free, and 63 (32 percent) were rated Not Free. The survey found that only 15 percent of the world’s inhabitants live in countries with a Free Press, while 42 percent have a Partly Free press and 43 percent live in Not Free environments. (Hürriyet Daily News, FULYA ÖZERKAN, May 3, 2011)

IPI condemns Turkey for treatment of journalists

On World Press Freedom Day, the International Press Institute (IPI) underlined how Turkey, where dozens of journalists are in prison, was the worst example of the European trend to limit freedom of the press. The journalists were arrested over their alleged affiliation with terrorist organizations, according to IPI’s Turkish National Committee.

As late as December, Emine Demir, the former editorial manager of Kurdish newspaper Azadiya Welat, was sentenced to 138 years in prison over articles that she accepted for publication in the newspaper. The 24-year-old was found guilty of spreading propaganda for the outlawed PKK, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

In April, another IPI statement called attention to Vedat Kurşun, former editor of Azadiya Welat, who was sentenced by a Turkish court to three years in prison in connection with two articles deemed to have spread propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK – which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, the United States and many other countries.

Kurşun had already served 13 months in jail while awaiting his trial, after being arrested in Istanbul in January 2009 as he arrived in the city to testify in another case.

Also in December, authorities arrested two journalists working for the Renge Heviya Jine magazine. On December 5, authorities arrested the former editor-in-chief of the magazine, Berivan Eker, as she was on her way to a meeting with her lawyer.

According to information from IPI’s National Committee in Turkey, Eker was under investigation for “spreading propaganda for an illegal organization" and, based on two articles she wrote in June and July of 2010, on separate charges of "committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organization". The investigations were later merged.

According to the recently-founded Freedom for Journalists Platform (FJP), of which IPI’s Turkish National Committee is a member, the magazine's former editor- in-chief, Gurbet Çakar, had earlier been arrested by the Public Prosecution of Diyarbakır, a Kurdish-majority province in south-eastern Turkey. The prosecutor was demanding a prison term of up to 20 years for Çakar on charges of "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization via the media" and "membership of the PKK".

Renge Heviya Jine is the only magazine for women in Turkey publishing in both Kurdish and Turkish. The first editor-in-chief of the magazine, Sultan Sonsuz, has been indicted under charges of “propaganda” in five different cases. She was sentenced to a year and three months in prison on one of the charges, and is facing a maximum of 20 years if found guilty on the others. Her successor, Ruken Aktas, was facing three years and nine months in prison. Aktas’ successor, Sibel Esmer, was sentenced to one year and three months on propaganda charges. The sentence was under appeal at the year’s end.

In June, IPI reported on the sentencing of journalist Irfan Akhtan to a year and three months in prison, for an article he wrote in October 2009, and a fine of 16,000 Turkish Lira was imposed on Merve Erol, the editor of Express, the fortnightly magazine that published the article. The two journalists were found guilty of dispersing “propaganda relating to a terrorist organization,” under Article 7 of the Turkish anti-terror law.

In December 2009, a Turkish court sentenced Ozan Kilinc, the editor of a Kurdish newspaper to 21 years in prison for publishing what the court called Kurdish propaganda, only two weeks after the European Court of Human Rights ordered Turkey to pay over 40,000 Euros to 20 Turkish journalists as compensation for having violated their rights.

On 26 April the Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland announced that they will send a media freedom envoy to Turkey.

Jagland announced on 13 April that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to allow the Council of Europe to send a fact-finding mission to look into the arrests of several journalists in connection with the alleged ultra-nationalist “Ergenekon” plot.

The plot – in which members of the military, academics and journalists have been implicated – allegedly contemplated assassinations and attacks that would lead to calls to overthrow the government.

Jagland said: “I will send a special representative as soon as possible. This envoy will report back to me so that we can make an assessment of the situation. This is a constructive approach and a move forward in discussion about media freedom in Turkey.”

The secretary general said the move followed telephone discussions with Erdogan last month in which Jagland expressed hope that the cases against journalists could be resolved as quickly as possible. (ANF, 3 May 2011)

RSF: Online censorship now bordering on the ridiculous in Turkey

Reporters Without Borders has issued a statement on the new list of banned words issued by Turkey’s Internet regulator, High Council for Telecommunications (TIB).

In the statement the organization said it is "both amused and shocked to learn that the High Council for Telecommunications (TIB) has issued Internet service providers and website hosting companies with a list of 138 keywords that are henceforth to be banned from Turkish Internet".

The list was sent out on 27 April.

“If the TIB’s aim is to control pornography, one wonders why first names such as ‘Adrianne’ and ‘Haydar’ or everyday terms such as ‘free’, ‘pic’, ‘fat’ and ‘pregnant’ are on the list of censored words,” Reporters Without Borders said.

“With Turkey already blocking thousands of sites with content that is considered sensitive, the consequences of such keyword filtering could be disastrous for online freedom of expression. The authorities must abandon this scheme and instead reform Law 5651 on the Internet, which makes such arbitrary censorship possible.”

According to the TIB directive, access to websites containing words on the list would in theory be suspended and it would be impossible to create new ones containing them. However, it is not clear how and to what extent the directive will be implemented in practice. The TIB could decide to suppress or block pages for just one blacklisted word. The lack of clarity about this repressive measure is legally unacceptable.

The list, which borders on the ridiculous, includes words such as “etek” (skirt), “baldiz” (sister-in-law) and “hayvan” (animals). It poses serious problems for access to online information. If words such as “free” and “pic” are censored, countless references to freedom and everyday photos will be eliminated from the Turkish Internet.

Referring to legislation governing the right to information, Yaman Akdeniz, a law lecturer at Istanbul’s Bilgi University, has asked the TIB to explain the presence of certain words on the banned list and has demanded access to all the documents and source material used in compiling it. Reporters Without Borders supports his initiative and asks the TIB to respond as quickly as possible.

Turkey is already blocking access to more than 7,000 websites. References to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (the Turkish republic’s founder), the armed forces, the Turkish nation, minorities (especially the Kurds), and so-called “terrorist” organizations are highly sensitive and subject to online censorship. Most website blocking is carried out in response to administrative decisions taken by the TIB.

Turkey is on the list of countries “under surveillance” in the “Enemies of the Internet” report that Reporters Without Borders issued on 11 March. (ANF, 3 May 2011)

Top court ruling further restricts freedom of press in Turkey

Turkey's Constitutional Court on Monday annulled a provision included in the Press Law that brought limitations to the period to file a case against a journalist over a report, which is likely to add to the already growing number of cases launched against reporters and editors.

The annulment concerns Article 26 of the Press Law, which states that “it is essential that cases of crimes entailing the use of printed matter or other crimes mentioned in this law should be opened within a period of two months for daily periodicals and six months for other printed matter.”

The Constitutional Court on Monday reviewed an appeal filed by Hakkı Yalçınkaya, a former judge at the Şişli 2nd Court of First Instance, in 2009 and ruled that Article 26 runs contrary to the Constitution. The annulment will come into effect next year and, if another amendment restricting the period to file cases against journalists is not made within a year, prosecutors will be able to file cases against journalists over their reports even years after the date the report was published. The former judge hit the headlines in 2008 when reports emerged in the media that linked him to the alleged Ergenekon terrorist organization.

The top court's ruling caused concern among representatives of media associations, who interpret the ruling as a blow to freedom of the press. Orhan Erinç, head of the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC), said he wonders what the court will say in its reasoned decision. He also said it is unfortunate that the ruling came one day before World Press Freedom Day, observed every year on May 3. “Eliminating the two-month limitation would further restrict freedom of the press,” he said.

Media Association Secretary-General Deniz Ergürel also criticized the ruling, saying it is unacceptable for a journalist to face charges, let alone eight or more years after writing the article.

The high number of cases filed against journalists in Turkey is a contentious issue. Its escalation has centered on the Ergenekon trial, a landmark trial of a clandestine group accused of trying to overthrow the democratically elected government.

In November of last year, the Ministry of Justice said 4,139 investigations were opened against journalists that year. Today, this number stands at more than 5,000. The newspapers taking the lion's share of judicial intimidation are the Zaman, Taraf, Bugün, Yeni Şafak, Star and Vakit dailies, which face over 3,500 investigations in total thus far. Of these investigations, indictments have been accepted for 2,000 and their trials have begun. The news editors of these dailies say the judiciary is trying to silence the journalists writing for them. (TODAYSZAMAN.COM, 3 May 2011)

Journalist Sued for Calling Deputy "Manservant of the People"

Journalist Hacı Boğatekin is facing a TL 10,000 (€ 5,000) compensation claim because he used the word "manservant" in one of his articles. The complaint was filed by Dengir Mir Mehmet Fırat, Deputy of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Boğatekin's lawyer demanded to drop procedures at the hearing on 28 April. The trial is handled by the Gerger Civli Court of First Instance. The charges stem from the article entitled "Miro-Piro" published in the local Gerger Fırat newspaper owned by journalist Boğatekin . In the latest hearing, the court dealt with a corresponding expert report.

Defence lawyer: This is a social case

Defence lawyer Hüseyin Boğatekin defined the case as a "social trial". He requested to have the trial's content investigated by a group of three experts.

The journalist's attorney claimed that the existing expert report was contrary to the law and superficial. "The article was not considered as a whole; sentences were singled out from the writing and were made the subject of the trial. Making an article the subject of a trial without considering the writing as a whole constitutes a reason to reject the compensation claim", lawyer Boğatekin stated.

He put forward several decisions as examples decided by the Court of Appeals and evaluated within the scope of press freedom in the context of the trial subject including the Hrant Dink case.

"PM Erdoğan says in every meeting 'We are the people's man-servants'"

Boğatekın referred to the sentence "You are the people's manservant" with particular emphasis on the work "manservant" as the subject of the trial. "This was not said with the aim to insult or humiliate any individual", he pointed out.

"The respondent journalist said the truth when he called deputies the 'man-servants of the people'. Likewise, the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expresses in every meeting that they are the 'man-servants of this people' anyways".

Lawyer Boğatekin demand to either accept his request for a further investigation or otherwise to drop procedures.

The court dismissed the request for an "expert report prepared by three people". The trial was postponed to 30 June in order to allow additional time for the presentation of evidence. (BIA, Emir ÇELİK, 3 May 2011)

Journalists Mavioğlu and Soykan at Court

The article entitled "One Document, three scenarios" published on 19 June  2009 is the bone of contention in a trial against journalist Ertuğrul Mavioğlu, former reporter of Radikal newspaper, and Timur Soykan, editor of the nation-wide daily.

At the Monday hearing (2 May) before the Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, journalists Mavioğlu and Soykan presented their defence. They stand accused of "violating confidentiality" related to the Ergenekon trial they were reporting about in the article on subject. Ergenekon is a clandestine ultra-nationalist terrorist organization charged with plotting to overthrow the government. Radikal executive Hasan Çakkalkurt did not attend yesterday's hearing.

Mavioğlu:  The file was not part of the investigation back then

Mavioğlu claimed in his defence that the allegations were out of the question because the file was not part of the investigation by the time the article had been published. He pointed out that Taraf was one of many newspapers that reported about the file.

Also charges of "identifying a person as a target" are being pressed against the journalist based on a photograph that was included in the news. It featured hundreds of soldiers photographed from a considerable distance. Mavioğlu stated that it was "out of mind indeed" to assess the picture in this way.

"If this picture targets anybody, journalists should not put any pictures at all"

"If this photograph became the reason of a trial, we should not do any journalism anymore and we should not put any pictures in the newspapers", Mavioğlu said. He indicated that many people voiced their opinions on the issue of the "original signature" under an important document, including people like the President and the Prime Minister. Thus, Mavioğlu wondered why he was the only one in the dock.

"Everybody talked about it but I won the lottery. If this is not correct, I would appreciate the President and the Prime Minister to be prosecuted in this very courtroom".

Soykan: Analysis rather than news

Soykan said in his defence, "While everybody was giving his/her opinion on the matter, we said let's depict three probable scenarios. This was much more an analysis rather than a news item. We have done a journalistic work with the aim to provide certain scenarios to our readers that they could evaluate themselves".

Court judge Rüveyde Çakmak Kaner decided to adjourn the trial to 22 September.

After the hearing, Ercan İpekçi made a statement on behalf of the Freedom for Journalists Platform (GÖP) that supports the journalists on trial. "We estimated the number of this sort of trials in Turkey at around 2,000. Yet, today we learned that there are approximately up to 10,000 such cases. Instead of amending laws, journalists are being given the order for self-censorship", İpekçi criticized. (BIA, Emir ÇELİK, 3 May 2011)

World Press Freedom Day: 103 "Defendants of Opinion" in Turkey

Five journalists were imprisoned because of their writings. 42 of their colleagues were put behind bars till 31 March 2011 in the scope of major trials like "Ergenekon", "KCK", "Revolutionary Headquarters" or "Sledgehammer".

The custody of journalists, Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık as the most prominent figures, and the raids on their homes and offices left their mark on the first three months of 2011.

13 people were sentenced to imprisonment of 21 years and ten months in total throughout the first three months of 2011on the grounds of their opinions on the Kurdish question. They were handed down monetary fines amounting to TL 66,946 (€ 33,500).

Upon the insistence of the Court of Appeals, a local court paved the way to a potential flood of trials when they sued writer Orhan Pamuk by reason of his statement "We killed 30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians". Thus, the controversial Article 301 ("insult" to the Turkish state) now also penetrated compensation files. Sociologist İsmail Beşikçi was convicted under the Anti-Terror Law because of the letter "Q" and received a prison sentence of one year and three months.

Journalists welcome the 3 May World Press Freedom Day in an environment where standards of press freedom and freedom of expression are made a topic of debate by the highest authorities and where people who are fighting for the sake of press freedom are being made targets.

Prime Minister Erdoğan said, "27 journalists are imprisoned, none of whom is in jail by reason of their journalistic activities". To the detained journalists who are expecting a fair trial, this statement equals an influence of the judiciary.

The 2011 January-February-March Media Monitoring Report of the Independent Communication Network (BİA) Media Monitoring Desk reveals that 62 journalists as part of a group of 103 people in total are currently being prosecuted in the scope of trials related to freedom thought and freedom of expression.

The report marks 3 May by putting forth the pressure on columnists applied by the government; the conviction of 13 people to imprisonment of 21 years and ten months in total within the first quarter of the year that came together with monetary fines amounting to TL 66,946 on the grounds of voicing their opinion on the Kurdish question; the oppression of journalists reporting about major trials like "Ergenekon" et al. by prison threats in the context of 2,000 pending trials; the wiping out of the right to confidentiality of a source as one of the most fundamental rights of journalists by raiding homes and offices (as in the cases of Ahmeht Şık and Nedim Şener).

On 20 pages the report comprises the struggle of 267 people against violations that were categorized under the following headings: "Attacks and Threats", "Arrests and Detentions", "Trials regarding Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression", "Corrections and Legal Redress", "European Court of Human Rights", "Reactions to Censorship" and "Applications of RTÜK".

Political and financial pressure is still pushing the Turkish media towards auto-censorship. The media try to continue their work in an environment that lacks editorial independence and a sufficient legal basis.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sentenced Turkey to monetary fines summing up to TL 117,000 (€ 58,000) on the grounds of violations of freedom of expression in the scope of five files brought before the international court by 15 applicants. Fines handed down to Turkey in the same period of time last year amounted to TL 133,000 (€ 63,423) in total. This rise continues the general tendency of increasing fines issued to Turkey by the ECHR.

Upon the prompting of the government and the complaints of viewers, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) released a warning to Show TV because of the series "Magnificent Century" that is depicting the realm of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. In a legal struggle, NTV successfully fought off a warning fine given by RTÜK because of the news channel's live broadcast of a statement made by Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, then Foreign Minister of the (Greek) Republic of Cyprus. The Council of State emphasized the "right of the people to information" accordingly.

47 journalists in prison

On 31 March 2011, five journalists were being incarcerated by reason of their published articles and books, namely Vedat Kurşun and Ozan Kılıç as former editors-in-chief of the Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper; Bedri Adanır, owner of Aram Publishing and executive of Hawar newspaper; the editorial manager of the İşçi Köylü ('Worker Peasant') newspaper, Barış Açıkel; and Proleterce Devrimci Duruş ('Proletarian Revolutionary Stance') newspaper writer Nevin Berktaş. At the first quarter of 2010, two journalists were behind bars because of their writings.

Considering the detention of 42 journalists, it has not been clarified yet whether these members of the press will be tried on the grounds of their journalistic activities. In January-February-March 2010, 32 journalists were in the same situation.

13 people sentenced to almost 22 years in jail under Anti-Terror Law

In the first quarter of 2011, 46 people faced prison terms of 334 years and 4 months in total and monetary fines summing up TL 66,946 under the Anti-Terror Law (TMY). 13 defendants were sentenced to imprisonment of 22 years and 10 months in total and monetary fines amounting to TL 66,946. At the same time in 2010 in comparison, Turkish courts handed down prison sentences of 28 years and five months and monetary fines of TL 16,660 (€ 8,300) in total.

44 people accused of "insult"

44 people were facing prison terms of up to 77 years and three months in total on charges of insult. Three of these defendants were sentenced to eleven months in jail and monetary fines of TL 10,580 (€ 5,250) in total. In the same period of time in 2010, 48 people were facing imprisonment of 147 years and eight months.

13 compensation claims

13 people were brought to court regarding compensation claims worth TL 349,000 (€ 175,000) altogether. Two of them received fines of TL 12,000 (€ 6,000) in compensation.

70-year prison threat for "violation of confidentiality"

Seven journalists are being tried under allegations of "violating the confidentiality of an investigation" according to Article 285 of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) on the grounds of their news about ongoing trials. They are facing prison terms of 70.5 years in total.

Ten people tried on "influencing the judiciary"

Ten people stand trial on charges of the "attempt to influence a fair trial" (TCK 288) because of their news regarding judicial proceedings; potential prison terms: 93 years.

Pınar Sağ and Ferhat Tunç convicted of "praise"

Six people are under threat of twelve years, ten months and 25 days in prison on charges of "praising crime and a criminal". Kurdish artists Pınar Sağ and Ferhat Tunç were sentenced to imprisonment of ten months and 25 days in total.

Five people in the dock for "alienating the people from military service"

Five people might be sentenced to imprisonment of 15 years and five months altogether on charges of "alienating the public from military service" (TCK 318). Halil Savda was sentenced to five months behind bars in the same context.

The people who were behind the assassinations of  journalists Ümit Kaftancıoğlu, Abdi İpekçi, Çetin Emeç, Uğur Mumcu, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı, the murders of  about 20 journalists of the Kurdish press in the 1990's and the ones who gave the order for the killing of Hrant Dink are untraceable. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, 2 May 2011)

Information: BİA Media Monitoring Desk, Tel. (0212) 251 15 03, Fax. (0212) 251 16 09, E-mail. hukuk@bianet.org
Prosecutor Pleaded for Acquittal of Journalist Erdal

The prosecutor of the Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court demanded the acquittal of Zaman newspaper reporter Büşra Erdal. The journalist stands trial on the grounds of news articles regarding various decisions of the "Ergenekon" and "Sledgehammer" Investigations.

Erdal is being prosecuted together with the daily's Ankara correspondent Metin Arslan and editorial manager Hayri Beşer. Public Prosecutor Celal Kara presented his final plea at the hearing on Wednesday (27 April).

Prosecutor Kara: Articles remain within borders of criticism

The trial is based on Erdal's article "The ones appointed during the HSYK crisis intervened, Sledgehammer is being covered up" published on the daily's front page on 2 April 2010. Prosecutor Kara claimed that the news item was to be seen within the limits of criticism and concluded that it could not be evaluated as identifying anybody as a traget.

Kara pointed to the fact that "no other trial in the context of this offence or a similar one was opened against Zaman newspaper at any Special Authority High Criminal Court". He said that he did not encounter any propaganda for a terrorist organization in the article and hence pleaded for the acquittal of the defendants.

Plaintiff lawyer claims bias of prosecutor's final speech

Lawyer Nail Dursun Kırbaş, legal advisor of the litigant judges Tuncay Aslan and Yılmaz Alp, criticized the final speech of the prosecution as being biased. "The plaintiffs have been identified as targets to a congregational organization at least. The prosecutor's plea advocates for Zaman newspaper", he demurred.

Defence lawyer Hasan Günaydın drew attention to the fact that a full two months had passed between the publication date of the news article and the date the case was opened. Therefore, he demanded to drop procedures.

The trial was postponed to 9 September in order to allow additional time for defendant Erdal to prepare her defence.

Erdal: We are treated like stepchildren

Journalist Erdal said in a statement made after the hearing, "We underline that the prosecution should be a little bit more meticulous when they launch an investigation. It should be researched in detail whether an element of crime occurred or not. They should be more careful when the court accepts the indictment".

Erdal was asked if she would have appreciated the presence of journalists like the ones who covered their mouths with black tape to protest the arrests of Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener. She replied, "We have been prosecuted for a long time. There were many trials in 2008 and 2009. Unfortunately, there were not many colleagues who supported us back then. I thank the ones who came here to support us but we see that the professional organizations are not supporting us. We are being treated like stepchildren in this aspect".

Representatives of the Bosporus Lawyers Association, the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC), the Freedom for Journalists Platform (GÖP), the Media Association, the Lawyers Association and the Justice and Law Association came to court to support journalist Erdal. (BIA, 29 April 2011)

A freedom of expression monument unveiled in Istanbul

While the world is celebrating “World Press Freedom Day,” a freedom of expression monument was unveiled on Monday in Istanbul in Turkey, a country that currently has 68 journalists behind bars.

Two days before the eve of World Press Freedom Day, a Freedom of Expression Monument was unveiled at Maçka Democracy Park in Istanbul’s Nişantaşı district to demand press freedom for journalists sent to jail “because of touching on the taboos of the government or a certain part of society.”

The idea of building a Freedom of Expression Monument is to advocate press freedom in Turkish journalism and make a transformation in the government’s attitude belonged to the columnist Oktay Ekşi, who received a lot of support from the Freedom for Journalists Platform, or GÖP, and Şişli Municipality. The head of the executive board of daily Hürriyet, Vuslat Doğan Sabancı also showed her support by making an appearance during the press meeting.

“There is no press freedom in Turkey and this is a result of the government’s policy. It is the political power that determines the boundaries of press freedom,” said Ercan İpekçi the chairman of Turkey’s Journalism Union, or TGS.

The mayor of Şişli Municipality Mustafa Sarıgül said this meeting should be first accepted as a presentation of the Freedom of Expression Monument as they will have the opening ceremony with journalists on a later date. “Today this platform is not free. Whenever the journalist Nedim Şener will be released, we will reshape here. Hyde Park in England is a significant example for freedom of expression. Why not have the same in Turkey? ” asked Sarıgül.

“But, I also wonder whether the people speaking here will be able to turn their homes freely. People have the right of making criticism as the way they wish. Only our flag and our land cannot be articulated. Except from that people have the freedom of speech,” Sarıgül said.

Because of the journalist arrested unfairly, a defense mechanism has been formed to advocate our freedom, said Oktay Ekşi, saying that journalists have engaged into such an intense occupational collaboration for the first time.

“We wanted a structure in which we can defense our freedoms. Some 93 organizations created this Freedom for Journalists Platform. The construction of such a monument shows that we stand by everybody freely. As May 3 is known as the World Press Freedom Day, we will hold a congress tomorrow to call our voice. Our colleagues should not be people visited in jail,” said Ekşi.

The chairman of Association of Turkish Journalists in Europe, or ATGB, Güray Öz said that the number of investigations opened against journalists is high and the judicial is not free in Turkey. “A judicial atmosphere in which the journalists can perform their jobs comfortably should be created. We should let people express their thoughts in this Monument, this way we can understand what we will come across in the future,” he said.

Concerning the number of journalist taken to jail, the number is misleading said Ercan İpekçi witnessing his friends trial in Bakırköy 2nd Regional Court where there are more than 2500 cases on its own.

“The Ministry of Justice should fix the numbers. According to our predictions, there are more than 4,000 investigations on journalists and cases more than 1,000. Besides, 68 journalists blamed with making the propaganda of a terror organization are inside jail. Such a human right’s violation belongs to the people ruling this country,” he said.
(Hürriyet Daily News, May 2, 2011)

138 Words Banned from the Internet

The list of "banned words" is the latest outcome of a series of oppressive applications that day by day restrict internet freedom in Turkey more and more.

In a notification sent to all service providers and hosting companies in Turkey on Thursday (28 April), the Telecommunication Communication Presidency (TİB) forwarded a list of banned words and terms. Yet, this list also includes a number of "ordinary" words that can be deemed indispensible in usual everyday life.

According to the list, names like "Adrianne", "Haydar" or words like "Hikaye" ('Story') fall under the ban. Assoc. Prof. Yaman Akdeniz, lecturer at the Bilgi University School of Law, applied for the right to information to the Internet Department of the Telecommunication Communication Presidency as part of the Information Technology and Communication Council.

Internet expert Akdeniz requires information on controversial list

Akdeniz required information from TİB on several issues. The list comprises a total of 138 "forbidden words" and is classified in three different groups. Akdeniz inquired why the first names "Adrianne" and "Haydar" from group II on the list were added in particular.

In the scope of Law No. 4982 on the Right to Information, internet expert Akdeniz also questioned who the names "Adrianne" and "Haydar" actually belong to.

Again in accordance with Law No. 4982, Akdeniz demanded to obtain the entire range of information and documents related to the preparation of the list.

In the same context, the internet expert requested information and documents regarding the execution of the new application.

Akdeniz put forward that the above mentioned information and documents were of immediate public interest and available at the Telecommunication Communication Presidency as part of the Information Technology and Communication Council. "The explanation of these documents is of public interest", he stated and referred to Article 1 of Law No. 4982 that enshrines "the right to information according to the principles of equality, impartiality and openness that are the necessities of a democratic and transparent government".

State forbids the word "forbidden"...

Several words on the list of "banned words" are part of everyday life, e.g. the words Adrianne, Animal, Hayvan ('Animal'), Baldiz (sister-in-law'), Beat, Buyutucu ('enlarger'), Ciplak ('nude'), Citir ('crispy'), Escort, Etek ('skirt'), Fire, Girl, Ateşli ('passionate'), Frikik ('freekick'), Free, Gey ('gay'), Gay, Gizli ('confidential'), Haydar, Hikaye, Homemade, Hot, İtiraf ('confession'), Liseli ('high school student'), Nefes ('breath'), Nubile, Partner, Pic, Sarisin ('blond'), Sicak ('hot'), Sisman ('overweight'), Teen, Yasak ('forbidden'), Yerli ('local'), Yetiskin ('adult') etc.

According to the notification of TİB, domain names containing the words on the list will neither be assigned nor used and access to the existing ones will be suspended.

Sites of supermarkets or football supporters' clubs affected as well

Considering certain supposedly "obscene" words, the list is expected to cause a significant increase of censored internet sites.

Accordingly, words that overlap with two or three-word terms that are considered "obscene" will be affected by the ban, too.

As reported by tknlg.com, also websites related to food home deliveries, online grocery shopping, IT, football supporters' clubs or sites of advertising companies will be affected by the list of banned words. (BIA, 29 April 2011)

Kurdish Question / Question kurde

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) before the general election

Bağımsız Haber Ajansı (BHA) takes a look at the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) which is preparing to contest the general elections with the block called Labour, Freedom and Democracy in order to overcome the 10 percent election threshold. It is expected that as many as 34 of the BDP candidates could enter Parliament though BDP has nominated more than 60 candidates all over Turkey. According to the survey made by A&G Research Company overall Turkey, it is expected that BDP would send a minimum of 30 MPs to Parliament.

In the general elections of 12 June, BDP, EMEP, KADEP, EDP, SDP and Green Party from 38 provinces, have been nominated 61 candidates.

The nomination of names like KADEP leader Şerafettin Elçi, known for his closeness to Mesut Barzani and names like islamist Altan Tan from the BDP lists have been evaluated as one of the significant steps of politicization of the Kurdish movement.

In order not only to take the votes of Kurdish voters but also of the Turkish voters, BDP has been quite bold in its choice of candidates. Among the names are film director Sırrı Süreya Önder and one of the most well known representative of Turkey’s socialist movement Ertuğrul Kürkçü. Among the candidates who are believed to run on a winning ticket is former MP Leyla Zana who has been jailed for 10 years and Hatip Dicle who was arrested in the context of the KCK operation.

BDP province by province

DİYARBAKIR: It is believed that 11 MPs would be elected on 12 June. AKP’s poor candidates except for Galip Ensarioğlu from Diyarbakır, constitutes a noteworthy advantage for BDP.

BDP might be ready for an historical election in Diyarbakır.

VAN : BDP had a crucial success in 2009 local elections, and is attempting to have the same success in the 2011 elections. BDP has nominated one of Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers, Aysel Tuğluk

URFA: It is among the provinces where the BDP has increased its number of MP. The Block has nominated two candidates in Urfa.

MARDİN: BDP has nominated 3 candidates among whom Ahmet Türk. If BDP’s votes do not increase and being distributed proportionately, all of the 3 candidates may enter Parliament. In this election district, the rates of votes of parties which can not pass the election threshold and the independent candidates are very significant. In 2007 elections,  this ratio is 11,7 percent when the parties which can not pass the election threshold are concerned.

AĞRI: Due to its decreasing population, the number of its MP in Parliament in 2011 elections decreased from 5 to 4. After the cancellation of one of its candidates, the High Council of Elections, Halil Aksoy’s election is being expected in Ağrı.

MUŞ : In the province of Muş where BDP has two MPs, it is generally accepted that two independent candidates would be in Parliament in 2011 elections.

ŞIRNAK:  It is among the election districts the Block is more positive about. Three candidates have been nominated.

BATMAN: Batman which will send 4 MPs to Parliament in 2011, is being represented by two names now. Block has nominated two candidates again.

BİNGÖL: In Bingöl results of elections are waited with curiosity. Regionally speaking it could be under the election threshold, if Saadet Party took a higher proportion of votes, that might open the way of bloc’s independent candidate in Bingöl.

BİTLİS: In Bitlis where, 3 MPs will go to Parliament.

SİİRT: After the increase in the votes in 2009 (37,77 percent), it seems certain that one of the names would go to Parliament. BDP has nominated BDP co-chairman Gültan Kışınak in Siirt.

HAKKARİ: In BDP's castle Hakkari, 3 candidates have been nominated from the block for the 2011 elections. In Hakkari, it is guessed that 3 MPs would be elected for Parliament.

IĞDIR: Block has nominated one candidate for the 2011 elections in Iğdır. It is anticipated that having a potential of 40 percent of votes, BDP would easily send an independent candidate to Parliament.

TUNCELİ: It is looked almost certain in Dersim that block can have an independent MP. CHP's proportion of its votes is rather significant. In Tunceli where only two MPs would go to Parliament, if CHP took the 50 percent of votes, independent candidate should take at least 25 percent of votes. One independent candidate is being expected to be sent to the Parliament.

Independent candidates supported by DTP could not join the Parliament in Adana and Mersin in the 2007 general elections. This time, in both election districts two independent candidates are being expected to enter Parliament. Especially, one of the well-known names of Turkish left who is candidate from Mersin, Ertuğrul Kürkçü's participation to Parliament is almost certain. Another scenario is MHP's election threshold issue. Although it is a weak probability, if MHP could not pass the election threshold, the way of independent candidates would be opened in İzmir, Ankara and Antep.

However, after the June 12 general elections, a hard test is awaiting BDP. Since, the performance of BDP which is in the middle of preperation of a new Constitution debates, is being wondered. If the government deals with the demands of BDP about the new constitution, this process may launch the period of PKK’s disarmament period. (BHA, Independent News Agency, 28 May 2011 )

Y a-t-il une solution politique à la question kurde?

La Turquie ne s’est pas encore remise de ses coups d’Etat militaires

par Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne

Depuis trente ans, les Kurdes mènent la lutte pour la reconnaissance de leur identité qui, aujourd’hui, s’appuie sur un programme cohérent basé sur plus de démocratie et plus de justice sociale. La Turquie, dernière au BIB (Bonheur intérieur brut) des 34 pays de l’OCDE (Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques), ne s’est pas encore remise de ses deux coups d’Etat de 1960 et 1980 qui ont été fatals à la démocratisation de ce pays. Les élections du 12 juin prochain sont donc une étape importante pour tout le pays.

La bataille électorale bat son plein, à deux semaines des législatives, mais le peuple kurde est mobilisé depuis déjà de longs mois, très précisément depuis mars 2009, au lendemain des élections municipales et régionales qui ont vu, dans les régions kurdes, le succès du DTP (devenu BDP). Depuis aussi la vague de répression qui a suivi et qui s’est traduite par plusieurs milliers d’arrestations et d’incarcérations d’hommes et de femmes, cadres et militants du parti pro kurde, élus politiques ou associatifs, toujours en détention préventive.

Depuis des mois, des manifestations s’organisent quotidiennement autour des "tentes de la désobéissance civile" ; ces chapiteaux, régulièrement détruits par la police et patiemment réinstallés par la population, servent de points de ralliement et de discussion, de jour comme de nuit.

Les médias du monde entier ont parlé des manifestations et des luttes pour la démocratie dans les pays du Magreb et du Machrek et la place Tahir au Caire est devenue un symbole. Ils parlent de la répression sanglante en Syrie et des tentes dressées à Madrid et Barcelone par les "indignados" qui protestent contre le chômage, la précarité et les mesures d’austérité. Mais ils prêtent peu d’attention aux manifestations des Kurdes réprimées durement à Istanbul, à Diyarbakir, et ailleurs en Turquie.

Les élections en Turquie : la question kurde au centre de la campagne

Pour autant la question kurde est au cœur des préoccupations des candidats, y compris pour le parti majoritaire AKP, malgré la rebuffade que le Premier ministre, en campagne électorale, a essuyée à Hakkari transformée en ville morte à l’occasion de son passage.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, surnommé "Gandhi", président du principal parti d’opposition, le très nationaliste et kémaliste CHP (Parti Républicain du Peuple) s’est contre toute attente, lors de son passage à Hakkari - décidément étape incontournable pour tous les chefs de partis - prononcé pour une plus grande autonomie des collectivités locales : "si nous sommes au gouvernement, nous signerons sans réserves la charte du Conseil de l’Europe". Il s’est aussi engagé à réduire le seuil des 10% qui empêche les partis politiques, hormis trois formations, à être représentés au Parlement de Turquie. Il s’est également engagé à créer une commission d’enquête sur les assassinats "à auteurs inconnus" commis dans les régions kurdes. Il a d’autre part critiqué la politique gouvernementale qui "ne respecte pas la volonté du peuple en jetant en prison ses élus" et s’est dit favorable à une certaine décentralisation dans le cadre d’un Etat unitaire. Il pourrait même accepter que l’enseignement initial puisse être dispensé dans une langue maternelle qui ne serait pas le turc. Leyla Zana, par meeting interposé, lui a déjà répondu : "nous voulons que nos couleurs, vert, jaune, rouge, flottent à côté du drapeau turc". Il en faudra donc plus pour satisfaire les revendications kurdes, mais c’est déjà trop pour RT Erdogan qui dénonce ce qui pourrait être un certain rapprochement entre deux formations, membres de l’Internationale socialiste et du Parti socialiste européen.

Autre événement surprenant est le ralliement au BDP de toute une section du parti ultranationaliste MHP, celle du district de Baskale, situé près de la frontière iranienne, entre Van et Hakkari. Son président Ömer Bozkurt a assuré de son soutien le candidat député indépendant du BDP en déclarant aux journalistes : "je soutiens désormais le BDP, je veux être avec mon peuple".

A noter également l’engagement, dans la campagne pour le droit à l’éducation dans la langue maternelle, d’organisations culturelles kurdes comme le MKM (Centre culturel de Mésopotamie) qui se traduit par des productions, littéraires et cinématographiques, qui devraient voir le jour sous peu.

Colloque organisé par la Coordination

C’est donc une question tout à fait d’actualité qui sera débattue le 30 mai prochain lors d’un colloque placé organisé à l’Assemblée Nationale par la Coordination Nationale Solidarité Kurdistan sous le haut patronage de Jean Paul LECOQ, Député, membre de la Commission des Affaires étrangères.

Quelle démocratie en Turquie ? Les clefs pour une solution politique de la question kurde ? Quelle politique conduisent, à cet égard, les pays européens et les Etats-Unis ? Nul doute que seront exposées les propositions du BDP et que sera pointée du doigt la politique menée par la France qui, sous prétexte de la lutte antiterroriste, adopte une attitude complaisante à l’égard d’Ankara. Les Kurdes ne croient plus aux soutiens des pays alliés de la Turquie au sein de l’OTAN : ils souhaiteraient, à tout le moins, que la France, les pays européens, l’Union européenne et les Etats-Unis respectent les revendications légitimes du peuple kurde et observent une stricte neutralité en s’abstenant d’encourager la politique belliciste de la Turquie. (André Métayer, 28 mai 2011 )


Probe into Zana opened over Öcalan remarks

The Diyarbakır Specially Authorized Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday opened an investigation into Kurdish deputy candidate Leyla Zana over remarks in which she said jailed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan will soon be together with the Kurdish people and teaching their children.
 
The prosecutor's office reportedly requested the full text of Zana's speech during a visit to a village located in the district of Hazro in the predominantly Kurdish province of Diyarbakır on Tuesday from the Diyarbakır Police Department for examination.

“This process [the BDP's goals] aims to allow us to elect our own district governor and governor. This process aims to see our leader [Öcalan] among us. It aims to see our guerillas [members of the PKK] among us. We want to have a share in the administration of the country. If they [the state] accept this, we are willing to live together. If they do not, we are ready to do this on our own. Öcalan will be among his people [the Kurds] one day and serve as their children's teacher. I believe these days are close. This government will either extend a hand of peace to Öcalan, or we as the Kurdish people will reject everything of this system,” Zana said on Tuesday.

Zana is a former deputy elected from the now-defunct Democracy Party (DEP) and is now running as an independent deputy candidate backed by the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). She gained notoriety in 1991 for taking part of her oath of office in Parliament in Kurdish, a language not recognized as an official language in Turkey. She was convicted in 1994 and served 10 years. She was released in 2004 after an appeals court overturned her conviction.
(TODAYSZAMAN.COM, 25 May 2011)

Top Turkish parties trade places on Kurdish question

With less than three weeks to go until general elections, Turkey’s ruling and main opposition parties seem to have traded places on the Kurdish issue. As the social democrats break the ice with the country’s Kurds, the governing party appears increasingly cool toward them.

The change in the positions of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, was clear during the election rallies their leaders held over the weekend in Southeast Anatolia, where the majority of the population is of Kurdish descent.

In previous elections, the AKP won the sympathy and votes of many Kurds by launching an initiative to solve the longstanding Kurdish question. But in a move to attract the votes of nationalists, the party has shifted ahead of the June 12 polls, with the prime minister saying “there is no Kurdish issue but problems of Kurdish people.”

The CHP, shunned by nearly all Kurds over the last decade because of its policies of denying their concerns, has meanwhile enjoyed a boost from its new leader’s bolder rhetoric on the issue.

Far bigger crowds turned out to see CHP chief Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s rallies in Van and Hakkari on Monday than they had two days earlier when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the same cities. Only around 1,000 people came to listen to Erdoğan in Hakkari on Saturday while shopkeepers closed their doors and some groups protested the prime minister’s visit.

Erdoğan claimed Monday that the Hakkari shopkeepers were forced to close up their shops in an act of protest, implying that the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, was behind the action.

“This is not about shopkeepers closing up shop; it is about them being forced to close up shop,” the prime minister said, speaking at a meeting with businessmen in Ankara. “How can they [the BDP] talk about peace and democracy, but prevent people from earning a living?”

He said the protest was being enforced to create fear, and that the region did not really support the protest.

“We need to stand strong together in our resistance, because cowards die many times before their deaths, and we must thus get results together,” Erdoğan said.

The prime minister also criticized Hakkari Mayor Fadıl Bedirhanoğlu for allegedly urging locals to shutters their shops in protest, even fining those who did not. In response, Bedirhanoğlu called on Erdoğan to prove his “slanderous” claims or be faced with a lawsuit.

“These claims are a huge lie. If the prime minister does not prove this, I will declare him a slanderer, and file a lawsuit if necessary,” Bedirhanoğlu said Monday.

Erdoğan also questioned the Hakkari Municipality in his comments Monday, asking what had happened to the 13 billion Turkish Liras sent to Hakkari and criticizing the municipality for not operating well.

Warm messages from the CHP

Kılıçdaroğlu received a good welcome in both Van and Hakkari, where he gave three important messages to Kurdish voters. In Hakkari, he said his party would boost rights for local governance through embracing the Council of Europe’s charter. “We will accept the local self-government charter. Thus we will help them [local governments] to strengthen, to have a good budget and stop them asking for more money from Ankara,” he said.

His second message was a pledge to reduce the 10 percent election threshold for parliamentary representation, while his third promise was to establish a fact-finding commission to investigate the unresolved murders in the region.

Kılıçdaroğlu also touched on an ongoing case in which dozens of elected mayors have been arrested. Criticizing the government’s conduct in the case, he said: “You will put all of them in jail. This means limiting the people’s will and not respecting it.”

Slamming Erdoğan’s critical statements about the closure of shops during his rally Saturday, Kılıçdaroğlu said: “Instead of criticizing the mayor, you should better deal with the problems of these shopkeepers if you are the prime minister.”

Bahçeli critical of the developments

The head of Turkey’s nationalist opposition party meanwhile criticized the government for not doing enough to stop violent protests in the Southeast and in Istanbul.

“The state is not doing enough,” Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, leader Devlet Bahçeli said in the central province of Afyonkarahisar on Monday. “The prime minister is now saying that stores in Hakkari were forced to close. He’s cooperating with the PKK [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party], but is blaming their terrorists.”

Even though the district governor and the mayor all assured Erdoğan's safety, the BDP and the PKK were able to exercise much power over Hakkari, the MHP chief claimed. “Such a scandal has not happened anywhere else,” Bahçeli said. (Hürriyet Daily News, May 23, 2011)

La tension monte au Kurdistan

A moins de trois semaines d’une importante échéance électorale en Turquie, la tension est au maximum au Kurdistan de Turquie. Malgré toutes les déclarations en faveur de la paix, des événements sanglants sont venus endeuiller des familles et la colère a monté d’un cran : les obsèques de combattants kurdes du PKK tués au cours d’affrontements avec les forces militaires de l’Etat turc donnent lieu à de nombreuses manifestations réprimées avec violence.

Les candidats indépendants à la députation, soutenus par le bloc "Travail, Démocratie, Liberté" emmené par le parti pro kurde BDP, protestent publiquement et accusent le gouvernement du premier Ministre Erdogan, chef du parti islamo-conservateur AKP, de vouloir réduire la population au silence. Abdullah Öcalan, leader emprisonné du PKK, qui - chacun le sait - est en Turquie un interlocuteur incontournable avec lequel les émissaires du gouvernement discutent depuis trois ans, s’impatiente et menace d’une guerre totale si rien ne bouge après les élections. Les rassemblements autour des tentes de la désobéissance civile se font de plus en plus nombreux (50 000 personnes à Diyarbakir lors du dernier meeting à l’appel du Bloc).

La presse turque rapporte que la police a arrêté plus de 250 Kurdes pour la seule journée du lundi 16 mai dans 14 villes, ce qui porte le nombre des arrestations à 771 depuis début mai. Parmi eux figurent des enfants, des étudiants et de nombreux responsables du BDP. Il devient très difficile de tenir une comptabilité exacte des arrestations, des mises en gardes à vue et des incarcérations. le rapport de la très respectable Association des Droits de l’Homme en Turquie (IHD), rendu public le 13 mai dernier, donne des chiffres tout à fait alarmants :

Au moins 2 788 personnes ont été arrêtées et 747 d’entre elles ont été écrouées dans la seule région kurde pendant les quatre premiers mois de l’année 2011, ce qui porte à 3 559 le nombre d’arrestations depuis début de l’année. Les arrestations sont multipliées par deux et les cas de torture et de mauvais traitements ont brutalement augmenté de 200 %.

Malgré tous les empêchements pour un bon déroulement, selon des règles démocratiques, de la campagne électorale, où tout est fait pour museler la contestation, le BDP croit à ses chances de pouvoir constituer un groupe parlementaire, en faisant élire une trentaine de députés "indépendants" sur un programme ratifiés par le Bloc.
(Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne, André Métayer, 22 mai 2011)

Violent protest breaks out at PKK funeral in SE Turkey

Conflict broke out following the tension-charged funeral of an alleged terrorist attended by 30,000 people in the southeastern province of Hakkari on Sunday.

Protesters set up barricades and started a fire after the funeral of Ramazan Terzioğlu, an alleged member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, drawing a police response of tear gas and pressurized water.

Two explosions took place during the pro-PKK protest, but no one was killed or injured.

The funeral was attended by the mayors of Hakkari, Yüksekova, Şemdinli, Çukurca and Esendere; members of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP; and thousands of supporters carrying pictures of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Hakkari independent deputy candidate Esat Canan spoke after the funeral, saying that attacks on the PKK were attacks on the country’s Kurdish people.

Twelve alleged PKK members were killed recently in the border province of Şırnak’s Uludere district in two separate operations by Turkish security forces.
(Daily News with wires, May 22, 2011)

Cocktail Molotov en main, des jeunes Kurdes se battent pour leur héros emprisonné

Adem, 15 ans, est passé maître dans la fabrication de cocktails Molotov et il n'a pas son pareil pour lancer des pavés. Son héros est Abdullah Öcalan, le chef emprisonné de la rébellion kurde, même si de nombreux pays qualifient le mouvement armé de terroriste.

Adem est l'un de ces milliers de jeunes Kurdes de Turquie qui en découd régulièrement avec les forces de l'ordre, lors d'affrontements où des bâtiments publics sont incendiés et des manifestants ou policiers blessés, ou tués.

"La police a des gaz lacrymogènes, mais nous avons les pierres, et les cocktails Molotov", explique Adem, dans son uniforme de lycéen, interrogé discrètement dans une rue de Diyarbakir, la plus grande ville du sud-est, où la population est majoritairement kurde.

"Parfois, on les fabrique nous-mêmes, parfois quelqu'un passe et les distribue... Et on attaque les trottoirs à la masse", ajoute-t-il.

Lui et ses amis sont des sympathisants du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), le mouvement en lutte armée depuis 1984, qui est qualifié de terroriste par Ankara et une bonne partie de la communauté internationale. Et Abdullah Öcalan, emprisonné à vie dans une île de la mer de Marmara, est leur héros.

"Le chef est en prison, c'est pour ça qu'on est dans la rue", assure Salman, 18 ans, qui désigne les banques et les bâtiments publics comme des "institutions hostiles", et explique comment, dans les combats de rues, on "tient une position", avant d'être parfois contraint de "faire retraite pour se reposer".

Des réformes encouragées par l'Union européenne ont ces dernières années amélioré la situation des Kurdes, 12 à 15 millions des 73 millions d'habitants de la Turquie.

Des radios et télévisions et des cours privés en langue kurde ont été ouverts, et on parle le kurde lors des réunions politiques.

Un tabou, l'interdiction du mot kurde ou de l'utilisation de la langue, a été levé en Turquie. Mais ces progrès sont de peu d'effet sur une partie de la jeunesse, pétrie de haine.

Une génération qui n'a jamais connu la paix, qui a vécu dans les années 1990 les pires années de l'insurrection menée par le PKK: le sang quotidiennement versé par l'une ou l'autre partie, les persécutions menées par le régime d'Ankara, les villages incendiés par l'armée, les déplacements de populations.

Ibrahim Oruc a connu cette époque: il était adolescent, originaire de Bismil, une ville près de Diyarbakir, lorsque ses parents ont quitté leur village.

Le conflit l'a rattrapé le mois dernier, 17 ans plus tard, lorsque des policiers ont ouvert le feu lors d'une manifestation violente à Bismil, protestant contre l'exclusion des listes électorales de candidats kurdes, pour les élections législatives du 12 juin prochain.

La décision a finalement été annulée, mais Ibrahim, un des manifestants, est mort sous les balles, et les violences ont repris.

Aucun représentant de l'Etat n'a envoyé les moindres condoléances, explique son père.

"Mon plus jeune fils, qui a neuf ans, répète que la police a tué son frère. Quel respect aura-t-il plus tard pour les institutions ?", se demande Omer Oruc.

"Des tas de jeunes viennent me voir et disent qu'ils vont venger Ibrahim... Je leur dis que la meilleure vengeance est d'étudier, et de devenir des hommes instruits", ajoute-t-il, contenant des larmes.

Quelques heures après le décès d'Ibrahim, le 20 avril, des jeunes ont incendié les locaux du parti au pouvoir, l'AKP, le Parti de la Justice et du développement.

Huseyin Yagmur, le responsable local de l'AKP, n'a depuis pas trouvé de nouveau local, et il transporte son matériel électoral dans sa voiture.

Ceux qui acceptent de lui louer quelque chose sont découragés par des menaces, explique-t-il. "Moi aussi, je suis kurde, mais je ne suis pas séparatiste... Ils parlent de démocratie et de droits de l'homme, mais je n'ai même pas un endroit où m'installer", dit-il. (AFP, Sibel UTKU, 20 mai 2011)

Kisanak: government increased pressure and violence

In an interview published today in Hürriyet Daily News, "Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block" independent candidate (and former BDP co-chair) Gültan Kışanak asked if "the prime minister think he can solve the Kurdish issue by holding an election rally in the region for an hour surrounded by armored vehicles? The prime minister needs to ask himself how he can solve the issue through cruelty and pressure”.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has planned to visit Siirt (the constituency for which Kışanak is a candidate) on Thursday. The Prime Minister will be holding election rallies in Van on Friday and Hakkari on Saturday.

“It’s not even political anymore. This is a public outcry of people saying, ‘Enough, we will not accept this cruelty anymore,’” Kışanak told the Daily News. “If the government continues with this stance, the people will resist with everything they have on hand.”

Kışanak reiterated that in order to wing some nationalist votes the government has been increasing “the level of pressure and violence” until the situation has reached unbearable levels.

Talking about the recovery of the Kurdish guerrillas' bodies who lost their life in Uludere last week, Kışanak said that indeed there was no border violation. “The military guard post - she argued - is beyond the border anyway. When we got there, the district governor, prosecutor, doctor and commander were already there. The government passed the border, and it’s a problem when a minister goes there?”

Kışanak indeed underlined the tragedy and unbearable level of violence displayed by soldiers against thousands of people who wanted to retrieve the bodies of their relatives. "If a woman hikes up into those hills with a 6-month-old baby in her arms in order to pick up a dead body, we have reached the final point,” said Kışanak.

“The Kurdish people are in their own homelands, and they will not leave. We are not refugees. These are the lands of our ancestors. This is Kurdistan. This is a historical geographical definition,” Kışanak remarked adding that “The Kurdish people will not stop struggling until the cruelty ends,” she added. “If the cruelty continues and our people tell us to withdraw from the elections, we will do it. We cannot hold a different stance from the people we’re asking for votes from. We are subject to cruelty just for wanting our language and identity accepted.” (kurdish-info.eu, 18 May 2011)

Zana et Baydemir, deux personnalités kurdes de premier plan

par Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne

Leyla Zana et Osman Baydemir sont sans conteste deux personnalités du "top 10" du paysage kurde qu’une délégation des Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne (AKB) a rencontré le 2 mai dernier. La future députée de Diyarbakir et le maire métropolitain de cette ville participaient à un sit-in organisé dans le cadre des opérations dites de "désobéissance civile" pour appuyer les quatre revendications principales de la campagne en faveur de la paix et de la démocratie.

Leyla Zana

Leyla Zana, candidate aux élections législatives du 12 juin prochain va faire son retour à la "Grande assemblée de Turquie " qu’elle avait quittée, en 1994, menottée, pour avoir, lors de sa prestation de serment, prononcé des mots de paix et de fraternité en langue kurde. Le procureur avait requis la peine de mort pour "trahison et séparatisme". Le tribunal avait commué cette peine, sous la pression internationale, en quinze années de détention. Aujourd’hui Leyla Zana savoure déjà sa première victoire, celle de pouvoir faire campagne en langue kurde!

Tragique destin que celui de cette femme de 50 ans, mariée très jeune, en 1975, à Mehdi Zana, qui devint en 1978 maire de Diyarbakir et que le coup d’état militaire de 1980 précipita pour onze ans dans un cul-de-basse-fosse de la prison n°5 de Diyarbakir où il endura les pires tortures (cf. La prison n°5, Arlea 1995, préfacé par Elie Wiesel).

Elle connut donc, très jeune, la situation humiliante et traumatisante des femmes de détenus venant rendre visite à leurs proches. Elle fut elle-même arrêtée et torturée.

En 1994, elle reçoit de prix de la Fondation norvégienne Rafto pour les Droits de l’Homme et le prix Sakharov que lui décerne le Parlement européen pour "honorer sa liberté d’esprit". En 1995 elle reçoit le prix autrichien Bruno-Kreisky. En 2004 la Ville de Paris lui rend un vibrant hommage en la faisant citoyenne d’honneur et le Parlement européen peut enfin, à Strasbourg lors d’une cérémonie solennelle, lui remettre le prix décerné onze ans plus tôt.

Pour autant l’État turc ne désarme pas et la poursuit de sa vindicte : elle a été en 2007 empêchée de se présenter aux élections législatives et les manœuvres pour faire invalider sa candidature en 2011 ont été déjouées de justesse, sous la pression conjuguée des forces démocratiques intérieures et extérieures.

Elle ne compte plus les procédures judiciaires lancées contre elle et dit avec humour qu’il lui faudrait vivre plus que centenaire pour purger les peines encourues.

Osman Baydemir

Comme Leyla Zana, Osman Baydemir ne compte plus les procès engagés contre lui (plus de 200 selon Amnesty International). Cet avocat, né il y a quarante ans à Diyarbakir, est un militant pugnace : nous pouvons en témoigner, qui le côtoyons depuis 1994 alors qu’il était déjà président de la section locale de l’IHD (Association des Droits de l’Homme de Turquie, affiliée à la Fédération internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme) à l’époque des enlèvements et des assassinats ciblés, même en plein centre de Diyarbakir. En 1999, il est l’un des premiers avocats à se déclarer volontaire pour assurer la défense d’Abdullah Öcalan. Vice-président de l’IHD, il crée en 2001 la Fondation pour les Droits de l’Homme (HRFT). Le parti pro-kurde DEHAP le présente à la députation en 2002 mais il ne peut siéger au Parlement, victime de la loi électorale qui invalide l’élection de tous les députés dont le parti n’a pas franchi nationalement la barre des 10%.

Elu triomphalement en 2004 maire de la métropole kurde de Diyarbakir, "sa" ville, réélu en 2008, il assure depuis deux mandats cette responsabilité, lourde déjà en soi, mais qui devient écrasante quand elle est exercée sous la pression administrative, politique, policière et judiciaire. Il a été victime de plusieurs tentatives d’assassinat.

Osman Baydemir, au fil des années, a gagné une réputation internationale. En tant que maire de Diyarbakir et président de l’Union des Municipalités du Sud-est anatolien, il siège au bureau de l’organisation internationale CGLU, (Cités et Gouvernements locaux unis) qui regroupe les grandes associations nationales de pouvoirs locaux dans 136 pays du Monde et participe à nombreux congrès à travers le Monde : Parlement européen, Rafto Foundation (Norvège), Kurdish Human Rights Project (Grande Bretagne), Medico International (Allemagne), Bar Human Rights Committee (Pays de Galles) pour faire connaître la problématique kurde. C’est pourquoi, à l’issue d’une énième garde à vue, il s’est vu signifier une assignation à résidence avec interdiction de quitter le territoire. Son passeport lui a été retiré.

Osman Baydemir est un ami de la Ville de Rennes. Il souhaite une coopération renforcée entre les deux villes : il l’a dit et répété à la délégation AKB qu’il a reçue cordialement. (André Métayer, mercredi 18 mai 2011)

Riots in South-Eastern Turkey after Military Operations

Twelve alleged members of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and five soldiers reportedly died in the course of military operations that have been going on for a whole week in Şırnak, a province in the pre-dominantly Kurdish region of south-eastern Turkey on the Iraqi border.

In protest to the operations, many shop keepers in several cities and provinces left their shops closed, schools were boycotted and demonstrations were organized.

Hakkari 53 people taken into custody in one day

47 people were taken into police custody in the course of the operations carried out in Hakkari, the province on the south-eastern tip of the country, on Sunday night (15 May), as reported by the Dicle News Agency (DİHA). Together with another six people who were taken into custody during protest actions, the total number of people taken into custody in Hakkari on Sunday rose to 53.

Şırnak/Cizre: Fire arms and gas bombs at school

Students of the Atatürk High School in Cizre (Şırnak) boycotted the lessons and chanted the slogan "Martyrs don't die" during some of the lessons. It was reported that the nearby Cizre Military Branch opened gunfire towards the school. No students were injured but the windows of the school flew into flinders and the walls were considerably damaged by the bullet holes. The students replied with shouting further slogans whereupon the military threw a gas bomb to the school. Many students were affected by the tear gas. The students' parents came to school after the word of the incident had spread.

Şırnak: Shops closed, thousands of people demonstrated

Shops in several districts of the city of Şırnak remained closed; the Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block interrupted their campaign for the general elections in June. Thousands of people gathered in the district of Uludere to protest. Black banners were posted at the provincial building of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the BDP Şırnak Municipality. The protestors expressed their support for the families of the PKK members who were killed in the course of the military operations. The governorship decided to block access to the Uludere district for vehicles as well as pedestrians.

Yüksekova: Clashes after demonstration

Thousands of people demonstrated in Yüksekova (Hakkari). After a press release at the end of the demonstration, BDP executives called on the crowd to disperse slowly and quietly. A group of demonstrators put up a barricade and closed the main road to traffic. The police intervened with water cannons and tear gas and the demonstrators threw stones, Molotov cocktails and pyrotechnic articles towards the police.

Shops closed, schools boycotted, no public transport

In Diyarbakır and several other major cities in south-eastern Turkey, shops remained closed on Monday (17 May) to protest the death of the twelve PKK members. Schools were boycotted in a couple of places; public transport came to a still stand; demonstrators took the street.

Tension during demonstration in Istanbul

In Istanbul, about one thousand people gathered on the Galatasary Square in central Istanbul on Monday to protest the operations of the Turkish Armed Forces against the PKK. A short commotion occurred when the crowd tried to walk along Istiklal Avenue towards Takism.

The police stopped the demonstrators from walking to Taksim. Thereupon, they transformed the march into a two-hour sit-down protest on Galatasaray Square. (BIA, 17 May 2011)

La passionaria des Kurdes de Turquie prépare son retour au Parlement

Elle a été torturée, emprisonnée et interdite de politique. Leyla Zana n'a pourtant pas renoncé à défendre les droits des Kurdes et s'apprête à faire son retour au Parlement turc, 20 ans après en avoir été chassée sous les huées.

A moins d'un moins des élections législatives du 12 juin, l'activiste arpente sans relâche le Sud-Est, une région peuplée en majorité de Kurdes, où elle est candidate dans la province de Diyarbakir.

Mais l'atmosphère a changé depuis l'époque où elle avait échoué en prison pour avoir prononcé une simple phrase en kurde au Parlement. Désormais, son bus de campagne est bardé de slogans dans la langue autrefois proscrite, et c'est en kurde qu'elle s'adresse aux foules.

"Vingt ans après, vos votes ne vont pas seulement me faire gagner un siège au Parlement, ils vont aussi soutenir le combat pour la liberté des Kurdes", harangue Leyla Zana, 50 ans, lors d'un rassemblement dans sa ville natale de Silvan.

Les Kurdes ont vu leurs droits progresser ces dernières années, notamment dans le cadre du processus d'adhésion de la Turquie à l'Union européenne lancé en 2005, et le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan a promis d'oeuvrer à la réconciliation.

Le gouvernement n'est cependant pas parvenu à convaincre les rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) de baisser les armes.

L'approche des élections est marquée par un regain de heurts dans les villes kurdes et de combats avec le PKK dans les montagnes. Douze rebelles ont été tués en trois jours lors d'affrontements à la frontière irakienne, et un soldat a perdu la vie dans l'explosion d'une mine, a-t-on appris samedi.

Mais Leyla Zana reste optimiste. "Les deux camps --Turcs et Kurdes-- ont atteint un certain niveau de maturité", a-t-elle déclaré à l'AFP peu avant le meeting de Silvan. "Nous sommes arrivés à un point où nous allons voir si nous pouvons avoir un partenariat, et quel sera le statut des Kurdes."

Mme Zana est devenue la figure de proue du mouvement kurde après avoir été élue en 1991 au Parlement, alors que faisait rage dans le Sud-Est le conflit entre PKK et forces de sécurité.

Lors de la cérémonie d'investiture, la nouvelle députée, arborant un bandeau jaune, vert et rouge --les couleurs du PKK--, avait semé l'indignation en ajoutant à son serment en turc une phrase en kurde appelant à la paix.

Le parti de Mme Zana avait par la suite été interdit pour collusion avec le PKK et la politicienne emprisonnée en 1994. Récompensée en 1995 par le prix Sakharov du Parlement européen pour la liberté de pensée, elle a été libérée en 2004.

"Je n'ai jamais cessé de croire au combat démocratique", a-t-elle déclaré cette semaine. "Mon moral est au plus haut. Je suis pleine d'espoir, et c'est mon seul capital".

Mariée à un cousin à 14 ans après une année seulement de scolarisation, Leyla Zana avait peu de chances de devenir une figure politique. C'est avec son mari, un activiste kurde emprisonné en 1980, qu'elle a commencé à s'intéresser à la politique et à s'instruire.

Comme d'autres femmes kurdes, cette mère de deux enfants a connu les visites en prison à son mari, avec leur lot de d'humiliations par les forces de sécurité et les cris des prisonniers torturés. Elle même connaîtra la torture.

Première femme parlementaire kurde en Turquie, Leyla Zana a été une pionnière de la contestation du système patriarcal dominant dans les régions kurdes. Les femmes tiennent désormais une place importante dans la vie politique régionale.

"Je sais qu'elle fera mieux que les hommes (...) J'ai très envie de la voir à nouveau au Parlement", a déclaré Mehmet Nedimdag, un petit commerçant, interrogé durant l'allocution de Mme Zana à Silvan. (AFP, Sibel UTKU BILA, 15 mai 2011)

12 guérillas kurdes, un soldat turc tués dans le sud-est de la Turquie


Douze rebelles kurdes ont été tués au cours des trois derniers jours dans le sud-est de la Turquie dans des affrontements à la frontière irakienne, et un soldat a péri à la suite de l'explosion d'une mine, ont affirmé des sources locales.

Les combats ont débuté jeudi soir alors qu'un groupe de rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) tentait de pénétrer en Turquie depuis l'Irak à la hauteur d'Uludere, dans la province de Sirnak, ont indiqué des sources de sécurité.

Selon l'agence de presse Anatolie, les combats ont impliqué des hélicoptères d'attaque.

Une autre tentative d'infiltration a eu lieu dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi, ont déclaré les sources de sécurité, ajoutant que 12 rebelles avaient été abattus et que quatre autres s'étaient rendus.

De nombreuses armes ont été saisies, ont-elles signalé, précisant que les affrontements se poursuivaient.

Dans un incident séparé, un soldat a été tué samedi par l'explosion d'une mine au cours d'une opération de ratissage menée par l'armée dans une zone montagneuse de la province de Hakkari, aux confins de l'Irak et de l'Iran, selon le gouverneur de la province, Muammer Türker, cité par Anatolie.

Des renforts ont été dépêchés sur les lieux et une vaste opération militaire avec soutien aérien a été lancée dans la région, a-t-il dit.

Les heurts entre le PKK et les forces de sécurité se sont multipliés ces dernières semaines alors que doivent avoir lieu le 12 juin des élections législatives. (AFP, 14 mai 2011)

Kurdish Mass Protests Against 12 Kurdish Guerrillas' Death

Thousands of people walked to the border with the Kurdish Federal Region to reclaim the bodies of the 12 Kurdish guerrillas who lost their life between Friday and Saturday as a result of the Turkish Army ongoing military operation.

The latest army operation has going on for four days around the villages of Yemişli (Mêrgeh) and Ortaköy (Aroş). As a result of this heavy attacks 12 Kurdish guerrillas lost their life.

On Saturday four of the bodies have been taken to Şırnak State Hospital while three bodies have been taken to Yemişli. Five bodies are thought to be still in Ortaköy (Aroş). Early today thousands of people from Silopi, Uludere, Şırnak and Siirt began to march towards the border with Iraqi Kurdistan. Moments of tensions have been reported in several places.

Independent Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block candidates Hasip Kaplan and Gültan Kışanak are marching with the people and are involved in negotiations with the army. In Urfa police prevented BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) members to read a statement about the death of the 12 young guerrillas. Twenty people have been taken into custody.

Clashes in Uludere still going on

Reports coming through confirm that clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and Turkish Army are still going on in the area around Uludere. The operation by the Turkish Army has now entered its fifth day. It is reported that five soldiers have died but details are not clear yet as the army does not openly state any loss. It is understood that the HPG (People's Defence Forces) will release an update on the clashes in the next few hours.

In the meantime Kurdish guerrillas sources have released the names of 5 of the guerrillas who lost their life in the last three days: Adem Aşkan (Canşer Canpir, from Hakkari), Abdulkadir Ay (Kahrman Rodi, from Bingöl), Hanifi Aydın (Berxwedan Malazgirt, from Muş), Sami Piranoğlu (Dijwar Guyi, from Şırnak) and Xebatkar Afrin (the real name is still to be established, born in Afrin, Syria).

Ten thousand people marched in Midyat

More than 10 thousand people have organized a march in Midyat/Mardin with the slogan "Şehîd namirin" and staged a sit-in action to protest against the death of 12 HPG (People's Defence Forces) guerrillas and the military operations. Following the march, young demonstrators threw stones to buildings with AKP signs and flags.

Ten thousand people gathered at Newroz area in Midyat upon the Kurdish Language Day Celebrations were called off upon the announcement that 12 guerillas have lost their lives in Uludere. Protesting against death of 12 guerrillas and the military operations, the mass walked to the election office of Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block with the slogan "Şehîd namirin".

The march which was joined by thousands including Nusaybin Mayor Ayse Gökkan and BDP Mardin Provincial Chair Sedat Dag was followed by an hour’s sit-in action. While all the buildings with AKP signs and flags were pelted stones including the AKP election office, the tension continues in the district.

The statement is as follows; “The AKP fascism, building its dirty fight for power through living on the blood of the Kurdish people and this criminal like a serial murderer, is carrying out massacres in Kurdistan every day. The Kurdish people are at the end of their tether. We are calling on the AKP government once again that they can get nowhere by slaying the Kurdish youth and freedom guerrillas. You will give an account before the human history for the massacres and genocides you have carried out against the Kurdish people. The AKP fascism against 12 freedom fighters who were savagely murdered in Botan, insists on the burial of the bodies to cover up their dirty desires. These brutal and inhuman massacres of the AKP and the Turkish state will be exposed by our people to the entire world. The burial of the bodies will not be accepted without the recognition of families. We are calling all our people to take the bodies of 12 martyrs of freedom and perform their funeral ceremonies with the spirit of civil rebellion.”

The statement continued as follows; “Shutters will be taken down, schools will be boycotted and no transportation service will be given in Amed and all Kurdish cities, districts and villages by tomorrow for the 12 martyrs of freedom. Three-day mourning will begin in Kurdistan as of tomorrow.”

Amed People's Initiative also made a call for three-day mourning, stating that a massive march will be made to front of Free Citizen’s Association where a sit-in act will be displayed on Emek Street at 13.00 tomorrow.(kurdish-info.eu, May 15, 2011)

Massive increase of violations in East and South East Anatolia

Human Rights Association (IHD) Diyarbakir Branch has disclosed the four-months report of 2011 on human rights violations in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Regions. The report, observing an intense increasing in violations, noted that 11 thousand 426 human rights violations were experienced in four months alone. Remarking that violations are observed mainly during police interventions in social events, the report underlined that 2 thousand 788 people were detained and 747 arrested within four months. The report recorded that 776 people were subjected to torture and ill-treatment and a thousand 217 people were imposed to investigation, trial and penalties in four months.

According to the report announced by Akdemir, figures of rights violations in the region are as follows:

* Security forces dying in conflicts - 3 dead, 26 wounded
* PKK militants who lost their life in conflict: 27 dead, 3 wounded
* Unidentified murder, extrajudicial execution, violation of the power to use weapon - 6 dead, 22 wounded
* Mines and independent explosives – 2 dead, 15 wounded
* Deaths due to formal defects and negligence
* Soldier / police suicide - 8 dead, 2 attempts
* Women’s suicide – 30 dead, 6 attempts
* Men’s suicide – 21 dead, 7 attempts
* Children's suicide - 15 dead, 3 attempts
* Honor killings - 4 dead
* Detentions – 2 thousand 788
* Arrests – 747
* Torture and ill-treatment – 776
* People imposed to investigation, trial and penalties – one thousand 217
* Violations in prisons – 294
* Intervention in social events – 236 interventions, 618 wounded
* Detained refugees and immigrants – a thousand 355
* Field, highland, pasture area and grazing prohibition – 21
* Violations resulting from military operations – 20
* Pressure for village-guardship – 58
* Mass grave allegation – 75 mass graves – a thousand 132 people

Deux policiers tués dans une attaque dans le sud-est

Deux policiers ont été tués dans une attaque lancée tard mercredi par des rebelles kurdes dans le sud-est de la Turquie, a indiqué jeudi une source de sécurité locale.

Des rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) ont tiré au fusil-mitrailleur sur des policiers en faction devant un commissariat de Silopi, près de la frontière irakienne, tuant sur le coup l'un des fonctionnaires, a-t-on précisé de même source.

Un deuxième policier qui a été grièvement atteint, a été opéré dans la nuit dans un hôpital de Diyarbakir, la principale ville du sud-est kurde peuplé majoritairement de Kurdes, mais a succombé jeudi des suites de ses blessures, a-t-on appris de source hospitalière.

Le PKK a décrété un cessez-le-feu unilatéral en août 2010, mais a menacé en mars d'y mettre fin, déplorant l'échec du gouvernement à dialoguer avec les Kurdes, alors que doivent avoir lieu le 12 juin des élections législatives.

Le PKK a revendiqué une attaque la semaine dernière dans le nord de la Turquie: un policier a été tué et un autre blessé, en escortant un convoi du parti au pouvoir, après un meeting du Premier ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (AFP, 12 mai 2011)

Ocalan: After general elections either negotiation will begin or war

Speaking to his lawyers at the meeting in Imrali island, Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan said that “There is a great repression against Kurds. They must make their decision”.

Ocalan pointed out that this process certainly would not accept any mistakes. “After 15 June, after the general elections - said Ocalan - we can expect only one of the two options: either we enter a reasonable negotiation process or a big war will explode”.

Drawing attention to the legal system in turkey, Ocalan emphasized; “Law can’t exist at the pincers of genocide. Turkey doesn’t even have the grounds of a true real legal order which is required before the justice. Just like everything else, a true law can’t exist either without a proper democratic ground”.

Evaluating the work of the DTK (Democratic Society Congress), Ocalan said the followings; “As an umbrella organization, DTK can lead the struggle. They need to make their own decisions. They can create their own leaders. Kurdish politicians couldn’t open a political area. They were unable to record much progress in this respect. They are being expelled”.

Ocalan continued as follows; “There is a big push to exclude Kurds from the political arena. The Kurds must make their decisions. It is also important to give the right decision. They must determine an attitude against these oppressions. There is not much I can do here. We have one and a half months left. But I or the committee can’t do much against the government's current attitude. We can at the furthest hold several more meetings and I can’t do much more afterwards”. (Kurdish Info, 6 mai 2011)

AKP sème la terreur sur les kurdes

La tension monte au Kurdistan de Turquie après les opérations policières et militaires qui ont couté la vie de 25 combattants du PKK et deux civils depuis fin mars. Au moins 159 kurdes ont été arrêtés au cours des 24 dernières heures et environ 1 500 depuis 19 avril.

Le gouvernement turc vise violemment les kurdes avant les élections législatives du 12 juin, menant une politique nationaliste pour prendre des voix au MHP (Parti de l'action nationaliste, nationaliste et raciste). Selon le premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, le problème kurde n’existe plus, alors qu’aucune mesure effective n’a été prise par le gouvernement Erdogan.

DES FILTRES SUR CHAQUE ORDINATEUR

Trompant l'opinion en promettant l'an dernier une solution durable à la question kurde, le gouvernement AKP a mis en place un véritable système policier contre toute opposition.  Le pays est devenu la plus grande prison du monde pour les journalistes, avec au moins 58 journalistes emprisonnées. Des dizaines des journaux ont été suspendus et plus de 7 milles sites d’internet ont été bloqués. Imposant aux internautes l’usage d’un filtre pour leur accès en ligne, la Turquie  suit le chemin qui mène vers Iran et la Chine.

Selon une décision du 22 février dernier, les utilisateurs d’Internet en Turquie auraient le choix entre quatre options : famille, enfants, domestique et standard. A partir du 22 août, il sera obligatoire d’installer l’une de ces offres sur chaque ordinateur en sa possession. Reporters sans frontières condamne la tentative du Bureau des Technologies de l’Information (BTK), qui dépend du Premier ministre, d’imposer l’usage d’un filtre pour  accès à Internet.

25 COMBATTANTS DU PKK TUÉS

Malgré le cessez-le-feu du PKK, Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan, depuis aout 2010, l’armée turque  mènent des opérations à travers le Kurdistan de Turquie. 25 guérilleros du PKK ont été tués depuis fin mars. Le 4 mai, cent mille kurdes ont assisté aux funérailles de quatre guérillas du PKK à Diyarbakir, chef-lieu du Kurdistan, criant vengeance.

Au lendemain de ces funérailles, considérés les plus grandes depuis  20 ans, le premier ministre turc a appelé à la censure du principal parti kurde BDP dans les médias.

Parallèlement aux opérations militaires menées par l’armée, la police turque  sème la terreur dans les villes, ce qui a fait monter d'un cran la tension. La frénésie d’arrestations a pris de l’ampleur, notamment après l'éviction de sept candidats kurdes aux législatives. Cette décision qui a suscité la colère des kurdes avait finalement été annulée pour six d'entre eux. La police a tué deux manifestants et a blessé des centaines d’autres au cours de manifestations pour dénoncer l’éviction des candidats.

ARRESTATIONS EN MASSE

308 personnes, dont neuf policiers, ont été blessées et 831 autres, dont 198 enfants, ont été arrêtées entre le 19 et 29 avril en Turquie, selon un rapport de l’association des droits de l’homme (IHD).

Les opérations policières n’ont pas cessé les jours suivants. Il ne passe pas un jour sans qu’on rapporte l’arrestation en masse de kurdes. Au moins 86 kurdes ont été envoyés en prison au cours de deux dernières semaines dans la seule ville de Batman.

Le 5 mai, douze kurdes arrêtés lors des opérations menées dans neuf villes ont été mis en examen et envoyés en prison. 

Deux jours avant, le 3 mai, 44 personnes arrêtées à Istanbul, Urfa, Batman et à Mardin ont été emprisonnées.

Le 6 mai, la police a procédé des perquisitions dans dix villes, saccageant les maisons, et a arrêté au moins 159 kurdes. Parmi eux figurent des enfants, des femmes, des étudiants, un journaliste et des membres du BDP.

Selon un décompte du blog Maxime Azadi,  environs 1 500 kurdes ont été arrêtés depuis 19 avril. 

LE GOUVERNEMENT A PERDU LÉGITIMITÉ

Jeudi soir, le Congrès de la Société Démocratique (DTK), une organisation rassemblant de nombreux responsables kurdes, dont ceux du parti pro-kurde BDP (Parti pour la paix et la démocratie), a averti qu'elle pourrait appeler au boycottage des élections si les opérations militaires et les arrestations se poursuivent.  « Le gouvernement a perdu toute légitimité » et « il menace la sécurité des élections », a dénoncé Aysel Tugluk, la co-présidente du DTK, appelant à la résistance démocratique. (Kurdish Info, 6 mai 2011)

Deux rebelles kurdes abattus par l'armée dans le Sud-Est

Deux rebelles kurdes ont été abattus tôt samedi dans des heurts avec l'armée dans une zone montagneuse de la province de Mardin (sud-est), a indiqué une source de sécurité locale.

Les accrochages avec les rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) se sont produits non loin de la montagne de Bagok, a-t-on précisé de même source.

Le PKK, considéré comme un groupe "terroriste" par de nombreux pays, a décrété un cessez-le-feu unilatéral en août 2010, mais a menacé en mars d'y mettre fin, déplorant l'échec du gouvernement à dialoguer avec les Kurdes, alors que doivent avoir lieu en juin des élections législatives.

Le PKK a revendiqué vendredi une attaque mercredi dans le nord de la Turquie au cours de laquelle un policier a été tué et un autre blessé, alors qu'ils escortaient un convoi du parti au pouvoir, après un meeting du Premier ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (AFP, 6 mai 2011)

12 People Arrested after KCK Operations

Twelve persons out of a group of 17 people were arrested after they had been taken into custody last week in the scope of operations against the Union of Kurdistan Communities/Turkey Assembly (KCK). The operations were carried out in several provinces simultaneously on 29 April.

Nejat Ağırnaslı, graduate student at the Sociology Department of the renowned Bosporus University in Istanbul, and another 16 people were taken to the Police Directorate of Diyarbakır in the Kurdish-majority south-east of the country.

Decision of confidentiality

Diyarbakır Bar Association President Mehmet Emin Aktar said in an interview with bianet that twelve of the 17 people in custody were arrested by the court in the meantime. They are charged with alleged membership in a terrorist organization.

"Also graduate student Nejat Ağırnaslı from the Bosporus University was taken into custody in the context of the operation. I was his legal advisor", Aktar explained and added that Ağırnaslı was released later on. Yet, there are several university students from different provinces among the group of arrested people according to the lawyer.

"All twelve arrested persons sought the right to a defence in their mother language at the police and also at court. However, a defence in the Kurdish language was not allowed. The investigation is classified. Therefore we do not know a considerable part of the documents regarding the trial", Aktar indicated. (BIA, Ekin KARACA, 5 May 2011)

Incidents lors d'obsèques de rebelles kurdes abattus par l'armée

Plusieurs milliers de Kurdes en colère ont assisté mercredi à Diyarbakir (sud-est) aux funérailles de quatre rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), émaillées d'incidents avec la police, a constaté un correspondant de l'AFP.

Quatre policiers ont été blessés lorsque leur véhicule a été pris d'assaut par une procession de quelque 5.000 personnes. Trois policiers ont été battus et le quatrième a été poignardé.

Lors des faits, un autre groupe de policiers a tiré en l'air pour disperser la foule et utilisé des canons à eau.

Deux manifestants et un journaliste ont également été blessés lors des incidents.

Le cortège a transporté sur les épaules des porteurs jusqu'au cimetière les quatre cercueils enveloppés dans des drapeaux aux couleurs rouge-vert-jaune de la rébellion kurde du PKK.

"Vengeance, vengeance" ou "Biji Apo" (vive Apo, surnom d'Abdullah Öcalan, chef historique emprisonné du PKK) a scandé la foule lors de la marche.

Sept rebelles du PKK ont été tués la semaine dernière lors de heurts avec l'armée dans la province montagneuse de Tunceli (est).

De retour du cimetière, environ 250 jeunes cagoulés ont lancé des cocktails molotov sur des magasins et des bâtiments publics, provoquant d'importants dégâts matériels.

La police est de nouveau intervenue en faisant usage de gaz lacrymogène contre les jeunes manifestants qui avançaient vers le siège provincial du parti gouvernemental islamo-conservateur AKP (Parti de la justice et du développement), arrêtant une dizaine d'entre-eux.

Les enterrements de rebelles donnent généralement lieu à une poussée de fièvre contre les autorités turques dans le sud-est anatolien, peuplé majoritairement de Kurdes et dont le chef-lieu est Diyarbakir. (AFP, 4 mai 2011)

MGK and AKP Coalition and the ‘Civil Disobedience’ Campaign

The activities undertaken as part of the ‘civil disobedience’ campaign are regarded as ‘a new threat’ at the MGK (National Security Council) meeting that took place under the shadow of civil and military operations after independent candidates supported by the BDP were vetoed by the YSK (High Elections Committee). The ordinary April session of MGK that took place at Cankaya Mansion has come to an end. The memorandum published after the meeting evaluated the ‘civil disobedience’ activities as ‘staged under the guise of human rights’ which will be ‘challenged’.

Despite the ‘ceasefire’ declared by the KCK until the end of June, the MGK’s memorandum indicates that Ankara will follow a ‘special policy’ during the period of the elections.

As a result of this policy, 2 people have lost their lives, 700 detained, and more than a hundred people have been arrested during the assaults on the popular demonstrations in the region over the last two weeks. The operations in Dersim, Maras and Sirnak have targeted the annihilation of guerrillas while they are in the position of ceasefire. Prime Minister Erdogan, who said “operations will not take place if they do not attack”, asked the PKK to declare a ‘ceasefire’ during the local elections. However, this time the AKP wants to enter the elections in a conflict-ridden atmosphere in order to win the nationalist votes.

It can be assumed from the statements of the memorandum, which took 7 hours, that the problem number one for Turkey has slipped away from the political terrain. It has also been realized that the statement ‘under the guise of human rights’ which was common during the 90s and 2000s has been re-used.

The MGK memorandum has also used statements such as “the struggle against terror will continue, as always, not only as a matter of security but also as a multi-dimensional and comprehensive approach to annihilate the terrain that feeds terror”. In this sense, it has emphasized that respect for democracy and human rights that guarantee the basic social and individual rights and liberties will continue to constitute the focal point of the endeavors of the state.

Therefore, it has been stated that “any kind of action that targets the unity, security, and welfare of our people, which are resorted to by the terror organization and its supporters will be combated and this determinate approach will continue until the threat of terror is eliminated with the confidence and support of our people”. These statements overtly contain the threat that extra-democratic methods will be employed. The statement “not only as a matter of security but also as a multi-dimensional and comprehensive approach” implies the state terror which has been intensifying will actually escalate.

In this way, the MGK memorandum has also determined the target. The AKP-MGK coalition is overtly targeting Democratic Solution Tents and other civil disobedience activities that are part of the struggle for Democratic Autonomy in Kurdistan.

The statement which reads “the struggle against terror will continue, as always, not only as a matter of security but also as a multi-dimensional and comprehensive approach to annihilate the terrain that feeds terror” as well as the intolerance and belligerent defamation of a universal type of action such as civil disobedience “under the guise of human rights” gives clues to the lawlessness that will from now on be practiced.

The MGK statement that supports the assaults on Kurdish MPs and candidates as “implemented security measures” emphasizes that “a comprehensive evaluation of existing and envisaged security measures are undertaken in order to ensure that the 12 June 2011 elections take place without any security issues”.

The plan B of the seizure of political arena perpetrated by the YSK but withdrawn following the strong reaction of Kurdish people is embodied in this memorandum. AKP-MGK coalition that especially fears the Kurdish support for the Friday prayers and Democratic Solution Tents, is endeavoring to prepare a legitimate basis for their assaults by way of totally fallacious assertions such as “the endeavor of terror organization and its supporters to prevent our people from freely demonstrating their preferences …through the measures taken by our security forces as well as the common-sense-based approach of our people who are sincerely devoted the their and country and democracy”.

AKP-MGK Coalition

The MGK memorandum has given ample space to the “security” measures that will be taken against the civil disobedience activities in Kurdistan and the Eastern provinces. The AKP government, which targets the civilian political cadres and their supporters by way of judiciary and security forces, has thus declared with the MGK memorandum that the assaults are the results of a consensus. The General Staff, sometimes only purporting to be working with the AKP government on the issue of secularism and Ergenekon cases, has openly declared that it is in complete support of the AKP in the way it deals with the Kurds. The purpose is to provoke and sabotage the ceasefire.

The MGK memorandum has also determined the target for this. The AKP-MGK coalition is overtly targeting the Democratic Solution Tents and other civil disobedience activities that are part of struggle for democratic Autonomy in Kurdistan. This shows that the security of 12 June elections is under serious threat in terms of the Kurds. The Ankara hegemony seems determined to destroy the political will of the Kurds with the triple weapons of judiciary, police and military. (Kurdish Info, April 30, 2011)

Minorités / Minorities

Le carnet de Talaat Pasha traduit en anglais

Des récents documents sortis des archives turques, combinés avec des documents privés de Talaat Pasha, confirment que Talaat a en effet été l’architecte du génocide arménien. Il y a des documents clairs qu’il a ordonné et a surveillé la déportation générale des Arméniens Ottomans de 1915 à 1916 et qu’il a suivi le destin des déportés de façon très proche. Talaat Pasha a reçu des mises à jour quant aux arméniens lors des différentes étapes de la déportation aussi bien que des informations sur le destin de ceux qui ont été soumis à un traitement spécial. Bien que beaucoup de documents ottomans restent toujours indisponibles dans les archives turques, les informations disponibles montrent que la thèse de la déportation ottomane était un rideau de fumée pour l’annihilation des arméniens. Les documents ottomans dans les archives turques, aussi bien que le carnet de Talaat de 1917 montrent que moins de 100000 arméniens ont survécu à la déportation. Selon le carnet de Talaat sur le génocide arménien, la plupart des arméniens de l’Empire Ottoman ont disparu entre 1915 et 1917 ou ont été dispersés dans différentes provinces de l’Empire Ottoman pour être assimilés. L’assimilation de force de centaines de milliers d’arméniens est un indicateur du pouvoir, du contrôle et du but de l’état Ottoman.

Le carnet de Talaat Pasha sur le génocide arménien est le point de vue ottoman le plus proche officiellement que nous avons du génocide arménien. Le carnet a été sans aucun doute rédigé par Talaat Pasha et ceci pour son utilisation privée. Il n’avait pas été prévu pour une publication et doit probablement seulement son existence au fait que Talaat a été assassiné en 1921 et que sa veuve a donné le carnet à un historien turc qui a en fin de compte l’a publié*.

Aucun tel document n’est sorti des archives turques jusqu’à présent, quoique les données présentées dans le document puissent être vérifiées par les documents ottomans disponibles et un examen minutieux des affirmations.

Selon les chiffres de Talaat 1 150 000 arméniens ont disparu dans l’Empire Ottoman entre 1915-1917. Ce nombre inclut bien plus de 100 000 arméniens qui se sont enfuis de l’Empire Ottoman en 1915 (et sont morts en grand nombre de la faim et des maladies), mais il n’inclut pas des dizaines de milliers de femmes arméniennes et d’enfants qui ont été adoptés dans des familles musulmanes ou placés dans des orphelinats d’état pour être assimiler.

Dans cette publication du carnet de Talaat sur le génocide arménien, l’historien Ara Sarafian étudie le carnet à la lumière d’autres documents Ottomans. Il présente les statistiques de Talaat en détail et comprend deux cartes colorées inestimables démontrant le contenu du carnet aussi bien que des documents Ottomans complémentaires liés au génocide arménien. Ara Sarafian présente le calcul par Talaat du nombre d’arméniens, leurs provinces natales et leur emplacement dans l’Empire Ottoman en 1917.
(Stéphane@armenews.com, 29 mai 2011)

* Voir Murat Bardakçi, « Talat Pasa’nin Evrak-i Metrukesi » Istanbul 2008.

GOMIDAS INSTITUTE
42 Blythe Rd, London W14 0HA, England
Tel : (xx) (44) 20 76037242
Email : info@gomidas.org

Pour lire le livre sous format PDF cliquer sur le lien
http://www.gomidas.org/NOTES_AND_STUDIES/Talaat%20Pasha%20Report%201917.pdf

Les enseignants turcs deviennent-ils les falsificateurs d’histoire?

Il y a quelques temps, à l’université DICLE de Diyarbekir, le conférencier Yilmaz Polat aurait posé des questions aux étudiants pour répondre par « vrai » ou « faux ». Ces questions qui concernaient les arméniens de l’Empire ottoman pendant la Première Guerre Mondiale, étaient notamment les suivantes : Pendant la guerre, une partie des Arméniens aurait déserté et serait passée du côté russe. Ou les Arméniens déplacés auraient fui lors de la déportation et se seraient révoltés pour frapper les Turcs dans le dos. D’autres questions étaient de la même veine.

Le pouvoir actuel en Turquie ne lésine pas sur les moyens pour faire admettre que, dans l’Empire ottoman, il n’y a eu aucun génocide perpétré par l’État. Les morts dénombrés pendant cette période, autant civils que militaires que ce soit du coté turc ou arménien, seraient dus à la guerre. Un autre événement mérite d’être pris en considération. Dans un lycée d’Istanbul, lors d’un cours de préparation à l’enseignement militaire dispensé par le colonel Sinan Öz, celui-ci aurait présenté des photos de cadavres d’enfants « turcs », massacrés par les Arméniens lors de la Première Guerre Mondiale. Il y a peu, les Turcs auraient découvert des charniers en Anatolie, dont les victimes seraient des Turcs (l’état de squelette des hommes pouvant probablement attester que ceux-ci avaient été circoncis), soit disant tués par les Arméniens lors de la Première Guerre Mondiale. La propagation de ces allégations soigneusement concoctées par les autorités Turques au moment où les Arméniens commémorent le 24 avril en souvenir du Génocide, attise la haine et la vengeance, tant chez les Turcs que les Arméniens. Rappelons que le gouvernement turc avait également promulgué une loi pénale dont l’article 301 condamnait toute personne qui insulterait l’identité turque.

C’est cette même Turquie que l’on présente au monde comme un pays gouverné par un pouvoir islamique modéré et démocratique. Pourquoi la Turquie n’a pas promulguée une loi qui condamnerait quiconque insulterait un citoyen non-turc dans ce pays ? Nous connaissons de nombreux Turcs qui combattent le négationnisme du Génocide arménien. Ils ont été traînés devant les tribunaux et condamnés à de lourdes peines. Malgré les menaces de mort, ces courageux intellectuels continuent sans relâche leur combat. C’est une tâche parfois suicidaire de faire connaitre la réalité de l’histoire à son peuple que pendant un siècle l’État turc a maintenu dans l’ignorance. Nous sommes persuadés que tôt ou tard la vérité éclatera.

Dans ce pays, il y aura toujours des brebis galeuses qui avec l’appui des autorités poursuivront leur basse besogne de falsification. La langue turque est riche de beaucoup de dictons, l’un d’entre eux s’applique parfaitement à ces falsificateurs de l’Histoire : « köpek bok yemeden vaz geçmez », ce qui signifie : « Le chien ne peut se passer de manger des crottes ». Un autre de ces dictons pourrait également être utilisé pour ces mêmes personnes qu’elles soient civiles ou militaires : « Yalancının mumu yatsıya kadar yanar », ce qui se traduit par : « Le cierge du menteur ne brûle que peu de temps après le coucher du soleil ».

Vous, Messieurs les Professeurs, les Officiers, vous êtes considérés comme l’élite de la société turque. Ne pensez-vous pas que vos enseignements mensongers, prodigués aux jeunes de votre pays ne cultiveraient que des idées de vengeance et prépareraient le lit des futurs criminels ? L’assassinat du journaliste Hrant Dink est l’exemple flagrant de cet état d’esprit qui règne dans votre pays. Nous souhaitons que la dignité l’emporte dans les cerveaux des responsables de la société turque pour assurer l’intégration de la Turquie au rang des pays civilisés du Monde.  (www.armen-progres.com, Nersès Durman, mai 2011)


Conference at the European Parliament: Dersim 1937-1938

dersim


The International Conference on "the 74th Anniversary of Turkey's Dersim Massacre, this International Conference Examines the event's importance and seeks justice for the victims and their families" will take place in the EU Parliament Thursday 26th May, 2011. The conference organized by EP GUE/NGL Group, Democratic Federation of Aleviti (FEDA) and the Association for Reconstruction of Dersim.

Thursday 26th May, 2011

Room PHS 07C050, 09h30 - 13h00f
European Parliament - Rue Wiertz 60 - 1047 Brussels

PROGRAMME

09.30 – 09.50 Opening Session 
    Lothar Bisky, President of GUE/NGL Group 
    Ali Köylüce, President of Democratic Federation of Aleviti (FEDA)
    Haydar Işık, Representative of Association for Reconstruction of Dersim

09.50 – 10.00 Documentary on Dersim

10h00-10h50

I-    THE TURKISH REPUBLIC AND THE EVENTS OF DERSIM 1937 – 38

Moderators: Mr. Olivier Piot, Journalist, France
Speakers:
The History of Dersim and the Reality of 38
    Ms. Ph.D. Nurşen Gürboğa, Marmara University, Releations International, Turkey
The State’s Plans for Dersim
    Ms. Ayşe Sarac, Journalist, Turkey
The Kurds, Dersim and Turkey
    Mr. Şerafetin Halis, MP Peace and Democracy Party BDP, Turkey

10h50 – 12h00

II-    DERSIM 1938 - THE POLITICS AND THE NEED TO CONFRONT REALITY

Moderators:
Mr. Edgar Auth, Journalist, Germany
Speakers:
Political Powers in Turkey and the Fact of Dersim 1938
    Mr. Oral Çalışlar, Journalist, Turkey
Facing History in Turkish Politics
    Mrs. Nuray Mert, Journalist, Turkey
The Actual Situation of Dersim
    Mr. Ferhat Tunç, Singer, Democracy and Freedom Block Dersim Independent Candidate, Turkey
Questions and discussion followed by closing remarks by moderators

12.00 – 12.45

III- DERSIM 1938, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND COMPARATIVE EXPERIENCES

Moderators:
Ms. Maria Christin Vergiat, Member of Europian Parlament
Speakers:
The Dersim Massacre in the International Context of Genocide
    Mr. Barry A. Fisher, Lawyer and Human Rights Defender,  USA
Moving Forward: Dersim and the International Experience
    Mr. Prof. Dr. Mithat Sancar, Ankara University Faculty of Law, Turkey
What Next for Turkey – The Perspective of International law
    Mr. Erdal Doğan, Lawyer, Turkey 
Questions and discussion followed by closing remarks by moderators

12.45-13.00

CLOSING SESSION

Adoption of a Final Declaration

MEP Jürgen Klute, GUE/NGL Group, on behalf of the European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group, Germany
Aysel Tuğluk, Co-Chair of Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and Democracy and Freedom Block Van Independent Candidate, Turkey


Conference's secretariat: dersimconference2011@hotmail.com
Contact: 0032-483506175
 
CONFERENCE'S TECHNICAL INFORMATION

(Interpretation in Turkish & English, and "passive" French and German)

In order to have an access to the European parliament, any participant MUST send the following information to dersimconference2011@hotmail.com
1) name & surmane & family name
2) date of birth
3) place of residence
This information MUST be sent to the above-mentioned address mail NOT LATER than 19th of May.
Please note that any incomplete request of registration will be automatically refused, because the European parliament's security rules.
A conference's desk will be at your disposal starting from next Thursday the 26th of May at 08h45.
Please use the main European parliament's entrance in PLACE DE LUXEMBOURG - after the sliding doors you'll find the conference's desk where you can collect your pass with your name.
Please note that the organizers CANNOT accept any registration after the above-mentioned deadline (19th of May), thank you for your cooperation.


Besikçi: Armenian, Syriac and Kurdish questions should be taken as a whole

The Kurdish question is inextricably linked to problems faced by Turkey’s Armenian and Syriac communities in the Southeast in the past, sociologist İsmail Beşikçi, an expert on the history of the Kurdish question, has said.
 
Beşikçi has been researching the Kurdish question for years and, although he is Turkish, has spent 17 years in prison after being convicted for his writings on the subject. Speaking at a panel discussion on the Kurdish question, where he was the guest speaker, at an event organized by the Journalists and Writers’ Foundation on Tuesday, Beşikçi said the Kurdish question cannot be viewed separately from the question of Turkey’s Armenian and Syriac communities, who were driven out of the country, leaving behind their businesses, banks, agricultural fields and even factories. He said the transfer of property from these communities, particularly from the Armenians, who were victims of a forced deportation campaign when the Unionists were in power at the end of the Ottoman era in 1915, to Kurds in the region and the aftermath of the mass deportation had unified into a single problem.

Beşikçi said the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), who were in power during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, had extensive plans to reorganize the empire so as to “Turkify” it. This also called for the nationalization of the Ottoman economy, which brought the problem of what to do with Turkey’s then-sizable communities of Armenians, Greeks and Alevis. Most of the events that took place at the turn of the past century, such as a population exchange between Greece and Turkey, and the deportation and killings of Armenians, which they say amounted to genocide, took place as part of the CUP and the early Republic of Turkey governments’ plans to nationalize the economy. Beşikçi stressed that the international community had also been immensely helpful in this plan, which he says still comprises the core of the state’s official ideology.

Once the new regime did away with its Greeks and Armenians, transferring their assets to Turkish (Sunni) Muslim and Kurdish (Sunni) Muslim communities, they had to face the problem of the Alevi community, which they decided could easily be converted to Sunni Islam, Beşikçi said. A similar strategy of assimilation was assumed for the Kurds, who were allowed to keep the capital, buildings, livestock, fields and other assets left from the exiled, as long as they denied their Kurdish identity.

Beşikçi said Turkey’s Kurdish policy was based on denying the Kurdish identity and on its destruction whenever possible. The state also exerted tremendous efforts to make sure that academia and the political parties of Turkey steered clear of the Kurdish question. The Turkey Workers’ Party (TİP) became the first party to be shut down because of the Kurdish problem, when it included that the Kurds should be given their democratic rights in its party manifesto. Beşikçi said the most important challenge for the state was to make sure that a local Kurdish bourgeoisie could not emerge in the region. “So you can invest in the south or the west as a Kurdish businessman, and they will give you all the loans in the world to do that, but you will not be allowed to open a factory in, say, Diyarbakır or Van,” Beşikçi explained. He said Kurdish people who owned capital were persistently directed toward the Western provinces. This was to enable further assimilation. “A local bourgeoisie and Kurdish investments in the region would keep the Kurds in Kurdistan, which is in violation of the policy of assimilation,” he said.

“There are immovable assets left over from the Armenian and Syriac communities that are under the control of the Kurds. When the Armenians were forced out and weren’t allowed to return, the state allowed Kurds to keep their assets. After 1915, Kurds started migrating from rural areas toward the cities where the Armenians lived. In fact, today, the source of the Turkish bourgeoisie’s wealth is Armenian and Greek property, although books on Turkish economic history never mention this,” he said.

Beşikçi said he hoped Kurdish researchers and future generations will rewrite Turkey’s economic history and investigate the real source of the wealth in the country, asserting his belief that this would also help Turkey solve its age-old problems, including the Kurdish and Armenian questions.
(Today's Zaman, E. BARIŞ ALTINTAŞ, 22 May 2011)

Australian Group Recognises Assyrian, Armenian, Greek Genocide

In a landmark resolution adopted by the National Women's Labor Conference in Brisbane, Queensland last weekend, delegates resolved to 'recognise the genocides of the Armenians, Hellenes and Assyrians from 1915 to 1923 is one of the greatest crimes against humanity'.

In line with the conference theme - 'Labor Women: Lead, Challenge, Inspire' -- delegates from Australian Labor Party branches all over the country also recognised the fact that the genocides of the Armenians, Hellenes and Assyrians are an integral part of the Australian story, where Australian women led, challenged and inspired others to follow.

In the words of delegate and Return To Anatolia Chairperson, Mrs Sofia Kotanidis: 'Recognition and education are also the best means to cultivate understanding, of the past and of the present. Understanding prevents the development of the hatred that leads to genocide.

'Only by learning about the crimes of the past can we avoid repeating them. This is why the Jewish Holocaust, the Australian Aboriginal experience and other genocides are part of the Australian secondary and tertiary education system'.

Australian women were at the forefront of efforts to raise funds and humanitarian aid for the genocide survivors. It was the first international humanitarian relief effort and Australians were at the forefront.

For example, Australians financially supported the Antelias Orphanage for Armenian boys at Beirut, Lebanon, for over a decade. According to then Secretary of the Armenian Relief Fund, Dora Cohen, "many Australians visiting Antilyas Orphanage feel a thrill of pride when they see the flag of the "Southern Cross" flying from the building there".

The founder of the Soroptimist Club in Australia -- Edith Glanville -- was active throughout the 1920s and 1930s. She travelled all over the world, including Greece and Syria, promoting awareness of the plight of the destitute women and children.

Eleanor Vokes Mackinnon, founder of the Australian Red Cross, presented an address to the League of Nations' General Assembly in the 1920s on the Australian relief effort. Jessie Webb and Hilda King worked in refugee camps in Greece and Syria, enabling survivors of the Assyrian Genocide in particular to rebuild their lives.

Arguably the most important was Joice NanKivell Loch. Born near Ingham, Queensland, raised in Melbourne, she lived amongst a community of Hellenic Genocide survivors between 1922 and her death in 1981. At the end of World War One, she worked with refugees in Poland. During World War Two, she helped smuggle Jews out of Nazi-occupied Europe to British Palestine. The rest of her adult life she dedicated to Ouranoupolis, a small town next to Mount Athos, best known as the Holy Mountain. (AINA, May 19, 2011)

US court requests Turkey’s defense in lawsuit filed by Armenians

Lawyer Yaghlayan claims the case will be important not only for Armenians, but 'all the people whose rights have been trampled upon by governments.'
A United States court has granted Turkey 21 days to respond to a lawsuit filed by Armenian-Americans demanding compensation for property allegedly seized by the Ottoman government from its own Armenian subjects during the events of 1915. The case worth $64 million concerns properties located near and under a U.S. airbase located in Incirlik in the southern province of Adana.

“This case is important, not only for the Armenian community but also the international one. It will set a precedent on the basis of the lawsuit that revolves around the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, or FSIA. The Government of the Republic of Turkey is benefiting from the exploitation of these properties. As such they are to be held accountable for the consequences of their actions,” lawyer Vartkes Yeghiayan told Hürriyet Daily News by e-mail.

The lawsuit was opened in 2010, to seek compensation from the Turkish state, Turkish Central Bank and the Ziraat Bank. Yeghiayan, the Armenian-American lawyer who took over the case on behalf of Rita Mahtesian, Anais Harutyunyan and Alex Bakalian, is also known for having filed a lawsuit that resulted in the French firm Axa and Oyak Insurance, a Turkish firm with links to the Turkish military, breaking off from a joint deal in 2005.

“In a related matter, we recently learned that the government of Turkey recently granted 3,800 euros to each of the 300 families that had filed a suit against it in Samsun some 50 years ago,” said Yeghiayan, who further claimed that the following 21 days were going to be crucial not just for the three institutions on trial but for all people whose rights have been trampled upon by foreign governments worldwide. 

“In this case our clients are able to sue the government of the Republic of Turkey, the Central Bank of Turkey and the Ziraat Bankası because of the following reasons: Turkey committed a violation of international laws and proceeded to illegally confiscate properties from their rightful owners in the process, Turkey also proceeded to violate its own constitution and the Lausanne Treaty. But more importantly, they have used these ill-obtained properties to run commercial operations,” Yeghiayan said. 

Bakalian, Mahdesian and Harutyunyan who also represent their respective families and relatives, are jointly in possession of some 11 title deeds located in the vicinity of Incirlik airbase, according to their lawyer. Yeghiayan also said they were contacted by other individuals with 15 more property deeds, while expressing his hopes that they, too, will join the case in the coming months.

Yeghiayan also partook in a suit filed against New York Life Insurance, which paid some $20 million to Armenians in 2004. Over the preceding months, Yeghiayan assumed another case on behalf of the Center for Armenian Remembrance, or CAR, an Armenian charity in the U.S., and had requested information pertaining to property that was allegedly seized from Anatolian Armenians by the Ottoman government in 1915.

Ottoman Armenians took out policies regarding cargo transportation, sea travel, fire and life insurance from 103 foreign insurance firms before 1915, mainly from Europe and the U.S., according to Yeghiayan. 

Armenia claims up to 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed in 1915 in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey denies this, saying any deaths were the result of civil strife that erupted when Armenians took up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia.
(Hürriyet Daily News, VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU, May 17, 2011)

IHD to sue Turkish general staff for Armenian soldier’s assassination

Turkey’s Human Rights Association (IHD) is going to sue the general staff of the Turkish armed forces and commanders of Sevag Sahin Balıkcı, who was killed on April 24.

An IHD delegation composed of Ayşe Günaysu, Eren Keskin, Ragıp Zarakolu and Meral Çıldır demands to make liable persons, whose negligence has served as a reason behind the death of the Armenian servicemen, Milliyet reported.

Sevag Sahin Balıkcı, 25, of Armenian descent, was killed in a Turkish military unit on April 24, 2011. As Turkish media reports, the Armenian was killed after the gunshot wound he received while playing a practical joke with his co-serviceman.

Recently, new details of his death were revealed. On the day of Balıkcı’s death, an order was given to fence the military unit he served at with a barbed wire.

Usually, the fencing is preceded by the soldiers’ unloading their weapons under the commander’s supervision. However, on April 24, none of the commanders made sure the weapons were unloaded. Kivanc Agaoglu claims to inadvertently have pressed the trigger and killed Sevag. Agaoglu was taken under arrest. (PanARMENIAN.Net, May 12, 2011)

Les oubliées du génocide arménien

Rescapées du génocide, elles ont traversé le siècle dernier dans le silence, «les lèvres scellées » par la douleur. Leur existence a été passée sous silence par l'idéologie négationniste d'Ankara: des Arméniens ont échappé aux massacres planifiés en 1915 par les autorités ottomanes de l'époque et ont eu la vie sauve en étant convertis à l'islam.

Il s'agissait souvent de belles jeunes filles «intégrées» dans des foyers turcs, plus de force que de gré. Mariées à un musulman, elles sont devenues officiellement turques et ont enfoui leur souffrance dans leur âme meurtrie. « Les Petits-Enfants », une délicate collecte de vingt-cinq récits, sauve in extremis du déni historique ces preuves vivantes et dérangeantes.

Le destin de ces grands-parents a été transmis de génération en génération. Parfois, il a été soufflé par le voisinage. Ces survivants qui ont « en eux le reffet de la douleur», comme le raconte Ali, un petit-fils, ont légué des larmes glissant sur un visage ridé, des contes pour enfants terrifiants, des bribes macabres du génocide de 1915. Un bébé qui tête le sein de sa mère morte, une femme qui empoisonne son lait pour que ses deux fils meurent dans ses bras et pas dans ceux du bourreau...

Pour les petits-enfants, la révélation des origines a été un traumatisme. A 45 ans, Deniz a encore le sentiment qu'«on lui a volé une partie de sa vie». Assumer une identité arménienne face au rouleau compresseur de la propagande nationaliste turque reste une épreuve. Toutes les histoires, à l'exception de deux, ont été confiées sous le sceau de l'anonymat. Chuchotées, encore. Signe que la peur rôde toujours. Le jour où elles seront dites au grand jour, la société turque sera capable d'endosser sa responsabilité historique.

Mais l'existence de ce recueil est la preuve que le tabou entourant 1915 est tombé en Turquie, que la parole se libère. Ces secrets de famille ont été récoltés par Ayse Gül Altinay, universitaire turque engagée dans la reconnaissance du génocide, et Fethiye Cetin, Arménienne d'Istanbul. Avocate de la famille de Hrant Dink, journaliste arménien assassiné à Istanbul il y a quatre ans, cette dernière a publié en 2004 «le Livre de ma grand-mère» pour raconter comment son aïeule lui avait dit que, petite, elle s'appelait «Heranus». L'ouvrage a donné du courage aux Arméniens cachés de Turquie. «Les Petits-Enfants» parle de ces convertis qui ont tellement voulu se dissimuler qu'ils sont désormais totalement assimilés, de ces islamistes dont les parents fréquentaient l'église.

Mais combien sont-ils à cacher leur part d'«arménité»? Dans certaines régions d'Anatolie, il se murmure que chaque famille compte une Arménienne. Le génocide coule dans le sang des Turcs. L'accepter les aidera à, enfin, effectuer leur devoir de mémoire.

Laure Marchand

Les Petits-Enfants, par Ayse Gül Altinay et Fethiye Cetin,

traduit par Célin Vuraler, Actes Sud, 320 p., 23,80 euros.

Source : "Le Nouvel Observateur" du 5 mai 2011.

BDP opened Hrant Dink Park in Mersin

BDP's Mersin Akdeniz Municipality has performed the opening of the monument and the park in memory of Armenian-Turkish journalist and writer Hrant (Firat) Dink, Chief Editor of bilingual Agos newspaper, who was murdered as a result of an armed attack on 19 January 2007.

Hundreds of Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, Christians and Alevis came together in Mersin for the opening of Hrant Dink Park and monument which were made by Akdeniz Municipality because of the necessity to face the past and those we did to others.

Following a folk dance performance of primary school students, the opening ceremony was made with the participation of notable names such as Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block’s Mersin Independent Candidate Ertugrul Kürkcü, Hrant Dink’s wife Rakel and daughter Delal Dink, BDP Provincial Chair Cihan Yılmaz, Akdeniz Municipality Mayor M. Fazıl Türk, Agos Chief Editor Rober Koptaş, Armenian writer Vartak Estukyan, representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Mersin, journalists Ali Bayramoglu and Celal Başlangıc, artist Mustafa Alabora, Karin Karakas, Saban İba, İbrahim Kalyoncu, Yavuz Önen, poet Sezai Sarıoglu and a large number of citizens.

FAZIL TURK: WE WILL FIGHT FOR THE VALUES HRANT DIED FOR

Making the opening speech of the ceremony which drew an intense interest from the public and media, Akdeniz Municipality Mayor M. Fazıl Türk started his words expressing his pleasure of giving one of the most honorable and meaningful services during his presidency. Türk said the followings; “We are giving this park the name of Hrant who was murdered with an unacceptable malicious attack. We will give a fight for the values peace, democracy and equality that he died for. We will not be afraid of those different us and we will keep take the differences as our richness. Everybody is equal in this country and deserves equal treatment. I once more condemn the dark hands that shadow this brotherhood. Dark focuses will not be able to prevent the breeding ground of the seeds of peace and freedom in our country. Names like Hrant Dink are the cornerstones on this way. We bow respectfully before the memory of our peace dove. We will not live down the name Hrant Dink”.

KÜRKCÜ: HRANT’S REMEMBRANCE IS ADOPTED BY KURDS, NOT THE STATE

Emphasizing that Hrant Dink is a companion who sacrificed his life for the peoples’ liberty and for the great action of Deniz Gezmis and his companions, Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block’s Mersin Independent Candidate Ertugrul Kürkcü said the followings; “While entrusting himself to the conservation of the Turkish people, Hrant wanted to believe in something that was yet not proved. We, however, saw that this vessel head was not that much protective. The peoples cannot exist alone. They lapse into a political statement. And, unfortunately, the state, our political statement, is not on very good terms with its people, other peoples, families and religions. The murder of Hrant Dink is bitter realization of this bitter truth. We now owe an apology to the Armenian peole and to our brother Hrant Dink. And what a bitter fate is it that this apology is paid by a Kurdish local official, not by a dominant element of the state. In other words, the Kurdish people, on behalf of Turkey’s peoples, have begun to apology for the cruelty on the Armenian people. We need to take this as an example. Turkey cannot put the blame of all happenings on minorities, others and the expelled. Turkey needs to face with its truth and its history”.

RAKEL DINK: OUR HISTORY IS FULL OF PAINS

The speech of Kürkcü who called Hrant Dink as ‘our companion’, was followed by the speech of Hrant Dink's wife Rakel Dink who emphasized that this name recalls of cruelty created by discrimination, racism and fascism and said the followings; “My husband gave a fight for truths along his life. He tried to address the unfairness suffered by all peoples but he was responded with death. But the only thing to console us is that his thoughts have expanded and born new people thinking like him. And I can see this picture here today. This idea is just a point to face the past. Our history is full of lots of pains".

The speeches were followed by the concerts of the MKM (Mesopotamian Culture Center) group and great band Kardes Türküler who gave their supports with the songs written and song for all freedom, equality and peace seekers.

The program ended with the opening of the Hrant Dink Park and monument by his wife Rakel Dink, daughter Delal Dink, Fazıl Türk, Ali Bayramoglu and Mustafa Alabora. (ANF, May 8, 2011)

1915 deprived Turkey of its Armenian language publications

Agos, a bilingual weekly newspaper based in İstanbul, is one of the few remaining Armenian publications in Turkey.

It used to be that the colorful and multicultural nature of Anatolian society was reflected in various press publications. In the wake of the unfortunate events of April 24, 1915, though, this particular aspect of Turkish society was damaged.

One writer for the Agos newspaper, Zakarya Mildanoğlu, notes that while there were 251 Armenian periodicals published in 1915, following the events of 1915 the number of Armenian publications dropped rapidly. Nowadays, there are just three Armenian newspapers published in Turkey: Jamanag, Marmara and Agos. Research done by Mildanoğlu on the topic, examining Armenian periodicals published during the period leading up to the republican period and then after the republic was founded, will be available in a book called “The History of Armenian Periodical Publications” later this year.

Mildanoğlu’s research addresses a topic not much scrutinized until today. The Agos newspaper writer notes that the start of Armenian publication history dovetailed neatly with the creation of the printing press.

There were 613 Armenian publications during Ottoman times

Mildanoğlu talks about the first Armenian language books, four religious books published in Vienna in 1512, just 60 years after the invention of the printing press. As for the first Armenian periodical, it was the “Aztarar newspaper” (The Courier), published in 1794 in the Indian city of Madras. In fact, between the years of 1794 and 1980, there were a total of 3,095 Armenian magazines and newspapers published throughout the world in 42 regions and countries. Of these, notes Mildanoğlu, 613 were published in various places in Anatolia. Between the years 1832 and 1980 in Turkey, the highest number of Armenian periodicals could be found in İstanbul, with İzmir in second. Mildanoğlu points to İzmir as being an important center for Armenian press, art, culture and trade.

From 251 down to just three

Mildanoğlu, who provides detailed information in his book about the dates and locations of various Armenian publications through Turkish history, says in the year 1915 there were 251 Armenian press publications in Turkey. Directly in the wake of the events of April 24, the date marked by Armenians as the beginning of their forced deportation, however, these numbers declined precipitously, with various Armenian language magazines and newspapers aimed at specific groups such as women, lawyers, theater fans, medicine, etc., closing down swiftly. Says Mildanoğlu: “All of the journalists, writers, caricaturists, everyone involved in publishing these publications, was arrested and killed in 1915. It took time to train new journalists in the wake of all this.” He points to the fact that while 1915 was a turning point for Armenian society in general, that it was also a critical time or that society’s media outlets. After 1915, says Mildanoğlu, it was only in three cities that Armenian publications carried on in: İstanbul, Adana and İzmir. In Mildanoğlu’s opinion, the second blow Armenians received was during the 1950s, with the censorship law, the wealth tax and the events of Sept. 6-7. The wave of emigration of Armenians that took place after these events dealt the final blow to Armenian publications.

Armenian official newspaper

The 251 Armenian language magazines and newspaper in Turkey and the general diversity of publications were reflected during those years in official publications as well. The Takvim-i Vekayi, which was first published in 1831 and was known as the first Ottoman newspaper, was also published in five languages other than Ottoman Turkish. These five other languages were Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French and Greek. This original Ottoman newspaper carried both official as well as other announcements and continued on in a slightly different capacity later. Today, this first Ottoman newspaper is known as the Resmi Gazete, or Official Gazette. (Todayszaman.com, EMINE DOLMACI, 8 May 2011)


Le Sénat français a rejeté le texte sur la négation du génocide arménien

Le Sénat a rejeté mercredi une proposition de loi déposée par des sénateurs PS visant à réprimer la négation du génocide arménien de 1915, à l'issue d'un débat passionné entre partisans et opposants du texte.

Les sénateurs ont voté par 196 voix contre 74 une motion de procédure déclarant "irrecevable" ce texte, ce qui équivaut à son rejet.

La proposition de loi proposait de punir d'un an de prison et de 45.000 euros d'amende la contestation de l'existence du génocide arménien.

Elle était présentée par Serge Lagauche (PS, Val de Marne) et trente de ses collègues socialistes dans une "niche" (séance d'initiative parlementaire) réservée au groupe PS, à la demande expresse de la première secrétaire du parti, Martine Aubry.

Elle reprenait à l'identique une proposition de loi de députés socialistes qui avait été adoptée à l'Assemblée nationale en 2006.

M. Lagauche a déploré "cinq années de blocage de la part du gouvernement et de la Conférence des présidents du Sénat" (qui organise l'ordre du jour parlementaire). Jugeant que la loi du 29 janvier 2001 par laquelle la France reconnaît le génocide arménien n'est que "déclarative", il a plaidé pour un "complément normatif" afin de la rendre "efficace".

Ce texte a divisé tous les groupes politiques. Les élus des départements où vit une forte communauté arménienne l'ont défendu et ont voté contre la motion d'irrecevabilité, comme le président du groupe UMP, le sénateur-maire de Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin, ou le sénateur-maire PS de Lyon Gérard Collomb.

L'UMP a cependant soutenu en grande majorité (137) l'irrecevabilité ainsi que l'Union Centriste (25). Le groupe PS, très embarrassé, s'est divisé: 49 n'ont pas pris part au vote, 39 ont voté contre l'irrecevabilité dont son président Jean-Pierre Bel, 21 pour et 6 se sont abstenus. Le CRC-SPG (communistes et parti de gauche) a voté contre l'irrecevabilité sauf Robert Hue.

L'irrecevabilité a été défendue par le président UMP de la Commission des Lois, Jean-Jacques Hyest jugeant néfaste "l'intervention du juge pénal dans le jugement de l'histoire" et soulevant des risques d'inconstitutionnalité.

"Cette proposition de loi est liberticide, inquisitoriale et obscurantiste", a renchéri le président UMP de la Commission des Affaires étrangères, Josselin de Rohan.

"La voie empruntée conduit à pire qu'une impasse, à la destruction de ce qui a été acquis contre les révisionnistes", a embrayé l'ex-garde des sceaux PS Robert Badinter craignant qu'une question prioritaire de constitutionnalité (QPC) sur cette PPL ne puisse remettre en cause la loi reconnaissant le génocide.

"C'est ce même type de raisonnements qui historiquement a fait que les Arméniens ont été victimes du premier génocide du XXème siècle dans le silence assourdissant des nations", a rétorqué Gérard Collomb (PS). "Ce sujet grave et douloureux méritait mieux qu'une petite combine politicienne et partisane", a ajouté Bruno Gilles (UMP, Bouches-du-Rhône) qui soutenait le texte.

Ce débat s'est déroulé en présence dans les tribunes du chanteur Charles Aznavour, ambassadeur d'Arménie en Suisse et de l'écrivain Bernard-Henri Lévy tandis que 600 membres de la communauté arménienne (selon une estimation de la police) manifestaient devant le Palais du Luxembourg.

Nicolas Sarkozy avait promis en 2007, juste avant son élection, aux associations arméniennes de soutenir la ratification par le Sénat de cette proposition.

Le garde des Sceaux annonce des actions contre le négationnisme

Le garde des Sceaux Michel Mercier a annoncé mercredi au Sénat des actions pour lutter contre la négation du génocide arménien, lors de l'examen d'une proposition de loi socialiste visant à la pénaliser.

Le ministre a annoncé qu'une circulaire serait adressée à la fin de cette semaine à tous les procureurs généraux, "qui aura pour objectif d'organiser la répression des infractions dont sont susceptibles d'être victimes les membres de la communauté arménienne du fait de leur origine" et "du fait qu'ils ont subi un génocide". "Nous rappellerons l'ensemble des dispositions pénales de nature à être mises en oeuvre", a-t-il dit.

Le ministre a également proposé de "constituer une collaboration technique régulière entre les juristes de la communauté arménienne et ceux de la chancellerie, comme nous le faisons avec les représentants du Crif" (Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France) pour "étudier toutes les affaires qui peuvent être l'objet de négations de génocide ou de menées racistes".

Il a également rappelé que, "sur la base du droit commun", des "actions peuvent être menées" contre le négationnisme, soulignant qu'il y a une jurisprudence de 2008 et qu'il veillerait à ce qu'elle soit "appliquée".

Il a précisé que ces dispositions avaient été évoquées lors d'une rencontre samedi entre le président Nicolas Sarkozy et des représentants de la communauté arménienne, qu'il a également reçus.

"Le gouvernement ne restera pas inerte. Pour ce gouvernement, le génocide arménien est un fait, une donnée établie", a-t-il insisté. Il n'a pas donné de consigne sur le vote de la proposition de loi, se contentant de "s'en remettre à la sagesse du Sénat".  (AFP, 4 mai 2011)

Bernard-Henri Lévy
"indigné" par la position de certains sénateurs

L'écrivain Bernard-Henri Lévy s'est "indigné" mercredi du "soutien" de certains sénateurs à ce qu'il a qualifié de "négationnisme d'Etat" de la Turquie vis-à-vis du génocide arménien, au moment où le Sénat débat d'un texte visant à pénaliser la négation de ce génocide.

"Je suis indigné par le discours du président de la commission des lois (Jean-Jacques Hyest, UMP), indigné par le discours du socialiste Charles Gautier", a déclaré M. Lévy à l'AFP mercredi dans les couloirs du Sénat, où il assistait aux débats.

"La vraie raison derrière tout cela est liée à la Turquie", a estimé l'écrivain. "L'argument de la Turquie revient sans arrêt, je ne pensais pas qu'ils oseraient le dire de cette façon, publiquement". Les opposants au texte ont invoqué notamment un risque de détérioration des relations entre la France et la Turquie si cette loi était adoptée.

Le président de la commission des Affaires Etrangères, Josselin de Rohan (UMP), a par exemple déclaré que "si la France veut jouer un rôle utile pour conduire la Turquie à accepter son passé, elle ne doit pas contribuer à envenimer les débats" avec ce pays.

Selon BHL, il y a un "espèce de cynisme" dans le "soutien des représentants de la nation à un négationnisme d'Etat".

M. Lévy a aussi critiqué une "confusion généralisée : mélanger tout cela avec les lois mémorielles, oser rapprocher cela des questions de colonisation en Afrique du Nord et de l'affaire Pétré-Grenouilleau" (historien français de l'histoire de l'esclavage). (AFP, 4 mai 2011)

Génocide arménien: "on ne peut plus nier la vérité historique"

La représentation nationale a un devoir de vérité et de justice. A la faveur d'une niche parlementaire, les sénateurs socialistes soumettent à l'examen de la Haute assemblée, le 4 mai, une proposition de loi relative à la pénalisation de la négation du génocide arménien de 1915, dans les mêmes termes que l'Assemblée nationale avait voté ce texte le 12 octobre 2006, voici plus de quatre ans.
Parce que c'est l'honneur du Parlement français que de vouloir enfin parachever ce processus législatif initié il y a plus de dix ans avec la loi du 29 janvier 2001 par laquelle la France reconnaît publiquement le génocide arménien, j'appelle solennellement mes collègues sénateurs à s'unir au delà de leurs familles politiques respectives, pour voter ce texte afin que, dans notre République, on ne puisse plus nier, impunément, la vérité historique.

Il y a urgence aujourd'hui à se doter d'un cadre législatif qui protège nos concitoyens, face aux dérives négationnistes qui continuent de progresser de façon sournoise au sein de la société, blessant les consciences de tous les Républicains. Et si nous, députés et sénateurs socialistes, nous mettons tant d'obstination, depuis toutes ces années, à vouloir aller au terme de ce processus législatif ; si nous avons mis à profit les niches d'initiative parlementaire dont nos groupes disposent pour examiner ce texte, c'est que nous avons à cœur de respecter la parole donnée, et que, selon nous, la réalité du génocide, n'est pas négociable.

Si j'exhorte mes collègues sénateurs à venir voter mercredi 4 mai cette proposition de loi, c'est d'abord parce qu'à nos yeux, l'histoire a parlé, et je suis convaincu que nos concitoyens sont très nombreux à attendre, à présent, du Sénat qu'il accomplisse l'indispensable évolution législative : voter la loi, ce n'est pas un acte mémoriel, c'est d'abord, un acte politique, et c'est au Parlement, de légiférer sur cette question !

Les français d'origine arménienne viendront de toute la France pour se mobiliser au Palais du Luxembourg ce mercredi et demander au Sénat de faire ce travail en conscience en votant ce texte de loi, car on ne peut accepter de voir perdurer le fléau du négationnisme : au même titre que le racisme et l'antisémitisme, la négation de la vérité historique abîme nos valeurs républicaines, et elle doit être punie par la loi républicaine !

Ainsi notre représentation nationale parachèvera de façon décisive avec cette étape législative la longue marche pour la justice et pour le droit initiée de longue date par la France, avec le président François Mitterrand qui, à l'occasion de sa visite à Vienne le 7 janvier 1984, avait le premier affirmé que "la France voulait en toutes circonstances rappeler l'identité arménienne marquée par le grand drame du génocide".

Par la suite de nombreuses grandes voix se sont à leur tour élevées, pour faire avancer les consciences en faveur de la reconnaissance de ce génocide par les instances internationales et le Tribunal permanent des peuples. Cette reconnaissance est intervenue une première fois, le 16 avril 1984, par le Tribunal permanent des peuples, puis par la Sous Commission des droits de l'homme de l'ONU le 29 août 1985, par le Parlement européen le 18 juin 1987 grâce en particulier au combat mené depuis 1981 par Henri Saby, et par l'Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l'Europe le 24 avril 1998. Régulièrement, des intellectuels français comme Bernard Henry Lévy ou Michel Onfray interviennent publiquement en faveur de cette reconnaissance et se mobilisent aux côtés de la classe politique, de la diaspora arménienne de France et de ses organisations représentatives.

Ce travail de reconnaissance a été régulièrement accompli par les Parlements nationaux, notamment dans les pays où la communauté arménienne est importante comme la France, avec la loi promulguée par le président Jacques Chirac et le premier ministre Lionel Jospin le 29 janvier 2001, par laquelle "la France reconnaît publiquement le génocide arménien de 1915". Au-delà de l'aspect purement législatif, nous savons que des combats restent à mener, pour que la Turquie accomplisse enfin son travail de vérité et de mémoire, qu'elle soit au clair avec son passé, et reconnaisse le génocide : c'est un préalable incontournable à nos yeux, à tout espoir de réconciliation !

On se trompe en effet, lorsqu'on craint que ce texte puisse avoir des conséquences inopportunes sur le timide rapprochement engagé, avec le soutien de la France, entre la Turquie et l'Arménie. En quoi cette loi pourrait-elle affecter un dialogue pratiquement inexistant ? C'est au contraire l'indifférence des puissances sur la question du génocide qui inciterait la Turquie à une intransigeance que tout le monde condamne.

En revanche, les possibles menaces de représailles économiques de la Turquie sont toujours d'actualité, envers quiconque se risquerait à prendre ses responsabilités législatives sur cette question. Les pressions d'Ankara se sont toujours exercées, partout dans le monde, et particulièrement à l'égard du gouvernement de la France ces dernières années à l'occasion de la reconnaissance du génocide. Mais c'est justement les moyens hors normes de ce négationnisme d'Etat qui rendent indispensables de telles mesures législatives ! Plus que jamais, c'est bien le vote des élus du peuple français qui peut éclairer à nouveau le chemin, comme nous l'avions fait à l'Assemblée nationale le 12 octobre 2006.

Les sénateurs porteront une lourde responsabilité historique sur leurs épaules mercredi 4 mai au Sénat. Ils ont l'occasion, en votant cette proposition de loi, de se mettre en conformité avec les valeurs, les idéaux et les principes intangibles de notre République.

Le Parti socialiste porte cette loi, mais c'est à l'ensemble des groupes politiques de la Haute Assemblée que je lance aujourd'hui cet appel.

René Rouquet, député du Val-de-Marne, vice président du Groupe d'amitié France-Arménie à l'Assemblée nationale
(Le Monde.Fr, 3 mai 2010)

Pour l'interdiction du négationnisme du génocide des Arméniens par la loi

La loi du 29 janvier 2001 qui reconnaît le génocide des Arméniens est un texte déclaratif, qui ne permet pas de poursuivre les négateurs de ce génocide devant la justice. Partant du constat que le négationnisme du génocide des Arméniens n'est pas interdit pas la loi française, nous exhortons la représentation nationale à pallier cette carence et, à l'instar de la loi Gayssot pour la négation de la Shoah, à voter un texte normatif qui permettrait aux juges de condamner les négationnistes du génocide des Arméniens. Nous en appelons ainsi aux sénateurs, pour qu'ils votent, lors de la séance du 4 mai, en faveur de la proposition de loi votée en première lecture par l'Assemblée nationale, et dont le processus d'adoption est bloqué depuis près de cinq ans.

Le négationnisme, parce qu'il procède du même mécanisme idéologique, est la continuation de l'entreprise génocidaire qui vise à nier à un groupe le droit d'exister, puis celui d'avoir une mémoire. Il n'a d'autre but que de rechercher à effacer les traces du crime, constituant ainsi la phase ultime du génocide. La négation d'un génocide est une agression intolérable envers les porteurs de la mémoire traumatique des survivants et des descendants des victimes, mais elle constitue également une attaque envers les valeurs fondamentales de nos sociétés fondées sur la réprobation des haines qui sont à la base des crimes contre l'humanité.

Le négationnisme n'est pas une opinion anodine, mais bien une atteinte à l'intégrité morale des individus visés, ainsi qu'à l'ordre public. Nous n'aurons de cesse de défendre la liberté de recherche et liberté d'expression. La loi Gayssot n'a jamais empêché les historiens de travailler et l'article 11 de la Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen ainsi que l'article 10 de la Convention européenne des droits de l'homme, prévoient la possibilité de restreindre cette liberté par la loi, lorsque cela est nécessaire, comme c'est le cas notamment pour le racisme et la diffamation. Par conséquent, le droit à la dignité, qui est un principe constitutionnel auquel nul ne peut déroger, ne met pas en péril la liberté d'expression.

Rappelons notamment, les manifestations négationnistes dans les rues de Lyon et de Paris, la publication, dans plusieurs quotidiens à grand tirage, d'une page entière niant le génocide des Arméniens (le 5 mars 2006), les dégradations des mémoriaux, les agressions physiques (à Valence dans la Drôme en 2006 et à Bruxelles en 2007) ainsi que les sites Internet et la publication d'ouvrages niant ouvertement la réalité du génocide (Génocide Arménien : Et si on nous avait menti?, en 2010 ou Esquisse de 2 000 ans d'Histoire de la Turquie, en 2011).

Face à la multiplication et au risque de banalisation des actes négationnistes, il nous apparaît urgent que la loi protège les citoyens, en sanctionnant le négationnisme du génocide des Arméniens.

Dominique Sopo, président de SOS Racisme ; Marcel Kabanda, président d'Ibuka-France ; Arielle Schwab, présidente de l'Union des étudiants juifs de France ; Jean-Claude Gayssot, ancien ministre et ancien député à l'origine de la loi Gayssot ; Jacky Mamou, président du collectif Urgence Darfour ; Vincent Nioré, avocat au barreau de Paris ; Benjamin Abtan, secrétaire général de l'European grassroots antiracist movement ; Dogan Özgüden, journaliste, président de la fondation Info-Türk ; Yériché Gorizian, étudiant, porte parole du Nor Seround ; Yves Ternon, historien ; Bernard Jouanneau, avocat, président de Mémoire 2000. (Le Monde.Fr, 3 mai 2010)


Dink Trial to be Merged with "Ergenekon"?

The murder trial related to the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink might be merged with the "Ergenekon" case. Ergenekon is a clandestine terrorist organization charged with various crimes staged for the ultimate purpose of triggering a military coup.

Public Prosecutor Hikmet Usta requested the police investigate the connections of the defendants of the Dink murder case to the entire number of defendants of the "Ergenekon" and "Poyrazköy" trials. Prosecutor Usta was appointed by the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court to prepare the final speech on the 19 defendants of the murder case regarding journalist Dink.

According to the Turkish news site Ntvmsnbc.com, Prosecutor Usta demanded to investigate the connections between defendants Erhan Tuncel, Yasin Hayal and also Ogün Samast and the defendants of the Ergenekon and Poyrazköy cases. Dink murder trial suspects Tuncel and Hayal stand accused of instigation to commit murder. The file of triggerman suspect Samast was separated from the main file tried before the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court and is now being handled by the Sultanahmet (Istanbul) Juveniles High Criminal Court.

The prosecutor therefore demanded to carefully investigate the existing transcripts of the telephone conversations related to these persons. He also indicated that the Dink murder fuelled indignation in Turkey and abroad. The Dink murder trial will be continued on 30 May. (BIA, 29 April 2011)

Politique intérieure/Interior Politics

Head of leading business group fires back at deputy PM


The head of Turkey’s leading business group fired back another round at Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç on Friday in an ongoing public spat regarding personal freedoms and Internet censorship. 

“This debate is beneath my level. Everyone should mind [their own] business. Turkey has very serious problems. The economy is splendid, it is growing phenomenally. But there are many problems. These are what politics must be concerned about, and not about the pornography of Ümit Boyner. Such debasement of style does not suit a civilized society,” said Ümit Boyner, head of the Turkish Industry and Business Association, or TÜSİAD, while speaking to members of the press at the Retail Leaders Conference in Barcelona.

Such rows always take place at election times, Boyner said, adding that she did not take the quarrel personally. This was not, however, the first time TÜSİAD was put in the line of fire, she said, recalling a previous remark by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan when he had urged the association to pick a side in the 2010 constitutional referendum, “or be neutralized.” Boyner also referred to another incident in which the president of Hak-İş, a trade union known to be politically close to the government, called TÜSİAD a “civil society go-girl,” on the eve of the referendum. Such declarations are reprehensible to all Turkish women, said Boyner. 

Deputy Prime Minister Arınç said Friday that if Boyner and those who share her sentiments came to power, then they could liberalize porn, in response to earlier criticism by Boyner regarding restrictions on the Internet. Boyner, in turn, had responded the same day, denouncing Arınç for connecting her remarks about Internet censorship immediately with porn and violence.

“Our conscience does not allow us to relish in [Turkey’s] economic success. We will not see better days unless the winners share [their lot] with the losers. Let the money flow and push the freedoms down, let the money flow and arrest the journalists, let the money flow and keep up with honor killings. Turkey, in fact, is in 86th place on the human development index,” Boyner said. Turkey has the world’s 16th largest economy, but this did not excite them, Boyner said. Retailers should not concentrate solely on opening more stores and economic growth, she added, highlighting the importance of democratization. 

Meanwhile, Health Minister Recep Akdağ also joined the debate while speaking at a meeting in the eastern province of Erzurum. TÜSİAD still had no branches in Erzurum, said the minister and urged the association to stop being an “elite club.” The Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, or MÜSİAD, and the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey, or TUSKON, were both founded later than TÜSİAD, but they intended to focus their attention in the region, he said and urged TÜSİAD to follow suit. It was easy for TÜSİAD members to pass judgment on the Kurdish problem and issues of democratization by reading newspapers from afar, said Akdağ, adding that they would fulfill their own share of the work regardless of whether TÜSİAD set up shop in the region or not, according to the Doğan news agency, or DHA.
(Radikal, May 29, 2011)

CHP leader pledges autonomy for local governments in Hakkari rally

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu pledged to give autonomy to local governments during a speech in the predominantly Kurdish province of Hakkari on Monday.

The CHP leader was speaking during an election rally in the province. “We will give local governments autonomy, as is the case in Europe,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu vowed to implement European regulations for local governments. He was referring to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which Turkey signed back in 1991, albeit with conditions on several articles. The charter commits the ratifying member states to guarantee the political, administrative and financial independence of local authorities. It provides that the principle of local self-government shall be recognized in domestic legislation and, where practicable, in the constitution.

Autonomy for municipalities has been a long-time demand of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and its predecessors. The Democratic Society Congress (DTK), which describes itself as a local organization of Kurds in eastern Turkey and which has connections to the BDP, late last year proposed the principle of “democratic autonomy.” This principle requires that local governments be granted autonomy from the centralized system in their affairs regarding education, security and external relations.

Kılıçdaroğlu's remarks also referred to a reform in public administration that was vetoed by former President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in 2004. The Law on Public Administration, which would have given more power to local administrations, could have eased tension and contributed to the solution of some of the problems in the region.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in 2004 drafted a bill to reform public administration within the country. The bill was passed by Parliament but vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and the government shelved the proposed legislation. The bill would have taken the highly centralized public administration system and made it less centralized while strengthening local administrations.

According to the bill, authority in all fields -- except justice, defense, security, foreign affairs, national education, religious affairs and social security -- would have been delegated to local administrations. The CHP strongly opposed the bill.

Kılıçdaroğlu: It is my duty to resolve the Kurdish problem

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu, who was in the eastern province of Van earlier on Monday, pledged to resolve Turkey's Kurdish problem if his party comes to power following the June 12 general elections.

Kılıçdaroğlu  was addressing a crowd in Van as part of his party's election campaign. There were tight security measures in the province where Kılıçdaroğlu's predecessor, Deniz Baykal, became the victim of egg attacks during a visit to the region two years ago.

“I'll make a promise. No matter what it costs, I will bring peace to this country. I will make brotherhood dominate in this country, and I will end conflicts,” Kılıçdaroğlu told the crowd at Van's Beşyol Square.

In his speech the main opposition leader also directed criticism at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who in an election rally in Hakkari earlier this month said there is no longer a Kurdish problem in Turkey but that what currently remains to be addressed is the problems of individual Kurdish citizens.

“You were talking about the existence of this problem before, what has happened? The lack of a solution for the Kurdish problem results from the failure of politicians to address the issue,” he said.

During a visit to the predominantly Kurdish province of Diyarbakır in 2005, Erdoğan admitted the existence of a Kurdish problem in Turkey and confessed to “mistakes and sins” of the state committed towards its Kurdish citizens. This speech of Erdoğan has been welcomed as the first recognition of the Kurdish problem by the state.

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu also said on Monday that he has never engaged in any discrimination against people based on their ethnicity or religion.

Kılıçdaroğlu is an Alevi from Tunceli, where the population are mostly Zaza, a people generally associated with the Kurdish population although their ethnicity is in dispute, with some rejecting Kurdish identity. Although he is of Kurdish origin, Kılıçdaroğlu rarely makes any mention of the country's long-standing Kurdish problem. He was also severely criticized for failing to utter the words “Kurd or Kurdish” in the speech he made at the CHP party congress where he was elected party leader last year.

The CHP leader also criticized the arrest of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) mayors in the country's Southeast as part of an operation into the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), the urban arm of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

“Placing mayors in jail -- who assumed their posts through elections -- is imposing limitations on the will of the public. This is disrespectful to the nation's will,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu also pledged to lower Turkey's 10 percent election threshold, expand freedoms and liberties, investigate unsolved murders in the country's Southeast and try the perpetrators of the Sept. 12, 1980 military coup. (TODAYSZAMAN.COM, 23 May 2011)

Fiasco of Prime Minister's Visit to Kurdish Province Hakkari

Turkey’s prime minister failed to create hope during his three-day election tour in Southeast Anatolia and also caused anger by suggesting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, has nothing to do with the Kurdish issue.
The region witnessed heightened activity during the prime minister’s visit. The highway stretching from Van to Hakkari had four gendarmerie checkpoints, an increased military presence, as well as armored police vehicles.

The police directed those entering the city toward a “safe zone,” stating that the area’s small industrial zone was problematic, but that the route they suggested was “clean.”

During the visit, helicopters circled the city, residents remained in their homes and stores stayed closed as nearly a thousand police officers patrolled streets to prevent any incidents from occurring.

The BDP’s call for a protest against the visited was heeded by 95 percent of Hakkari’s shop owners, who refused to open their stores.

The rally area did not fill up even though Erdoğan, who arrived by helicopter, waited an extra 30 minutes for more residents to appear.

An estimated 700 to 1,000 Hakkari locals showed up for Erdoğan’s speech out of a population of 70,000.

Erdoğan, who noticed the effect of the BDP’s call for a protest, targeted the party in his speech.


“If the PKK and the Kurdish issue are separate from each other, then why is the state meeting at İmralı prison?” asked Bengi Yıldız, an independent deputy candidate running for the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP’s, election bloc. Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the PKK, is currently imprisoned on İmralı island in the Marmara Sea.

While Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan intimated that they were seeking a solution to the Kurdish issue, it was not enough to mend fences between southeastern residents and the AKP, Yıldız said.

Erdoğan launched his election campaign with the message that “There is no Kurdish problem, the Kurdish people have problems” in an attempt to gain the votes of the nationalist community; the new direction was a step away from the politics he had followed since 2009.

The prime minister therefore held rallies in Kars, Van, Hakkari and Şanlıurfa, provinces with a sizeable Kurdish population, to show that the AKP still exists in the region even though it is expected to lose votes.

The prevailing message was a differentiation between the political approach toward the Kurdish issue before and after 2002, when the AKP came into power. Erdoğan labeled the pre-2002 period as a time of “denial,” and tried to show the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, as the source of the problem dating back to 1940.

The Kurdish issue was not brought to the agenda by the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, added Yıldız, pointing out that the issue has been on the country’s agenda for 30 years.

Yıldız, however, said there had not been any “denial” in the 1990s. “The CHP even had reports on the matter [at the start of the 1990s] that Erdoğan used to criticize the CHP.”

“The Prime Minister is appealing to the nationalist and conservative votes. His statements stem from that concern, and his statements are harsh because the only alternatives in the region are the AKP and the BDP,” said Yıldız.

Another message Erdoğan gave was that what matters is not naming the issue, but whether or not the will necessary for a solution exists, Yıldız said, adding that the AKP was the only party that could solve the issue while criticizing the BDP and CHP.

“The BDP and the CHP, both with peace and democracy in their names, are hand in hand in contradicting and denying themselves,” said Erdoğan in Hakkari on Saturday.

Furthermore, the opposition parties and Ergenekon, an alleged ultranationalist conspiracy to overthrow the government, cooperated during the Sept. 12 referendum to object to proposed changes to the Constitution not by means of democracy, but through force, threats, pressure and boycotts, Erdoğan said. 
(Daily News with wires, May 22, 2011)

CHP leader vows to end Turkey's PKK conflict, poverty, corruption

The CHP wants a country without bans and limitations on the Internet, according to Kılıçdaroğlu. AA photo
Main opposition head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will end all fighting in Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast, shorten military service and solve the problems of poverty and corruption if elected, the party leader said Sunday while on campaign.

“Political institutions have failed in their duties. I will put an end to 30 years of conflict. We will bring peace at whatever the price may be. Everyone must be able to live in peace,” Republican People’s Party, or CHP, head Kılıçdaroğlu said at Esenyurt’s Cumhuriyet Square, where he addressed a crowd in the western Istanbul district from the roof of a campaign bus.

The problems of unemployment, poverty and corruption remain unresolved by a government that only thinks of stuffing its own pockets, the CHP leader said. Kılıçdaroğlu added that these problems would be solved under a CHP government and that no child would go to bed hungry at night if the CHP were elected.

While promoting his family insurance plan, Kılıçdaroğlu also said his party planned to enact a “second revolution,” according to Anatolia news agency.

“You say [Keep up the cheer, let the AKP hear.] Don’t you worry, I will make them listen. I shake [the Prime Minister’s] trunk all over Turkey, and you shake his branches. Shake the branches, but expect no fruit to fall. Beware; [Prime Minister] Recep [Tayyip Erdoğan] could fall at any moment,” said Kılıçdaroğlu.

“They asked, ‘Who will defend the country?’ Let them be at ease. We would serve not [just] nine months but [even] for nine years in the military if there was a need for it,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in reference to his election promise to cut back on the duration of military service.

The CHP also wants a country without bans and limitations on the Internet, according to Kılıçdaroğlu.

The opposition leader further noted that the CHP had given women the right to vote and the right to be elected and added that the CHP’s female deputies would articulate the country’s problems in Parliament.

Kılıçdaroğlu also referred to last month’s cheating scandal on the University Entrance Exam, or YGS, claiming that the future 1.7 million students had been tampered with. Kılıçdaroğlu called upon the students’ families to “give a lesson” to the AKP at the June 12 polls. 
(Daily News with wires, May 22, 2011)


Démissions en série après un chantage sexuel pré-électoral

Six membres importants d'un parti d'opposition turc ont démissionné samedi, portant à dix le nombre de responsables du même parti qui ont quitté leurs fonctions dans une affaire de vidéos sexuellement compromettantes, à l'approche des élections législatives de juin.

Toutes ces personnalités appartiennent au parti d'opposition MHP (Parti d'action nationaliste), et quatre des six nouveaux démissionnaires ont le titre de vice-président du parti, a annoncé l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Les démissionnaires se retirent également des candidatures pour le scrutin du 12 juin, selon la même source.

Ils ont été menacés par un groupe obscur, "Différents nationalistes", qui prévient qu'il va mettre sur internet des vidéos compromettantes, pour assainir le parti.

Courant mai, le groupe avait déjà mis sur internet des images montrant quatre membres importants du MHP, tous des hommes mariés, dans des scènes compromettantes avec des inconnues, ce qui avait entraîné leur démission.

Le MHP a accusé le parti au pouvoir AKP (Parti de la justice et du développement, issu de la mouvance islamiste) d'être derrière cette affaire, avec l'intention de le discréditer, jusqu'à le faire tomber en dessous des 10 % de voix requis pour entrer au Parlement.

Le MHP est la cible d'une "tentative d'assassinat de son existence politique, commanditée par l'AKP", a déclaré un des vice-présidents du parti, Deniz Bolukbasi, dans sa lettre de démission faxée à l'AFP.

La justice a été saisie de cette affaire après la diffusion des premiers enregistrements vidéo. (AFP, 21 mai 2011)


La Turquie est dans un processus fragile

Ahmet DERE, Journaliste/Ecrivain

Depuis deux semaines la tension en Turquie monte de plus en plus autour de la question kurde. Pour le moment il n’y a aucune solution qui est prévue dans le but de calmer cette situation. Personne ne peut deviner où va ce pays et quel sera son avenir.

Si un processus de négociations ne commence pas entre les dirigeants de l’Etat Turc et les responsables des organisations kurdes, malheureusement, après le 15 juin, un nouveau processus de guerre recommencera dans ce pays qui se trouve au cœur d’une région problématique. A ce moment là il sera trop tard pour empêcher qu’il y aie de nouveaux victimes.

Malgré le cessez-le-feu du PKK, (Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan) qui est déclaré depuis Août 2010, les opérations armées turques se multiplient de jour en jour, surtout ces dernières semaines, alors que doivent avoir lieu le 12 juin des élections législatives. Suite à ces opérations, depuis le début du mois d’avril, une trentaine de militants du PKK ont été tués. Dernièrement, le 14 mai, douze guérilleros ont été tués à la frontière irakienne. Le jour même, des renforts militaires ont été dépêchés sur les lieux et une vaste opération a été lancée dans la région frontalière avec l’Irak.

Pendant les deux derniers mois, des dizains de milliers de Kurdes ont assisté aux funérailles des militants kurdes. Dans tous ces funérailles les kurdes appellent le gouvernement de l’AKP à cessez les opérations et dialoguer avec des responsables des organisations kurdes. Cet appel est fait par les Kurdes dans le but de calmer la situation et d’empêcher qu’il y aie de nouveau victimes.

A cause des opérations menées par l’armée turque, la région est toujours en ébullition avec de violentes manifestations. Les protestations organisées rassemblent de nombreux responsables de différentes organisations kurdes présentes dans la région. Cela veut dire que, parmi les Kurdes il y a une union qui est en train de se consolider.

Suite aux opérations menées dans la régions, malgré 20 jours qui restent pour les élections législatives, le boycottage des élections est toujours sur l’ordre du jour du BDP. Depuis le début du mois d’avril plus de 2 000 Kurdes, pour la plupart sont des responsables du BDP, ont été arrêtés.

Si un tel boycottage des élections est réalisé par le BDP, ce serait un revers pour Recep Tayip Erdogan. La légitimité des élections serait en cause. A ce moment là Recep Tayip Erdogan ne peut pas faire « la démonstration d'une élection démocratique, à laquelle tout le monde participe ».

Malgré toutes promesse en faveur d’une solution démocratique à la question kurde, le gouvernement de l’AKP continue à tromper toujours l'opinion publique et ne prend aucune mesure effective.

Il est bien évident que l'AKP gagnera la troisième victoire consécutive le 12 juin prochain, mais cela ne veut pas dire que ce parti gagnera la confiance du peuple de la Turquie amènera la paix au pays. Cette confiance ne peut être gagné que si une solution est trouvée à la question kurde, qui est une vraie obstacle sur le chemin de la démocratisation du pays. Les dirigeants de l’AKP doivent savoir que les projets concernant le creusement d'un canal parallèle au Bosphore ne peut pas amener le pays vers la paix et la prospérité.

En parallèle avec la situation de guerre au Kurdistan, la Turquie est aussi devenu la plus grande prison du monde, surtout pour les intellectuels, les hommes politiques et les journalistes. Selon un rapport de l’association des droits de l’homme (IHD) « La police porte atteinte volontairement à la vie ». (18 mai 2011)

Elections Manifest of the Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block 

The Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block has presented its elections manifest. It is a very articulated project with a vision for the future. It is a document touching upon all the different spheres of the political and social life in Turkey.

Here are some important points of the manifest:

DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION AND PEACE AT THE KURDISH PROBLEM

The Kurdish question, where no one demands a choice except a democratic, peaceful solution, must definitely be solved within this period. It is now not a promise but a task to review the past by consulting our consciences and to stop the blood still poured because of the Kurdish problem.

When people are so disposed and hopeful about peace, we will not let the war begin again for AKP's votes and interests. We will take initiative for a lasting peace and we will display the two faces of the AKP, which on one hand feeds from conflicts and on the other hand declares everyone except itself as warmongering.

None of us has any endurance left for a war to last 30 years more, for a single life to be lost, for the wealth to be lost. The power in particular, all circles must set their political and economical rents aside and display a will of solution with an intimate approach for the constitution of a lasting peace that the Turkish society has longed for many years; the demands and expectations of the Kurdish people must be taken into account and the three-year old talks in Imralı must urgently be turned into a negotiation process. The AKP government, just like all the powers that insist on the impossibility of a solution

and subject the Turkish society to war, conflict, pain and tear for economic rents rather than people’s living together in peace and brotherhood, will be forced by us to pay the price before history. We will introduce the solution with our own power and determination and without hoping for help from the power for the solution.

ECONOMY

Central, regional and local mechanisms will be created to provide the supervision and participation of producers, consumers and employees outside of the government in the economy management through professional groups and civil society organizations;

For the development of industrialization, agriculture, animal husbandry, science and technology on the basis of political and economic democracy in accordance with the society’s general interests, the targets will be the participation of the society in the economic life through cooperatives and modern democratic aggregate enterprises where employees also take part in return for their labor;

Development projects will be created with the participation of Local and Regional Authorities and Civil Society Organizations, Regional Development Centers will be established to eliminate regional disparities with certain intense investments, a Central Development Fund will be established to be transferred to the depressed areas.

EQUAL AND FREE SOCIAL SECURITY FOR ALL

Low-income families will be supported by social benefits; the homeless will be taken under protection and security,

Street children and orphans have substance dependence and live under poor conditions likely for all kinds of abuses. Our alliance will establish centers for these children where they will be provided with accommodation, education, guidance and health care,

People with old-age and disease cases requiring special care will be included in the social insurance,

An effective fight will be given against illegal employment; disincentives will be applied for the inclusion of all employees within social security.

CONSTITUTION

We will all together issue the new constitution which doesn’t impose any ideology and describe the nation and citizenship on an ethnical basis, restricts the powers of the state, predicated on individual-collective rights, sides with labour, a gender libertarian constitute that shows the same respect to the nature and the human being and protects all separate cultures, beliefs, values of Turkey.

DEMOCRATIC AUTONOMY

We regard the Democratic Autonomy, which means democratic self-government, as the reinforcement of the qualifications appropriate to the democratic republic.

A radical reform must be made in the political and administrative structure for the actualization of the Democratic Autonomy which will be the assurance of democratic union and the model of direct and participatory democracy, not of division and deterioration as asserted.

On this basis, Turkey will be separated into 20-25 autonomous regional governments according to their socio-economic structures which will serve as the administrative and political governing body between the central government and local governments, ensure the direct public participation in the administration and be an important step in terms of democratization.

This administrative model also includes regional councils which will have a political and administrative legal and political security and identity.

These regional councils will be responsible for service areas such as education, health, culture, social services, agriculture, navigation, industry, town planning, environment, tourism, telecommunications, women, youth, sports and others. Foreign affairs finance and defense services will be conducted by the central government, security and justice services by the central government and regional councils. Besides the official language Turkish, regions will use other second and third languages according to their specific needs. (ANF, May 10, 2011)

Le problème kurde perturbe la campagne pour les législatives

Le problème kurde vient perturber une campagne électorale jusque-là sans anicroche pour le parti islamo-conservateur du Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, donné favori pour les élections législatives du 12 juin.

"La tension monte autour de la question kurde et les responsabilités sont partagées", estime l'analyste Mehmet Ali Birand, de la télévision Kanal D.

Les rebelles kurdes ont revendiqué vendredi une attaque meurtrière contre un convoi routier du Parti de la justice et du développpement (AKP) au pouvoir.

Cette embuscade a été menée "en représailles à la terreur exercée par la police sur le peuple" kurde, a déclaré le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), en lutte armée depuis 1984 pour la défense des droits de cette commuanuté.

Un commando a attaqué à la grenade et au fusil d'assaut une voiture de police escortant un autobus de l'AKP, près de Kastamonu (nord), où M. Erdogan venait de prononcer un discours. Un policier a été tué et un autre blessé.

L'attentat "visait la police (...) non les civils ou le Premier ministre", a cependant précisé le PKK.

Mais le leader emprisonné du PKK Abdullah Öcalan a, par le biais de ses avocats, menacé le régime d'une "guerre", s'il refuse de négocier après les élections.

"Soit un processus de négociations sérieuses commencera après le 15 juin, soit ce sera le début d'une grande guerre", a-t-il affirmé, dans des propos rapportés par l'agence de presse Firat.

La semaine dernière, l'armée a tué sept rebelles du PKK dans le sud-est du pays, où la police a multiplié les arrestations.

Et la région était déjà en ébullition il y a deux semaines, avec de violentes manifestations, après l'éviction de sept candidats kurdes aux législatives. Une décision qui a finalement été annulée pour six d'entre eux.

Jeudi soir, une organisation rassemblant de nombreux responsables kurdes, dont ceux du parti pro-kurde BDP (Parti pour la paix et la démocratie), a averti qu'elle pourrait appeller au boycottage des élections si les opérations militaires et les arrestations se poursuivent.

Un boycottage des élections par le BDP serait un revers pour M. Erdogan, a expliqué M. Birand à l'AFP.

"La légitimité des élections serait en cause", et M. Erdogan serait très embarrassé, "car il veut faire la démonstration d'une élection démocratique, à laquelle tout le monde participe", a-t-il dit.

Malgré certaines réformes en faveur des Kurdes qui représentent environ 15 millions des 73 millions d'habitants de la Turquie, le gouvernement est accusé d'avoir trompé l'opinion en promettant l'an dernier une solution durable au problème kurde, sans prendre de mesures effectives.

L'AKP, qui brigue une troisième victoire consécutive le 12 juin, est donné gagnant par tous les sondages, devant le CHP (Parti républicain du peuple, social-démocrate) et le MHP (Parti de l'action nationaliste, nationaliste).

M. Erdogan se prévaut d'une économie en pleine croissance, et il vient d'annoncer le creusement d'un canal parallèle au Bosphore, un projet pharaonique qui séduit au-delà de son électorat.

Un tableau séduisant que ternit le problème kurde.

Mais, affirme M. Birand, "les deux parties trouvent un peu leur compte dans cette tension sur la question kurde".

"Erdogan veut prendre des voix au MHP, donc il mène une politique nationaliste et s'en prend aux Kurdes", accusés de menacer l'unité nationale, affirme-t-il.

Quant au parti pro-kurde, "il montre ses muscles et fait la démonstration qu'il défend sa communauté", ajoute-t-il. (AFP, 6 mai 2011)

Le DTK menace de boycotter les élections législatives en Turquie

Le Congrès pour une société démocratique (DTK) rassemblant de nombreux responsables kurdes de Turquie a prévenu jeudi les autorités que si les opérations militaires se poursuivaient contre les rebelles kurdes, elle appellerait au boycottage des élections législatives du 12 juin.

La menace a été proférée alors que de nouveaux affrontements ont eu lieu entre armée et rebelles, et qu'un convoi du parti au pouvoir a été attaqué mercredi.

Réunie à Diyarbakir, la plus grande ville du sud-est à majorité kurde, une plate-forme regroupant notamment le parti pro-kurde BDP (Parti pour la paix et la démocratie) a condamné les opérations militaires et les récentes arrestations de militants.

"Si les choses continuent comme cela, nous envisagerons plusieurs options, dont celle de ne pas prendre part aux élections" législatives, ont déclaré les participants.

"Notre détermination se poursuivra à construire un Kurdistan démocratique et autonome, et à organiser la résistance légitime aux attaques", ont-ils annoncé publiquement.

La semaine dernière, l'armée a tué sept rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) dans le sud-est du pays.

Le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan a réagi violemment à la menace proférée à Diyarbakir.

"Le BDP cherche à atteindre ses objectifs avec le soutien des terroristes", a-t-il dit.

Et la tension est montée mercredi soir lorsqu'un commando a attaqué à la grenade et au fusil un véhicule de police qui escortait un bus de l'AKP, près de Kastamonu (nord), où M. Erdogan venait de participer à un meeting. Un policier a été tué et un autre blessé. (AFP, 5 mai 2011)

Un policier tué lors d'une attaque après un meeting d'Erdogan

Un policier a été tué et un autre blessé mercredi lors d'une attaque alors qu'ils escortaient un autobus du parti au pouvoir, après un meeting du Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ont annoncé les médias turcs.

Les policiers se trouvaient dans une voiture qui escortait un bus transportant des responsables du parti au pouvoir AKP (Parti de la justice et du développement) qui avaient assisté à un meeting du Premier ministre, à Kastamonu (nord), a expliqué la chaîne de télévision en continu NTV.

Une grenade a été projetée sur le véhicule des policiers, tuant l'un deux et en blessant un autre, selon NTV.

Un témoin a expliqué sur NTV que les assaillants ont également ouvert le feu sur le véhicule des policiers, et que ces derniers ont répliqué.

Le gouverneur de la province de Kastamonu, Erdogan Bektas, cité par l'agence de presse Anatolie, a confirmé que des coups de feu ont été échangés lors de l'attaque.

Il a précisé que le policier blessé l'a été en répondant aux tirs adverses.

L'attentat n'a pas été revendiqué sur le moment.

M. Erdogan a qualifié les assaillants de "couards, qui ne croient pas en la démocratie, et qui, comprenant qu'ils ne peuvent pas l'emporter par les urnes, pensent qu'ils peuvent gagner de cette manière", selon Anatolie.

Lorsque l'attaque s'est produite, sur une voie rapide à 25 km de Kastamonu, l'autobus se dirigeait vers Ankara, et M. Erdogan avait quitté Kastamonu en hélicoptère pour un autre rassemblement dans la ville voisine d'Amasya, d'où il a fait sa déclaration à Anatolie.

Selon les images de télévision, la voiture de police a brûlé complètement lors de l'attaque, après laquelle les forces de sécurité ont lancé une opération de recherche des assaillants.

"C'est un incident qui doit être pris très sérieusement", a déclaré le président Abdullah Gül devant des télévisions.

"La Turquie ne pliera jamais face à la terreur et ne pardonnera pas à ceux qui sont impliqués dans des actes terroristes. La Turquie se battra jusqu'au bout contre la terreur", a-t-il ajouté.

Des élections législatives sont prévues le 12 juin en Turquie, et l'AKP, une formation issue de la mouvance islamiste au pouvoir depuis 2002, est donné comme favori par les sondages, ce qui serait son troisième succès consécutif. (AFP, 4 mai 2011)

Arrestations dans des municipalités tenues par l'opposition

La police turque a effectué lundi des perquisitions et arrêté une quarantaine de personnes soupçonnées de corruption dans des municipalités tenues par l'opposition au gouvernement islamo-conservateur, a annoncé la presse.

Le principal parti d'opposition, le Parti républicain du peuple (CHP), dont des élus dirigent ces municipalités, a accusé le pouvoir d'avoir ordonné ces descentes de police pour lui porter tort avant les élections législatives du 12 juin.

La police a saisi des documents dans les locaux de la municipalité d'Izmir, bastion du CHP et troisième ville de Turquie, dans une de ses annexes, et dans celle de Kusadasi, sur la mer Egée, selon l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Un haut responsable de la municipalité d'Izmir figure parmi les quelque 40 personnes arrêtées, selon Anatolie. Des perquisitions ont eu lieu également chez des particuliers et dans des entreprises.

"Cette opération vise principalement à influencer les prochaines élections... Elle rappelle la politique d'oppression et d'intimidation menée depuis quelque temps en Turquie", a accusé le vice-président du CHP Alaattin Yuksel à la télévision.

Izmir, bastion laïque, est une des régions que convoite le parti islamiste modéré au pouvoir, le Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP).

Un ministre AKP, candidat à Izmir, a désapprouvé l'opération de police.

"Le moment n'est pas opportun", a déclaré Ertugrul Gunay, ministre de la Culture, exprimant son "malaise" face à une telle affaire "juste avant les élections", selon Anatolie.

La police turque a été accusée récemment d'avoir fabriqué des preuves dans les inculpations de suspects soupçonnés d'avoir trempé dans des complots contre le régime islamo-conservateur. L'AKP rejette ces accusations. (AFP, 2 mai 2011)



Forces armées/Armed Forces

Eight Turkish officers released after 12 hours of testimony

Eight active-duty officers were released early Saturday after providing 12 hours of testimony to an Istanbul prosecutor in the latest round of an investigation into an alleged coup plan.

The eight officers, consisting of six generals and two colonels, were called to give testimony as suspects in the ongoing “Balyoz” (Sledgehammer) case, Anatolia news agency reported Saturday.

The officers were brought to Istanbul’s Beşiktaş courthouse at around 2 p.m. Friday, where they provided testimony to the case’s prosecutor, Hüseyin Ayar, before being released at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. War Academies Commander Gen. Bilgin Balanlı, who had also been invited to testify by the prosecutor, was not among those at the courthouse Friday, as he sent a medical report to the prosecutor through his lawyer, according to a daily Hürriyet’s report on Sunday. 

The investigation is based on documents reportedly seized in February from a house that belonged to Col. Hakan Büyük, a member of the intelligence branch at the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK, who has already been arrested on charges of plotting a coup against the government.

The new evidence regarding the case, according to police reports, consists of written documents, video files and digital material on a flash disk, and includes plans to be put into action if the alleged coup attempt were to fail. Additionally, illegal surveillance records kept on members of the military as well as false evidence to be presented to newspapers to prompt untrue stories were also found, according to the police. The illegal surveillance reports include those that divide military personnel into pro-coup and anti-coup parties, according to the report.

The officers’ testimonies came at a time when relations between the government and the TSK are increasingly tense, reportedly due to the ongoing investigations of alleged coup plots. Of the TSK’s approximately 300 active-duty generals, 29 are under arrest on charges of plotting to overthrow the government. More than 160 soldiers – both active-duty and retired – are in prison pending trial on alleged links to the coup plans.

Sledgehammer is an alleged military coup plot against the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, drafted in 2003. According to the allegations, the military planned drastic measures to foment unrest in the country to remove the AKP from power. Those measures included bombing two major mosques in Istanbul, staging an assault on a military museum by people disguised as religious extremists and raising tension with Greece by staging an attack on a Turkish plane that was to blamed on the Aegean neighbor.
(Daily News, May 29, 2011)

Eloge du chef de l'Armée aux organisateurs du génocide des Arméniens

S’exprimant à l’occasion de la Journée de la Jeunesse et des Sports, le chef de l’Etat-Major des forces armées turques le général Isik Kosaner a critiqué la condamnation des cerveaux du génocide arménien par le gouvernement turc de l’époque.

Le Général Kosaner a souligné que de nombreux « patriotes » turcs ont été en vain punis pour négligence et mauvais traitements au cours de la « déportation des Arméniens ». Aujourd’hui, la lutte d’Atatürk et de ses partisans est présenté différemment, dans un effort de ré-écrire l’histoire, a-t-il ajouté.

« Pour faire plaisir aux minorités nationales, leurs représentants sont nommés sur une variété de positions sans imposer l’utilisation obligatoire du Turc. Dans tous les cas les événements historiques peuvent se reproduire et nous devons tirer les leçons de notre histoire » a déclaré le chef d’Etat-Major turc.

En 1919, les organisateurs du génocide arménien ont été condamnés à mort par contumace à Istanbul. Certains fonctionnaires turcs ont été condamnés à différentes peines mais ont été libérés assez rapidement. (Stéphane@armenews.com
, 25 mai 2011)

Isolation Punishment for Conscientious Objector Executed

As reported by lawyer Hülya Üçpınar, the 20-day isolation punishment of conscientious objector İnan Süver started on Monday (23 May). Süver is detained in the E Type Prison of Manisa (western Turkey). He received a 20-day isolation punishment after a short escape from prison in April and upon his insistence on a hunger strike.

"I did not commit a Crime. Why am I in prison?"

İnan Süver had briefly interrupted his hunger strike on 12 May. However, he resumed his drastic protest on 16 May, saying, "I did not commit any crime. Why am I in prison?" In a statement made to bianet, his lawyer Üçpınar confirmed that the 20-day isolation punishment started on 23 May. Süver is under observation because of the hunger strike, she reported.

"I am in permanent touch with the prison officials. They say that they kept record of İnan's actions and that there is nothing they can do. [...] İnan Süver has no problems with the prison administration. He just says that he did not commit any crime and that he does not understand why he is being incarcerated. Therefore, he continues his hunger strike", Üçpınar announced.

Decision for isolation punishment

The decision for Süver's isolation punishment was given by the Aegean Army Command Military Court. The decree mentioned that Süver was taken to the Saruhanlı State Hospital for medical treatment on 21 April 2011 from where he escaped. He was arrested in Izmir shortly after.

The court decision also includes the statement given by Süver after he was transferred to the Manisa E Type Prison on 2 May.

Accordingly, Süver apparently stated that he was sentenced for desertion but that he did not accept the charges and expressed his protest against the execution of the punishment.

He gave this as the reason for his escape and said he would do it again when he got the chance. Süver said that he escaped from his unit several times because he did not want to do his military service. He noted that he believed he was punished much higher because he demanded his right to conscientious objection.

Süver claimed that he was maltreated between 2003 and 2006 when he escaped from the military and from prison. He also drew attention to financial and emotional distress and problems because of a ten-year period of problems with the military.

According to the decision, Süver had declared that he lost his confidence, commitment and faith in the government and that he did not recognize the military criminal laws. (BIA, Ekin Karaca, 25 May 2011)

Veteran journalist: secularists provoked coups in Turkey

Veteran secular journalist Mehmet Ali Birand has said the Republic of Turkey, which Mustafa Kemal Atatürk established and entrusted to the military, has had two big enemies over the years: pious Muslims and Kurds.

The journalist's remarks were published in a column titled "Why did we support coups?" published by the Posta daily on Tuesday.

According to the journalist, the military was traditionally provoked by secularist circles to stage coups in Turkey.

"It has always been secular circles in society that pushed and forced the military for coups. The breakdown of secular circles is as follows: The Republican People's Party [CHP], which is made up of social democrat politicians. Among them are people who know that they cannot reach any good position [in politics] through elections and therefore seek to be appointed to high positions thanks to the military. Mid-sized and large capital groups. Retired and employed judicial bureaucrats. Academics. Retired and active duty members of the military. The media. We all had a common goal: not to share our self-built system," Birand stated.

The journalist's remarks are a continuation of a series of confessions he has made since last week.

In a column dated May 19, Birand said pro-coup thoughts penetrated the genes of a majority of members of the secular mainstream media. For him, the mainstream media considered the General Staff as superior to democracy and Parliament until the recent past. "We tolerated all coups. And we supported them. Our genes got confused in the past few years, and we started to look at things from a different perspective. The order between democracy and Parliament and the General Staff changed for the first time. Democracy moved one step forward."

So far Turkey has witnessed three direct military coups -- in 1960, 1971 and 1980 -- and an unarmed military intervention in 1997, which is called a postmodern coup. The coups were not, however, acts a junta nested within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) staged on its own. Some media groups displayed a "contributive" role, which came either as a covert or open support for the military to seize control of the country. Each coup was bloody and inflicted deep sufferings on Turkey.

In Tuesday's column Birand also wrote about the perception of pious Muslims and Kurds in Turkey by secular circles.

"The Republic of Turkey, established by [Mustafa Kemal] Atatürk and entrusted to the military [for protection], has had two big enemies over the years: reactionaryism and the Kurdish question."

According to Birand, reactionaryism has been the most talked-about and dealt-with enemy.

"Newspapers would publish the photos of bearded men, and stories would read that 'two more reactionaries have been captured.' Black chador-wearing women would be called 'black cockroaches.' For us, there was no distinction between pious Muslims and reactionaries. They would be considered the biggest enemy of our self-built system. We had no tolerance to see them among us. We did not try to understand them."

With regard to Kurds, the journalist said the "Kurdish question" was another most-feared enemy for secular circles that was not ever mentioned. "Each uprising of Kurds was defined as 'insurgence' and a 'path to independence.' The actual reasons [leading to uprisings] were never examined. We did not ever think that they could have stemmed from poverty, the feudal system or conditions in the region. When the Kurdish question was mentioned, we all thought about the division of Turkey. We continuously maintained a policy of assimilation and denial of the Kurdish identity," Birand said. (Cihan news agency, May 25, 2011)


Semdinli case sent back to civilian court

A court has decided to refer the trial of three suspects in the 2005 bombing of a bookstore in the southeastern town of Şemdinli to a civilian court, ending a dispute over jurisdiction stemming from the fact that the suspects involved in the bombing were military officers.

Two noncommissioned officers and a former militant of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-turned-informant were caught by local residents when they bombed the Umut bookstore in Şemdinli, Hakkari province, on Nov. 9, 2005, killing one and injuring several others. The bookstore's owner was Seferi Yılmaz, a former PKK member.

The incident created a huge public uproar, and the government pledged to punish those who are responsible. A civilian court in the province of Van later sentenced each suspect to 39 years in prison. However, a subsequent ruling from the Supreme Court of Appeals called for a retrial on the grounds that the case should have been heard by a military court. The suspects were released following the first hearing of the military trial.

The latest ruling to send the case back to the civilian court was issued by the Court of Jurisdictional Disputes, the Zaman daily reported on Thursday. The suspects will be tried again by the Van 3rd High Criminal Court on charges of membership in a terrorist organization and murder.

The court took into consideration changes to the Constitution that were approved in a referendum on Sept. 12, 2010, Zaman said. The changes restricted the jurisdiction of military courts and paved the way for the referral of crimes such as murder or acts of organized crime committed by military officers to civilian courts.

Experts say the decision of the Court of Jurisdictional Disputes is a blow to claims that cases such as Ergenekon and Sledgehammer, which deal with allegations of a plot to topple the government, should be referred to military courts because most of the suspects are military officers.

The Şemdinli trial is also significant because Ferhat Sarıkaya, the former prosecutor of the case who also prepared the original indictment, was disbarred by the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) after he said the suspects had links to high-ranking military commanders, including then-Land Forces Commander Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt.(TODAYSZAMAN.COM, 13 May 2011)

Another child died because of military devices left on a field

Seventeen-year-old Murat Polat lost his life because of explosion of a howitzer left by soldiers in Yukarı Akça Gedik Village in Erciş, a district of Van.

Polat took out his family’s herds to pasture around the village near Akça Gedik Gendarmerie Station where he found the explosive. Bringing the explosive to his home, Polat fiddled around with it in another room at his home. Following a powerful explosion, Polat was taken to the Erciş State Hospital where he died despite immediate medical response.

According to the locals, six months ago villagers warned soldiers to not shoot howitzers since the village very close to the gendarmerie station’s range. Military authority responded them that villagers do not need to complain about shootings until somebody dies.

Father Mehmet Polat asked government to find and punish those responsible while residents began to gather in front of hospital in Van.  (ANF, 6 May 2011)

Conscientious Objector on Hunger Strike for 14 Days

Conscientious objector İnan Süver started a hunger strike 14 days ago to protest the 20-day isolation punishment given to him after his short escape from prison. In the evening of 3 May, he was transferred to the E Type Closed Prison in Manisa (western Turkey).

On 21 April, Süver escaped from the Manisa Saruhanlı Open Prison. One day later, he was arrested in Izmir and taken to the Buca Prison (Izmir).

Süver started a hunger strike after he was arrested in Izmir. On 3 May, he was now given a 20-day isolation punishment because he insisted on continuing the hunger strike.

20-day isolation punishment

Süver's lawyer Hülya Üçpınar said in a statement made to bianet on Wednesday (4 May) that her client Süver was transferred to Manisa.

She announced that she called the prison on the same day to obtain information on conscientious objector Süver. She learned that the prison executives imposed a 20-day isolation punishment on Süver because he refused to interrupt his hunger strike.

Üçpınar reported that the punishment had not been approved by the time that she called the prison but that she expected the approval at any time. Once Süver was taken into the isolation cell, a telephone ban would be applied as well, the lawyer stated.

Remziye Süver: Kurdish ID reason for oppression

Remziye Süver, the wife of the conscientious objector, criticized the procedure. She claimed that her husband İnan Süver had been incarcerated for months just because of his opinion.

"Why is my husband in prison for that long on the grounds of his opinion while murderers get out of jail after five to six months? He did not commit any crime besides of [voicing] his opinion. İnan escaped after twelve months of military service. After that, he was imprisoned for four months and then again for another three months. Now, he has been in prison for the past nine months", Remziye Süver said.

She continued, "There were a total of 120 conscientious objectors by the time İnan announced his conscientious objection. There are currently about 500 conscientious objectors. Nobody else is tyrannized this way though. The reason that they keep on at İnan this much is that [the south-eastern city of] "Van" is written in his ID. I cannot explain the situation in any other way".

Süver's father: "My son did not commit any crime...

İnan Süver's father Yasin Süver met his son at the Manisa E Type Closed Prison yesterday (4 May). He told bianet that İnan was in very bad condition.

He said that his son's face looked very pale and worn out. "We rolled out the red carpet for İnan when we sent him to the military. However, İnan was tortured in the military. He escaped. Subsequently, they kept İnan in prison for a total of 16 months. He has been in jail for the past nine months. Now they imposed an isolation punishment on him because he went on hunger strike. For 20 days he will not have the opportunity to see or talk to anybody..." (BIA, Ekin KARACA, 5 May 2011)


Affaires religieuses/Religious Affairs

Un journaliste turc soupçonné d'être proche d'Al-Qaïda arrêté au Kirghizstan

Un journaliste turc soupçonné d'être membre d'un groupe extrémiste proche d'Al-Qaïda a été arrêté au Kirghizstan, a annoncé mercredi à l'AFP un porte-parole des services de sécurité de cette ancienne république soviétique d'Asie centrale.

"Le citoyen turc Ali Osman Zor, âgé de 43 ans, membre présumé du groupe extrémiste Combattants du front du Grand Orient islamique, a été arrêté à Bichkek" le 2 mai à la demande de la Turquie, où il est soupçonné de complicité de terrorisme, a indiqué le porte-parole.

Arrivé au Kirghizstan en avril 2010, M. Zor y travaillait comme correspondant pour des médias turcs. Fin 2010, il y a demandé l'asile politique, en raison de poursuites engagées contre lui par les autorités turques, selon l'organisation kirghize de défense des droits de l'Homme, Adilet, qui a soutenu son dossier.

Les autorités n'ont pas encore répondu à cette demande, a précisé à l'AFP la dirigeante de cette organisation, Tcholpon Djakourova.

La Turquie accuse le journaliste de soutenir les Combattants du front du Grand Orient islamique, qui prônent le remplacement du gouvernement laïque turc par un khalifat (Etat) musulman.

Ce groupe a notamment revendiqué les attentats contre deux synagogues à Istanbul en 2003, qui ont fait 24 morts et 255 blessés. (AFP, 11 mai 2011)

Manifestation à Istanbul pour dénoncer la mort de Ben Laden

Environ 200 personnes ont manifesté vendredi à Istanbul contre les Etats-Unis et pour dénoncer la mort du chef d'Al-Qaïda Oussama Ben Laden, tué dimanche par les forces spéciales américaines au Pakistan, a constaté l'AFP.

Les manifestants, réunis devant la mosquée Fatih à la fin de la prière du vendredi, portaient une banderole sur laquelle on pouvait lire: "Etats-Unis terroristes, Oussama mujahid" (combattant) et scandaient "Allah akbar" (Dieu est grand).

Réunis à l'appel du journal islamiste Milli Gazete et de l'organisation de même tendance Özgür Der, ils ont brandi des portraits de Ben Laden et des photos montrant notamment des soldats américains fouillant des femmes, en Irak.

"Nous n'oublierons pas les crimes des Etats-Unis et d'Israël", pouvait-on lire sur une pancarte portée par plusieurs des manifestants, presque tous des hommes.

Aucun incident n'avait été constaté lors de ce rassemblement, en début d'après-midi.

Le régime islamiste modéré en Turquie a applaudi dès lundi l'élimination du chef d'Al-Qaïda.

"J'accueille avec grande satisfaction sa mort", a notamment déclaré le président Abdullah Gül.

La Turquie, pays très majoritairement musulman mais laïque, lutte contre le réseau Al-Qaïda, et procède régulièrement à des arrestations dans les milieux islamistes extrémistes. (AFP, 6 mai 2011)


Socio-économique / Socio-economic

Turkey on black list of ILO

International Labor Organization (ILO) took Turkey on its black list for violating the Agreement for Protecting the Freedom to Form Trade Union and the Right to Unionization.

Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Congo, Cubit, Guyana, Mauritania, Zimbabwe are already on the black list because of the same violation.

According to ILO’s press release; the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) practices did not meet the requirements of ILO even AKP’s commitments; no law on trade union which suitable with ILO’s standards; a half of all workers are unrecorded; 25% of people are living under starvation line; thresholds like 10 % for sectors and 50% for work place are still in effect, notary obligation for being member of any trade union, prohibitions against strikes, long trials for re-hire cases are the reason for Turkey to be on black list. (DİHA, 28 May 2011)

Environmentalists will continue to march until their demands are met

The Great March of Anatolia (Buyuk Anadolu Yürüyüşü), launched to draw attention to environmental problems in Turkey, began on April 2 with hundreds of people from the country's 11 regions. The group was prevented by police from marching in Ankara, and now they are trying to raise their voices behind the police barricades in Ankara's Gölbaşı district.

“In the last 10 years, the ownership of all our rivers and streams has been transferred to corporations in the energy business. Thousands of dams and hydroelectric power plants are being constructed. Our mountains are being taken over by miners. Our lives are being endangered by nuclear and [coal] power stations. No one hears our voices,” the group said on their website, vermeyoz.net.

The group has received support from the Ankara Bar Association as both activists and lawyers have questioned the legal grounds of the authorities' refusal to allow them to enter Ankara.

“The Constitution gives everyone the right to march within the limits of the law. Preventing these people from walking is unlawful, as they have not broken any laws. We are trying to determine who the order came from and with what reason. Then we will take the necessary legal steps. They have our full support,” Erol Aras, a board member of the Ankara Bar Association, said in a press conference Tuesday on the outskirts of the capital.

“After 50 days, our journey was suddenly deemed illegal when we arrived in Ankara. Police officers made hundreds of men, women and children wait out in the rain behind barricades, even tearing down some of the tents we tried to set up for shelter,” said a spokeswoman for the activist group during Tuesday's press conference.

An activist, Yücel Sönmez, said in a phone interview with Today's Zaman that they are waiting for authorities to hear their demands. Sönmez said that the Great March of Anatolia is not part of any institution and that people from all segments of society are supporting them in this environmental cause.

“We are devoted to our country, but for some reason people are calling us traitors for opposing these projects [that can have destructive environmental effects]. We strongly disapprove of this view, which treats them as traitors.  We are trying to claim our rights within the framework of democracy, but seeing the police barricade us filled my eyes with tears, and for a moment I wondered what I did to this country to deserve that,” said an activist at Tuesday's press conference, suggesting that the police officers were needlessly hostile to the protesters while setting up the barricades.

Activist Sönmez said the people in Gölbaşı say they would only stop marching when the authorities retreat from their neglectful actions concerning the environment. Sönmez believes the police have to be fair, and he states that they had support from everyone including the police until they reached Gölbaşı, 20 kilometers from the capital.

Another activist, Sibel Çalık, said in a telephone interview with Today's Zaman that their voices had been heard by the media more than they expected. Çalık says if they had not been prevented from marching into Ankara, their voices would probably not have attracted such strong media interest.

Çalık said they had been demonstrating in peace since the beginning the march and that people from all around Turkey had been helping them by sending tents, food, water and many other daily needs. She said there are currently no problems in the camping area other than the harsh attitude of the police. “There are no problems here in Gölbaşı, but behind the barricades we do feel offended. We strive here under the rain only to keep our country safer and make it a better place to live,” said the activist. (todayszaman.com, 29 May 2011)

La justice suspend certaines restrictions contre la vente d'alcool

Le Conseil d'Etat turc a suspendu certaines restrictions supplémentaires apportées par les autorités sur la consommation d'alcool en Turquie, dirigée par un gouvernement islamo-conservateur, qui avaient suscité la polémique, a rapporté mercredi l'agence de presse Anatolie.

La plus haute instance administrative de Turquie s'est notamment opposée à ce que l'alcool soit banni des concerts et des festivals de musique réservés aux jeunes, en établissant leur âge à 24 ans, dans un pays où pourtant la vente des boissons alcoolisées est autorisée à partir de 18 ans, précise l'agence.

Le Conseil d'Etat a jugé que cette disposition "limite les droits des personnes de 18 ans révolu d'acheter et de consommer de l'alcool", selon l'agence.

Le barreau d'Ankara avait saisi le Conseil d'Etat pour réclamer l'annulation d'une directive controversée publiée en janvier dernier par l'autorité turque de régulation du marché des tabacs et alcools (TAPDK) apportant d'importantes restrictions à la vente d'alcool, notamment en ce qui concerne la publicité.

Le Conseil d'Etat a aussi suspendu une disposition interdisant la vente de bouteilles de moins de 20ml, imposée par les autorités pour décourager les jeunes.

Cette suspension présage l'annulation prochaine de ces deux dispositions au moins, voire l'intégralité de la directive, dénoncée par les milieux comme une atteinte aux libertés individuelles.

Depuis l'arrivée au pouvoir en 2002 du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste), la question de la consommation d'alcool en Turquie cristallise les tensions entre laïcs et musulmans conservateurs.

Selon des études, les lieux de consommation se sont réduits en Anatolie surtout et dans les grandes villes en raison des pressions exercées par ceux qui veulent imposer un mode de vie musulman et les restrictions bureaucratiques imposées par les autorités locales et gouvernementales. (AFP, 25 mai 2011)

Regularized Number Plates - The Latest Black List

The Karşıyaka (Izmir) District Police Directorate stopped issuing number plates with the letter combination "KCK" which is the abbreviation for the Union of Kurdistan Communities, the urban structure of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party. The Police Directorate declined according request made by some citizens.

Lawyer Mehmet Korkut from the Izmir Bar Association pointed to the fact that the letter combination previously issued by the Kraşıyaka Police Directorate is the abbreviation of the PKK's urban arm. Hence, he petitioned for blocking the letter combinations from number plates because "they advertise for an illegal organization".

In a written reply sent by e-mail, the Karşıyaka District Police Directorate informed lawyer Korkut that many citizens applied to the Police General Directorate regarding the same issue.

The General Directorate announced their decision not to issue number plates with the letters KCK in the future in order to avoid misunderstandings. People who received an according license plate before could apply for changing it, the directorate declared.

Banned license plates

According to the Traffic Law, license plates with letter combinations such as KEL (bald), LAN (curse), LEN (curse), MAL (silly cow) or NAH (belly) are not being issued at all because of their defamatory nature. Letters referring to the PKK or its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan like APP or APO are blocked as well. In Diyarbakır (south-eastern Turkey), certain words of Zaza and Kurdish origin are not being given for number plates, e.g. the Kurdish words GA (ox) or GU (faecal) and the Zaza word GI (faecal). (BIA, 25 May 2011)

La Russie signe un contrat en vue de la construction de la centrale turque

La société publique russe Atomstroïexport a annoncé vendredi avoir signé un premier contrat avec un sous-traitant turc pour la construction d'une centrale nucléaire en Turquie, un projet controversé en particulier depuis la crise au Japon.

Atomstroïexport, filiale du groupe Rosatom en charge de la construction des centrales à l'étranger, a signé un contrat avec l'entreprise turque Envy Energy and Environmental Investments, indique la société russe dans un communiqué, sans en préciser le montant.

Le sous-traitant "participera aux travaux de prospection sur l'emplacement" du futur premier réacteur en Turquie, explique-t-elle.

Ankara et Moscou ont conclu un accord en 2010 pour construire un réacteur à Akkuyu, dans la province de Mersin (sud), provoquant la colère des écologistes qui mettent en garde contre des dangers sismiques dans la région.

Depuis la crise nucléaire au Japon, les protestations se sont multipliées. Selon un sondage publié fin avril, une majorité de Turcs (64%) s'opposent au projet du gouvernement islamo-conservateur de construire des centrales nucléaires.

Mais le président turc Abdullah Gül a répété à plusieurs reprises que la Turquie ne devait pas renoncer à cette centrale, estimant que son pays était "en retard" dans ce domaine. (AFP, 20 mai 2011)

Séisme de magnitude 5,9 en Turquie: deux morts, 79 blessés

Deux personnes ont été tuées et 79 blessées dans le séisme de magnitude 5,9 qui a secoué jeudi soir le nord-ouest de la Turquie, a déclaré vendredi le ministre turc de l'Environnement.

"Un homme de 18 ans a été tué, touché à la tête par la chute d'un pilier en béton. Un autre homme âgé de 62 ans, qui avait subi une opération cardiaque il y a deux jours, est décédé", a déclaré M. Veysel Eroglu aux télévisions, s'exprimant du lieu du drame.

79 personnes ont été blessées, dont une est dans un état critique, a ajouté le ministre. Le tremblement de terre a causé des dégâts à de nombreuses habitations.

Le séisme s'est produit jeudi vers 20H15 GMT à Simav, une ville de 100.000 habitants qui dépend de la province de Kütahya, située à 310 km à l'ouest d'Ankara.

Le gouverneur local, Kenan Ciftçi, avait fait état d'un mort dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi.

Le Croissant-Rouge a envoyé des vivres et 10.000 couvertures sur place, et devait installer 5.000 tentes d'ici à samedi matin, a déclaré un responsable de l'organisation à la télévision NTV.

Le séisme a été ressenti dans les provinces voisines et jusqu'à Istanbul, la principale métropole turque de plus de 12 millions d'habitants, selon l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Le séisme a provoqué un mouvement de panique à Kütahya et dans les autres zones où il a été ressenti, les habitants de ces régions sortant dans les rues, selon les images des chaînes de télévision.

Plusieurs répliques ont été ressenties par la suite, y compris vendredi matin.

"C'était assez violent, nous sommes immédiatement descendus dans la rue", a expliqué jeudi soir à la chaîne NTV Ihsan Tunçoglu, président de l'Union des journalistes de Kütahya.

En 1970, un puissant séisme avait tué plus de 1.000 personnes dans la province de Kütahya. La Turquie, qui est traversée par plusieurs failles, connaît de fréquents tremblements de terre.

Deux forts séismes dans les régions très peuplées et industrialisées du nord-ouest du pays avaient fait environ 20.000 morts, en août et novembre 1999. Les experts s'accordent sur le fait que la région d'Istanbul est menacée d'un fort séisme. (AFP, 19 mai 2011)


95 Percent of Turkish Population Plunged in Debt

95.1 percent of the Turkish people are plunged in debt. This is the startling result of a research carried out by the Research and Development Centre (Ar-Ge) of the Public Workers Unions Confederation of Turkey (Kamu-Sen). AR-GE carried out an investigation into the debt situation of the Turkish people. 1724 participants in 81 provinces filled in the nation-wide survey and answered questions regarding their debt situation and, in case they have a regular loan, the amount of the debit. The participants were free to define whether it was an individual or a family debt.

With 24.9 percent, just under a quarter of all people in debt are encumbered by loans between TL 20,000 and 50,000 (€ 10,000/25,000). For 19.1 percent of all respondents, the debt exceeds TL 50,000.

Ar-Ge expert Ercan Han coordinated the research on behalf of Kamu-Sen. He indicated that the findings correspond to the figures compiled by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). "The TÜİK Survey on Income and Living Conditions did not receive sufficient attention and went unnoticed. It actually revealed important data", Han said.

TÜİK released their report on "Income and Living Conditions in 2009" in February 2011. Here are some of its key facts about the Turkish population:

* 29.3 percent have great difficulty in paying back their debts.

* 62.5 percent are not able to spend money on anything else but their mandatory expenses.

* 87.4 percent cannot go on holiday.

* 82.1 percent are not able to replace broken furniture.

* 42.2 percent live in homes with leaking roofs, damp walls and rotten windows.

* 42.9 percent have not heating.

"We are close to a social explosion", İsmail Koncuk, President of Kamu-Sen, assessed the findings. "The average employment rate in OECD countries ranges at 66 percent whereas Turkey is on the lowest level with 48 percent. Thus, only 48 out of 100 people in Turkey are working or looking for a job while the remaining 52 percent are mere consumers".

Koncuk continued, "Regardless of the expense, the citizens are being directed towards spending, i.e. consuming. Despite economic growth the country lacks a structure that creates employment. This is the dilemma of the economy of our country. The mandatory consumption expenditure is raised above the inflation level but the increase of salaries remains below the inflation. This is the reason for the narrow and fixed-income section to become plunged in debt". (BIA, 17 May 2011)

Massive Workers' Protest against AKP Government

Members of the Turkey Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) gathered in Ankara on Sunday (15 May) to make their voice heard against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Tens of thousands of engineers, architects, city planners and students from many different provinces took a united stance against the AKP.

The TMMOB members followed the call to Ankara themed "We are on the street on 15 May for our rights that are ignored, trampled on and usurped". Hundreds of busses from all over the country filed into Turkey's capital since early Sunday morning and gathered at the main train station.

The TMMOB members were supported by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK), the Metal-İş union in affiliation with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), Tez Koop İş and the Tobacco, Alcoholic Beverages and Food Subsidiary Workers Union of Turkey (Tek Gıda İş) as part of the Metal-İş union, Labour Party Deputy Chairman Haydar Kaya and Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) Chairman Alper Taş.

"We are here to end the reign of the greedy merchant"

According to the Evrensel newspaper, the TMMOB members manifested their resistance against a series of applications and projects in a protest march. They demonstrated against the plan to build nuclear power plants in Turkey, against the planned third Bosporus Bridge in Istanbul, the looting of cities under the name of urban renewal, internet bans and last but not least against unemployment and insecure working conditions.

The Head of the TMMOB Steering Board, Mehmet Soğancı, referred to a poem of deceased Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet when addressed the crowd. "We are here to end the reign of the greedy merchant", he said. Soğancı indicated that the Turkish people were tried to be tamed by hunger and poverty. He also drew attention to the Kurdish question that still remained unsolved.

"Tens of thousands of TMMOB members gathered here to say 'stop' to the looting of cities, forests and mines", Soğancı continued. "We gathered in Ankara for a peaceful and democratic solution of the Kurdish question and for a liberal, egalitarian and democratic constitution that focuses on the human being".

"No vote for you"

"With the economic policies they applied, the AKP government is obstinate on having labourers work for low wages without insurance and security. The unemployment fund is being transferred to the big capital".

"The income distribution of the AKP government is utterly unjust. The highest household income is 8.5 times higher than the lowest household income. Evidently, the AKP is the friend of the rich and the enemy of the poor", Soğancı criticized.

"We will not vote for the ones who transfer the above ground and underground recourses to the foreign capital. We will not give our votes to the ones who do no not recognize our right to education, health and accommodation; who loot our cities under the name of urban renewal and who commercialize our water", Soğancı declared. (BIA, 17 May 2011)

Erdogan veut construire deux villes autour d'Istanbul pour parer aux dangers d'un séisme

Le Premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a annoncé mercredi un nouveau projet pharaonique, la construction de deux grandes villes autour d'Istanbul, afin de parer aux dangers d'un séisme.

"Nous commencerons à construire deux villes nouvelles pour Istanbul, après les élections (législatives) du 12 juin", a-t-il déclaré devant la presse à Istanbul.

L'un des villes sera bâtie sur la rive européenne d'Istanbul, sur le littoral de la mer Noire, et l'autre sur la partie asiatique, a-t-il souligné.

Il s'agit, a-t-il dit, "d'empêcher qu'un tremblement de terre (...) tue des dizaines de milliers de personnes".

Les sismologues affirment qu'Istanbul et ses environs sont menacés dans les années qui viennent d'un puissant séisme, le long de la faille nord de l'Anatolie qui passe à une vingtaine de kilomètres seulement de la métropole, dont la population est estimée à 15 millions de personnes.

Environ 20.000 personnes ont été tuées au cours de deux violents séismes qui ont dévasté en 1999 la zone très peuplée du nord-ouest du pays, dont certains quartiers d'Istanbul.

Les travaux de construction devraient débuter un an après le scrutin, soit en juin 2012, a souligné M. Erdogan, qui a été maire d'Istanbul.

"Istanbul est menacée par un séisme (...) l'objectif de ce projet est de faire face à un tel sinistre, en construisant des zones d'hatitations dans des endroits sûrs", a-t-il dit, soulignant que les déplacements de Stambouliotes vers ces deux nouvelles villes se feraient sur la base du volontariat.

M. Erdogan, dont le Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste) est donné gagnant dans les sondages aux prochaines élections pour un troisième mandat, avait annoncé fin avril un "projet fou", selon ses mots, de construire un canal reliant la mer Noire à la mer de Marmara, pour soulager le trafic maritime du détroit du Bosphore, qui coupe la ville en deux.

Prévu pour être achevé en 2023, pour le centenaire de la République, ce projet de canal de 150 mètres de large et 25 mètres de profondeur, long de 50 kilomètres, a attiré la colère des écologistes. (AFP, 11 mai 2011)

13 pays européens s'engagent à lutter contre la violence visant les femmes

Treize pays européens se sont engagés mercredi à lutter contre les violences faites aux femmes, à l'occasion d'une réunion à Istanbul du comité des ministres du Conseil de l'Europe.

Parmi les signataires de cette convention, qui selon les documents du Conseil de l'Europe "ouvre la voie à la création d'un cadre juridique paneuropéen pour protéger les femmes contre toutes les formes de violence", figurent notamment l'Allemagne, l'Espagne, la France, la Grèce et la Turquie.

La convention comprend des clauses générales, comme l'inscription du principe de l'égalité entre les femmes et les hommes dans les Constitutions et les législations nationales et l'abrogation de toutes les lois et pratiques discriminatoires, mais aussi des mesures concrètes.

Elle prévoit ainsi, aux côtés de mesures de sensibilisation et d'éducation, l'obligation de créer des services de soutien spécialisés immédiats pour les femmes victimes de violences et l'ouverture de refuges ainsi que l'obligation d'inscrire l'interdiction de l'excision dans les lois nationales.

"Les parties veillent à ce que la culture, la coutume, la religion, la tradition ou le prétendu "honneur" ne soient pas considérés comme justifiant des actes de violence", souligne la convention, signée par la Turquie, un pays ou de nombreux crimes contre les femmes sont motivés par l'"honneur" familial.

Le document annonce la création d'un groupe d'experts chargé d'assurer une mise en oeuvre effective des engagements pris par les parties.

Lors d'une conférence de presse, le secrétaire général du Conseil de l'Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, a affiché sa détermination à obtenir la ratification de la convention par l'ensemble des pays membres.

"Je ferai bien sûr de mon mieux pour obtenir la signature et la ratification de la convention par tous les Etats membres", a-t-il dit.

La 121e réunion du comité des ministres du Conseil de l'Europe réunit mercredi à Istanbul les représentants des 47 pays membres de cette institution, dont 19 ministres des Affaires étrangères et 10 vice-ministres. (AFP, 11 mai 2011)

Une majorité de Turcs contre les projets nucléaires du gouvernement

Une majorité de Turcs (64%) s'opposent au projet du gouvernement islamo-conservateur de construire des centrales nucléaires, estimant que la Turquie n'est pas prête à accueillir cette technologie, selon un sondage publié vendredi par le journal Hürriyet.

Seuls 6,6% des sondés pensent que la technologie nucléaire civile serait profitable à leur pays, selon ce sondage de la société A&G commandé par Greenpeace et réalisé début avril auprès d'un échantillon national représentatif de 2.469 personnes âgées de 18 ans et plus.

Et l'opposition des sondés (plus de 70%) est encore plus importante dans les zones qui doivent accueillir les deux premiers réacteurs, dans le sud et le nord de la Turquie.

86% des personnes interrogées ne souhaitent pas habiter à proximité d'une centrale, selon cette première enquête d'opinion en Turquie sur le nucléaire.

Le gouvernement d'Ankara est bien décidé à mettre en oeuvre ses projets de construction de trois centrales d'ici cinq ans et ce malgré la catastrophe nucléaire au Japon.

Ankara et Moscou ont conclu un accord en 2010 pour construire un réacteur à Akkuyu, dans la province de Mersin (sud), provoquant la colère des écologistes qui mettent en garde contre des dangers sismiques dans la région.

Des négociations sont par ailleurs en cours avec le Japon pour la construction d'une deuxième centrale nucléaire à Sinop (nord). (AFP, 29 avr 2011)


Relations turco-européennes / Turkey-Europe Relations

PACE delegation's report on the elections in Turkey

A four-member, cross-party delegation (1) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) making a pre-electoral visit to Turkey ahead of the 12 June parliamentary elections has welcomed the sound economic progress achieved in Turkey since the 2007 parliamentary elections.

“There is a vibrant civil society in the country and, in a welcome development – since electronic media can now broadcast in languages other than Turkish only – campaigning is now allowed in those languages as well. The Supreme Board of Elections (SBE) is acting in an efficient and transparent manner and, seemingly, in full compliance with the letter of the law. Some legislative amendments introduced since 2007, albeit not yet all-encompassing, have paved the way for a better and more transparent electoral process.

At the same time the media, while generally believed to be free, are reportedly applying self-censorship for fear of falling victim to a broad interpretation of the anti-terrorist legislation. The candidate registration process, even though carried out in accordance with the letter of the existing legislation, has resulted in a situation where a number of candidates were initially denied registration, a decision promptly reversed by the SBE with regard to some of those candidates after a public uproar. This is a clear indication that the relevant legal basis is in need of further improvements. In addition, the application of the relevant legislation must be carried out in good faith.

Reports of growing tension, violence, harassment, imprisonment and detention of Kurdish opposition supporters, including elected officials, and a loss of life in the east and south-east of the country give rise to grave concerns. We call upon all political stakeholders to refrain from acts of violence.

Overall, it is widely believed that while the elections will be free, their fairness is open to improvement, not least given the unequal conditions for the contenders.

In this regard, the ten per cent threshold, by far the highest among the Council of Europe member states, remains the central issue that limits the representative nature of the legislature.

We expect Turkey to take corrective action and stand ready to extend assistance as needed. We hope that the forthcoming 12 June elections will be held democratically, in an orderly, peaceful and non-violent environment.“

The delegation was in Ankara from 17 to 18 May 2011 at the invitation of the Turkish delegation to PACE. It held meetings with the Chairman of the SBE, representatives of political parties running in this election and the EU Ambassador to Turkey, as well as a representative cross-section of civil society and the media. PACE observers will return to the country with a 30-member delegation to observe the 12 June elections.

(1) Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE), head of the delegation, Latchezar Toshev (Bulgaria, EPP/CD), Arcadio Díaz Tejera (Spain, SOC), and Andrej Hunko (Germany, UEL). (kurdish-info.eu, 18 May 2011)


L'Autriche organisera un référendum sur l'entrée de la Turquie dans l'UE

L'Autriche organisera un référendum sur l'adhésion de la Turquie à l'Union européenne si les négociations entre l'UE et Ankara devaient aboutir à une décision favorable, a déclaré mardi le chancelier autrichien Werner Faymann.

"Même en cas de décision positive après les négociations entre l'UE et la Turquie, nous organiserons en Autriche un référendum à ce sujet", a indiqué dans un communiqué M. Faymann, qui a rencontré le président turc Abdullah Gül au deuxième jour de sa visite d'Etat en Autriche.

Le chancelier a souligné que dans l'optique d'une adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE, "les valeurs fondamentales comme la liberté d'opinion, les droits de l'Homme, la participation démocratique et la liberté de la presse doivent prévaloir de manière inconditionnelle".

Abdullah Gül, qui a participé mardi à un forum économique austro-turc, a souligné les avantages économiques que les pays européens pourraient retirer de l'adhésion turque, notamment l'Autriche, dont les échanges commerciaux avec la Turquie ont triplé depuis 2001.

Werner Faymann a aussi estimé que l'aspect économique était un des atouts d'Ankara, évoquant le projet de gazoduc Nabucco, destiné à réduire la dépendance de l'Europe au gaz russe en passant par la Turquie et les Balkans.

Les négociations pour une adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE sont dans l'impasse. A ce jour, seuls 13 des 35 chapitres thématiques qui jalonnent ces négociations ont été ouverts et un seul a pu être bouclé.

Abdullah Gül effectue une visite d'Etat de trois jours en Autriche et doit passer la troisième journée de son voyage à Salzbourg. (AFP, 3 mai 2011)


Turquie-USA/ Turkey-USA

Speculations over real motives of US General visit to Turkey

General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has arrived in Turkey on Sunday. His visit is said to be the result of an invitation issued by "his counterpart General Aslan Güner, deputy chief of Turkey’s General Staff", according to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara.

Clearly the visit comes at a particular point and indeed it is no coincidence that the Turkish side has insisted on saying that the U.S. General will discuss regional security issues, including the struggle against the Kurdish guerrilla movement, the PKK. It is no mystery that Ankara has long criticised what it calls a lack of real support in this struggle by the United States and indeed the international community as a whole.

General Cartwright has already met with Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül and Chief of Staff General Işık Koşaner. He will visit the NATO Command in İzmir today before leaving the country.

In his last meeting with his lawyer, Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan made remarks about the statements made by the US Ambassador to Turkey. "For 60 years - Ocalan said - the USA's politics have been dependent on the cultural genocide policy against Kurds. To gain the support of Turkey and Israel in the region, the Middle East and Caucasus, the USA has supported the policy of cultural genocide that has been implemented against Kurds, however it has also not given permission for wholesale annihilation." A policy which, Ocalan reminded "is called 'the rabbit and hound' policy has been implemented. The Kurds have constantly been left wounded, they have not been killed but also never been given the chance to heal themselves. The USA and England have always used this policy. This has been a constant tactic since the support (given by Turkey) in the Korean war, this is why I said it has been 60 years, since 1952. They have kept the Kurds wounded to gain Turkish support in Bosnia, Somalia and Afghanistan. When there has been doubt they have left an open door in Northern Iraq for Kurds to escape through. In this way they have made the Turks and Kurds dependent on themselves, this is the policy of 'the rabbit and hound' where the rabbit is told to run and the hound told to catch."

In his closing remarks Ocalan added that "The recent decision the US has taken regarding Murat Karayilan (KCK Executive Council President) and the others is linked with this policy." and then underlined that "the USA should know that times have changed, the Kurds are not the Kurds of old and I am not Sheikh Said. No one can prevent the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people any longer."
(ANF, 16 May 2011)

US reconnaissance plane supplying Turkey with intelligence

A United States reconnaissance plane called EP–3E, which specializes in intercepting communication and radar signals, has allegedly been relaying critical intelligence to the Turkish military about the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, movements.

The U.S. ambassador to Ankara, Francis J. Ricciardone, however, refused to disclose any further information regarding his earlier claims that the U.S. incurred about $400 million in annual costs, or about $ 1 million a day, assisting Turkey to help fight terrorism.

“The PKK also knows that we are [assisting Turkey in her fight.] They must be wondering why the targeting is so accurate,” said Ricciardone who added he would not be able to divulge any details about intelligence disbursements, while talking to members of press in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The U.S. military unit that supplies information to the Turkish military is called VQ–2, or Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two, originally founded in 1955. The EP–3E reconnaissance planes, allegedly relay key intelligence about PKK movements to the Turkish military, are reportedly part of this unit, which operates under the U.S. Navy. The unit is located on Whidbey Island, but in case it is involved in PKK-related operations, it would then be serving under the command of the 6th U.S. Fleet, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Naval Command.

Real-time intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Turkey in order to supply critical information about PKK movements to the Turkish military was formally agreed upon by Prime Minister Erdoğan and former U.S. President George W. Bush in 2007.

Ambassador Ricciardone also said political and military cooperation between the U.S. and Turkey always was and still is strong during his visit to the 2011 International Defense Industry Fair, or IDEF, in Istanbul between May 10 and 13. The U.S. diplomat added that Turkish and American military personnel, diplomats and civilians were working shoulder to shoulder to maintain peace and security in the world, citing Libya and Somalia as examples of successful cooperation between the two countries. Ricciardone further said as the defense industry grows, it would prove to be one of the primary links in economic ties between Turkey and the U.S.

Ricciardone’s comments had come after Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek and Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül claimed the U.S. did not back Turkey in its fight against the outlawed PKK at the same level as Ankara helped the U.S. in its global fight against al-Qaeda. (Hürriyet Daily News, May 13, 2011)

Une majorité de Turcs désapprouvent l'élimination de Ben Laden

Une majorité de Turcs (62%) n'approuvent pas l'élimination d'Oussama Ben Laden, tué par un commando américain, et 79% pensent qu'il aurait plutôt dû être traduit devant la justice, selon un sondage publié jeudi.

Seuls 25% des gens interrogés approuvent l'élimination du chef d'Al-Qaïda, indique ce sondage de la compagnie Metropoll, reçu à l'AFP et réalisé les 6 et 7 mai sur un échantillon représentatif de 1.500 personnes.

Les sondés désapprouvent majoritairement le fait que Ben Laden a été tué alors qu'il ne portait pas d'arme au moment de l'attaque du commando américain, qui a toutefois trouvé une Kalachnikov et un pistolet dans sa chambre.

Même si les sondés se disent en majorité opposés à l'élimination du chef du réseau terroriste, une grande majorité (78%) estiment qu'Al-Qaïda ne représente pas l'islam.

Seules 11% des personnes interrogées sont d'avis que le terrorisme va décliner après la mort de Ben Laden.

Ennemi public numéro un aux Etats-Unis depuis les attentats du 11 septembre 2001, le chef d'Al-Qaïda a été tué le 2 mai dans une villa située dans la ville pakistanaise d'Abbottabad où il se cachait.

Les fils d'Oussama Ben Laden ont dénoncé mardi cette "exécution arbitraire" et jugé "inacceptable" et "humiliant" que son corps ait été jeté à la mer. Dans un communiqué publié par le New York Times, ils ont demandé pourquoi leur père n'avait "pas été arrêté et jugé par un tribunal pour que la vérité soit révélée au monde". (AFP, 12 mai 2011)

Remzi Kartal: "The United States Treasury is Lying"

Mr. Remzi Kartal, President of Kongra-Gel, issued the following declaration:

On the 14 October 2009 the US Department of Treasury designated Kurdish Freedom Movement leaders Murat Karayilan, Ali Riza Altun and Zubayir Aydar as “significant foreign narcotics traffickers”. On 20 April 2011 again the US Department of Treasury designated Cemil Bayik, Duran Kalkan, Sabri Ok, Adem Uzen and myself as being involved in drug trafficking and made a statement to the media accusing us. This statement came a day after Turkey’s Defence Industry Executive Committee (DIEC) announced its decision to award a $4 Billion dollar contract for military helicopters to US firm Sikorsky.

The timing of these two announcements is questionable. The decision to blacklist Kurdish politicians was undoubtedly heart-warming news for Turkish political and military leaders. This decision by the US Treasury Department is unjustifiable and completely without foundation. It is a decision against the Kurdish Freedom Movement and a warrant to execute us. To label politicians, who have devoted their lives to defend the Kurdish Nation’s right to exist, as criminals and drug smugglers is obscene and deceitful and indicative of dirty politics. This is a decision taken against 20 million Kurds living in Turkey and it demonstrates a relationship between states based on purely economic interests. The Kurdish Nation’s struggle is being sacrificed for these interests. This cooperation between the US and Turkey which conspires against the rights and freedoms of the Kurdish people and is detrimental to the quest for peace in Turkey is an unjustifiable political show by the two countries.

Neither the US nor any other country has any evidence that we have been involved in narcotics smuggling. If that were the case it would have been declared. I call on the US to bring to the public’s awareness whatever basis they have for these claims. If they do not then the US will be judged by the public as deceitful and as a state that deals in falsehoods.

In the struggle led by PKK the Kurdish Freedom Movement for many years has been unjustifiably and unlawfully labelled as a terrorist organisation by the United States. On 5 November 2007 the previous US administration led by George Bush declared PKK a US enemy after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. On the following 30 May 2008 the United States Treasury Department designated PKK as a foreign narcotics trafficker. PKK has never been involved in drug trafficking. In the Turkish psychological war efforts in their own media the Turkish State often used this type of black propaganda against PKK. The Turkish State has been lying about this and the people can see through these lies. In the thirty years of our struggle thousands of our members are subjected to harassment and imprisonment for political reasons. But neither in Turkey nor anywhere else in the world has it ever been proven that PKK members were involved in drug trafficking.

The US foreign office and many international organisations issue annual report on international human and drug trafficking. The involvement of Turkish officials in these activities has been cited many times. Interpol has reported that much heroin smuggling and distribution in Europe is organised by Turks.

In its 2002 EU Organised Crime Activities Report Europol stated that in Germany’s Frankfurt State Court judge Rolf Schwalbe on 21 Jan 1997 had implicated high-ranking Turkish officials in criminal activities. British Assistant Home Secretary Tom Sackville stated on 26 Januuary 1997 that more than 80 percent of heroin seized in Britain originated in Turkey, a figure backed up by a report from the Paris-based Geopolitical Narcotics Monitor. Both of these sources pointed to collusion between senior figurews in the Turkish ruling elite and drug smugglers. Many senior officers in the Turkish army and police are part of this smuggling. Frequently military helicopters and official vehicles are used to transport drugs. In the Susurluk report Turkey’s state officials were implicated in criminal activity.

PKK is an ideological political movement that is against poisoning any human. The production and distribution of narcotics among the people is against the ideology and PKK has always been against this criminal activity. We as the Kurdish Freedom Movement are calling on the international community, human rights organisations, international legal associations and anyone on the side of justice to declare that any attempts from whatever quarter to label PKK and the Kurdish Freedom Movement as drug traffickers and to criminalize us is a lie and an insult without any foundation or evidence whatsoever and furthermore is a claim based on dirty politics and the economic interests of certain countries.

The United States’ unethical policies might be of short-term benefit to their economy but in the long term they will not impinge upon the struggle of the Kurdish people for their rights. The United States should not support the war against the Kurds, but rather should facilitate a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The US should support the peaceful coexistence of Kurds and Turks among the other nations in the region. For that  reason they should not criminalize Kurdish organisations or their members or political representatives and every list they have made to criminalize us should be cancelled. Only through these measures can they apologise to our nation and public opinion. (Kurdish Info, 1st May 2011)

Relations régionales / Regional Relations

Un an après le fiasco de la flottille, nouvel avis de tempête pour Israël

Un an après le fiasco du raid de la marine israélienne contre une flottille humanitaire pro-palestinienne, qui a détruit son alliance avec la Turquie, Israël, menacé d'isolement diplomatique, est confronté à une nouvelle tentative de briser le blocus maritime de Gaza.

A l'aube du 31 mai 2010, des commandos de marine israéliens lançaient, en dehors des eaux territoriales, un assaut mal préparé contre le ferry turc Mavi Marmara, navire amiral d'une petite flotte internationale qui tentait de rallier le territoire palestinien. Neuf ressortissants turcs ont été tués.

Israël a aussitôt essuyé une vague de réprobation internationale et vu ses relations avec Ankara, ex-allié régional "stratégique", plonger au plus bas.

Une commission d'enquête israélienne a, sans surprise, disculpé l'Etat hébreu après ce raid jugé "conforme au droit international", mais sans convaincre la Turquie qui s'apprête à dépêcher une nouvelle "flottille de la liberté" au large de Gaza, enclave contrôlée par le mouvement islamiste palestinien Hamas.

Selon l'ONG islamiste turque IHH, coorganisatrice du projet, une flottille internationale de 15 navires doit prendre la mer dans la dernière semaine de juin pour acheminer de l'aide humanitaire à Gaza.

Le président d'IHH, Bülent Yildirim, a exhorté Israël à "faire preuve de raison". "Si vous avez un peu de conscience, vous devez laisser passer cette deuxième flottille. Sinon, tout ce que vous ferez se retournera contre vous", a-t-il averti.

Environ 1.500 militants et sympathisants pro-palestiniens d'une centaine de pays se sont mobilisés, selon M. Yildirim. Un bateau français doit appareiller de Marseille.

La Turquie, qui réclame des excuses d'Israël et le versement d'indemnités aux familles des 9 victimes, a mis en garde Israël contre tout recours à la force. "La Turquie répondra comme il se doit à tout nouvel acte de provocation d'Israël en haute mer", a prévenu le chef de la diplomatie Ahmet Davutoglu.

Les autorités israéliennes, elles, considèrent que, sous couvert de missions humanitaires, les tentatives d'apporter de l'aide par voie maritime à Gaza relèvent de "provocations".

Elles proposent de transférer les cargaisons humanitaires à Gaza après avoir vérifié qu'elles ne dissimulaient pas d'armements.

"Nous avons demandé à tous les gouvernements un tant soit peu impartiaux d'empêcher cette entreprise inutile", a déclaré à l'AFP Mark Regev, porte-parole du Premier ministre Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Israël continuera à faire en sorte que (...) toute cargaison parvenant à Gaza aura été préalablement inspectée", a-t-il souligné.

Recevant dimanche la vice-secrétaire générale de l'ONU, Asha-Rose Migiro, le président israélien Shimon Pérès a assuré que "le droit international autorise un pays à empêcher l'entrée de navires qui n'ont pas été inspectés et qui sont suspectés de transporter des armes, même en dehors de ses eaux territoriales".

Les appels du gouvernement israélien ont été entendus et le secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon, a demandé "à tous les gouvernements concernés" d'user de leur influence pour décourager toute nouvelle flottille vers Gaza, craignant que l'initiative ne dégénère en incidents violents.

Le ministère français des Affaires étrangères a "formellement" déconseillé mardi aux Français d'embarquer en raison des "risques sécuritaires".

"La France appelle à faire acheminer l'aide humanitaire à destination de la bande de Gaza par voie terrestre, en particulier via les canaux existants mis en place par les autorités israéliennes", a-t-il plaidé.

A la suite de l'abordage du Mavi Marmara et des pressions internationales, Israël a dû assouplir le blocus de Gaza, instauré en 2006.

Mais il a maintenu intact le blocus maritime et impose de strictes restrictions à la circulation des biens et des personnes via son territoire. (AFP 29 mai 2011)

Ankara est prête à contribuer aux initiatives pour une solution en Libye

La Turquie est prête à contribuer aux initiatives pour une solution en Libye mais n'a "pour l'instant pas eu de dialogue spécifique" avec l'Afrique du Sud dont le chef de l'Etat, Jacob Zuma, se rendra lundi à Tripoli, a indiqué à l'AFP un responsable turc.

La Turquie a de nouveau demandé lundi à Kadhafi de quitter le pouvoir, à l'occasion d'une première visite à Ankara du chef du Conseil national de transition (CNT) qui fédère la rébellion libyenne, Moustapha Abdeljalil.
Lundi, la Turquie avait de nouveau demandé à Kadhafi de quitter le pouvoir, à l'occasion d'une première visite à Ankara du chef du Conseil national de transition (CNT) qui fédère la rébellion libyenne, Moustapha Abdeljalil.

"La Turquie a annoncé une +feuille de route+ et l'a présenté aux organisations internationales dont l'Union africaine, nous sommes prêts à contribuer à toute initiative en vue de la paix" en Libye, a souligné le responsable gouvernemental.

M. Zuma "s'arrêtera le 30 mai à Tripoli pour discuter avec le leader libyen Mouammar Kadhafi, en tant que membre du Panel de haut niveau de l'Union africaine pour la résolution du conflit libyen", selon un communiqué de ses services.

"Le but est de discuter d'une stratégie de sortie pour Mouammar Kadhafi", a ajouté à l'AFP une source anonyme au sein de la présidence.

"Nous travaillons avec le gouvernement turc à ce sujet", a précisé une seconde source anonyme au sein de la présidence sud-africaine.

A ce sujet, le responsable turc a souligné que "pour l'instant il n'y a pas eu de dialogue spécifique" entre Ankara et Pretoria mais n'a pas exclu un contact d'ici la visite du président sud-africain.

Il a cependant exclu une visite lundi à Tripoli du chef de la diplomatie turque, Ahmet Davutoglu, car celui-ci mène campagne pour les élections législatives du 12 juin prochain en Turquie.

Le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU a adopté le 17 mars une résolution qui a autorisé l'usage de la force en Libye contre le régime libyen pour protéger les civils.

La coalition menée par l'Otan, qui a intensifié mardi ses bombardements sur Tripoli, a reconnu vouloir précipiter la chute de Mouammar Kadhafi. (AFP, 25 mai 2011)

Une troupe de théâtre israélienne annule des spectacles

Une troupe de théâtre israélienne a annulé des spectacles prévus dans le cadre d'un festival de théâtre en Turquie, de crainte d'être visée par des groupes anti-israéliens, ont rapporté lundi les médias turcs.

La troupe israélienne Cameri a annulé deux représentations ce week-end à un festival international organisé par le théâtre national turc à Antalya (sud, sur la Méditerranée) après des informations selon laquelle des groupes islamistes avaient prévu de perturber les spectacles, selon les journaux.

Environ 200 manifestants se sont réunis dimanche devant le théâtre d'Antalya pour manifester contre la troupe qui pourtant avait déjà quitté la Turquie, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.

"Israël lâche, quitte notre pays!", ont scandé les manifestants qui portaient des drapeaux palestiniens aux cris d'"Allah Akbar", précise l'agence.

Selon le journal Habertürk, des responsables de la sécurité de l'ambassade d'Israël à Ankara ont conseillé au directeur du théâtre Cameri d'annuler ses représentations de la pièce "Thrill my heart" pour des raisons de sécurité.

La Turquie et Israël, ex-alliés régionaux, ont vu leurs relations se dégrader après l'offensive israélienne contre la bande de Gaza, contrôlée par le mouvement islamiste Hamas, en hiver 2008-2009.

Les rapports ont pris un nouveau coup après le raid militaire meurtrier mené l'an dernier par Israël contre un convoi humanitaire maritime pour Gaza.

Le 31 mai 2010, des soldats israéliens ont tué neuf Turcs dans les eaux internationales, lors d'un raid sur le ferry Mavi Marmara, navire amiral d'une flottille qui voulait briser le blocus imposé par Israël à Gaza.

Une nouvelle flottille internationale prendra la mer dans la dernière semaine de juin, de différents ports, pour acheminer de l'aide humanitaire à Gaza, a annoncé vendredi l'ONG islamiste turque IHH, co-organisatrice du projet de convoi. (AFP, 23 mai 2011)


La Turquie met en garde Israël avant le départ d'une flottille vers Gaza

La Turquie a mis en garde Israël samedi contre toute intervention contre une nouvelle flottille humanitaire qui doit partir vers Gaza en juin, après le raid militaire meurtrier mené l'an dernier par ce pays contre un premier convoi.

"Il faut savoir que la Turquie apportera la réponse appropriée à la répétition de tout acte de provocation en haute mer par Israël", a déclaré le ministre turc des affaires étrangères Ahmet Davutoglu, dans une interview à la télévision NTV.

"Ceux qui pensent que la Turquie doit prendre certaines mesures pour stopper (cette nouvelle flottille) doivent tout d'abord enjoindre Israël de ne pas répéter la tragédie qu'il a causée l'an dernier", a-t-il ajouté.

Le 31 mai dernier, des soldats israéliens avaient tué neuf Turcs, dont un Américano-turc, dans les eaux internationales, lors d'un raid sur le ferry
Mavi Marmara, navire amiral d'une flottille humanitaire qui voulait briser le blocus imposé par Israël à Gaza.

Cette opération avait déclenché des protestations internationales, et la Turquie avait déclaré que les relations avec son ancien allié dans la région ne seraient "plus jamais les mêmes".

Une nouvelle flottille internationale de 15 navires prendra la mer dans la dernière semaine de juin, de différents ports, pour acheminer de l'aide humanitaire à Gaza, a affirmé vendredi l'ONG islamiste turque IHH, co-organisatrice du projet.

Interrogé sur le point de savoir si la Turquie entendait dissuader ces militants pro-palestiniens ou islamistes de partir, M. Davutoglu a répondu: "Nous n'avons jamais encouragé aucun convoi. Nous avons fait part de nos points de vue à toutes les parties concernées, concernant la sécurité de nos citoyens. Ce fut le cas l'an dernier et c'est la même chose cette fois-ci".

Il a affirmé que son gouvernement "ne peut pas donner d'instructions à des représentants de la société civile" et que le blocus "illégal" imposé par Israël sur Gaza est à l'origine du problème.

La Turquie, qui a rappelé son ambassadeur à Tel Aviv après l'incident meurtrier de l'an dernier, demande à Israël des excuses et des compensations pour les familles des victimes. (AFP, 21 mai 2011)

Ankara condamne les violences près d'une mosquée bulgare

La Turquie a condamné une attaque lancée vendredi par des ultranationalistes bulgares à l'extérieur d'une mosquée en Bulgarie, avertissant contre la montée de l'islamophobie en Europe.

"Nous espérons que les auteurs et les instigateurs de cette attaque contre la liberté de culte (...) seront rapidement arrêtés et sanctionnés", a indiqué le ministère des Affaires étrangères dans un communiqué publié vendredi soir.

"L'apathie générale contre le racisme, la xénophobie, le nationalisme et l'islamophobie qui montent en Europe (...) permettent des incidents comme l'attaque méprisable à Sofia", selon le texte.

Un homme musulman et cinq policiers ont été blessés vendredi dans des affrontements entre des militants du parti ultranationaliste bulgare Ataka et des musulmans à l'extérieur d'une mosquée dans le centre de Sofia, selon le ministère bulgare de l'Intérieur. Deux militants d'Ataka ont été arrêtés selon le ministère.

Les manifestants d'extrême droite ont tenté de couvrir le traditionnel appel à la prière avec des slogans provocateurs et ont lancé des pierres aux musulmans agenouillés à l'extérieur sur leurs tapis de prière, selon un photographe de l'AFP.

Le parti ultranationaliste Ataka, au discours ouvertement antiturc, est entré pour la première fois au Parlement bulgare en 2005 et a obtenu 21 sièges (sur 240) aux législatives de 2009. Ataka soutient le gouvernement conservateur minoritaire, mais il a menacé de retirer ce soutien après l'arrestation de militants du parti vendredi. (AFP, 21 mai 2011)


Ankara estime qu'il est encore temps de faire des réformes en Syrie

La Turquie a estimé samedi que la Syrie peut encore résoudre pacifiquement la grave crise qu'elle traverse, si elle lance des "réformes drastiques et de grande ampleur", avertissant cependant que "le temps presse".

Le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères Ahmet Davutoglu a lancé cet appel alors que, selon des militants des droits de l'Homme, 44 personnes ont été tuées vendredi lors de manifestations en Syrie, dernier épisode de la révolte qui se poursuit dans ce pays depuis mars.

"Il y a encore une chance pour une transition pacifique et stable en Syrie", si des "réformes drastiques et de grande ampleur" sont lancées, "à un rythme et selon l'envergure souhaités par le peuple", a déclaré M. Davutoglu dans une interview à la télévision NTV.

"Le temps presse", a-t-il ajouté.

"S'ils persistent dans la méthode qui consiste à faire appel aux forces de sécurité pour réprimer les protestations sans introduire des réformes concrètes... il pourrait y avoir des conséquences très négatives, qui nous attristeraient tous", a-t-il ajouté.

La Turquie entretient des relations diplomatiques et commerciales étroites avec la Syrie, et le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan fait souvent référence à son "ami" le Président syrien Bachar al-Assad.

Ankara redoute un éclatement politique de la Syrie, qui ferait tâche d'huile sur la Turquie, en entraînant l'afflux sur son sol de réfugiés syriens. (AFP, 21 mai 2011)

Anniversaire de la "Nakba": manifestations contre Israël en Turquie

Quelques centaines de Turcs réunis à l'appel d'organisations islamistes ont manifesté dimanche leur hostilité à l'Etat d'Israël à l'occasion des commémorations de la "Nakba" (catastrophe), l'exode des Palestiniens qui a suivi la création de l'Etat d'Israël en 1948.

A Istanbul, environ 150 manifestants ont défilé devant le consulat d'Israël aux cris de "maudit soit Israël" et "prépare toi Israël, le Mavi Marmara arrive", a constaté un photographe de l'AFP.

Une centaine de personnes ont également protesté devant la résidence de l'ambassadeur d'Israël à Ankara, où elles ont déposé une gerbe funéraire noire, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Le Mavi Marmara, navire affrété par une organisation humanitaire islamiste turque, était le navire amiral d'une flotille internationale qui entendait forcer le blocus imposé par Israël à Gaza, et a été pris d'assaut par les commandos israéliens de 31 mai 2010 dans les eaux internationales.

Neuf Turcs ont perdu la vie dans l'opération, qui a provoqué la réprobation internationale et porté un coup sévère aux relations bilatérales entre la Turquie et l'Israël.

Le Mavi Marmara doit participer fin juin à une nouvelle flotille pour Gaza.

La "Nakba" s'est traduite par l'exode de quelque 760.000 Palestiniens, point de départ de la question des réfugiés, actuellement au nombre de 4,8 millions avec leurs descendants, répartis pour l'essentiel entre la Jordanie, la Syrie, le Liban et les territoires palestiniens. (AFP, 15 mai 2011)

Mavi Marmara: la justice turque réclame à Israël les noms des responsables

La justice turque a réclamé à Israël les noms des responsables de l'assaut par l'armée israélienne d'une flotille humanitaire à destination de Gaza, qui avait coûté la vie à neuf Turcs à bord du Mavi Marmara en mai 2010, a rapporté samedi le quotidien pro-gouvernemental Zaman.

Selon ce journal, le procureur général d'Istanbul a transmis aux autorités israéliennes via les ministères turcs de la Justice et des Affaires étrangères une lettre dans laquelle il réclame les noms et adresses des commandos qui ont mené l'assaut et ceux des responsables politiques et militaires impliqués.

Le procureur réclame ces informations dans le cadre d'une enquête pour meurtre prémédité qui désigne déjà comme suspects le président israélien Shimon Peres, le Premier ministre Benjamin Netanyahu, le ministre de la Défense Ehud Barak et le chef de la diplomatie Avigdor Lieberman, affirme Zaman.

Le 31 mai 2010, un raid militaire israélien contre le Mavi Marmara de l'organisation islamiste turque IHH, navire amiral d'une flottille humanitaire qui entendait forcer le blocus imposé par Israël à Gaza, avait causé la mort de neuf ressortissants turcs, dont un ayant la double nationalité américaine et turque, dans les eaux internationales.

Le drame avait provoqué la réprobation internationale, et le président turc Abdullah Gül avait affirmé que les relations bilatérales ne seraient "plus jamais les mêmes".

le départ d'une nouvelle flotille internationale à destination de Gaza à laquelle devrait participer le Mavi Marmara, est attendue dans la deuxième quinzaine de juin. (AFP, 14 mai 2011)

Erdogan: "trop tôt" pour dire si le président syrien doit partir

La Turquie estime qu'il est "trop tôt" pour dire si le président syrien Bachar al-Assad doit partir, s'en tenant à la grande prudence qu'elle observe vis-à-vis de son voisin syrien depuis le début de la révolte populaire sans précédent dans ce pays.

Décrivant le président syrien comme un "ami", le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a affirmé, dans une interview diffusée jeudi soir par la télévision américaine Bloomberg, que son pays avait préconisé des réformes en Syrie avant même le début de la révolte dans ce pays.

"Il s'est mis en retard (pour des réformes). J'espére qu'il va rapidement prendre de telles mesures et s'unir avec son peuple, parce que toutes les fois que je me rends en Syrie, je suis témoin de l'affection populaire dont jouit Bachar al-Assad", a ajouté M. Erdogan.

Interrogé sur le point de savoir si M. Assad devrait quitter le pouvoir, M. Erdogan a répondu: "Il est trop tôt aujourd'hui pour prendre une décision, parce que la décision finale sera prise par le peuple syrien... l'unité et l'intégrité de la Syrie doivent être préservées."

L'an dernier, a-t-il dit, il a eu de "longues conversations" avec M. Assad sur la nécessité de lever l'état d'urgence, de libérer les prisonniers politiques, de changer le système électoral et d'autoriser le multipartisme.

"Je lui avais même dit: +Au besoin, envoyez-nous des gens à vous, nous leur montrerons+ comment s'organise un parti politique, et comment on communique avec la population", a ajouté M. Erdogan.

"Nous étions d'accord sur ce sujet, mais les choses ont traîné, et l'effet domino (des révoltes arabes) a touché aussi la Syrie", a-t-il dit.

La Turquie estime que son système politique, vanté par certains comme le mariage réussi de la démocratie et de l'islam, avec un parti au pouvoir issu de la mouvance islamiste, peut être une "source d'inspiration" pour les régimes arabes aujourd'hui contestés.

La Turquie entretient des liens étroits avec la Syrie depuis la fin d'une longue brouille, il y a plusieurs années.

Les deux pays, qui ont une frontière de plus de 800 km, ont récemment supprimé les visas et le volume commercial bilatéral a triplé en dix ans, atteignant 2,5 milliards de dollars en 2010.

Ankara a déjà indiqué qu'il était opposé à une intervention étrangère dans ce pays, qui doit régler lui-même ses problèmes.

Le mois dernier, des émissaires turcs sont allés à Damas tenter de persuader les dirigeants syriens de mener rapidement des réformes.

La Turquie craint que les troubles en Syrie fassent tache d'huile, des rebelles kurdes étant présents des deux côtés de la frontière.

Elle redoute aussi l'arrivée éventuelle de réfugiés syriens sur son sol, après l'arrivée, fin avril, d'un groupe de 200 villageois.

Dans son entretien à Bloomberg, M. Erdogan s'est par ailleurs réjoui de la signature de l'accord entre le Hamas et le Fatah palestiniens, la semaine dernière.

"Je suis très content", a-t-il dit, "la paix au Proche Orient commencera par une paix interne à la Palestine", a-t-il dit.

M. Erdogan, qui dirige un gouvernement islamo-conservateur, a aussi répété qu'il ne considère pas le Hamas comme un mouvement terroriste, mais comme "un parti politique (...) un mouvement de résistance qui tente de protèger son pays sous occupation" israélienne. (AFP, 13 mai 2011)

Turquie/Israël: situation bloquée près d'un an après le drame du Mavi Marmara

Près d'un an après le drame du ferry Mavi Marmara où des soldats israéliens avaient tué neuf Turcs, les relations entre la Turquie et Israël sont au point mort, alors que le départ prévu en juin d'une nouvelle flottille d'aide à Gaza risque de jeter de l'huile sur le feu.

Une série de réunions entre responsables israéliens et turcs, dont deux à Genève, à la fin de l'an dernier, pour tenter de recoller les morceaux entre les deux pays, jadis proches alliés dans la région, n'a pas abouti, a indiqué à l'AFP une source diplomatique turque.

Et les propositions faites aux deux pays par une commission de l'ONU présidée par Geoffrey Palmer, ancien Premier ministre néo-zélandais, "n'ont pas mis d'accord les deux parties", selon la même source.

Le journal turc Hürriyet Daily News affirme vendredi qu'Ankara menace même de se retirer de cette commission d'enquête.

Le 31 mai 2010, un raid militaire israélien contre le Mavi Marmara de l'organisation islamiste turque IHH, navire amiral d'une flottille humanitaire qui entendait forcer le blocus imposé par Israël à Gaza, avait tué neuf ressortissants turcs, dont un ayant la double nationalité américaine et turque, dans les eaux internationales.

Le drame avait provoqué la réprobation internationale, et le président turc Abdullah Gül avait juré que les relations bilatérales ne seraient "plus jamais les mêmes".

L'ambassadeur turc à Tel Aviv, immédiatement rappelé, n'est pas retourné à son poste, et Israël n'a toujours pas accepté la demande d'excuses et de compensations formulée par Ankara.

En décembre, Özdem Sanberk, membre de la commission de l'ONU et participant aux discussions de Genève, avait expliqué à l'AFP que la réconciliation entre les deux pays achoppait sur les "excuses" réclamées par Ankara.

Près d'un an plus tard, la situation sur ce chapitre reste bloquée, selon une source diplomatique turque.

Car pour Israël, présenter des excuses reviendrait à reconnaître une faute, ce qui pourrait entraîner des poursuites contre ses soldats.

Au-delà de ces négociations, une amélioration des relations bilatérales est peu probable avant les élections législatives du 12 juin en Turquie, où la campagne électorale exacerbe les sentiments nationalistes, estime la presse.

Cette dernière rappelle aussi l'hostilité turque à l'égard du chef de la diplomatie israélienne, l'ultra-nationaliste Avigdor Lieberman, considéré comme l'artisan principal du torpillage des discussions de Genève.

Israël devrait se "débarrasser" de M. Lieberman, avait lancé en janvier le Premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, dont le parti est issu de la mouvance islamiste.

Et la tension pourrait bientôt croître si un groupe d'associations pro-palestiniennes ou islamistes parvient à organiser une nouvelle flottille internationale d'aide humanitaire vers Gaza.

Au moins "une dizaine de bateaux, qui transporteront des vivres et des passagers, partiront de plusieurs ports européens, dont Marseille, dans la troisième semaine de juin", a expliqué à l'AFP Ouassima Ibn Salah, de IHH.

Le Mavi Marmara prendra part à cette opération, mais on ignore pour l'instant s'il partira de Turquie, a-t-elle ajouté.

Cette opération internationale, baptisée "Freedom Flottilla II", rassemble notamment les branches grecque et suédoise de l'association "Ship to Gaza", des associations italienne, espagnole (Rumbo a Gaza), suisse et malaisienne.

Israël a d'ores et déja demandé à la Turquie et à l'Union européenne de s'opposer à l'envoi de cette flottille. (AFP, 13 mai 2011)

Anti-Israel protest held prior to UN conference in Istanbul

A group of protesters from the Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association demonstrated Sunday against Israeli participants who arrived in Turkey to attend a U.N. conference.

“The Zionist Israeli state that stained the whole world in order to serve its own interests is one of the most responsible parties behind world poverty and tears,” said İsmail Yılmaz, the chairman of the association, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Spoke before the group, which gathered in front of the Harbiye Military Museum in Istanbul, Yılmaz claimed Israel and those who collaborated with it were responsible for exploiting the resources of the countries that are the subject of this week’s 4th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, or LDC-IV.

He added that the development of Palestine, which has all the resources it needs, was also being hindered by Israel and its allies.

“This embargo is a dark spot in world history. All the people of Gaza are being held in an open-air prison. The foremost responsibility that stands before the United Nations is the lifting of this embargo,” said Yılmaz. (Daily News, May 9, 2011)

Erdogan change de ton et appelle Kadhafi à partir "immédiatement"

La Turquie, pays musulman de l'Otan, a appelé mardi, par la voix de son Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, le dirigeant libyen Mouammar Kadhafi a "immédiatement" quitter le pouvoir et la Libye pour mettre un terme à l'effusion de sang dans son pays.

"Nous souhaitons que le leader libyen quitte la Libye et cède le pouvoir immédiatement, pour lui et l'avenir de son pays, afin de ne plus provoquer davantage d'effusion de sang, de larmes et de destruction", a dit M. Erdogan devant la presse.

Jusqu'à présent, la Turquie, dirigée par un gouvernement islamo-conservateur qui avait avant la révolte libyenne de bonnes relations avec le régime de Tripoli, s'était abstenue de demander le départ du colonel Kadhafi, tout en dialoguant avec l'opposition dans l'espoir d'initier une trêve entre belligérants.

Plus de six semaines après l'intervention le 19 mars d'une coalition internationale en Libye pour mettre un terme, sous mandat de l'ONU, à la répression sanglante de la contestation du régime de Kadhafi, le groupe de contact sur la Libye tiendra une nouvelle réunion, jeudi à Rome.

La Turquie sera représentée à cette réunion par son ministre des Affaires étrangères, Ahmet Davutoglu.

La Turquie, acteur régional qui a de gros intérêts économiques en Libye, s'est efforcée de jouer les intermédiaires dans ce pays, mais ses démarches se sont soldées par un échec, a reconnu M. Erdogan.

"Nos initiatives n'ont malheureusement pas été prises en compte par l'administration de Tripoli (...) Kadhafi, au lieu d'écouter nos conseils en faveur d'un arrêt de l'effusion de sang, a choisi l'oppression, la souffrance et les attaques contre son propre peuple", a regretté le chef du gouvernement turc.

"Nous voulons lui rappeler qu'il lui faut faire ce pas inévitable (partir) pour ne pas revivre ces souffrances", a souligné M. Erdogan, rappelant la mort d'un des fils du dirigeant libyen et de trois de ses petits-enfants, tués samedi par une frappe aérienne.

La Turquie, qui s'est déclarée opposée aux frappes aériennes en Libye, participe avec une force navale à la mission internationale de l'Otan chargée de faire respecter l'embargo d'armes imposé au régime libyen. Elle a proposé début avril une "feuille de route" préconisant la mise en place d'un cessez-le-feu urgent entre les parties belligérantes.

"Une période nouvelle est ouverte maintenant dans l'histoire de la Libye, les mots n'ont plus cours. Le dirigeant libyen doit prendre ses responsabilités (...) et remettre le pouvoir au peuple libyen", a souligné M. Erdogan, ajoutant: "La Libye n'appartient pas à une personne ou a une famille, elle appartient aux Libyens".

Ankara a annoncé lundi avoir temporairement fermé son ambassade à Tripoli après des troubles dimanche dans cette ville visant des ambassades.

Sa représentation à Benghazi, la "capitale" de l'insurrection, reste ouverte et M. Erdogan a précisé mardi que son gouvernement resterait en "étroite coopération" avec le Conseil national de transition (CNT), l'opposition libyenne. (AFP, 3 mai 2011)

Ankara se félicite de la mort de Ben Laden

Le président turc Abdullah Gül s'est félicité lundi de la mort du chef d'Al-Qaïda Oussama Ben Laden, tué au Pakistan par un commando américain.

"J'accueille avec grande satisfaction sa mort", a-t-il dit devant la presse à l'aéroport d'Ankara, avant de partir pour une visite d'Etat en Autriche.

"La façon dont il a été éliminé doit servir d'exemple à tout le monde", a-t-il ajouté, dans une menace voilée contre les extrémistes.

Le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères Ahmet Davutoglu, se fécilitant lui aussi de la mort de Ben Laden, s'en est pris à ce dernier pour avoir "mené des actions extrémistes destructrices" ayant permis à "ceux qui veulent exploiter le grand héritage musulman", de faire un amalgame entre islam et extrémisme.

Il a souligné que le gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc s'est toujours opposé à ceux qui tentent d'établir un lien entre "islam et terrorisme".

"La Turquie, qui a souffert aussi de ce terrorisme (...) continuera d'être solidaire avec la communauté internationale dans le combat contre le terrorisme international", a-t-il dit.

En annonçant la mort de Ben Laden, le président américain Barack Obama a affirmé que "les Etats-Unis ne sont pas en guerre contre l'islam et ne le seront jamais". "Ben Laden n'était pas un dirigeant musulman, ll a tué énormément de musulmans", a-t-il dit.

La Turquie, pays très majoritairement musulman mais laïque, lutte depuis plusieurs années contre le réseau Al-Qaïda, et la police turque procède régulièrement à des arrestations dans les milieux islamistes extrémistes.

Une cellule turque d'Al-Qaïda a été tenue par les autorités pour responsable d'attentats commis à Istanbul en novembre 2003 contre deux synagogues, le consulat britannique et la banque britannique HSBC, qui avaient fait 63 morts, dont le consul britannique. (AFP, 2 mai 2011)


La Turquie se prépare à une vague éventuelle de refugiés syriens

Le Croissant Rouge turc a envoyé des secours à la frontière syrienne pour aider d'éventuels nouveaux réfugiés syriens après l'arrivée d'un premier contingent vendredi, et à Ankara, les autorités ont examiné la situation en Syrie, pays en proie à une révolte.

Cette aide d'urgence a été envoyée dans la province de Hatay, qui borde la Syrie, pour "aider ceux qui sont passés de Syrie en Turquie et pour répondre à tout besoin humanitaire éventuel", selon le Croissant Rouge.

Elle comprend plus de 1.000 tentes, 8.500 couvertures, des équipements pour faire la cuisine pour 10.000 personnes, plus de 400 lits et des vivres, selon un communiqué de l'organisation, dont fait état Anatolie.

Le Croissant Rouge fournira des vivres à 300 personnes, capacité qui sera accrue si nécessaire.

Plus de 200 Syriens scandant "Nous voulons la démocratie !" sont entrés vendredi en Turquie, où ils ont été pris en charge par les autorités de la ville de Yayladagi (province de Hatay).

Inquiètes des troubles en Syrie, ces personnes, parmi lesquelles des femmes et des enfants, venaient des villages situés de l'autre côté de la frontière.

Les forces de sécurité turques ont interrompu la progression du groupe qui avait pénétré de quelques mètres en territoire turc, puis les villageois ont été accueillis dans une salle de sports.

Au total, 500 Syriens ont demandé à rester en Turquie, mais seulement 252 ont été autorisés à le faire, a déclaré le gouverneur local, Celallettin Lekesiz, à la presse samedi.

Le groupe est constitué de Turkmènes, une communauté d'origine turque, selon le quotidien turc Milliyet.

Des responsables militaires et du renseignement turcs ont rencontré vendredi soir le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Ahmet Davutoglu, et ont parlé de l'éventualité d'une vague de réfugiés syriens en Turquie, a indiqué Anatolie, sans autre précision.

M. Davutoglu a expliqué à la presse qu'il s'était entretenu à deux reprises avec son homologue syrien vendredi soir par téléphone, et il a assuré qu'il n'avait pas l'intention de réimposer les visas d'entrée en Turquie pour les Syriens.

"Il n'en est pas question", a-t-il souligné.

Depuis le 15 mars, la Syrie est secouée par un large mouvement de contestation politique sans précédent, réprimé dans le sang. Selon les défenseurs des droits de l'homme et les opposants, plusieurs centaines de civils ont été tués.

La Turquie redoute que ces troubles ne portent atteinte à des relations bilatérales étroites et qu'ils n'aient des conséquences sur la sécurité intérieure turque.

Un responsable turc a déclaré cette semaine à l'AFP qu'un afflux de réfugiés syriens en Turquie représenterait un risque pour la sécurité.

"Il serait difficile de faire la différence entre les civils et les gens du PKK", a expliqué ce responsable, évoquant les militants du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), les rebelles kurdes de Turquie qui bénéficient de soutiens parmi les Kurdes de Syrie.

Des émissaires turcs se sont rendus jeudi à Damas pour tenter de persuader le régime baassiste syrien de mettre en oeuvre des réformes. Ils ont rencontré le président Bachar al-Assad et le Premier ministre Adel Safar, a indiqué à l'AFP une source diplomatique turque.

Le chef du gouvernement turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, s'était entretenu mardi au téléphone avec le président syrien, pour, avait-il dit, lui faire part de "notre inquiétude, nos craintes, notre inconfort face aux récents événements".

Jeudi, le Conseil national de sécurité (MGK), regroupant les dirigeants civils et militaires turcs, a demandé à Damas des "gestes urgents et déterminés pour instaurer la paix sociale et la stabilité" en Syrie. (AFP, 1 mai 2011)


Chypre et la Grèce / Cyprus and Greece

La coalition au pouvoir confirmée par les législatives

Les partis communiste Akel et centre-droit Diko, membres d'une coalition parlementaire, devraient garder la majorité des sièges à l'issue des législatives dimanche à Chypre, organisées à quelques semaines d'une nouvelle séance de négociations sur la réunification de l'île.

Alors que la Constitution chypriote attribue un fort pouvoir au président, ce scrutin était surtout considéré comme un moyen d'évaluer le soutien au président communiste Demetris Christofias, en particulier sur les pourparlers avec la République turque de Chypre Nord (RTCN, reconnue uniquement par Ankara). Akel a remporté 32,67% des suffrages, gagnant 1,36 point par rapport à 2006, tandis que son partenaire Diko (Democratic Party), en léger recul (-2,2 points), en a réuni 15,77%.

La coalition devrait ainsi conserver la majorité des 56 sièges du Parlement, bien que le parti d'opposition de droite Disy ait renforcé sa position et devancé Akel. Disy (Democratic Rally) a rassemblé 34,27% des voix, en hausse de 3,75 points par rapport à 2006. Le taux d'absentéisme s'est élevé à 21,32%, un chiffre jamais atteint lors de législatives, alors même que le vote est obligatoire sur cette île qui compte 531.463 électeurs.

 M. Christofias doit rencontrer le dirigeant de la RTCN Dervis Eroglu le 7 juillet à Genève pour des discussions encadrées par le secrétaire général des Nations unies, Ban Ki-moon. Samedi, le patron de l'ONU a annoncé un report de cette réunion prévue initialement en juin, et exprimé sa frustration croissante devant l'absence d'avancées dans les négociations entre les deux hommes, en leur rappelant "la nécessité d'accélérer les progrès" en vue d'une réunification de l'île.

Chypre est divisée depuis juillet 1974, lorsque la Turquie a envahi le nord de l'île à la suite d'un coup d'Etat fomenté par des nationalistes hypriotes-grecs soutenus par la junte des colonels alors au pouvoir à Athènes et visant à rattacher le pays à la Grèce. (Reuters, 23 mai 2011)


Immigration / Migration

La Belgique durcit les règles du regroupement familial... pour les Belges

Les députés belges ont adopté une proposition de loi durcissant les règles du regroupement familial visant implicitement les Belges originaires du Maroc et de Turquie, mais qui, en introduisant cette distinction entre les Belges, pourrait être retoquée par la Cour constitutionnelle.

Après plusieurs heures de débats houleux, les députés ont approuvé cette proposition dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi. Le texte, une initiative du parti indépendantiste flamand N-VA, a été adopté par quatre partis flamands et par le parti libéral francophone MR.

Il fixe pour les Belges les mêmes règles de regroupement que pour les ressortissants de pays non européens vivant en Belgique.

Ainsi, les Belges pourront encore faire venir leurs conjoints et enfants mineurs, mais plus leurs ascendants (parents), alors que les ressortissants de l'UE résidant en Belgique pourront continuer à le faire en vertu de la législation européenne.

Les Belges, tout comme les ressortissants non européens, devront en outre pouvoir justifier des revenus équivalent à 120% du "revenu d'intégration" (aide sociale), contre 100% pour les citoyens des autres pays de l'UE.

L'objectif officiel de la loi est de lutter contre les abus du regroupement familial, les filières d'immigration et les mariages blancs.

Mais si les partisans du texte "ne l'avouent pas à voix haute, cette discrimination est avant tout dirigée contre les Belges d'origine marocaine et turque", explique vendredi le journal La Libre Belgique.

Une député libérale francophone, Jacqueline Galant, a pourtant été explicite: "Je ne suis pas contre cette différence de traitement car les Belges qui procèdent au regroupement familial sont à 70% d'origine marocaine et turque", a-t-elle déclaré au quotidien Le Soir.

Le secrétaire d'Etat à l'Asile et à l'Immigration, Melchior Wathelet, a critiqué une discrimination "injustifiable" entre Belges.

Les Belges "qui partent pour un temps limité dans un autre pays européen pourront bénéficier de la directive européenne qui permet le regroupement avec les ascendants", mais pas ceux qui restent en Belgique, a-t-il souligné, alors que la Constitution du royaume garantit l'égalité des droits entre tous les Belges. (AFP 27 mai 2011)


Installation spéciale à Bruxelles du Monument de l'Humanité détruit en Turquie

L'écrivain Kenan Görgün organise à Bruxelles un acte de solidarité avec le sculpteur Mehmet Aksoy dont l'œuvre a été détruite sur ordre du gouvernement turc.

La reconstitution symbolique du Monument de l’Humanité du sculpteur se déroulera le vendredi 20 mai à 19h dans le cadre du Festival Checkpoint.

La statue, composée de deux individus, sera reconstituée à l'entrée du Festival et les visiteurs passeront entre ces statues frères.

Le Centre bruxellois d'action interculturelle (CBAI) fait appel pour le soutien à "cette initiative qui se veut à la fois un appel pour l’amitié et la fraternité entre les peuples et une vive protestation contre le mépris affiché par les autorités politiques turques pour la création et la liberté d’expression."

Vendredi 20 mai à partir de 19h
Sazz’n’jazz – rue Royale 241 – 1210 Bruxelles

Entrée libre

Programme complet du Festival: http://www.cbai.be/resource/file/Evenements/CHECKPOINT_2011_press.pdf

Infos : Kenan Görgün - funkerhouz@yahoo.fr
tanju.goban@cbai.be

Roj-TV: pour la N-VA, Leterme ne peut être au service de la Turquie

L'eurodéputée N-VA Frieda Brepoels a jugé mercredi que le premier ministre Yves Leterme (CD&V) ne pouvait être "au service" du gouvernement turc et nuire à la liberté d'expression et la liberté de la presse dans ce pays.

Frida Brepoels réagit ainsi à l'annonce, lundi à Istanbul, par le premier ministre démissionnaire de sa volonté de créer un dialogue à niveau ministériel entre les deux pays pour discuter de questions de sécurité, et notamment des activités en Belgique de Roj-TV, une télévision kurde qui dispose de studios à Denderleeuw, en Flandre orientale.

Début 2010, cette télévision avait d'ailleurs fait l'objet d'une descente d'enquêteurs belges.

"Plusieurs mois plus tard, l'enquête est toujours en cours, et aucune inculpation n'a été prononcée", souligne Frida Brepoels, selon qui Roj-TV exprime sans violence la voix kurde.

"Le ciblage de ce canal important d'informations pour les Kurdes dans notre pays est inacceptable, car la Turquie n'apprécie pas la liberté de la presse", estime-t-elle.

Selon l'élue nationaliste flamande, il est d'ailleurs urgent que la Belgique et les autres pays européens adoptent une attitude bien plus critique envers la Turquie. (kurdish-info.eu, 13 mai 2011)

Leterme souhaite une plus proche collaboration policière avec la Turquie

Le Premier ministre Yves Leterme (CD&V) souhaite réunir "aussi vite que possible" les ministres belges et turcs en charge des Affaires étrangères, de l'Intérieur et de la Justice pour améliorer les politiques de circulation des personnes et la sécurité, a-t-il indiqué lundi à Istanbul à l'issue d'une rencontre avec son homologue turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Comme à chaque rencontre avec des officiels belges, le Premier ministre turc a à nouveau demandé lundi à la Belgique d'adopter une attitude plus ferme vis-à-vis des rebelles kurdes du PKK, et ce une semaine après que son convoi a été pris pour cible par des tireurs inconnus dans le nord du pays.

Yves Leterme a proposé à son homologue de discuter du dossier du PKK, de Roj TV (la télé kurde établie en Belgique) et de Fehriye Erdal lors d'une rencontre bilatérale regroupant les ministres des Affaires étrangères, de l'Intérieur et de la Justice.

Une réunion similaire s'est déjà tenue en mars dernier, mais au niveau de fonctionnaires seulement. Le Premier ministre souhaite maintenant l'organiser au niveau ministériel. "Je pense que cela marchera", a déclaré Yves Leterme.

Selon lui, cette réunion serait également l'occasion pour les ministres d'aborder d'autres dossiers tant les liens entre la Belgique et la Turquie sont devenus importantes, mais aussi la politique de visa, la réadmission d'illégaux ou les entraves qui subsistent dans les deux pays à la libre circulation des hommes d'affaires. (Belga, 10 mai 2011)

La Turquie veut une libéralisation de la politique de visas de l'UE

Le président turc Abdullah Gül a appelé lundi l'Union européenne à libéraliser son régime de visas envers les citoyens turcs, au premier jour d'une visite d'Etat en Autriche.

Lors d'une conférence de presse conjointe avec son homologue autrichien Heinz Fischer, M. Gül s'est plaint que l'UE avait évoqué une abrogation des visas avec la Russie et l'Ukraine mais pas avec la Turquie. Une feuille de route a été signée par exemple avec Kiev en novembre.
 "C'est quelque chose qui discrédite l'Union européenne et non la Turquie", a-t-il déclaré.

D'après M. Gül, bien que la Turquie et l'UE disposent d'une union douanière depuis 1996, les hommes d'affaires turcs ont régulièrement des difficultés à obtenir des visas pour se rendre dans l'UE. Par exemple, ils ne peuvent pas parfois participer à des salons professionnels pour présenter leurs produits.

Le président turc, qui séjourne jusqu'à mercredi en Autriche, a plaidé une nouvelle fois pour l'adhésion de son pays à l'UE, une perspective observée avec de grandes réticences par Vienne, à l'instar de Paris et Berlin.

M. Gül a suggéré que l'UE et l'Autriche, qui entretient d'étroites relations économiques avec Ankara, profiterait d'une adhésion de la Turquie avec son économie florissante.

"Ces négociations sont difficiles et personne, même la partie turque, ne peut prévoir leur issue", a souligné Heinz Fischer.

Les négociations pour une adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE sont dans l'impasse. A ce jour, seuls 13 des 35 chapitres thématiques qui jalonnent ces négociations ont été ouverts et un seul a pu être bouclé.

Les négociations piétinent en raison du blocage politique sur l'île divisée de Chypre, de l'opposition de la France et de l'Allemagne à une pleine adhésion turque, et du rythme des réformes en Turquie, jugé trop lent par les Européens.

Si la Turquie devait être admise in fine au sein de l'Union, l'Autriche a prévu l'organisation d'un référendum sur la question. (AFP, 2 mai 2011)



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