Info-Türk
Home Page
Info-Türk
Publications
Info-Türk
Subscription
Info-Türk
Abonnement
Info-Türk
Bulletins

INFO-TURK

38 rue des Eburons - 1000 Bruxelles
Tél: (32-2) 215 35 76 - Fax: (32-2) 215 58 60
E-mail:  info.turk@ping.be
 Chief Editor /Rédacteur en chef: Dogan Özgüden - Responsible editor/Editrice responsable: Inci Tugsavul


Earlier bulletins / Bulletins précédents

23e Année - N°248

April/Avril 1999

DEFINITIF RESULTS OF APRIL 18 ELECTIONS


(On the basis of the data given by the Higher Electoral Board, April 22, 1999)

PARTIES
1995 
(%)
1999 
(%)
DIFF 
(%)
DEPUTIES 
(550)
MAYORS 
(3173)
Nationalists:
22.82
41.51
+18.69
265
711
DSP (Democratic Left Party)
14.64
22.06
+7.42
136
187
MHP (Nationalist Action Party)
8.18
17.98
+9.80
129
499
BBP (Grand Union Party)
1.47
+1.47
-
25
Centre-right
39.62
27.03
-12.59
171
1505
ANAP (Motherland Party)
19.65
13.22
-6.43
86
761
DYP (Correct Way Party)
19.18
12.00
-7.18
85
726
DTP (Democratic Turkey Party)
-
0.58
+0.58
-
14
LDP (Liberal Democratic Party)
-
0.41
+0.41
-
-
DP (Democratic Party)
-
0.29
+0.29
-
4
MP (Nation Party)
0.45
0.26
-0.19
-
-
YDP (Rebirth Party)
0.34
0.15
-0.19
-
-
DEPAR (Party of Changing Turkey)
-
0;12
+0.12
-
-
Islamists
21.38
15.38
-6.00
111
492
FP (Virtue Party)
21.38
15.38
-6.00
111
492
Centre-Left
10.93
9.23
-1.70
-
371
CHP (Republican People's Party)
10.71
8.79
-1.92
-
365
BP (Peace Party)
-
0.25
+0.25
-
6
IP (Workers' Party)
0.22
0.19
-0.03
-
-
Socialist and/or Pro-Kurd
4.17
5.95
+1.78
-
41
HADEP (People's Democracy Party)
4.17
4.73
+0.56
-
39
ODP (Freedom and Solidarity Party)
-
0.84
+0.84
-
1
EMEP (Party of the Labour)
-
0.17
+0.17
-
-
SIP (Socialist Power Party)
-
0.13
+0.13
-
-
DBP (Democracy and Peace Party)
-
0.08
+0.08
-
1
Independents
0.93
  
3
53

LES LOUPS GRIS AU POUVOIR!

Le Premier ministre Bulent Ecevit qui flirtait avec l'extrême-droite et suivait une politique ultra-nationaliste et militariste depuis long temps a finalement remporté les législatives du 18 avril en Turquie avec 22,06% des voix. Son parti de la Gauche démocratique (DSP), qui n'avait recueilli que 14,64% aux législatives de 1995, est sorti du scrutin comme le premier parti du pays avec la mission de constituer un gouvernement de coalition avec l'extrême-droite.
 En effet, le DSP est immédiatement suivi par le parti d'extrême droite de l'Action nationaliste (MHP), parti des Loups Gris, à 17,98% (8,18% en 1995).
 Ainsi, deux partis nationalistes (DSP et MHP) constituent un bloc puissant à l'Assemblée nationale avec 265 députés (48,18%) sur 550. Sur le plan local, ce bloc, avec le troisième parti ultra-nationaliste (BBP), contrôle 711 mairies (22,40%) sur 3.173.
 A cause de la propagande ultra-nationaliste contre toutes les forces contestataires orchestrée par les militaires, le parti islamiste de la Vertu (Fazilet) a finalement été relégué en troisième position avec 15,38% des voix contre 21,38% du son prédécesseur RP en 1995. Aux municipales, en revanche, le Fazilet a maintenu sa position privilégiée, obtenant 492 mairies sur 3173 et conservant notamment les mairies d'Istanbul et d'Ankara, les deux plus grandes villes du pays, ainsi que celles de Kayseri et Konya (centre).
 Quant aux deux partis de la droite classique, à cause des querelles personnelles entre leurs leaders, ils sont sortis du scrutin comme les plus grands perdants : le parti de la Mère patrie (ANAP) de Mesut Yilmaz avec13,22% (contre 19,65% en 1995) et celui de la Juste Voie de Mme Tansu Ciller, avec 12,00% (contre 19,18%).
 Sur le plan législatif, ces deux frères ennemis ont obtenu 171 sièges sur 550 (31,10%) et, sur le plan local, 1.505 (47,43%) mairies sur 3173. Il est évident qu'ils pourraient avoir obtenu un nombre des sièges plus élevé s'ils avaient fait une alliance électorale avants le scrutin.
 La plus grande injustice de ces élections est ce que le système électoral anti-démocratique imposant la barre des 10% à l'échelle nationale a empêché la représentation dans le parlement de deux principaux partis d'opposition: le parti républicain du Peuple (CHP), centre-gauche et membre de l'International socialiste, et le parti démocratique du Peuple (HADEP).
 Le CHP n'a obtenu que 8,79% des voix contre 10,71% en 1995  aux élections législatives  et s'est effacé de l'Assemblée nationale dont il était fondateur dans les années 20. Toutefois, malgré l'échec historique sur le plan législatif, le CHP a obtenu 365 mairies sur 3173 dont trois grande Kocaeli, Gaziantep, Antalya.
 Le HADEP, malgré toute la pression de l'Etat, a, à l'echelle nationale, amélioreé légèrement son score avec 4,73% des voix contre 4,17% en 1995. Toutefois, il a fait un score incontestable dans les provinces kurdes: Hakkari (45,61%), Batman (44,88%), Diyarbakir (43%), Van (38,37%), Mus (37,38%), Siirt (36%), Agri (32%), Igdir (32%), Sirnak (26,58%), Mardin (19,36%) Urfa (15,59%), Bitlis (13,69%), Tunceli (13,53%), Bingol (12,42%).
 Si la barre nationale n'était pas si élevée, le HADEP aurait obtenu 31 sièges dans l'Assemblée nationale. A cause de cette injustice, les sièges du HADEP ont automatiquement été attribués aux partis nationalistes.
 Toutefois le HADEP a remporté une série de mairies dans les provinces à majorité kurde, théâtre de la lutte armée du PKK, dont celle de la plus grande ville de la région, Diyarbakir, ainsi que Van, Agri, Siirt, Hakkari, Batman et Bingol.
 Or, dans un procès à la Cour Constitutionnelle, le HADEP est accusé d'être la branche légale du PKK et ses dirigeants dont le président Murat Bozlak se trouvent toujours dans la prison.
 Si le HADEP peut obtenir ce score significatif malgré toute la répression et la contre-propagande systématique, les nouveaux dirigeants ultra-nationalistes d'Ankara vont-ils arrêter les poursuites contre le HADEP, ou bien vont-ils traduire la moitié de la population du Kurdistan turc devant les cours de sûreté de l'Etat sous l'inculpation de soutenir "la terreur séparatiste"? (Info-Turk, le 22 avril 1999).

Other election news/Autres nouvelles électorales

L'extrême-droite turque sort ses crocs

 L'euphorie des sympathisants du Parti d'action nationale (MHP), qui ont hurlé toute la nuit dans les rues d'Istanbul, d'Ankara et d'Erzurum, est à la mesure de leur propre surprise, et de celle qu'ils ont suscitée.
 Même le Premier ministre sortant, Bülent Ecevit, dont le Parti de la gauche démocratique arrive en tête avec 21 % des suffrages, s'en est étonné: «Nous savions qu'ils allaient progresser, mais pas à ce point-là!"
 Avec 18 % des suffrages, le MHP double son score de 1995, devient la deuxième formation du pays et le partenaire presque obligé d'une future coalition gouvernementale.
 Cette «explosion», ce «tremblement de terre» comme le présente la presse, les responsables du parti l'expliquent par la moisson faite sur la terre brûlée mais encore fertile des islamistes défaits par le travail de sape des militaires: «Nous sommes allés dans les bidonvilles et nous avons expliqué que le Parti de la vertu (islamiste) avait fait beaucoup de torts à la religion», explique Koray Aydin, l'un des responsables du MHP.
 Meilleur score. Ce résultat surprise vient aussi sans nul doute de l'effondrement du Parti de la juste voie (DYP) de Tansu Çiller.Le rejet de la classe politique du milieu des années 80, discréditée par ses intrigues de pouvoir, a créé un appel d'air pour les tenants «de l'ordre et de l'honneur national».
 Le MHP a largement conquis ses électeurs dans l'Anatolie centrale et profonde, comme jadis les islamistes. Les déçus de la libéralisation de la politique, de la modernisation de la société turque, de l'ouverture «ratée» à l'Europe et à l'Occident se jettent aujourd'hui dans les bras des Loups gris, qui prônent le retour aux valeurs traditionnelles.
 En trente ans d'histoire, les ultranationalistes n'ont jamais connu un tel succès électoral. Leur meilleur score remonte à 1961, quand ils avaient obtenu 14 % des voix après un coup d'Etat auquel le leader du mouvement à l'époque, le colonel Alparslan Türkes, était directement associé. Ils navigueront ensuite autour de 5% de la représentation nationale, ce qui ne les a pas empêchés d'être régulièrement associés au pouvoir, dans des coalitions gouvernementales. Ainsi, en 1975, Türkes devint vice-Premier ministre, aux côtés de l'islamiste Necmettin Erbakan et de l'actuel président de la République Süleyman Demirel.
 Base fascisante. Dans les violences entre gauchistes et nationalistes, qui dureront jusqu'au coup d'Etat de septembre 1980, les Loups gris, les gros bras du MHP, ont pris plus que leur part. Beaucoup d'entre eux se sont reconvertis ensuite dans le milieu mais leur influence dans les services de sécurité est de notoriété publique. En mai 1997, Alparslan Türkes, «le Commandant» pour ses inconditionnels, meurt et a droit à des funérailles nationales. Devlet Bahçeli, 51 ans, a pris le contrôle du parti l'an dernier. Fondateur en 67 du Foyer des idéalistes, le véritable nom des Loups gris, cet économiste est censé avoir donné un visage présentable à une formation jusque-là associée aux exactions de ses gangs armés. «Le MHP s'attache à apparaître plus modéré», nuance Etienne Copeaux, sociopolitologue à l'Institut français de recherches anatoliennes d'Istanbul, «mais la base reste largement fascisante. On y observe notamment les mêmes réflexes xénophobes et antioccidentaux qui nourrissent depuis toujours son discours.»
 «A mort le PKK!». Ce nationalisme outrancier ne représente pas un obstacle pour Bülent Ecevit, actuel et sans aucun doute futur Premier ministre. Leur identité de vue sur les thèmes nationalistes est presque entière. Il en va de même sur la délicate question kurde: ils sont tous deux farouches adversaires de toute sorte de concession aux Kurdes. Et il ne faut attendre de leur part aucun assouplissement.
 Leur succès électoral n'est d'ailleurs pas étranger à l'atmosphère antikurde qui a précédé et entouré l'arrestation d'Abdullah Öcalan, le 15 février.
 Qu'en sera-t-il quand le Parti de la démocratie du peuple (Hadep, prokurde) prendra ses fonctions dans les nombreuses mairies qu'il a remportées dans le Sud-Est? Déjà, dans les slogans qui ponctuaient la victoire du MHP pouvait-on entendre «A mort le Hadep, à mort le PKK!»
 Le Parti d'action nationaliste (MHP) milite toujours pour une union économique et culturelle avec les «cousins» turcophones du Caucase et de l'Asie centrale, ce monde qui fut le berceau des Turcs et qui représente pour eux l'avenir de la Turquie comme puissance régionale. Le vote du 18 avril a rendu explicite un rejet de l'Europe latent depuis deux ans. (Libération, 21 avril 1999)

Nombreux criminels élus députés

 Le succès du MHP aux élections générales a pemis à plusieurs de ses militants accusés de meurtres, de trafic de drogue, de crimes politiques ou de droit commun de devenir députés et bénéficier ainsi de l'immunité parlementaire.
 Parmi les députés accusés des meurtres figurent Mehmet Gul et Ahmet Cakar, réciproquement élus MHP dans la 3ème et 1ère circonscription d'Istanbul, tout deux inculpés pour le meurtre de 7 étudiants de gauche à Beyazit le 16 mars 1978.
 Elu dans la première circonscription d'Istanbul, Mustafa Verkaya du MHP, est inculpé de trafic d'arme. Mais aussi Celal Adan, élu, lui, sur la liste du DYP, membre de la section d'Istanbul des Loups Gris, est impliqué dans un assassinat politique commis le 16 mars 78. Il avait reconnu avoir donné l'adresse de Kemal Turkler, président du syndicat DISK, à Unal Osmanagoglu, un des assassins présumés du syndicaliste. L'affaire est désormais couverte par la prescription.
 Par ailleurs la réélection de l'ancien chef de police Mehmet Agar, élu à Elazig, permet de lui procurer une nouvelle immunité parlementaire, offrant ainsi une impunité totale pour les nombreux crimes qui lui sont attribués: fourniture de documents de port d'armes, de fausses pièces d'identité et de passeports diplomatiques au trafiquant de drogue Yasar Oz et au mafieux Abdullah Catli, un des pratagonistes de l'affaire de Susurluk; libération des policiers impliqués dans le meurtre du roi des casinos, Omer Lutfu Topal et surtout organisation de centaines de meurtres "mystérieux" d'opposants kurdes.
 Les autres députés fraichement élus et impliqués dans les affaires criminelles sont:
 Armagan Yilmaz, député MHP d'Usak, protagoniste de plusieurs attentats commis par les Loups Gris avant le coup d'Etat de 1980;
 Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu, député MHP d'Izmir, s'était évadé de la prison de Bostadel en Suisse en 1990 en compagnie d'Abdullah Catli où ils étaient détenus pour trafic de drogue;
 Ismail Hakki Cerrahoglu, député MHP de Zonguldak, impliqué dans le meurtre d'un journaliste du quotidien Demokrat, il avait fui à l'étranger à l'époque des faits;
 Ali Uzunirmak, député MHP d'Aydin, mis en examen pour le meurtre du syndicaliste Kemal Turkler, a été condamné pour trafic de drogue en Allemagne;
 Mehmet Kundakci, député MHP d'Osmaniye, impliqué dans la tuerie de Bahcelievler;
 Ali Gungor, député MHP d'Icel, meurtrier de Dr. Necdet Guclu de sensibilité de gauche le 13 avril 1970;
 Fahri Yuksel, député MHP de Malatya, impliqué dans le meurtre le 7 juin 1978 de l'instituteur Nevzat Yildirim;
 Yusuf Kirkpinar, député MHP d'Izmir, condamné dans le procès de MHP après le coup d'état du 12 septembre 1980;
 Recai Yildirim, député MHP d'Adana, impliqué dans le meurtre de nombreux gauchistes mais acquitté pour prescription de l'affaire;
 Mehmet Sandir, élu MHP de Hatay, impliqué dans l'attentat contre le Pape; Sefkat Cetin, élu MHP d'Ankara, soupconné d'avoir commandité de nombreux meurtres commis par les militants de MHP.
 Ali Alaman, élu MHP d'Adana, , impliqué dans le trafic d'armes;
 Muzaffer Cakmakli, élu MHP d'Urfa, accusé de trafic de drogue;
 Ahmet Ucas, élu MHP de Gumushane, actuellement poursuivi pour abus de biens sociaux;
 I. Yasar Dedelek, élu ANAP à Eskisehir, accusé d'avoir commandité l'attentat contre l'Académie des Beaux Arts d'Istanbul le 27 décembre 1976;
 Meral Aksener, élue DYP à Kocaeli, ancienne ministre de l'Intérieur de Mme Ciller, très liée au chef mafieux Abdullah Catli qui était associé de son frère Nihat Guner, elle est également soupconnée d'avoir prévenu le chef mafieux Alaatin Cakici de l'opération d'arrestation organisée à son encontre aux Etats-Unis. (CILDEKT, 30 avril 1999)

 

L'extrême-droite va jouer un rôle clé dans le gouvernement, selon la presse

 Le parti d'extrême-droite de l'Action nationaliste (MHP), catapulté au parlement à l'issue des législatives de dimanche en Turquie, va sans doute jouer un rôle clé dans le nouveau gouvernement, estimait lundi la presse turque.
 Les journaux qualifient les gains du MHP, passé de 8,1% en 1995 à 18,1%, selon des résultats partiels, de "Tremblement de terre" (Radikal), "Surprise" (Zaman), "Explosion" (Milliyet) et "Grand choc" (Hurriyet).
 "Le MHP aura un rôle important dans la formation du 57ème gouvernement de la Turquie", soulignait le quotidien de centre-gauche Cumhuriyet.
 "On semble parti pour une coalition incluant le MHP", souligne le journal dans une analyse correspondant à celle de plusieurs autres éditorialistes.
 Pour Cumhuriyet, le scénario probable du futur gouvernement est une coalition comprenant le parti de la Gauche démocratique (DSP) du Premier ministre Bulent Ecevit, le parti de la Mère patrie de l'ex-Premier ministre Mesut Yilmaz (Anap) et le MHP.
 Mais le MHP pourrait aussi obtenir une majorité en formant une coalition avec l'Anap et son rival de droite le parti de la Juste Voie (DYP) de Tansu Ciller, ou même une coalition avec Mme Ciller et le parti islamiste de la Vertu (Fazilet), souligne le journa.
 Trois des quatre scénarios du quotidien à grand tirage Hurriyet incluent également le MHP, avec le modèle DSP-MHP-Anap en tête de liste.
 Hurriyet cite le président du MHP Devlet Bahceli déclarant que la politique de son parti "n'est pas du tout éloignée" des positions du DSP.
 Le quotidien libéral Radikal cite lui M. Ecevit selon qui la "période de blocage idéologique" est terminée, et interprète cette remarque comme une indication de sa disponibilité à travailler avec le MHP.
 "Alors que la gauche est en ascension dans toute l'Europe, la Turquie prend la direction inverse", souligne le quotidien libéral Milliyet. "Et la Turquie n'est pas seulement en train d'aller à droite, elle va vers la droite nationaliste". (AFP, 19 avril 1999)

Le parti pro-kurde HADEP remporte la plus grande ville du Sud-Est

 Le parti nationaliste kurde de la Démocratie du Peuple (HADEP) a brillamment remporté la mairie de Diyarbakir, plus grande ville du Sud-Est à majorité kurde, aux municipales de dimanche en Turquie, selon les résultats partiels donnés lundi par la chaîne de télévision NTV.
 Le HADEP a recueilli 64,9% des voix à Diyarbakir et remporté plusieurs autres mairies dans le Sud-Est anatolien, théâtre depuis 1984 de la lutte armée du PKK,  notamment dans les provinces de Sanliurfa et Hakkari, selon NTV.
 C'est la première fois qu'un parti nationaliste kurde remporte des mairies en Turquie.
 Aux législatives, le HADEP a remporté 4% des suffrages (contre 4,5% aux législatives de 1995), selon des résulats partiels, restant sous la barre des 10% requis pour être représenté au parlement.
 Mardi, à cinq jours du scrutin, les autorités avaient interdit in extremis un grand meeting électoral du HADEP à Diyarbakir et quelque 500 sympathisants du parti qui s'étaient malgré tout rassemblés avaient été interpellés par la police.
 Le HADEP fait l'objet depuis fin janvier d'une procédure d'interdiction pour "liens organiques" avec le PKK, lancée par le procureur de la Cour de cassation Vural Savas.
 La Cour constitutionnelle a toutefois rejeté par deux fois une demande de M. Savas qui voulait empêcher le HADEP de participer aux élections.
 Selon la loi turque, un parti politique, même s'il est menacé de fermeture, peut participer à un scrutin avant son éventuelle interdiction.
 Après la capture le 15 février à Nairobi du chef du PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, ramené le jour suivant en Turquie, des centaines de membres du HADEP avaient été interpellés par la police, la plupart d'entre eux ayant été par la suite libérés.
 Plusieurs membres du HADEP ont déjà été condamnés par des tribunaux pour liens présumés avec le PKK, dont la rébellion armée déclenchée en 1984 dans le Sud-Est à majorité kurde pour y créér un Etat kurde indépendant a fait près de 31.000 morts.
 Son chef, Murat Bozlak, est emprisonné depuis la mi-novembre.
 Abdullah Ocalan, emprisonné sur l'île prison d'Imrali, en mer de Marmara (ouest), attend d'être jugé pour trahison et tentative de diviser le pays. Il encourt la peine de mort.
 Les responsables du HADEP espéraient une poussée aux élections liée à son arrestation, assurant qu'elle avait provoqué un regain de nationalisme parmi les Kurdes. (AFP, 19 avril 1999)

Le parti d'Ataturk disparaît du parlement

 Le Parti républicain du peuple (CHP), créé par le fondateur de la République turque Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a disparu pour la première fois de son histoire du parlement à l'issue des législative de dimanche.
 Selon les résultats partiels du scrutin publiés lundi à 12H00 (09H00 GMT), le CHP (social-démocrate) de Deniz Baykal remporte 8,9% des voix, au lieu des 10% nécessaires pour siéger au parlement, où il avait 49 députés sur 550.
 Créé en septembre 1923, un mois avant la proclamation de la République, le CHP ouvre l'ère du parti unique en Turquie qui durera jusqu'en 1946, date des premières élections considérées comme libres en Turquie.
 C'est à la tête de ce parti qu'Ataturk, président de la République jusqu'à sa mort en 1938, abolit successivement le sultanat et le califat, mettant fin à près de 700 ans d'histoire ottomane, sur les ruines desquelles il fonde un Etat moderne.
 Avec des cadres réformistes au sein du parti, Ataturk --Père des Turcs, en turc-- change de fond en comble la structure du pays pour le tourner résolument vers l'Occident. Le parti incarne alors la laïcité, le progressisme et le modernisme.
 En 1950, le CHP subit une défaite majeure aux législatives devant le Parti Démocratique (droite), créé par des dissidents du CHP. Le parti d'Ataturk se secoue dans les années 1970 pour revenir en force sur la scène politique, mais il est interdit en 1980 après le coup d'Etat militaire.
 Son chef à l'époque, Bulent Ecevit, aujourd'hui à la tête du parti de la Gauche démocratique (DSP) et vainqueur des élections de dimanche, est à plusieurs reprises emprisonné.
 Le parti avait franchi de justesse la barre des 10% (10,7%) aux dernières législatives de 1995.
 "Le CHP est pour la première fois exclu du parlement depuis la création de la République", relevait lundi un éditorialiste du journal libéral Milliyet. "Il ne reste plus qu'une chose à faire pour M. Baykal : démissionner immédiatement".
 Plusieurs facteurs expliquent cet échec cuisant.
 D'abord, le CHP a été l'instigateur de la chute, en novembre, de la coalition minoritaire dirigée par Mesut Yilmaz, chef du parti de la Mère Patrie, qui a ouvert une crise gouvernementale à cinq mois des élections. Cette coalition, qui représentait une certaine stabilité aux yeux des Turcs, a enregistré quelque succès, notamment en matière de maîtrise de l'inflation.
 Le CHP n'a pas su proposer de véritables solutions aux problèmes de la Turquie et répondre aux attentes d'une population de plus en plus désenchantée.
 L'ont aussi desservi les attaques virulentes qu'il n'a cessé de lancer pendant la campagne électorale contre son rival de gauche Bulent Ecevit, qui n'a pas daigné répondre.
 Le quotidien de centre-gauche Cumhuriyet s'attendait lundi à un "règlement de compte", au sein du parti après son échec électoral.
 Certains responsables du parti, cités par le journal, estimaient que "ce n'est pas le parti d'Ataturk, mais le parti de Baykal" qui a subi un revers aux législatives.  (AFP, 19 avril 1999)

Démission du chef CHP après son échec électoral

 Le président du CHP Deniz Baykal a démissionné le 22 avril après la cuisante défaite de sa formation aux législatives de dimanche, a annoncé un responsable du CHP. Les deux autres grands perdants du scrutin, les dirigeants de la droite classique Mesut Yilmaz et Mme Tansu Ciller, ont exclu de démissionner. Le parti de la Mère patrie de M. Yilmaz a obtenu 13,2% des voix contre 19,6% aux législatives de 1995, et le parti de la Juste Voie de Mme Ciller a chuté à 12,2% contre 19,1% en 1995.
 Deniz Baykal, 61 ans, qui dirigeait le CHP depuis 1992, est jusqu'ici le seul leader politique turc a avoir tiré une telle conclusion après la défaite de son parti aux législatives.
 Plusieurs facteurs expliquent la défaite du CHP aux législatives, selon les analystes. Deniz Baykal avait joué un rôle crucial dans la chute du gouvernement minoritaire de Mesut Yilmaz, en novembre, en lui retirant le soutien qu'il lui apportait de l'extérieur. Il a ainsi ouvert une crise gouvernementale superflue à cinq mois des élections. (AFP, 22 avril 1999)

La presse grecque inquiète de la montée de l'extrême droite turque

 La presse grecque a exprimé mardi ses craintes de voir se constituer en Turquie un gouvernement nationaliste avec une position dure à l'égard de la Grèce, à la suite de la victoire de Bulent Ecevit (gauche nationaliste) et de l'Action nationaliste (MHP, extrême droite) aux élections de dimanche.
 "La grande surprise que représente la montée spectaculaire de l'extrême droite ne peut être interprétée que comme un mauvais présage", souligne dans son éditorial le grand journal du soir Ta Nea. "A l'intransigeance d'Ecevit vient s'ajouter la dureté du parti d'extrême droite de l'Action nationaliste", ajoute le journal.
 "Personne ne peut attendre du prochain gouvernement quel qu'il soit de changement de la politique intérieure, ni de changement de la ligne dure dans les relations gréco-turques", affirme Ta Nea.
 "Attila flirte maintenant avec les Loups gris", écrit en première page To Vima (pro-gouvernemental) selon lequel "tout montre que la participation des Loups gris dans un gouvernement Ecevit est très probable".
 Les Grecs appellent Bulent Ecevit, commanditaire de l'invasion de Chypre par les troupes turques en juillet 1974, "Attila", du nom qu'ils donnent à la ligne de démarcation chypriote. Devlet Bahceli, président de l'Action natinaliste, fut l'un des fondateurs de l'organisation de jeunesse du MHP, les "Loups gris", fortement impliqués dans la vague d'assassinats et de violence politique des années 70.
 Pour Exousia (gouvernemental), "les généraux ont gagné en Turquie". "L'arrestation d'Ocalan (le chef rebelle kurde) a apporté le nationalisme", juge-t-il.
 "Le gouvernement grec est inquiet car le système politique intérieur, au lieu de se tourner vers l'Occident, se retrouve davantage en marge" des normes occidentales et "cette faiblesse constitue la plus grand danger pour la stabilité", relève de son coté Kathimérini, le quotidien des milieux d'affaires.
 Le gouvernement grec s'est borné lundi à souhaiter par la voix de son porte-parole que la Turquie "ne traverse pas de période d'instabilité".  (AFP, April 20, 1999)

Le leader ultra-nationaliste turc veut réviser les relations avec l'UE

 Les relations entre la Turquie et l'Union européenne doivent être révisées, a déclaré le chef du Parti de l'Action Nationaliste (MHP, extrême-droite), Devlet Bahceli, qui a fait une percée spectaculaire aux législatives de dimance en Turquie.
 "L'adhésion à l'UE est devenue une politique d'Etat (...) Si le processus d'adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE n'aboutit pas depuis longtemps, cela veut dire qu'il existe des points à réviser", a dit M. Bahceli, dans des déclarations publiées mercredi par deux quotidiens.
 Le MHP de M. Bahceli est devenue la seconde force politique en Turquie aux législatives de dimanche, en remportant 130 députés sur 550 au parlement, selon les résultats définitifs non officiels.
 Le MHP pourrait devenir le second partenaire d'une coalition gouvernementale formée avec le Parti de la Gauche Démocratique (DSP, gauche nationaliste) du Premier ministre sortant Bulent Ecevit qui a obtenu 136 députés.
 "Il ne faut pas perdre plus de temps" à essayer d'adhérer à l'UE, a ajouté M. Bahceli. "La Turquie doit exploiter d'autres possibilités et occasions comme par exemple les relations avec les pays turcophones" ex-soviétiques, a-t-il précisé.
 Il faisait allusion aux relations avec l'Azerbaïdjan dans le Caucase et celles avec l'Ouzbékistan, le Turkménistan, le Kirghizstan et le Kazaksthan en Asie centrale, avec lesquels la Turquie a des liens historiques, culturels et religieux.
 "Il faut réviser mutuellement les relations (avec l'UE) sous tous leurs aspects", a ajouté M. Bahceli, sans autre précision.
 La Turquie est liée à l'UE par un accord d'association signé en 1963 à Ankara qui prévoit à terme une adhésion.
 La demande d'adhésion déposée par Ankara en 1987 avait été rejetée par l'UE en 1989, car elle la jugeait prématurée.
 Le sommet de l'UE en décembre 1997 au Luxembourg avait exclu la Turquie de la liste d'élargissement, ce qui avait amené Ankara à rompre son dialogue politique avec l'UE sur les droits de l'homme, les relations avec la Grèce et la question chypriote. (AFP, 21 avril 1999)

UK dailies: "Nationalism triumphs in Turkish elections"

 British mainstream dailies agreed on Tuesday that the main victors of the elections held in Turkey were nationalism and the ultra-right. The papers expressed the view that the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) success in the elections had stunned analysts, and all commented that Turkey's relation with the EU would be damaged with the MHP in power.
 "The cold wind of Balkan nationalism penetrated Turkish politics," the Times wrote, and said that by hammering the Virtue Party (FP) Turkey's generals may well have let the more dangerous nationalist genie out of the bottle.
 The paper said that the MHP has a hard line on issues such as Kurdish minority rights and that it has fed off Turkey's quarrel with Greece as well as Ankara's growing sense of isolation from Europe. The Times also said that the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) had done well and gained more votes than was expected, despite failing to pass the national threshold. "These results set the stage for further polarization on the Kurdish issue," the paper pointed out, adding that even if the MHP did not find its way into government, it would be a brave Cabinet that refuses to approve the death penalty for Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), who is about to face trial."
 It also reminded readers that the MHP had failed to win any seats at all in the 1995 elections and that the new leader of the party, Devlet Bahceli, was trying a centrist rather than extremist approach.
 Referring to coalition possibilities, The Times correspondent Andrew Finkel said that Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit might try to persuade Mesut Yilmaz of the Motherland Party (ANAP) to end his feud with Tansu Ciller of the True Path Party (DYP).
 The Guardian too said the real victory belonged to the MHP and that the party's brand of conservative nationalism meant that on issues such as the promotion of religion it shared the opinion of the pro-Islamist FP. "But the MHP is also fiercely dedicated to the secular Turkish Republic," the paper stated.
 The Guardian article stated that the MHP would demand a number of high-profile ministerial posts, giving the far right a place at the center of government for the first time in many years.
 The paper said that while Turkish nationalism was on the rise nationwide, Kurdish nationalism was making its presence felt in the Southeast.
 "The pro-Kurdish party HADEP won a huge majority in the main regional city of Diyarbakir and polled strongly across the region, despite accusations of constant police harassment," the Guardian stated.
 The Daily Telegraph wrote that a coalition between Ecevit and the MHP would push Turkey even farther away from Europe. "The MHP's showing reflects popular endorsement of its advocacy of a military solution to the 15-year-old Kurdish rebellion in the Southeast," the paper quoted an unnamed diplomat as saying.
 The Independent too highlighted the rise of the far right in Turkish politics and quoted Professor Ali Carkoglu as saying that the MHP would move Turkey towards a more nationalist line in relations with the EU, the Unites States and Russia. (TDN, April 21, 1999)

Pressure on HADEP cast a shadow on elections

 The Deputy Secretary General of the HADEP, Ali Ozcan, issued on April 20, 1999, the following communique on elections:
 For our party, the General and Local Elections of April 18, 1999 took place under severely unequal conditions. It is impossible to term these elections free and democratic.
 As soon as the elections became part of the agenda, our party was suppressed in every arena. Our party President, Secretary General, Deputy Presidents and 6 of the central administrators have been arrested since November 19, 1998. For various excuses, until now, 116 party administrators, more than 5000 members have been detained for a week and released. And, some of these people have been imprisoned for short periods of time.
 On January 29, 1999, a suit was brought up against our party in order to close it down. Consequently two more suits were filed against our party (by the DGM) to prevent it from participating in elections. The last suit was filed just four days before the date of elections, obviously an urgent attempt to curb our party. The suit that aims to close down our party is ongoing.
  Apart from these ["judicial measures"], our members also got their share of oppression. With the start of election campaign, both our members and key administrators were arrested. Our candidates were threatened by security forces to resign and some were even banned from the cities and towns where they were on the ballots.
 Our only bus equipped with a sound system for the election campaign was seized and sequestered several times. A nearly One Billion TL fine was issued to the bus, and finally, it was confiscated on April 13, 1999. We were told verbally that the bus would not be returned before April 19, 1999. Our request for protection and our appeals to stop this suppression were rejected outright with the justification that "we were not treated any differently than other parties." None of this communication was put to writing.
  While all the other parties were free to do all kinds of campaigning, throughout the election campaign, citing various justifications, our party was not allowed to open election bureaus, hang party flags, pennants and posters or make announcements from mobile vehicles. These justifications acquired comical proportions when [the security forces] seized our bus repeatedly because "we failed to have chalk in the bus" or that "we did not pay the owner of the bus for his services" or that "we should not use a bus that we did not rent." Even the excuse of "everybody is clapping and cheering loud, disturbing public peace" was used when the bus was empty and the sound system was not in use.
 In addition to all this [obstruction], on the day of election, our party observers were not allowed to be present at any polling site, even though we have the legal right to do so. Security forces warned voters, especially those in the country side, that "their villages would be burned if any votes were cast for HADEP."
 During the election day, in many Kurdish localities, voters were forced to cast open ballots. HADEP members were not allowed to be present during the counting of the ballots and some ballot boxes "have been lost." Despite all these, HADEP clearly won mayoral races in 38 settlements, 7 of which are provincial capitals. And in many places it has won the provincial assembly and seats in municipal assembly. Most likelu, HADEP will also win the races in five other settlements such as in Igdir, Tunceli, Mersin, Mersin/Akdeniz, Mersin/Toroslar.
  In Igdir and Turnceli Province, we were told to have lost the race by 185 and 75 votes respectively, but the ballots will be recounted upon our objections. In these two provinces and in many other localities ballots are found in garbage dumpsters.
 We believe that we will obtain about 5% of the national votes when the counting is finalized. Given the obstacles and prohibitions against us, and taking into consideration the number of the stolen or stuffed ballots, this result is a success for our party. If the elections were held under democratic conditions, we believe our party would have obtained about 100 mayoral seats and 12-13% of the national votes. We will inform the public in more detail in the future.  (HADEP, April 20, 1999)

Vingt-deux femmes élues au parlement turc: un record

 Vingt-deux femmes ont été élues députées lors des législatives du 18 avril, un chiffre record pour le parlement turc où elles restent toutefois très minoritaires, a-t-on indiqué lundi de source parlementaire.
 Treize femmes avaient été élues sur un total de 550 députés lors des dernières législatives de décembre 1995.
 Les 22 députées sont membre de cinq formations: 10 appartiennent au Parti de la Gauche Démocratique (DSP, gauche nationaliste) du Premier ministre Bulent Ecevit, 5 au parti de la juste Voie (DYP, droite), 3 au parti islamiste de la Vertu (Fazilet), 2 au parti de la Mère Patrie (Anap, droite) et 2 autres au parti d'extrême droite de l'Action nationaliste (MHP).
 Pour la première fois, un parti islamiste aura ainsi trois députés femmes qui siègeront à la Grande assemblée nationale.
 L'une d'entre elles, Merve Kavakci, ingénieur en informatique, est déjà source de polémique car elle porte le foulard islamique et a annoncé qu'elle n'avait nullement l'intention de l'enlever lors de la prochaine cérémonie de prestation de serment des députés au parlement.
 Le port du foulard islamique est interdit dans la fonction publique.
 Le règlement intérieur du parlement définit le code vestimentaire que les députés doivent respecter dans son enceinte. Le chef du Fazilet, Recai Kutan, affirme que la seule restriction imposée aux femmes est le port obligatoire d'une veste et d'une jupe.
 En revanche, une autre députée portant le voile, Mme Nesrin Unal, élue du MHP, a d'ores et déja indiqué qu'elle ne se lancerait dans aucune action qui "pourrait compromettre son parti", laissant entendre qu'elle enlèverait son voile. (AFP, 26 avril 1999)

INTERIOR POLITICS/POLITIQUE INTERIEURE

Turkey's top judge calls for human rights reform

 The chief judge of Turkey's constitutional court, which has outlawed a number of political parties, called on Monday for legal and constitutional changes to ease restrictions on freedom of expression.
 Turkey frequently comes under fire from its Western allies for a shaky human rights record marked by imprisonment of numerous politicians, journalists and intellectuals for what they said or wrote.
 "Turkey should make necessary alterations in the constitution and laws in order to harmonise with global norms. Articles incompatible with freedom of expression should be changed," Anatolian news agency quoted chief judge Ahmet Necdet Sezer as saying.
 But two nationalist parties emerged first and second from last week's general elections. Both caretaker Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's Democratic Party of the Left (DSP) and the Nationalist Action Party advocate a strong foreign policy and no concessions to Kurdish armed movement.
 A likely coalition between the two could make such legal amendments an uphill task in the parliament.
 The Constitutional Court outlawed an Islamist party in 1998, ruling that statements by its leadership proved the party was attempting to undermine the secular order.
 A case is brewing to close a successor Islamist party on similar charges and the court is hearing another case against the country's main Kurdish party, alleged to be recruiting for Kurdish guerrillas.
 Sezer made no reference to those cases.
 The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against Turkey in a number of appeals.
 "Turkey has accepted an individual application mechanism to the European Human Rights Commission and the commission's rulings are binding...There is a need to harmonise Turkey's legal principles with the convention," Sezer said.
 Sezer listed a number of areas that needed alteration, such as the anti-terrorism law, regulations on political parties, and the quasi-military state security courts which mostly prosecute Kurdish, Islamist and leftist dissidents.
 According to the agency, the chief judge criticised the current constitution as a remnant of a military coup in 1980. The powerful army ruled Turkey between 1980-83 after bloody street fighting between extremist right and left.
 "Basic rights and freedoms were limited in the 1982 constitution," he said. (Reuters, April 26, 1999)

More controversy expected after presiding judge's remarks

 Remarks by the Constitutional Court's Presiding Judge Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Monday, the 37th anniversary of the court's founding, have signalled the coming of a widespread controversy involving Turkey's judicial system.
 In a historic attempt on Monday, Sezer who has been heading the Constitutional Court since last year, has called on the newly elected Parliament in Turkey to amend all laws restricting freedom of expression.
 The presiding judge was critical not only of some of Turkey's current laws but also of one of the country's chief prosecutors, who had been trying to prevent a pro-Kurdish party from entering the elections, saying that the courts would never accede to demands lacking any legal basis or evidence.
 The first response to the Constitutional Court judge came from Vural Savas, chief prosecutor of the Court of Appeals, who was targeted by Sezer's remarks.
 Savas said in a statement on Tuesday that he has never put forward any demands to the Constitutional Court which are contradictory to law, including the Constitution.
 Savas declared that the Constitution requires the country's secularist principle never to allow the interference of religion in state affairs and politics, adding that his duty was not to criticize the laws but rather to implement them.
 The chief prosecutor of the Court of Appeals declared that he wanted to believe that Tuesday's press headlines, which were aimed in particular at his past actions, were based on misunderstandings.
 Savas was the prosecutor who had filed a closure case in the Constitutional Court against the former Islamist Welfare Party (RP), resulting in the party's being closed early in 1998. Just before the elections, Savas filed another case in the same court against the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HADEP), but the Constitutional Court turned down his request.
 Several mass circulation newspapers put the Constitutional Court judge's comments on their front pages, with "Lesson of democracy" or "Voice of reason" as their headlines.
 Sezer said in his speech on the anniversary of the Constitutional Court that a number of laws, including the Anti-terrorism Law, contain provisions that crack down on freedom of expression.
 "Crimes described in some laws are not clear enough, and their effects may vary from time to time or according to who the suspect is," Sezer stated in his controversial speech.
 Most of those laws were approved or amended right after the 1980 coup and therefore cannot be monitored by the Constitution -- which is also a product of the same coup -- Sezer added. "...but freedom of expression is the basis of a democratic society, and those laws must definitely be amended," he went on to say.
 Human rights are no longer considered a matter of national pride but have become a sine qua non for all civilized societies, the judge added, indicating that Turkey should amend its human rights regulations in compliance with universal norms.
 Sezer also criticized the laws for punishing the expression of personal beliefs. Instead, only criminal actions and inciting to crime should be punishable by law, he asserted. This message was referring in particular to the recent imprisonment of former Istanbul Mayor Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is serving his prison sentence for "inciting hatred among people," which is mentioned in Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
 He also referred to Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, saying that the law is a clampdown on freedom of expression.
 Turkey is signatory to the international human rights conventions and should make the necessary amendments in its laws to respect freedom of expression, Sezer declared.
 There were other comments in Ankara concerning Sezer's remarks.
 "There are still judges in Turkey!" said Yasin Hatipoglu, Parliament's deputy speaker from the Islamist Virtue Party (FP), as an initial response to the Constitutional Court judge's calls to Parliament to amend the laws.
 "The Turkish nation, particularly its intellectual segment, which is respectful towards national and moral values, has heard remarks which it has been wanting to hear for years from the current judge of the Constitutional Court," Hatipoglu added. He said Sezer's remarks were "timely."
 Since Sezer made his call to Parliament, a great part of the reaction is expected to come from the newly elected legislature, which will have its first meeting on May 2. Parliament's current speaker, Hikmet Cetin, was not available to comment on Sezer's remarks because he has been filling in for President Suleyman Demirel, who is currently in the United States.
 Sources contacted by the Turkish Daily News said that the controversy will continue even after Demirel's return from his U.S. trip. (TDN, April 28, 1999)

ARMED FORCES/FORCES ARMEES

The Military says it is strongest defender of democracy

 The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has said it is the strongest defender of the country's domestic and external security as well as of democracy, human rights and the state of law.
 However those concepts cannot be exploited through the removal of the current legal measures against any illegal, subversive and separatist activities, it added.
 The General Staff, in an eight-page presentation on April 22, said that it has prepared documentation on the political and military aspects of the security issue. The documentation was prepared at the directive of a guide book on a similar matter issued by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 1994.
 The document prepared by the Turkish military is said to be capable of contributing to international peace and security "if put into practice properly."
 "The Turkish Armed Forces has no doubts that it will carry out all its responsibilities, including international cooperation against terrorism, democratic control of the military, the basis of using the military in the domestic and external security perspective and human rights."
 The Turkish military was critical of some countries which it accused of violating the OSCE principles. "Turkey is very disturbed by those who give the direct or indirect support to the bloody-handed terrorist leaders and their terrorist organizations under the guise of human rights," the General Staff said.
 It also said that the Turkish Armed Forces is required by the Constitution to be politically monitored by Parliament and the Cabinet. The National Security Council (MGK) as well as the Supreme Military Council are constitutional bodies, both participated in by military and civilian personnel, it added.
 The General Staff also stated that the limits of its relationship with the Ministry of Defense is delineated by law. Both of their defense expenditures are approved by Parliament, it said.
 "The Turkish Armed Forces is sensitive in maintaining political neutrality, and this is protected by laws," it said. These laws, it added, keep the military out of active politics.
 "The Armed Forces will never allow the existence within itself of any entity which is out of reach of the monitoring mechanism of the Constitution," the military statement also said.
 The same statement asserted that the Turkish military is integrated with the people and does not have anything to hide from them.
 The military said it has been teaching its personnel about the law of war and attaches great importance to teaching it. It also respects the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights, it added. (TDN, April 23, 1999)

Un consortium allemand remporte un contrat militaire

 Un consortium allemand a remporté un contrat d'un montant d'environ 630 millions de dollars pour la vente de six dragueurs de mines destinés à la marine turque, a annoncé vendredi l'organisme gouvernemental de l'industrie de défense (SSM).
 Le SSM a décidé d'ouvrir des négociations pour la signature du contrat avec le consortium Abeking-Rasmussen et Luerssen Werft, qui a fait la "meilleure offre", selon un communiqué officiel.
 Les sociétés DCN International (France), Empresa Nacional Bazan (Espagne) et Intermarine SPA (Italie) avaient participé à l'appel d'offre.
 Un dragueur de mine sera acheté sur étagère et les cinq autres seront construits en Turquie, selon la même source.
 La marine turque avait conclu en 1997 avec la France un contrat pour l'achat de cinq chasseurs de mines d'occasion remis à la marine turque l'année suivante.
 La marine turque est équipée pour l'essentiel par l'Allemagne et les Etats-Unis. (AFP, 9 avril 1999)

STATE TERRORISM/TERREUR DE L'ETAT

Le procureur veut toujours empêcher HADEP de participer aux élections

 Le procureur de la Cour de Cassation turque a de nouveau saisi la Cour constitutionnelle pour empêcher le parti pro-kurde HADEP de participer aux élections municipales et législatives du 18 avril, a rapporté vendredi l'agence Anatolie.
 Le Hadep fait déjà l'objet depuis fin janvier d'une procédure d'interdiction pour "liens organiques" avec le PKK, lancée par ce procureur, Vural Savas, auprès de la Cour constitutionnelle.
 Selon Anatolie, le magistrat a présenté à la Cour de nouvelles preuves, selon lui, des liens entre le Hadep et le PKK, notamment des extraits de la déposition du chef du PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, arrêté mi-février, sur les liens entre son organisation et le Hadep.
 L'acte d'accusation rédigé par M. Savas pour demander la fermeture du Hadep affirme qu'il est "totalement sous le contrôle du PKK et organise des activités selon les instructions données par le comité central" de cette organisation séparatiste, considérée comme terroriste par les autorités turques.
 Fin février déjà, M. Savas avait adressé une requête à la Cour constitutionnelle pour demander que le Hadep ne soit pas autorisé à participer aux élections du 18 avril.
 Il avait estimé qu'en raison de la procédure de dissolution visant le Hadep, "la participation de ce parti au scrutin créera de sérieux problèmes".
 La Cour constitutionnelle avait rejeté cette première demande.
 Selon la loi turque, un parti politique, même s'il est menacé de fermeture, peut participer aux élections avant une interdiction définitive.
 Après la capture le 15 février à Nairobi d'Abdullah Ocalan, ramené le jour suivant en Turquie, des centaines de membres du Hadep avaient été interpellés par la police, la plupart d'entre eux ayant été par la suite libérés.
 Plusieurs membres du Hadep avaient déjà été condamnés par des tribunaux turcs pour liens présumés avec le PKK, dont la rébellion armée déclenchée en 1984 dans le sud-est à majorité kurde, a fait près de 31.000 morts.
 Son chef, Murat Bozlak, est emprisonné depuis la mi-novembre.
 Le Hadep avait recueilli 4,5% des voix aux législatives de 1995 et n'est donc pas représenté au parlement, faute d'avoir obtenu 10% des voix. (AFP, 9 avril 1999)

Urgent appeal: Akin Birdal sentenced again

 Below is the urgent message from TIHV Secretary General Husnu Ondul:
 Mr. Akin Birdal, President of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and the Vice President of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH), has been sentenced to 1 year in prison, on 20 April 1999, on charges of "inciting people explicitly to hatred and hostility by making discrimination based on class, race, region, religious sects or opinion" in accordance with the second paragraph of article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code.
 The State Security Court (SSC) in Adana had sentenced Akin Birdal, who made a speech at the celebration organised by the United Socialist Party on the occasion of the World Peace Week on 6 September 1995 in Mersin, to 1 year in prison. Mr. Birdal, in his speech, had stated that " An unfair and dirty war has been waged for 11 years. This is because of non-recognised rights of the Kurds. Villages in the region have been burnt down".
 This decision of the SSC was appealed by the lawyers of Akin Birdal. The 9th Criminal Department of the Court of Appeals examined the SSC's decision and annuled the decision against Akin Birdal on the grounds that 'there is no basis of committing a crime in the speech'. However, The SSC in Adana decided to persist on its earlier decision and sentenced Akin Birdal to 1 year in prison. Thus, the decision of the SSC was examined by the General Board of Criminal Departments of the Court of Appeals, which is the highest court in Turkey. The General Board of Criminal Departments of the Court of Appeals approved the SSC's decision on 20 April 1999, by disagreeing with the decision of the 9th Criminal Department of the Court of Appeals that envisages the annulment of the imprisonment sentence.
 Mr. Akin Birdal had already been sentenced to 1 year in prison due to another speech he made on the occasion of World Peace Day, on 1 September 1996. The imprisonment sentence had been approved by the General Board of Criminal Departments of the Court of Appeals on 27 October 1998. Mr. Akin Birdal will be jailed on 3 May 1999, in case his lawyers application for a one-month suspension of the sentence is rejected.
 We, once more, make a call for solidarity in our common ideals of human rights, basic freedoms, democracy and peace.
 We, once again make a call for solidarity with the IHD and Akin Birdal. (TIHV, April 21, 1999)

PRESSURE ON THE MEDIA/PRESSIONS SUR LES MEDIAS

Press council evaluates Turkish media

 It has been reported by the Press Council that in March three journalists were taken under custody, the distribution of a periodical was banned, three journalists were assaulted and a radio station was shut down for one year by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK).
 According to the Press Council report, Sengul Karadag, Serpil Ilgun, and Deniz Dogan, correspondents from Evrensel Gazette, were taken into custody on March 20, 1999 while they were in Diyarbakir to report on Nevruz festivities.
 Last month, the 36th issue of the periodical Kaldirac was confiscated by prosecutors in Istanbul.
 The Press Council report also documented the following events occurring in March, 1999:
 - Hurriyet News Agency, Ankara-Beypazari correspondent Muammer Tasdelen was assaulted by Eray Yertutan, a supporter of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), while he was covering a meeting of the MHP Youth Organization on March 8.
 - Zaman Gazette correspondent Ilhan Kaya was assaulted by police while he was covering student demonstrations at Istanbul University on March 17.
 - Rahsan Tas, a correspondent with Hurriyet Gazette, was assaulted by the relatives of a criminal during a hearing on March 3 to determine who was responsible for a traffic accident in Istanbul.
 - The most unpleasant event was an attack on a crew from of Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) by the Serbs in Yugoslavia. The Serbs also confiscated the money, cameras and documents of the TRT journalists.
 - RTUK banned the radio channel Umut FM for one year. RTUK also banned Moral FM for three days, Mozaik Radio for 30 days, Radyo Fon for six months, and Safak Radio for seven days.
 Judicial events related to the media for March were as follows:
 -The Kucukcekmece Chief Prosecutors Office opened a court case against Yeni Yuzyil Gazette, accusing them of violating election restrictions.
 - The trial began for Ertugrul Ozkok, editor in chief of Hurriyet Gazette, on charges that an article he wrote violated the personal rights of Meral Aksener, the deputy leader of the True Path Party (DYP).
 - Koray Duzgoren, journalist and author of a book entitled "Freedom of Thought" was subjected to a two-month prison sentence by the military court of the Turkish General Staff.
 - A court case was opened against Fatih Altayli, a columnist with Hurriyet Gazette, and Dogan Satmis, the paper's editor, on the grounds that they had insulted Tufan Algan, the chairman of the Supreme Election Board (YSK) and other members of the board.
 - Haluk Gerger, a journalist, was sentenced to one year and one month in prison by the Court of Appeals for violating the Anti-Terror Law. (TDN, April 3, 1999)

HRW report: Turkey violates rights of free expression

 "Arbitrary and senseless laws" are seriously impinging on free expression in Turkey, according to an in-depth study released on Friday by Human Rights Watch. Journalists risk fines, imprisonment or worse if they write about such subjects as the role of Islam in politics and society, Turkey's ethnic Kurds, the conflict in southeastern Turkey or the proper role of the military in government and society.
 The report comes on the eve of the April 18 elections in Turkey, after a pre-election campaign period characterized by many of the kinds of violations described in the report, including the prosecution and harassment of Islamist and Kurdish political figures.
 "Elections are not the only measure of a democracy," said Holly Cartner, executive director of the Europe and Central Asia division of Human Rights Watch. "Some of Turkey's laws seriously infringe upon the right to free expression that is guaranteed under international law and are a sign that democracy and respect for human rights have a long way to go in Turkey."
 According to the Human Rights Watch report entitled "Violations of Free Expression in Turkey," Turkey enjoys a vibrant political and media culture in which many points of view can be expressed on most issues. No such freedom applies, however, to certain sensitive topics perceived as a threat to national security. Those who report or write on these topics risk repressive measures, including imprisonment, fines or the closing and banning of their publications. "Some journalists have even been killed by shadowy death squads believed linked to Turkish security forces," it says.
 In addition to restrictions on the media, political and educational rights are also circumscribed in Turkey. Political parties linked to the Kurdish and Islamist movements have been banned, and use of the Kurdish language is prohibited in broadcasting and education.
 The Human Rights Watch publication also describes violations of press freedom by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). PKK repression ranges from the kidnapping and murder of journalists to putting pressure on Kurdish-nationalist newspapers to practice self-censorship.
 Human Rights Watch calls on the Turkish government to repeal and amend all laws that violate international human rights standards for free expression, including:
 * The preamble of the Constitution, which states "No protection shall be given to thoughts or opinions that run counter to Turkish national interests, the fundamental principle of the existence of the indivisibility of the Turkish state and territory, the historical and moral values of Turkishness, or the nationalism, principles, reforms and modernism of Ataturk..."
 * Provisions of the Constitution that give prosecutors and others the right to confiscate publications without first obtaining a court order (Articles 28.5 and 28.7); that allow courts to ban publications (Article 28.10 and additionally Article 2 of the Press Law); or that prohibit publication in languages "prohibited by law (Article 28.2)."
 * Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which prohibits, "separatist propaganda."
 * Provisions of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) that prohibit publishing articles that "make people unwilling to serve in the military (Article 155)," "insult[ing] the President of the Republic (Article 158), "insulting the moral personality of Turkishness, the Republic, the Parliament, the Government, State Ministers, the military or security forces, or the Judiciary (Article 159)," or "incit[ing] people to enmity and hatred by pointing to class, racial, religious, confessional, or regional differences (Article 312.2)."
 * Article 8 of the Police Duty and Responsibility Law, which gives police the administrative right to close down plays, films or lectures.
 The report also presses the United States government, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the European Union to raise concerns relating to restrictions on free expression with the Turkish government and to insist on improvements in this area as a condition for enhanced relations. (TDN, April 16, 1999)

Le chanteur Tarkan déchu de sa nationalité s'il ne rentre pas en Turquie

 L'idole de la pop turque Tarkan, 27 ans, sera déchu de sa nationalité s'il ne rentre pas immédiatement en Turquie pour accomplir son service militaire, après avoir laissé passer la date butoir, rapportent mardi les médias turcs.
 Né en Allemage, le "prince du Bosphore", qui a fait un tabac en France, en Belgique et en Allemagne, où il figure au Top-10 des meilleures ventes de singles CD avec son tube "Simarik" (gâté), était appelé sous les drapeaux en novembre.
 Après avoir demandé un sursis, arguant d'une tournée européenne, il a ensuite refusé de rentrer en Turquie pour accomplir son service militaire.
 "Je ne veux pas compromettre ma carrière en plein essor pour venir en Turquie pendant un an et demi", a-t-il déclaré à un journal turc.
 Le service militaire est obligatoire pour tous les Turcs à partir de l'âge de 18 ans et il n'y a pas de limite d'âge pour l'accomplir.
 La procédure pour le déchoir de sa nationalité devrait prendre plusieurs mois, a-t-on indiqué de source judiciaire.
 Même s'il rentrait aujourd'hui en Turquie, Tarkan devrait comparaître devant un tribunal militaire et serait condamné à une peine de prison, avant de faire son service, selon cette source.
 Tarkan, dont les chansons mêlent sons orientaux et rythmes occidentaux, doit effectuer au printemps une tournée en Allemagne.  (AFP, April 20, 1999)

KURDISH QUESTION/QUESTION KURDE

Une différence judiciaire relative à l'enseignement du kurde

 La seconde division de la Cour de Sûreté de l'Etat (DGM) d'Ankara, compétente également dans l'affaire d'Abdullah Ocalan, a rendu le 31 mars 1999, une décision en faveur de l'enseignement de la langue kurde. Un syndicat de l'enseignement (EGITIM-SEN), accusé de "propagande séparatiste" pour le contenu d'un livre, a été acquitté en soulevant toutefois l'objection vive du juge-militaire siégeant à la cour.
 Les autorités turques reprochaient aux responsables syndicaux d'avoir demandé "l'enseignement de la langue kurde", d'avoir qualifié de racisme l'adage "Heureux celui qui se dit turc" et d'avoir soutenu qu'"une politique assimilationniste et négationniste était menée envers le peuple kurde et envers d'autres peuples". La Cour a considéré que c'était une "proposition scientifique" et qu'elle n'avait nullement de contenu séparatiste.
 Unal Haney, procureur chargé du dossier, a formé un pourvoi en cassation  en soutenant que le livre était une "propagande portant atteinte à l'intégrité territoriale et nationale de l'Etat". C'est également la lecture du colonel Abdulkadir Davarcioglu, juge-militaire de la cour, qui a déclaré que toute proposition d'enseignement d'une langue autre que le turc, et tout particulièrement du kurde, était inconstitutionnelle et a qualifié cela de séparatisme.  Selon lui, sous-couvert de la liberté de l'expression, les auteurs ont porté atteinte à la constitution turque en annoncant qu'il y avait d'autres peuples que les Turcs vivant en Turquie et que ces peuples étaient assimilés par la langue et l'enseignement.
 La Cour européenne des droits de l'homme a régulièrement condamné les Cours de sûreté de l'Etat où siègent en permanence des militaires en dénoncant leur partialité. L'affaire en l'espèce met une nouvelle fois l'accent sur cette question en montrant clairement l'intransigeance militaire sur la question kurde. (CILDEKT, April 8, 1999)

Le Parlement kurde en exil appelle la Turquie à "saisir la main tendue"

 Le Parlement kurde en exil a demandé jeudi à la Turquie de saisir "la main tendue" par le président emprisonné du mouvement rebelle kurde PKK Abdullah Ocalan "en faveur de la paix, de la fraternité et d'une solution politique au Kurdistan".
 Au cours d'une conférence de presse à Bruxelles, le vice-président du Front national de libération du Kurdistan (bras politique du PKK) Abdurrahman Cadirci a lu une déclaration de ce Parlement soutenant les positions prises par le chef rebelle kurde depuis sa prison d'Imrali. Ce dernier a notamment appelé la Turquie à "saisir l'opportunité historique" d'une solution pour la question kurde.
 M. Cadirci a souligné qu'en dépit de l'enlèvement d'Ocalan le 15 février à Nairobi, le cessez-le-feu du PKK du 1er septembre dernier était toujours en vigueur jusqu'aux élections turques du 18 avril.
 Mais, selon lui, si l'opportunité n'est pas saisie par la Turquie et la communauté internationale on "risque d'avoir au Kurdistan une guerre comme celle qui a actuellement lieu au Kosovo".
 Il a notamment souligné que l'OTAN devrait être "plus en mesure d'agir à propos du Kurdistan que du Kosovo à partir du moment où ce problème concerne un de ses membres".
 Le Parlement kurde en exil basé à Bruxelles a par ailleurs demandé à la communauté internationale de "soutenir les appels d'Abdullah Ocalan pour une solution politique au Kurdistan". Il demande également d'intervenir pour "préserver la vie et la santé" du leader kurde et que son procès ait lieu devant une cour internationale plutôt qu'un tribunal turc. (AFP, 8 avril 1999)

Spanish court provisionally suspends Kurdish Assembly

 Spain's Constitutional Court on Wednesday suspended a July meeting of the Kurdish parliament-in-exile in the northern Basque region, pending a decision on a suit by the Spanish government.
 The conservative government of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar disapproved of the Basque regional government's February offer to host a meeting of the Kurdish parliamentarians. The government promised to use all legal means to halt the July meeting.
 Aznar's government said that the Basque decision interferes with the Spain's exclusive handling of international relations and foreign policy.
 Spain's highest court has five months to decide whether to ratify or lift the suspension.
 The February decision to host the Kurdish parliament-in-exile was made by a five-member panel of Basque parliamentary leaders. The representatives of Spain's two mainstream parties, the center-right Popular Party and the Socialist Party, voted against, while the three pro-Basque independence representatives were in favor.
 The Spanish government described the decision then as a "profound error" and warned of the negative effects on Spain's economic and political ties with Turkey.
 Previous meetings of the Kurdish group in Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria and Denmark have triggered strong protests from Turkey. (AP, April 16, 1999)

UK's ITC shuts down Med TV

 The U.K.-based Independent Television Commission (ITC) closed down Kurdish Med TV on Friday, saying it had served a notice revoking the license of the satellite channel. The ITC stated that the notice would take effect in 28 days and added that the services of the channel would remain suspended during this period of time.
 The Med TV license was suspended on March 22 by the ITC under Section 45/A of the 1990 Broadcasting Act, following four broadcasts which included inflammatory statements encouraging acts of violence in Turkey and elsewhere. The programs were judged by the ITC as "likely to encourage or incite to crime or lead to disorder." The ITC said these were all against U.K. law, as set out in the 1990 and 1996 Broadcasting Acts.
 Following the suspension decision a meeting between members of the commission and Med TV and its legal representatives was held on Friday April 9 to allow the licensee to make representation, in accordance with the statute.
 "In the light of their repeated failure to comply with the requirements of their license, Med TV had already been served a notice by the ITC in Nov. 1998, informing them that their license would be revoked if over the following six months its service failed to comply with its license and the ITC's Programme Code," the ITC decision read.
 ITC Chairman Sir Robin Biggam stated that the commission had taken careful note of the representations made to it, not just from Med TV but from others who had made representations on their behalf. "We took particular and sympathetic account of the circumstances in which the broadcasts in question were made and the changes which Med TV proposed to make to its services in the future. However, the ITC decided that it was necessary in the public interest to revoke this licence and has served a notice on the licence holder to the effect," the chairman stated.
 He added that despite the great sympathy for the Kurdish people, it was not in the public interest to have any broadcaster use the UK as a platform for broadcasts which incite people to violence.
 "Med TV has been given many opportunities to be a peaceful voice for their community, to allow them to continue broadcasting after such serious breaches would be to condone the misuse of the UK's system for licensing broadcasters," Sir Robin added.
 Successive Turkish governments have been campaigning for the closure of Med TV. Despite denials from the British Foreign Office, there are rumors that British politicians were also involved in the campaign to close down the Kurdish TV station. (TDN, April 24, 1999)

Kurd Guerrillas To Increase Resistance

 Kurdish guerrillas have vowed to intensify their war against Turkey in response to gains by a far-right nationalist party in recent elections, a Kurdish news agency reported Monday.
 "Our party will increase the war of resistance against the fascist Turkish state," the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, said in a statement carried by the Germany-based Kurdish news agency DEM.  The far-right Nationalist Movement Party, which got a surprising 18 percent in elections April 18, is opposed to any increase of Kurdish rights.
 It is expected to come to power as a junior coalition partner with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party, which topped the polls with 22 percent of the votes. Both parties are said to have gained support following the mid-February capture of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. No date for his trial on treason charges has been set.
 Meanwhile, Kurdish rebels claimed Monday they shot down a Turkish army helicopter with two soldiers on board during clashes in northern Iraq. Turkish military officials denied the claim.
 The Turkish army has been at war for 15 years in southeastern Turkey with the PKK and frequently crosses into neighboring Iraq to hunt down rebels who have bases there. Close to 37,000 people have died in the conflict. (AP, April 26, 1999)

OCALAN'S TRIAL/PROCES D'OCALAN

Le procès d'Ocalan s'ouvrira le 31 mai sur l'île-prison d'Imrali

 Le procès du chef rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan s'ouvrira le 31 mai sur l'île-prison d'Imrali, en mer de Marmara (ouest), a annoncé vendredi le président de la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat (DGM) d'Ankara.
 La Cour a pris cette décision lors d'une audience à Ankara, en l'absence du chef du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK, séparatiste).
 Ocalan, qui comparaîtra ainsi pour la première fois depuis sa capture mi-février au Kenya devant ses juges, est accusé de "trahison et atteinte à l'intégrité territoriale de la Turquie" suivant l'article 125 du code pénal turc qui prévoit la peine capitale.
 Mehmet Turgut Okyay, le président de la Cour, a indiqué que les audiences du procès se dérouleraient à un rythme accéléré, sans préciser sur quelle période de temps elles s'étaleraient.
 Il a indiqué que pour des raisons de sécurité et de capacité d'accueil limitée de la salle de tribunal amenagée à Imrali, 12 avocats d'Ocalan et 12 autres de la partie civile, ainsi que 12 journalistes, pourraient assister au procès.
 Selon la presse turque, le verdict devrait tomber un mois après le début des audiences.
 M. Okyay a indiqué que le procès serait ouvert à des "auditeurs" venant à titre privé, mais pas à des "observateurs" représentant une institution, pour ne pas "porter ombrage à la justice turque indépendante".
 Deux parlementaires du Conseil de l'Europe, Andras Barsony (Hongrie, socialiste) et Gunnar Jannsson (Finlande, libéral), ont assisté à l'audience de vendredi, à l'invitation de la délégation turque de l'Assemblée du Conseil.
 L'Union européenne avait réclamé en février l'envoi d'observateurs internationaux au procès, ce qu'Ankara avait refusé, y voyant une ingérence.
 Une centaine de personnes, la plupart des parents de militaires tués dans des combats contre le PKK, se sont rassemblées devant le palais de justice avant l'ouverture de l'audience, brandissant des drapeaux turcs et scandant des slogans contre le leader kurde et le PKK.
 Plusieurs d'entre eux ont essayé d'agresser les avocats d'Ocalan à leur arrivée devant le palais de justice, mais en ont été empêchés par la police, qui quadrillait les lieux.
 Abdullah Ocalan est défendu par une équipe d'avocats dirigée par Me Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu.
 Jeudi, deux procédures en cours contre Ocalan ont été réunies par la DGM d'Ankara, un procureur de la Cour ayant fait valoir qu'elles avaient été lancées sur la base du même article de loi, l'article 125, et sous les mêmes chefs d'accusation.
 La DGM d'Ankara avait ouvert un premier procès contre Ocalan en octobre 1997. Il était jugé par contumace depuis cette date. Mercredi, le même tribunal a ouvert un autre procès contre Ocalan après sa capture.
 Le document de 139 pages énumère notamment les actes meurtriers dont le PKK est accusé et établit un lien entre Ocalan et ces actes de violences, le rendant responsable de toutes les actions commises par son organisation, considérée comme terroriste par les autorités turques.
 La peine de mort est en vigueur en Turquie mais n'a pas été appliquée depuis 1984.
 Le PKK mène une rébellion armée contre Ankara depuis 1984 pour créer un Etat kurde indépendant dans le sud-est de la Turquie à majorité kurde. Les violences liées à cette rébellion ont fait près de 31.000 morts. (AFP, 30 Avril 1999)

Deux avocats d'Ocalan agressés à Istanbul

 Deux des avocats du chef rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan, emprisonné en Turquie, ont été agressés vendredi en plein centre d'Istanbul par des inconnus, a-t-on appris auprès de l'Association de défense des droits de l'Homme (IHD).
 Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu et son épouse Eren Keskin, présidente provinciale à Istanbul de l'IHD, ont été attaqués par plusieurs hommes alors qu'ils marchaient dans le quartier de Taksim, dans la partie européenne de la métropole, selon un porte-parole de l'IHD.
 "Ils ont d'abord été agressés verbalement et ont ensuite essuyé quelques coups. Il ne sont pas blessés", a-t-il précisé.
 Un communiqué parvenu à l'AFP, et signé par d'autres avocats d'Ocalan, a dénoncé l'agression et demandé aux autorités que les auteurs soient retrouvés et punis.
 "Cette agression vise à priver Ocalan d'une défense équitable. Il n'est pas question de renoncer à assurer sa défense", précisent les avocats dans leur communiqué.
 Me Okcuoglu a formé une équipe comptant au total 17 avocats pour assurer la défense du chef rebelle kurde.
 Le chef du  PKK, transféré en Turquie après sa capture le 15 février au Kénya, est détenu sur l'île-prison d'Imrali en mer de Marmara (ouest) dans l'attente de son jugement. (AFP, 9 avril 1999)

MHP Urges Ocalan Execution

 Turkey's far-right party, a key winner in national elections, will push for the death penalty against Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan if he is convicted, a spokesman said Wednesday.
 The Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, emerged as Turkey's second-largest party after Sunday's elections and is expected to be part of a future coalition government headed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.
 Ocalan was abducted by Turkish commandos in mid-February and faces trial on charges of treason, which carries the death penalty.
 "If the court sentences him to death, we will vote to see him hanged," said Ata Turkoglu, an MHP spokesman. "We want this to happen as soon as possible after the verdict." (AP, April 21, 1999)

Peine de mort requise contre Ocalan: "préoccupation" de Rome

 Le gouvernement italien a exprimé le 20 avril sa "préoccupation" après l'annonce que le parquet de la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat d'Ankara requérait la peine de mort contre le chef du PKK Abdullah Ocalan.
 L'Italie "demande avec force qu'un procès à l'encontre d'Ocalan soit organisé avec toutes les garanties d'un Etat de droit, dans le respect des normes européennes en matière de droits fondamentaux, et notamment des droits de la défense", selon un communiqué du ministère des Affaires étrangères.
 L'Italie "s'attend à ce que le procès ne se conclue pas, dans tous les cas, par la peine capitale", souligne le communiqué.
 Le parquet de la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat d'Ankara a requis, dans son acte d'accusation, la peine de mort contre le chef rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan.
 Le chef du Parti des Travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), qui mène depuis 1984 une rébellion armée dans le sud-est à majorité kurde, est accusé de "trahison et atteinte à l'intégrité territoriale de la Turquie".
 Abdullah Ocalan avait passé deux mois --dont une bonne partie assigné à résidence-- en Italie, de la mi-novembre à la mi-janvier dernier. Il avait demandé l'asile politique à Rome. Sa présence sur le sol italien avait entraîné une grave crise diplomatique avec Ankara. (AFP, April 21, 1999)

Abdullah Ocalan Faces Execution without Trial

 Two lawyers for Abdullah Ocalan, Ahmet Zeki Okculoglu and Irfan Dundar issued the following communique on April 27, 1999:
 The Abdullah Ocalan case exposes just how the Turkish justice system operates.
 When they brought Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey, although the Turkish courts and the European system of human rights states that people cannot be deemed guilty prior to conviction, the Turkish media, political parties and official bodies have all found him guilty without putting him on trial. They have all been stating with certainty that Ocalan will be executed and that his execution is imminent.
 The results of the recent elections saw the national movement party, MHP, become the second largest party in the land and likely to be a partner in the next coaltion government. MHP General Secretary Koray Aydin stated in an interview on 22 April that his party is determined to see Ocalan convicted at any cost.
 Even if it does not win a place in government, the MHP will be the biggest opposition party and determined to use its influence to ensure that Ocalan is executed.  Those who expect Turkey to behave like a democratic country are likely to be disappointed by its actions if it behaves anything like the way indicated by this potential party of government.
 Government bodies and party leaders, along with much of the press, are openly stating that Ocalan will be executed without even waiting for the due process of law. This is prejudging the outcome and making it impossible for the trial judges to take any other decision.
 How can it be possible for Bulent Ecevit, who has always spoken proudly of his belief in justice and democratic principles, justify entering into coalition with the MHP after what it has said on the Ocalan case?
 Like everyone else Ocalan has the right to a fair trial and this is a basic right that cannot be removed from him.
 If they carry on with such explanations and go ahead with a trial and execution on this basis it can only lead to an escalation of conflict in the country.
 We call on the media, the government and political parties of Turkey to stop their violations of legality.

MINORITIES/MINORITES

Plus de 150 intellectuels appelent Ankara à admettre le génocide arménien

 Plus de 150 intellectuels, la plupart américains, ont lancé vendredi un appel au gouvernement turc pour qu'il reconnaisse la responsabilité de la Turquie dans le génocide arménien de 1915.
 "Après 84 ans, le gouvernement turc continue de nier le génocide des Arméniens en blâmant les victimes et en minant la réalité historique par une fausse rhétorique", écrivent les signataires d'une lettre publiée sur une pleine page dans le Washington Post, à la veille de l'anniversaire du début du génocide, le 24 avril 1915.
 Parmi les signataires de cet appel figurent de nombreux professeurs d'universités, sociologues, historiens, théologiens, des écrivains, dont Norman Mailer, William Styron, John Updike et Kurt Vonnegut, et plusieurs prix Nobel de littérature, notamment le Nigérian Wole Soyinka.
 "La négation du génocide vise à réécrire l'histoire afin de diaboliser les victimes et réhabiliter ses auteurs. La négation du génocide est le stade final du génocide lui-même", poursuit le texte.
 Selon les signataires de l'appel, le gouvernement turc finance des chaires d'études turques dans des universités américaines en faisant pression sur les récipiendaires pour qu'ils ne parlent pas de cette période historique ou qu'ils s'y réfèrent en évitant de parler de génocide. (AFP, 23 avril 1999)

Un millier d'Arméniens de Grèce manifestent contre la Turquie

 Un millier d'Arméniens de Grèce ont manifesté samedi dans le centre d'Athènes pour commémorer le 84ème anniversaire du "génocide" du peuple arménien par les troupes turques, a indiqué la police.
 Les manifestants, qui tenaient des drapeaux arméniens, se sont rassemblés à l'appel du comité arménien de Grèce devant le Parlement, dans le centre ville, et ont défilé jusqu'à l'ambassade de Turquie, gardée par un fort cordon policier.
 Ils ont crié devant l'ambassade des slogans hostiles à Ankara, "Turcs, fascistes, assassins", "les Turcs hors d'Arménie", "Liberté à l'Arménie occupée", avant de brûler un grand drapeau turc.
 Une cinquantaine de jeunes Arméniens effectuent depuis vendredi soir, et jusqu'à samedi soir, un sit-in de protestation devant l'ambassade turque.
 Une délégation a collé sur la porte de l'ambassade une pétition réclamant "la reconnaissance et la condamnation du génocide arménien qui a fait 1.500.000 morts en 1915".
 Le texte demande également l'arrêt de l'armement de l'Azerbaïdjan" et "la levée de l'embargo de la République d'Arménie" imposé par la Turquie.
 A Salonique (nord), 150 Arméniens de la ville ont également manifesté samedi matin devant le consulat turc.
 Les organisations arméniennes et leurs sympathisants se réuniront dimanche dans un cinéma d'Athènes pour commémorer, comme tous les ans dans la capitale grecque, "le génocide arménien". Le président du parti socialiste chypriote-grec (Edek), Vasso Lyssarides, prononcera un discours, de même que tous les représentants des partis grecs.
 Le Parlement grec a décidé en 1996 de décréter le 24 avril "jour de la mémoire du génocide des Arméniens par le régime turc". (AFP, 24 avril 1999)

SOCIO-ECONOMIC/SOCIO-ECONOMIQUE

Can Turkey resist populism for reform?

 Turkey's new government must quickly focus on banking and social security reforms and resist populist temptations if it is to win International Monetary Fund backing after Sunday's polls, analysts said.
 Initial market worry at the powerful election showing of a far right party has given way to hopes that it will adopt a moderate line to secure a role in any coalition.
 Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party (DSP) topped the polls and will send some 136 MPs to parliament, ahead of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) with around 130 seats.
 But pressure on parties to make good on poll promises is likely to slow down the structural changes sought by the IMF in exchange for a possible package of financial support.
 "The MHP's political preferences may encourage a populist approach. That would delay reform of social security and agriculture and privatisation," a private bank treasurer said.
 High public sector wage rises and increased support for the huge agriculture sector are among populist measures which could undermine fiscal and monetary discipline.
 A Reuters poll of fifteen analysts and bankers showed a majority expected Turkey would reach a new IMF accord, providing the government signals a commitment to reform, which would build on the success of an 18-month monitoring pact last year.
 "The political capital needed to pass the remaining measures is not too significant. Even a coalition which is not very strong can still meet the requirements of the Fund," said Amer Bisat, senior economist at Salomon Smith Barney.
 IMF support is seen as crucial to enhancing Turkey's image with international investors, improving its access to foreign borrowing and reducing dependence on expensive domestic debt.
 The poll indicated that reform of the banking and pension systems topped the priorities facing the next coalition.
 The crowded banking sector is in need of consolidation to put it on a firmer footing. The $6 billion annual deficit of the social security system, fuelled by retirement ages of 38 for women and 43 for men, eats a massive hole in public finances.
 The survey indicated an easing of perennial concerns about high inflation after a growth slowdown, reinforced by global crises, helped slash wholesale price inflation to 48.2 percent in March from 86.0 percent a year earlier.
 Analysts were sceptical about the chances of Turkey meeting its end-June WPI target of 45 percent. Forecasts for 1999 annual inflation ranged from 45 percent to 65 percent and centred on a range of 55-60 percent.
 The rapid decline in gross national product growth last year to 3.8 percent from 8.3 in 1997 was expected to continue this year, with forecasts centreing on a range of 2.0-2.5 percent.
 While privatisation and reform of the costly agricultural support system remained priorities, progress was expected to be slow unless a strong political consensus emerges.
 Most analysts shared the view that Ecevit would form a three-way alliance between his DSP, the MHP and the conservative Motherland Party (ANAP) of Mesut Yilmaz.
 Deep-seated rivalry between ANAP and the right-wing True Path Party is seen arguing against a coalition involving both parties, while secularist distaste for the Islamist Virtue Party is expected to keep it out of power.
 The MHP, meanwhile, has expressed a commitment to the IMF-sought reforms. Its reputation for harbouring a violent wing which contributed to street fighting in the 1970s remains, however, something of an encumbrance.
 "They want to appear more moderate rather than extremist... This is not an ideal coalition government but I'm confident things will work out," said Adrian Khoo from Banque Paribas. (Reuters, April 21, 1999)

Baisse de 23% des réservations de séjours en Turquie depuis l'Allemagne

 Les réservations de séjours touristiques en Turquie depuis l'Allemagne ont baissé de près d'un quart (23%) depuis l'incarcération en Turquie du chef rebelle kurde Abdullah Ocalan, en février, a indiqué vendredi le Centre d'études turques, basé à Essen (ouest).
 Les régions touristiques classiques comme Antalya, Side Kemer ou Fethiye, mais aussi Istanbul, ont sérieusement pâti des troubles occasionnés par la capture du chef du Parti des Travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK, séparatiste), selon le Centre.
 Depuis plusieurs semaines, les tours opérateurs acceptent d'annuler sans frais des réservations de billets d'avions ou de séjours complets, en réaction aux menaces d'attentats lancées par les militants du PKK à l'adresse des touristes, a indiqué le directeur du Centre, Faruk Sen.
 Selon lui, la facture du centre de congrès d'Istanbul s'élève déjà à quelque 50 millions de dollars de manque à gagner ou de pertes. Au cours des trois derniers mois, quelque 125.000 nuitées dans des hôtels cinq étoiles ont notamment été annulées.
 En 1998, quelque 9,4 millions d'Allemands se sont rendus en Turquie. C'est le contingent de touristes étrangers le plus important dans ce pays (23% du total). (AFP, 23 avril 1999)

The bitter reality of shantytowns

 The existence of gecekondus, or shantytowns, in Turkey has prevented the country from achieving successful city planning. In the last 30 years 1.6 million new shanty houses were built, the Anatolia news agency reported on Monday.
 According to the "Shantytown" report prepared by the National Real Estate General Directorate of the Finance Ministry, although a law enacted in 1966 outlawed the building of shanty houses, this has not been able to prevent their construction.
 The number of shanties has increased from 400,000 in the beginning of the 1960s to 600,000 in the 1970s, 1.1 million in the 1980s, 1.7 million in the 1990s, and has recently reached 2 million. In Ankara alone, the number of shanties increased from 100,000 to 450,000 over the same period of time.
 While 2.2 million people were living in shanties 30 years ago, they now accommodate 10 million.
 In Istanbul, shanties cover much of the industrial districts of Rami, Kocamustafapasa, Zeytinburnu, Taslitarla, Umraniye and Kartal and other regions that are not closely inspected.  Construction of shanties intensified before the recent elections, with politicians giving the green light to new buildings and providing infrastructure including roads, water, electricity, sewage services, schools and transportation.
 According to the directorate's report, shantytowns cover 45,000 hectares of land in Turkey. Moreover, the report shows that in addition to people building these houses for their own use, they are also constructing them for sale and for rent. As a result, between 40-50 percent of those living in shanty houses in cities like Ankara and Istanbul are rent payers.
 The report listed several short- and long-term solutions that would address the problem of shantytowns such as amending the Penal Code to prevent the "land mafia" from earning illegal income from the sale of state-owned or untitled lands. (TDN, April 26, 1999)

Saracoglu: Single-digit inflation a dream in Turkey

 Former Central Bank Governor Rusdu Saracoglu said that single-digit inflation in Turkey is a dream.
 Saracoglu held a conference in Canakkale's Onsekiz Mart University entitled "Basic Dynamics of the Turkish Economy." He said that no one opposes a double-digit inflation figure, but when it rises to triple-digits everyone speaks up."
 Saracoglu was Turkey's longest-serving central bank governor; during his term in office three presidents, five premiers and eight ministers responsible for economy left their posts. "None of the politicians I have worked with were afraid of domestic borrowing. The reason was the belief that if any hardship arose in domestic borrowing, they could solve it by printing money. But everyone used to be afraid of foreign borrowing because we had to borrow in U.S. dollars, and we could not print U.S. dollars. Our continuous printing of new money skyrocketed inflation. I think that single-digit inflation is a dream in Turkey."
 As long as politicians have the power to print money in Turkey, Turkey's debt problem cannot be solved, said Saracoglu, who pointed out that the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank never lends to the government, the Anatolia news agency reported. (TDN, April 28, 1999)

RELATIONS WITH THE WEST/RELATIONS AVEC L'OUEST

Turkey: Time to end impunity

 News Release Issued by International Secretariat of Amnesty International on April 20, 1999:
 The wall of impunity sheltering Turkish security forces from prosecution for the human rights violations they commit can only begin to crumble if supervision of their activities becomes tighter and the prospect of investigation and punishment more credible, Amnesty International said today, launching a report on the issue.
 "The bland complacency shown by successive Turkish governments in the face of torture, ill-treatment, death in custody and "disappearance" at the hands of law-enforcement officers is staggering," the human rights organization added.
 Amnesty International's report details a series of cases in which complaints of serious human rights violations have not been pursued by the competent authorities.
 "The authorities have consistently failed to fulfil their duty to investigate complaints of abuses by security forces and take the necessary action. This has fed a vicious circle of impunity, fear and abuse and undermined the civil society's confidence in the judiciary," the organization said.
 In one particularly tragic case, a man whose attempts to bring his torturers to justice failed was driven to take his own life. Vasfi Karakoc -- an Izmir taxi driver -- was arrested by police in August 1998 and blindfolded, suspended by the arms and subjected to electric shocks and various other forms of torture. Upon release he lodged a complaint, only to be threatened by police officers. His anger and frustration led him to set himself on fire on the Izmir city walls naming the officers who tortured him.
 A generalised climate of fear, witness intimidation, incomplete police records, the suppression of medical evidence and prosecutors' reluctance to investigate the work of security forces officers are among the factors contributing to impunity which are identified in Amnesty International's report.
 The failure by judges to investigate allegations of torture -- often made in court -- also leads to unfair trials, with confessions extracted under torture being frequently used in trials as a basis for imprisonment.
 Legal provisions such as the one allowing incommunicado detention for up to four days and the outdated system regulating the prosecution of civil servants also hinder the process of complaint investigation and prosecution.
 Even when all these obstacles are overcome and prosecution of security officers is actually brought about, the acquittal rates are very high, ranging between 87.5% and 96.75% according to official statistics. "In the rare cases in which a conviction is made, security forces officers are, as a rule, favoured by the lightest possible sentences," Amnesty International said.
 This is the case even with particularly heinous offences such as the torture of children. The police chief found guilty of blindfolding, kicking, punching, choking and subjecting to electric shocks a 13-year-old falsely accused of theft was simply fined. His conviction was later overturned on technical grounds and he is reportedly still on duty pending retrial.
 "The victims, their families and human rights defenders campaigning for an end to the practice of impunity face harassment and intimidation," Amnesty International said. "The same happens with doctors reporting accurately on injuries resulting from torture."
 The case of the relatives of the "disappeared" peacefully seeking to establish the fate of their loved ones is emblematic. Not only are the authorities failing to investigate their complaints, but since May 1998 they have been responding with increasing harshness to their protests. In September 1998, 31 of them were forced into a police van where officers beat them and sprayed pepper gas at them before closing all the doors. All 31 -- some of whom fainted --had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
 Amnesty International is calling on the Turkish authorities to take urgent action to tackle the issue of impunity and to implement the recommendations made by the High Council of Human Rights.
 Measures recommended in the organization's report include:
 - banning practices like blindfolding in police custody;
 - ensuring that proper detention records are kept and made available for scrutiny, that reliable statistics concerning complaints, prosecutions, convictions and sentences in cases of alleged torture, ill-treatment, or "disappearance" are compiled and that concealing medical evidence of torture is criminalized;
 - ensuring thorough investigation of complaints of abuses, the prosecution of those found responsible and the removal of all legal impediments to the course of justice in these cases;
 - reviewing convictions based on evidence allegedly extracted under torture;
 - suspending security forces personnel investigated for human rights abuses and dismissing those who are found guilty of them;
 - involving civil society in mechanisms to observe and report on the activities of law-enforcement officers.
 Amnesty International's report "Turkey: The duty to supervise, investigate and prosecute" will be presented to the European Parliament's Sub-Commission on Human Rights in Brussels on 20 April."

La Turquie prise entre UEO et OTAN

 La Turquie a retardé pendant plusieurs heures l'adoption par les dirigeants alliés de leur nouveau Concept stratégique et du communiqué final de leur réunion, afin d'obtenir des garanties que ses liens avec l'Union de l'Europe occidentale (UEO) ne seraient pas remis en cause.
 Selon un diplomate turc, la Turquie "ne veut pas perdre ses acquis" au sein de l'UEO et elle réclame "une place dans la nouvelle architecture européenne".
 Elle a finalement obtenu une mention dans le communiqué final qui recommande "d'associer le plus étroitement possible les alliés européens non-membres de l'UE aux opérations qui seraient dirigées par l'UE".
 La Turquie redoute de faire les frais de la restructuration de l'Europe de la défense, et d'être laissé pour compte quand l'UEO fusionnera avec l'Union européenne.
 Cette fusion, souhaitée notamment par Paris et Bonn, est envisagée dans un délai de deux ou trois ans, selon le secrétaire général de l'UEO, le Portugais José Cutileiro.
 Pour l'instant, la Turquie est membre associé de l'UEO. Mais elle n'a pas d'espoir d'entrer dans l'Union européenne à brève échéance, malgré ses demandes pressantes.
 Le nouveau Concept stratégique confirme que les pays de l'UE sont appelés à avoir un rôle plus autonome au sein de l'OTAN. Avec la fusion UEO-UE, Ankara risque donc de se retrouver marginalisée.
 Cinq autres pays (Islande, Norvège, Pologne, République tchèque et Hongrie) sont membres associés de l'UEO. Tous ces pays sont membres de l'OTAN.
 L'UEO compte dix membres à part entière: Allemagne, Belgique, Espagne, France, Grèce, Italie, Luxembourg, Pays-Bas, Portugal, et Royaume-Uni. Ils sont tous membres aussi de l'Union européenne et de l'OTAN.
 L'UEO est la seule organisation purement européenne compétente en matière de défense mais elle n'a pas les moyens de ses ambitions.
 Créée en 1948, elle n'a jamais été utilisée pour des opérations d'envergure. Jusqu'à la fin des années 1980, elle n'en avait pas de capacité opérationnelle. Entre 1990 et aujourd'hui, elle a développé cette capacité mais ses membres n'ont jamais eu la volonté de lui faire jouer un rôle influent dans les conflits, comme en Bosnie ou au Kosovo. (AFP, 25 avril 1999)

Germany was Turkey's major trading partner in 1998

 Turkey exported the largest amount of goods and services to Germany in 1998, followed by the United States, Britain and Italy.
 According to the Foreign Trade Bulletin published by the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat Economic Research and Assessment General Directorate, Turkey's imports from Italy remained the same while exports increased. This was despite a political crisis between the two nations sparked by Italy's refusal to extradite Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.
 Although Turkey's exports to Russia decreased by 34.5 percent in 1998, it still ranked as Turkey's fifth largest export market.
 The list of countries which import goods from Turkey and their market shares, are as follows: Germany, 20.3 percent; the United States, 8.3 percent; Britain, 6.4 percent; Italy, 5.8 percent; Russian Federation, 5.0 percent; France, 4.8 percent; Holland, 3.3 percent; Belgium and Luxembourg, 2.5 percent; Spain, 1.9 percent; Algeria, Israel and Saudi Arabia, 1.8 percent each; Romania, 1.7 percent; Azerbaijan, 1.2 percent; Austria and Poland, 1.1 percent; Greece and Tunisia, 0.8 percent; and Syria, 0.7 percent.
 While Turkey's exports to Russia and Saudi Arabia declined in 1998, they increased for the other 18 countries on the list. (TDN, April 26, 1999)

REGIONAL RELATIONS/RELATIONS REGIONALES

San Fransisco Chronicle: "Let's Bomb Turkey!"

 Our leaders say we must keep on bombing Kosovo to save the Kosovars from being killed by the Serbs instead. People of good will can't help but applaud our humanitarian efforts, but I think we should stop bombing Kosovo and start bombing Turkey.
 The Serbs may have been kicking the Kosovars around lately, but Turkey has been oppressing the Kurds for nigh on 80 years. True, the Turks may not have slaughtered as many innocent citizens in recent weeks as the Serbs have, but over the years the Turks have built up a pretty darned impressive record of executing dissidents, burning villages and driving peasants into exile. Some will say that we can't stand idly by while 2 million Kosovars are being hounded by the evil Serbs. Nonsense, we are very good at standing idly by. Look how idly we stood by when the Hutus were hacking to death 800,000 Rwandans. Of course the Rwandans were not only black, but had no oil fields to speak of.
 Instead of bombing Kosovo in the humanitarian spirit, I say we should make diplomatic protests to Belgrade. Diplomatic protests worked just as well in punishing oppressors in China, South Africa and Latin America as did our bombs in Vietnam, Libya and Iraq. From all accounts, all our bombs have accomplished so far in Kosovo is to drive the Serbians into committing more and more atrocities.
 But if we must bomb someone to save our national honor, I say we should bomb Turkey. First of all, great big Turkey is easier to hit than tiny little Kosovo. Second, there are 25 million Kurds to save with our bombs -- more than ten times the number of persecuted Kosovars.
 To be sure, there are a few obstacles to bombing Turkey. For one thing, she's our staunch NATO ally. That means the Kurds who are fighting for freedom are not freedom fighters. Our State Department has officially labeled them as terrorists and rightly so. As you know, a freedom fighter is fighting for independence from someone we don't like; a terrorist is fighting for independence from someone we do.
 So the Kurds are official terrorists, and we certainly can't engage in a humanitarian bombing campaign in favor of terrorists.
 What about China? China is no friend of ours. Therefore, those fighting for freedom in China are freedom fighters, not terrorists. But China is awfully big, and it has nuclear missiles, too. There's no sense getting carried away by our humanitarian feelings.
 Then we have East Timor. The inhabitants declared the Democratic Republic of East Timor in 1975, and the Indonesians have been kicking them around ever since. As I recall, though, the Indonesians are our pals these days, so the East Timorians may well be terrorists. Anyway, "Democratic Republic" sounds vaguely communistic, and we certainly don't want to waste our vast arsenal of humanitarianism on a bunch of commies.
 Sri Lanka's a likely candidate. The Sri Lankans have been butchering the rebel Tamil Tigers for years. Unfortunately, I'm not sure who's on our side. But what about the Congo? Or Burkina Faso? Or maybe...
 Anyway, there are oppressed people all over the world who deserve our humanitarian bombs. So what have the Kosovars done to merit our magnanimous concern? (Arthur Hoppe, San Fransisco Chronicle, April 5, 1999)

Turkish Troops Enter Northern Iraq

 About 15,000 Turkish troops have crossed into neighboring Iraq to hunt down Kurdish rebels, a newspaper reported today.
 It was the second reported cross-border offensive against Kurdish fighters based in northern Iraq since Turkish commandos captured Kurdish guerrilla leader Abdullah Ocalan on Feb. 15.
 The soldiers, accompanied by 2,000 pro-government village guards, crossed into Iraq on Tuesday and have penetrated some 9 miles inside the country, the daily Cumhuriyet newspaper reported.
 Also Tuesday, Turkish warplanes pounded rebel bases in the northeastern corner of Iraq, the newspaper said.
 Military officials were not immediately available for comment.
 Turkey has frequently launched incursions into northern Iraq in the spring after the snow clears. Turkish Kurdish guerrilla fighters have bases in northern Iraq.
 Guerrillas of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, an Iraqi Kurdish group, were aiding the Turkish soldiers, the newspaper reported.
 The KDP controls areas along the Iraqi-Turkish border and has sided with Turkey against the Turkish Kurdish rebels in past operations.
 Rebels from Ocalan's Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, have been fighting for autonomy in the southeast of Turkey since 1984. Some 37,000 people have died in the fighting.
 Ocalan is awaiting trial on charges of treason and could face the death penalty if convicted. (AP, April 7, 1999)

Bagdad demande l'intervention de la Ligue arabe

 L'Irak a exhorté la Ligue arabe à intervenir auprès d'Ankara pour obtenir l'arrêt des incursions de l'armée turque dans le nord irakien, dans un message adressé par le chef de la diplomatie irakienne au secrétaire général de l'organisation, Esmat Abdel Méguid.
 Dans son message, reproduit mardi par la presse irakienne, M. Mohamed Saïd Al-Sahhaf demande à M. Abdel Méguid "d'assumer son rôle conformément à la charte de la Ligue, de dénoncer l'agression et de demander au gouvernement turc d'arrêter ses agissements et de respecter la souveraineté de l'Irak".
 M. Sahhaf a affirmé que "l'incursion turque a provoqué des pertes humaines et matérielles importantes" dans le Kurdistan irakien (nord), dont le contrôle échappe totalement à l'autorité à Bagdad depuis la fin de la guerre du Golfe (février 1991) et qui est contrôlé actuellement par les opposants Kurdes irakiens.
 "Il est regrettable de voir le gouvernement turc continuer à agresser l'Irak sous prétexte de pourchasser des rebelles qui menacent sa sécurité", a ajouté le ministre irakien des Affaires étrangères.
 L'armée turque a lancé le 6 avril une opération contre des bases des maquisards du Parti des Travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK, séparatistes kurdes de Turquie) dans le nord de l'Irak, au cours de laquelle 59 d'entre eux ont été tués, selon le dernier bilan publié dimanche par l'agence officielle turque Anatolie.
 L'opération vise à détruire les préparatifs logistiques du PKK. Selon le quotidien turc Cumhuriyet (centre-gauche), près de 20.000 troupes turques ont été mobilisées pour cette incursion.
 L'armée turque lance fréquemment des opérations similaires contre les rebelles du PKK dans le nord irakien, notamment en cette saison, pour empêcher le PKK de préparer d'éventuelles attaques en été contre des objectifs en territoire turc.  (AFP, April 20, 1999)

Ankara réaffirme que le déploiement de S-300 en Crète est inadmissible

 La Turquie a réitéré jeudi sa position selon laquelle elle juge "inadmissible" le déploiement en Crète des missiles russes S-300 dont le transfert a été effectué, selon Athènes.
 "Notre position reste inchangée", a déclaré à l'AFP un responsable gouvernemental qui a requis l'anonymat.
 "Nous refusons absolument l'introduction de nouveaux éléments susceptibles d'accroître la tension dans les relations turco-grecques, qui sont déjà compliquées", a ajouté ce responsable sans autre précision.
 Fin décembre, le chef de la diplomatie turque, Ismail Cem, avait jugé "inadmissible" le déploiement en Crète de ces missiles, affirmant qu'il "aggraverait la tension déjà existante entre la Turquie et la Grèce en mer Egée".
 Selon le porte-parole adjoint du gouvernement grec, Nikos Athanassakis, les missiles sol-air russes S-300 commandés par Chypre à Moscou "ont été acheminés en Crète" conformément à l'accord intervenu entre Nicosie et Athènes.
 Ces missiles sol-air d'une portée de 150 km devaient initialement être installés dans la partie grecque de Chypre (sud), mais devant l'hostilité des pays occidentaux, et notamment celle de la Turquie, Chypre et la Grèce avaient décidé en décembre de les positionner en Crète (sud de la mer Egée).
 Ankara avait menacé de détruire ces missiles s'ils étaient déployés à Chypre, estimant que cela briserait l'équilibre militaire sur l'île et menacerait la partie chypriote-turque ainsi que la Turquie elle-même.
 En février, un porte-parole du ministère turc des Affaires étrangères, Sermet Atacanli, avait déclaré que "la Turquie ne laissera aucune menace dirigée contre elle sans riposte", tout en refusant de préciser si Ankara envisageait des mesures militaires en cas de déploiement de ces missiles en Crète. (AFP, 22 avril 1999)

MIGRATION/IMMIGRATION

Un délinquant mineur récidiviste expulsé mardi vers la Turquie

 Un délinquant mineur d'origine turque doit être expulsé mardi de Bavière, cinq mois après la très contestée expulsion de la même région d'un autre mineur turc, a indiqué lundi la ville d'Augsburg (sud).
 Hakan, un multi-récidiviste de 16 ans originaire d'Augsburg, doit quitter Munich pour Istanbul. Il est en instance d'expulsion depuis deux semaines, suite notamment à un cambriolage dans l'appartement de sa mère.
 "Dans son cas, toutes les tentatives de réintégration ont échoué", a estimé un responsable de la municipalité d'Augsburg, le chrétien-social Willi Reisser (CSU), disant escompter de cette nouvelle expulsion de mineur un effet dissuasif sur d'autres jeunes étrangers.
 La Cour administrative de Bavière avait confirmé début avril l'ordre d'expulsion prononcé par la ville d'Augsburg.
 Né en 1982 à Rinteln (nord), Hakan est entré dans les fichiers de la police locale à l'âge de 11 ans. Condamné en 1997 à une peine de trois ans de prison pour douze cas de vol, chantage, blessures corporelles dangereuses, il avait été libéré peu avant Noël 1998. La police a en outre enquêté sur son implication dans une quarantaine d'affaires de trafic de drogue.
 "Je ne sais pas ce que les autorités turques comptent faire de lui. Il est possible que sa mère l'accompagne en Turquie", a indiqué M. Reisser.
 Un mineur turc de 14 ans, connu sous le pseudonyme de "Mehmet", avait été expulsé de la très conservatrice Bavière en novembre, au grand dam des sociaux-démocrates (SPD) au pouvoir à Bonn. L'adolescent avait été expulsé au terme d'une vaste controverse sur le droit des étrangers. Il avait commis une soixantaine de délits et était également poursuivi avec trois complices pour l'agression sauvage d'un jeune homme de 19 ans.
 Le cas de Mehmet était devenu emblématique de la politique de la Bavière, Land dirigé par l'Union chrétienne-sociale (CSU, branche bavaroise de la démocratie-chrétienne), à l'égard des délinquants étrangers. (AFP, 26 avril 1999)

BELGIQUE-TURQUIE/BELGIUM-TURKEY

Belgian trade mission in Turkey to attend Belgian week events

 The Embassy of Belgium in Ankara has organized a variety of events for the week of April 26 to May 1st. The festivities will highlight the different characteristics of Belgium, which has formed special ties with Turkey over the last decade because of the important Turkish community living in that country.
 In a press release published by the Ambassade de Belgique, it was said: "A Belgian trade mission is due to visit Turkey from April 26 to 30, 1999. The delegation, including some 30 Belgian companies from various sectors (including banking, transportation and telecommunications), as well as different business federations will visit Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul and meet with Turkish business partners and representatives of TUSIAD, DEIK and the Chambers of Commerce. The mission is organized by AWEX (the Walloon Export Promotion Agency), the Club Liegois des Exportateurs and the Brussels Business Federation."
 The press release continued: "Trade and economic relations between Turkey and Belgium have enjoyed strong development over recent years, bringing Belgium within the group of the 10 most important trading partners of Turkey. Two-way trade flow reached $2.2 billion in 1998. For the year of 1997, trade between both countries reached $1.95 billion. As an exporter to Turkey, Belgium is in the 11th position ($1.5 billion), whereas Belgium is the eighth largest importer of Turkish goods. The trade balance has a deficit on the Turkish side, this deficit is, however, shrinking due to a recent and strong increase in Turkish exports of transport-equipment. Imports of Turkish goods in Belgium consist mainly of garments, fruit and vegetables and mineral products. Turkey represents a priority-market for Belgian exporters. Turkey is the seventh largest export market for Belgium outside the European Union. This importance is also highlighted by Turkey's share in the comprehensive figure of Belgian export credits insured by the Belgian export credit insurance agency Delcredere/Ducroire.
 "The Belgian Government has granted several soft-loans to Turkey for the implementation of projects in industry, public health (construction and equipment of hospitals), environment and water treatment, and the transport sector. A total of $100 million has so far been granted since 1980. Some of these projects financed by Belgian soft-loans include the building of the Dr. Ersek hospital in Istanbul, urban transport studies for Kayseri-metro, procurement of ligthing-equipment for the Eskisehir-airport, and procurement of ticket-equipment for urban transport in Ankara. Moreover, there is an agreement in principal for new soft loan financing of two projects in the public health sector for 1999.
 "According to Turkish official figures, Belgium is the 10th largest foreign investor in Turkey ($550 million). Belgian companies mainly invest in the Turkish energy sector (i.e. Birecik Dam-project), the metal industry, the food-processing sector, plastics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals and the telecommunication-sector.
 "Belgian investments employ more than 5,000 Turkish workers. However, the real number of Belgian investments in Turkey is at a higher level, given the fact that many Belgian companies invest in Turkey through their foreign subsidiaries. Belgian investments do not only count for an important labor force. they also boost Turkish exports to third countries. Belgian investments in the Turkish cement-sector for example, account for more than one third of the total of Turkish cement exports.
 "Belgian and Turkish companies have also undertaken joint-investment operations on third markets. The Belgian multinational Solvay and the Turkish company Sisecam took, for example, joint control over the Bulgarian privatized company Sadi in 1997. Belgian companies are exploring ways to develop new partnerships for business and to increase investment in Turkey. The mission takes place in the wake of the Turkish-Belgian Business Council which met in Brussels on 26th of March. According to the Ambassador of Belgium in Ankara H.E. Alexis Brouhns, the capacity of resistance in the Turkish economy, as proven during the international financial turmoil affecting the Far East and Russia throughout 1998, underlines its strength and its potential.
 "According to Ambassador Brouhns, the Turkish economy's steady growth and transformation as well as its adaptation after the implementation of the Customs Union with the European Union makes it one of the most attractive emerging markets. Turkey's unique geographical and cultural position at the crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia enhance this attractiveness." (TDN, April 27, 1999)

EN BREF/IN BRIEF

(TIHV news on human rights violations/Dépêches de la TIHV sur les violations des droits de l'Homme)
 Political Party Executive Members Remanded: An investigation was launched against executive members of 7 political parties in Ekinozu District of Maras on the claims of "acting in contravention of the bans brought by the Supreme Election Council regarding the elections and of holding unauthorized open-air meetings." In connection with this investigation, CHP District Chairperson Hasan Vicdan, ANAP District Chairperson Osman Sahin, DYP District Chairperson Enver Gormus, FP District Chairperson Ahmet Eker were detained in late afternoon on 2 April. The 4 persons were remanded in the evening of the same day. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 4, 1999)
 Journalists Beaten, Attack against the HADEP Convoy: A group of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) adherents attacked on the people in the convoy of the HADEP who were on the streets in Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, for making propaganda of the HADEP in connection with the elections on 18 April. Some journalists, who were following the incident, were beaten by the police. (Cumhuriyet-Evrensel-TIHV, April 5, 1999)
 Claim of Death Subsequent to Torture: Musa Cabar (60), who was reportedly detained subsequent to a clash in the vicinity of Duruca Village of Nusaybin, Mardin, in February and who was tortured in detention, died on 2 April. It was reported that one of the sons of Musa Cabar was a PKK militant, and that all of the members of the Cabar Family had been detained in February on the claims that there was a shelter under their house. Musa Cabar, who was reportedly kept in detention for 2 weeks and tortured, was partially paralyzed and he was under medical treatment. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Torture in Detention, Death Penalty Demand: The trial launched against Riza Poyraz, who had allegedly attempted to commit a suicide by jumping down the fifth floor of Istanbul Security Directorate where he was kept in detention, started at Istanbul SSC. In the trial, the death penalty is sought for Riza Poyraz, whereas imprisonment terms are sought for Meryem Altun and Sade Bastug (prosecuted without arrest) for "membership to an illegal organization." (Radikal-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Sentence to Eren Keskin Upheld: The Supreme Court upheld the 1 year 1 month 10 daysí imprisonment sentence given to Lawyer Eren Keskin, the Deputy Chairperson of the IHD, in connection with her article published in the journal Medya Gunesi. Eren Keskin is expected to be imprisoned in the forthcoming days if she does not request the postponement of the imprisonment up to 4 months in line with the Law on Execution of Sentences. (Sabah-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Lawyer on Trial: A trial was launched against Lawyer Cem Alptekin on the accusations of "belittling the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and revealing the identities of the MIT officials." Cem Alptekin is one of the intervening lawyers in the trial launched at Istanbul Criminal Court No.6 in connection with the ì16 March Massacreî (7 students had been killed and 41 students had been wounded in the attack carried out by the Nationalist Movement Party [MHP] in front of Istanbul University on 16 March 1978). (Evrensel-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Closure Trial against the HADEP: In the course of the trial launched by the Chief Prosecution Office of the Supreme Court against the HADEP on the demand of the closure of the party, Lawyer Yusuf Alatas submitted the first defense of the HADEP to the Constitutional Court on 5 April. In the defense, the accusations of supporting an illegal organization has been rejected, and it was maintained that the closure trial was launched upon a "decision by the State." (Radikal-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Pressure on the HADEP: Osman Ozcelik, the Deputy Chairperson of the Peopleís Democracy Party (HADEP), disclosed that pressure on the HADEP continued uninterruptedly prior to the elections. Osman Ozcelik stated that fire was opened at the HADEP convoy after the meeting held in Suruc, Urfa, on 4 April, and added, "According to the information given by our friends who went through the incident, the first fire was opened from the official car of District Governor Sami Parlak. In the attack, Salih Bozkurt, Bekir Koctu and another friend were wounded." (Cumhuriyet-Evrensel-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Journal Confiscated: The eighteenth issue of the journal Proleter Devrimci Durus was confiscated by Istanbul SSC on the claims of "disseminating propaganda favoring illegal organizations" in certain articles. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Villagers Detained: On 5 April, the villagers from Bergama (Izmir), who have become successful in their struggle against the use of cyanide in gold mines in their own region, demonstrated in front of the compound of Eti Holding Company in Gumuskoy Village of Tavsanli, Kutahya, where the Eurogold company had transferred 18 tons of cyanide that were to be used in Bergama. The villagers closed the entrance of the compound, took off their clothes on the upper parts of their bodies, and put on gas masks. Later, the group demonstrated outside the building of Kutahya Governorate, and 42 of the demonstrators were detained by the police. (Radikal-TIHV, April 6, 1999)
 Persons Beaten by Police: On 10 March, Ibrahim Ekimci (37) and Huseyin Bas were taken to the police station on the claims that "they were drinking alcohol on the street" in Mihalicik, Eskisehir, and were beaten by some police officers at the station. Ekimci stated that he had lodged an official complaint against the police officers. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Prisoners on Hunger Strike: The hunger strike staged by prisoners Mehmet Candemir and Yakup Soylu, who had been transferred from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig Prison on 23 March, on the demand of ìtransfer to any prison where political prisoners stay,î is under way. The prisoners revealed through their relatives that they had been tortured on the way from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig and kept in a cell. The relatives of Yakup Soylu stated that Soylu had been suffering from disorder in sight and blood coming from his mouth. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Closure Trial against the IHD: The trial launched on the demand of the closure of the IHD Diyarbakir Branch and imprisonment terms against 10 executive members of the branch continued on 6 April. In the hearing at Diyarbakir SSC, the prosecutor demanded the closure of the branch and punishment of the executive members under Article 7 of Anti-Terror Law, arguing that the IHD "made propaganda favoring the PKK and established relations with foreign persons and organizations in this line." They are prosecuted on the demand of imprisonment terms from 2 years up to 10 years. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Journalist Convicted: The trial launched in connection with a news-story entitled "Kurdish Workers under Detention in the Black Sea," which appeared on the defunct daily Emek dated 8 August 1998, ended at Istanbul SSC on 6 April. The Editor-in-Chief of the daily, Ahmet Ergin, was sentenced to 1 year 8 month in prison under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code. The sentence was commuted to a fine. The SSC also ordered the closure of the daily Emek for 10 days. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Italian Journalist on Trial: The Supreme Court overturned the one-year imprisonment term and the fine (TL 6 billion and 100 million) issued against Italian journalist Frisullo Damiano Giovanni, who was detained in Diyarbakir where he had gone during the Newroz Feast in 1998 and later put on trial. The Supreme Court reportedly overturned the original ruling on the grounds that "the offence was set wrong." The trial against Giovanni will re-start on 27 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Ocalanís Lawyer Detained: Lawyer Irfan Dundar, who went to Mudanya to meet with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan on 6 April, was detained for a while "because of problem in his military service." Ocalanís lawyers Hasip Kaplan, Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu, Irfan Dundar, Mahmut Sakar and Ercan Kanar were stopped at the police center at the entrance of the town for ID check and Irfan Dundar was taken to Mudanya Military Recruitment Office. (Hurriyet-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Suicide Attack in Bingol: It was revealed out that the PKK militant who died at the suicide attack named Baki Tatli. In the attack, one more person had died and 20 were wounded in Bingol on 5 April. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Child Tortured: A child named O. Sahin, who was detained from his house on the grounds that "he would be shown to a detainee," was reportedly tortured. Beycan Sahin, who made a statement at the IHD Adana Branch, said that her house in Akkapi Quarter had been raided by the police, and that her son had been detained on the grounds that "he would be shown child who had stolen paper." (Evrensel-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Prisoners on Hunger Strike: The hunger strike staged by prisoners Mehmet Candemir and Yakup Soylu, who had been transferred from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig Prison on 23 March, on the demand of "transfer to any prison where political prisoners stay," is under way. The prisoners revealed through their relatives that they had been tortured on the way from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig and kept in a cell. The relatives of Yakup Soylu stated that Soylu had been suffering from disorder in sight and blood coming from his mouth. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 7, 1999)
 Trade Unionists on Trial: The trial launched against Egitim Sen Elazig Branch Chairperson Resul Alinak and Branch Secretary Mehmet Çakan in connection the "Union and Solidarity Night" organized by the Egitim Sen Elazig Branch on 7 December 1998, during which songs in Kurdish were sung, continued at Elazig Criminal Court No.2 on 7 April. In the trial, the trade unionists are prosecuted on charges of "acting in contravention of the Law on Associations." (TIHV, April 8, 1999)
 Writer on Trial: The trial launched against writer Bilgesu Erenus and publisher Huseyin Çevirgen on the accusations that "people were incited to hatred and enmity" in Erenusí book "Bir Senaryo Dersim 38, bir oyun Fikret (A Scenario Dersim 38, a play Fikret)," continued at Istanbul SSC on 7 April. In the trial, Bilgesu Erenus and Huseyin Çevirgen are indicted on the demand of sentences between 2 years and 6 years in prison under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code. (Hurriyet-TIHV, April 8, 1999)
 Closed Radio: The Radio and Television Supreme Board (RTUK) decided the closure of Ozgur Radyo, which broadcasts in Istanbul, for one year, on the grounds that "people were incited to violence, terror and ethnic discrimination via the broadcast of the radio." (Evrensel-TIHV, April 8, 1999)
 Pressure on the HADEP: Bitlis Provincial Governorate did not allow the HADEP to open an election office that would carry out campaign for the general elections to be held on 18 April. Meanwhile, 14 members of the HADEP were detained on the grounds that songs in Kurdish were played from the vehicle of the HADEP Sultanbeyli (Istanbul) District Organization carrying out a campaign for the elections. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 8, 1999)
 Semdin Sakik on Trial: The trial launched against Semdin Sakik, a leading figure of the PKK, and his brother Arif Sakik, who were brought to Turkey after an alleged military operation in Northern Iraq on 15 March 1998, continued at Diyarbakir SSC on 7 April. In the trial, the indictment sought the death penalty for Semdin Sakik for being a leader of the PKK and having participated in numerous armed attacks or given orders for such attacks, and for Arif Sakik for having taken part in numerous attacks, under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 8, 1999)
 Trade Unionist Threatened: Dervis Boyoglu, the  Chairperson of the Basin Is (trade union of workers in media), which is affiliated with the DISK, disclosed that he had been abducted by 3 armed persons, who had threatened him to stop all of the trade union activities at the company Swisscard, on 8 April. (Radikal-TIHV, April 8, 1999)
 Death in Prison: An arrest warrant was issued against 10 arrested prisoners in the course of the investigation launched into the killing of Murat Keles (16), an ordinary prisoner on remand at the juvenile wing of Izmir Buca Prison, on 23 March. The relatives of Murat Keles, on the other hand, had lodged an official complaint with the prosecution office, stating that Murat Keles had been killed by the prison warders as he had resisted them when they had attempted to rape him. (Milliyet-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Pressure on the HADEP and EMEP: Special team members, who followed the convoy of the HADEP that left Hinis District of Erzurum after the meeting held in Hinis on 7 April, beat Fevzi Ates and 3 other members of the HADEP, whose names could not be revealed. Aslan Yuce, the HADEP MP candidate for Kars, was detained on 8 April while he was carrying out electoral activities with the campaign vehicle.  Mehmet Budak, the Laborís Party (EMEP) Diyarbakir Provincial Organization Chairperson, Mahsun Aslan, a MP candidate with the EMEP, Sukru Abay, the Mayor candidate of the EMEP, and EMEP members Efrail Oztas and Mesut Oztas, were detained on the evening of 7 April, while they were going to Kamis Village of Diyarbakir for the election campaign. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Metin Goktepe Trial: The trial on the murder of journalist Metin Goktepe under custody by 11 police officers continued at Afyon Heavy Penal Court on 8 April. The trial was postponed until 6 May in order to hear the defenses of the defendants and their lawyers. Meanwhile, people who came to Afyon from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Eskisehir in 6 buses were not allowed to follow the hearing. (Evrensel-Radikal-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Concluded Trial: The trial launched against 34 people at Erzurum SSC on charges of "PKK membership," ended on 7 April. In the trial, Hasan Alkis, Ecevit Altun (repentant) and Sevket Soken (repentant) were given the life sentence. Twelve other defendants were sentenced to terms of up to 19 years 17 days (Evrensel-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Journal Confiscated: The fifth issue of the journal Genc Direnisci was confiscated by Istanbul SSC on the grounds that ìpeople were incited to enmityî in certain articles published in the journal. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Culture Center Raided: Karanfiller Culture Center in Bagcilar, Istanbul, was raided by the police at about 19.00 on 7 April. The people in the center reportedly erected barricades and resisted the raid, and the police, who broke in the center through the windows, detained about 20 people under beating. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: Eight executive members of the HADEP Çinar (Diyarbakir) District Organization were detained by the police on 8 April. In Dicle District of Diyarbakir, 20 people, including HADEP MP candidates Musa Farisogullari and Abdurrahman Turhalli, and Mayor candidate for Dicle, Ali Ozgen, were detained at the entrance of the district on 8 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 9, 1999)
 Incidents in Connection With Elections: On 11 April, a fight arose between the adherents of the MHP and of the ANAP in Esenler, Istanbul, on the reasons that "posters of the MHP were put up on the posters of the ANAP." On 10 April, a group of MHP adherents attacked against the campaign bus of Istanbul 3rd Region Independent MP Candidate Sabri Topçu. Meanwhile, convoys of the HADEP were attacked in Izmir and Istanbul by some adherents of the MHP on 11 April. (Cumhuriyet-Evrensel-TIHV, 10-12 April 1999)
 Closure Trial against the HADEP: In the course of the trial launched against the Peopleís Democracy Party (HADEP) on the demand of the closure of the party, Vural Savas, the Chief Prosecution Office of the Supreme Court, submitted his comments on the merits of the case to the Constitutional Court. In his comments, Savas demanded from the Constitutional Court to take a measure banning the HADEP from all kind of political activities and from taking part in the elections to be held on 18 April.  (Evrensel-TIHV, 10 April 1999)
 HADEP Executive Member on Trial: Istanbul SSC launched a trial against Ali Riza Yurtsever, HADEP MP Candidate from Ankara 1st Region, on the accusations of "disseminating separatist propaganda" in his article published in the issue of the closed down daily Ulkede Gundem on 31 October 1998. In the trial, Yurtsever was indicted under Article 8 of the Anti-Terror Law. (Evrensel-TIHV, 11 April 1999)
 Demonstration Prevented: The police intervened in the press statement to be made by students of Istanbul University at Maçka Democracy Park on 9 April. The police did not allow the students to draw pictures collectively after the reading of the press statement, and detained about 50 students. (Evrensel-TIHV, 10 April 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: The police raided the house of Neriman Tufan, the editor-in-chief of the journal Devrimci Cozum, on 9 April. Neriman Tufan was reportedly not at home, and the police officers detained her brothers Mahmut Tufan and Levent Tufan. The house of Neriman Tufan was raided again on 10 April. The 9 persons, who were detained in Istanbul on charges of "putting a bomb at the toilet of the McDonaldís in Beyazit", were remanded by Istanbul SSC on 11 April. (Evrensel-Milliyet-TIHV, 10-11-2 April 1999)
 Operation in Northern Iraq: The operation launched by the Turkish Armed Forces against the camps and positions of the PKK in Northern Iraq on 5 April, reportedly ended and the soldiers began to withdraw. On 11 April, an explosion, which was reportedly a bomb with a remote control, took place at a forest storage area in the vicinity of Dereli Village of Osmaniye, Adana. On 11 April, a clash broke out between soldiers and a group of armed militants, reportedly members of the Workersí and Peasantsí Liberation Army of Turkey (TIKKO), between Keçeli and Kozlu villages of Erbaa, Tokat, on 11 April. (Evrensel-Milliyet-Radikal- Hurriyet-TIHV, 11-12 April 1999)
 Torture in Detention: Sever Kiliç (17), who was detained in the Onbir Nisan (Alagor) region of Suruç, Urfa, on 11 April, disclosed that he had been tortured in detention. Fifteen other persons, who were detained along with Sever Kiliç, were reportedly  tortured, too. (TIHV, 13 April 1999)
 Journalist Detained: Makbule Turk, the editor-in-chief of the journal Alinteri, was detained on 12 April. The grounds for her detention could not be revealed. (Evrensel-TIHV, 13 April 1999)
 Journalist on Trial: The trial launched against Naime Kaya, the owner of the journal Hedef, and Celal Donmez (died in a car crash), the editor-in-chief of the same, on the accusations of ìdisseminating separatist propagandaî in an article published in the issue of the journal dated 1 February 1996, was concluded. In the hearing held at Istanbul SSC on 12 April, Naime Kaya was fined TL 150,000,000, whereas Celal Donmez was sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined TL 75,000,000. The court board also ordered the closure of the journal for one month. (Evrensel-TIHV, 13 April 1999)
 Incident in the University: On 12 April, a fight arose between the students at Ankara University Faculty of Linguistics, History and Geography when Ertugrul Guz, a student adhering the MHP, held up a pistol against the left-wing students.(Evrensel-TIHV, 13 April 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: Suleyman Turker, Ankara Branch Chairperson of the United Metal-Is, was detained on 12 April.   In Gaziantep, Nebi Kurhan and Mesut Kokkaya were detained on charges of "planning to carry out a suicidal attack against Governor Muammer Guler." (Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet-TIHV, 13 April 1999)
 Death Penalty Demand: The trial launched against 15 persons on the claims of planting a bomb at Misir Çarsisi (Egyptian Bazaar) in Istanbul, and killing 7 persons and wounding 120 others on 9 July 1998, commenced at Istanbul SSC. Making her defense in the hearing Sociologist Pinar Selek, the trial against whom had been joined with this trial in February, stated that she was seeking to understand the gap between Kurdish and Turkish people: ìI was willing to meet especially with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. In order to understand this party one was to understand Abdullah Ocalan, indeed. While I was starting this research, I was well aware that I would be prosecuted here, but I could not imagine such a big plot against me." (Hurriyet-TIHV, 13 April 1999)
 Incidents in Rally in Diyarbakir: Incidents broke out and many people were detained under beating during the public rally planned to be held by the HADEP in Diyarbakir in connection with the elections on 18 April. A statement made by the HADEP Headquarters read that thousands of people had been detained. The journalists were also forcibly hindered by the police whilst covering the incidents. ATV cameraman Veysi Ipek and Anatolian News Agency reporter Nail Kadirhan were beaten by the police when they were trying to cover the incidents in Darkapi quarter. Other journalists were also prevented from doing their job. A reporter with the Reuters, who went to Diyarbakir in order to follow the rally, was not allowed in the city. (Cumhuriyet-Evrensel-TIHV, 14 April 1999)
 Journalists Detained: Tacim Coskun, a reporter for the daily Evrensel, and the HADEP cameraman Talat Doganoglu, who have been following the election camping of the HADEP in Eastern and Southeastern region, were detained while entering Diyarbakir on 12 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, 14 April 1999)
 Concluded Trial: Two persons put on trial at Ankara SSC on charges of "being members of the Workersí and Peasantsí Liberation Army of Turkey (TIKKO)," were each sentenced to 12 years 6 months in prison on 13 April. (Sabah-TIHV, 14 April 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: Osman Samur, Mesut Gokalp and Nebi Kurhan, who were detained in Antep on the accusations of "being members of the PKK and planning a bomb attack against the Governorís office," were remanded on 13 April. Hakan Alak, Cihan Keskek and Ozgur Tekin, members of the music band Grup Yorum, Onan Altin, a member of the music band Ozgurluk Turkusu, Yigit Tuncay, an actor, Gulay Yucel, a reporter with the journal Kurtulus, and trade unionist Erol Ekici, who all attended a festival in Belgium, were detained for about one hour at Istanbul Ataturk Airport when they entered Turkey on 13 April, on the grounds that "there was an information on them." (Evrensel-Sabah-TIHV, 14 April 1999)
 Workers Detained: The resistance of 39 workers, who were hired by Swisscard in Istanbul for being members of the Basin Is (trade union of workers in media), which is affiliated with the DISK is under way. The workers were detained by the police on 13 April, as is the case on each day for one week. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, 14 April 1999)
 Students Convicted: The trial launched against Ibrahim Gullu who had been put on trial on charges of "seizing the gun of a police officer" during the demonstration held on 17 December 1997 in Kizilay, Ankara, in support of the 8 students, who had been given heavy imprisonment terms by Ankara SSC on accusations of "opening a placard in the National Assembly in protest of the student fees and being members of an illegal organization," was concluded on 14 April. The SSC sentenced Ibrahim Gullu to 10 years 10 months in prison under Article 7 of the Anti-Terror Law and Murat Akyildiz to 2 years 6 months in prison. Both defendants were also fined TL 3 billion and 250 million. (Milliyet-TIHV April 15, 1999)
 Closure Trial against the HADEP: The Supreme Court Chief Public Prosecutor Vural Savasí second appeal to the Constitutional Court demanding the prevention of the HADEP from participating in the elections on 18 April was rejected once again. The Constitutional Court considered the demands included in Savasí statement of opinion as to the merits on 14 April. The Court rejected Savasís appeal on the grounds that the conditions had not arose since the closure trial against the HADEP was under way. (Milliyet-TIHV April 15, 1999)
 HADEP Members Remanded: Of the 26 persons who had been detained in Suruç, Urfa, on 4 April, HADEP Suruç Provincial Organization Chairperson Mehmet Kayahan and executive members of the same, and sic other persons were remanded on 14 April.  (Evrensel-TIHV April 15, 1999)
 Woman Murdered: Fire was opened against two persons, one of them woman, who attempted to cross from Syria to Turkey from Altinozu, Hatay. As a result, the woman who was around 35 years of age and whose identity could not be revealed was killed. The other person reportedly returned back to Syria. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: Emin Acar, who had been deported back to Turkey by Germany on 12 March, was reportedly put in Istanbul Umraniye Prison. Lawyer Gulizar Tuncer who met with Emin Acar last week stated him telling that he had been tortured in the period he had been kept in detention. Emin Acar was reportedly accused of ìbeing a member of the PKK.î (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Prisoners on Hunger Strike: Prisoners Mehmet Candemir and Yakup Soylu, who had been transferred from Sirt E Type Prison to Elazig Prison on 23 March, keep on with the hunger strike they staged on the demand of ìtransfer to any prison where political prisoners stay.î (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Pressures in Prisons: Ahmet Odabas, a political prisoner confined in Keles Prison (Bursa) where ordinary prisoners are kept, was given one yearís imprisonment and a punishment of confinement in a cell. Ahmet Odabas, who was expelled to Gemlik Prison, will reportedly be put is a cell on 20 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Journalist on Trial: The trial launched against Turan Tasci, Izmir Representative of the journal Kurtulus, commenced at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No. 14, on 15 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 IBDA/C Trial: The trial launched against Salih Izzet Erdis (Salih Mirzabeyoglu), who is claimed to be one of the leaders of the radical Islamic IBDA/C organization, and against Saadettin Ustaosmanoglu, Husni Goktas (prosecuted without arrest) and Mehmet Fazil Aslanturk (arrested in absentia), started at Istanbul SSC on 14 April. Thirty-four people, who with their hands signed the sign of the organization, recited the formula "God is great," and shouted slogans outside Istanbul SSC building, were detained by the police subsequent to the hearing. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Abdullah Öcalan on Trial: Fatma Ocalan, the sister of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, was not allowed on 15 April to visit her brother for not having a "permission." Lawyers Hasip Kaplan, Mahmut Sakar, Ercan Kanar and Aysel Tugluk met with Ocalan. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Actors on Trial: The re-trial of Mehmet Vahi Yazar, the writer of and one of the actors in the play ìA Godís Enemy (Bir Hak Dusmani) staged by Izmir Fetih Theater who was sentenced to 24 years in prison on the accusations of "insulting the army," and 4 actors in the play, who were each sentenced to 16 years in prison, started at Ankara SSC on 15 April, upon the Supreme Courtís decision of overturning the original judgement for the second time. In the hearing, the court board rejected the defendantsí demand to be released. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Incident in the University: In Istanbul University Faculty of Literature, a group of students adhering the BBP attacked with meat-cleavers and clubs on a group of students putting up the posters of the ODP. Eight students were wounded in the fight. The police, who subsequently intervened in the incident, detained a total of 36 students, 2 of whom are BBP supporters and 34 ODP supporters. (Radikal-TIHV, April 16, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: Hasan Samanali (26), who was detained by plainclothes police officers in Istanbul on 11 April, disclosed that he had been tortured throughout 5 days he had been kept in detention. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 17, 1999)
 Pressure in Prisons: Mehmet Candemir and Yakup Soylu, who were transferred from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig Prison where no political prisoners are confined, reportedly turned the hunger strike they began to stage on 16 February into a death strike. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 17, 1999)
 Journalist Convicted: Salih Taskesen, the editor-in-chief of the journal Azadiya Welat which is published in Kurdish, was sentenced to 1 year in prison and fined TL 1,520,000 in the trial he was prosecuted on charges of "inciting people to enmity." In the trial that ended at Istanbul SSC on 16 April, the sentence passed on Taskesen was commuted into a fine. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 17, 1999)
 HADEP Members on Trial: The trial launched against the executive members of the HADEP Izmir Provincial Organization on the accusations of "staging certain acts" during the period when PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was in Italy, commenced at Izmir SSC on 16 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 17, 1999)
 Closed TV Channels: The RTUK issued one-day closure sentence against private TV channels, Cine-5, BTV, Kanal D, Interstar, and KTV, which broadcasts in Konya, on the grounds of "violating the principles of broadcasting." (Sabah-TIHV, April 17, 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: In Istanbul, 12 persons were detained on the allegations of "being members of the radical Islamist IBDA/C organization and having carried out some bombing acts." (Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet-TIHV, April 17-18, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: In Van, Ayse Kosut (45) and her daughter whose name could not be revealed were reportedly detained on 14 April, after they went to the Governorís Office to ask for financial assistance, on the claims that "they were planning to assassin Governor Abdulkadir Sari," and were reportedly tortured in detention. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 18, 1999)
 The Newspaper Ozgur Bakis: On 18 April, a new newspaper, "Ozgur Bakis," has been released. It has been reported that the publishing policy of Ozgur Bakis will be similar to that of Ozgur Gundem, which was closed down in October 1998. Meanwhile, soldiers, who halted vendorís trucks nearby Pirinçlik Gendarmerie Station, did not let the third issue of the daily Ozgur Bakis dated 20 April in Diyarbakir. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 20, 1999)
 Pressure on the Press: Yildirim Dogan, a reporter with the journal Kizilbayrak, and Nurbay Irmak, who were detained in Zonguldak on 15 April, were remanded on 17 April. The 26th issue of the journal Kurtulus and the 41st issue of the journal Halkin Gunlugu, were confiscated by Istanbul SSC on the grounds that "separatist propaganda was disseminated" in certain articles published in the journals. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 19-21, 1999)
 Prisoner Died: Ugur Hulagu Gurdogan, a political prisoner in Istanbul Umraniye Prison, died at Bayrampasa Hospital where he was taken on 20 April. Ugur Hulagu Gurdogan, who was on trial at Istanbul SSC on charges of "being a member of the Union of Revolutionary Communists of Turkey (TIKB)," was taken to Bayrampasa Hospital at about 01.00 on 20 April, when his health condition deteriorated, and he died in the hospital at about 04.30 on the same day. The prison officials asserted that Gurdogan had died due to "respiratory failure." Gurdogan was under arrest for about 3 years. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 21, 1999)
 Sentence to Erdost Upheld: On 20 April, the General Penal Board of the Supreme Court upheld the sentence of 1 year in prison and fine of TL 100,000,000 given to writer-publisher Muzaffer Erdost on charges of "disseminating separatist propaganda" in his book, ìUc Sivas (Three Sivas).î Muzaffer Erdost had been prosecuted at Ankara SSC and convicted under Article 8 § 1 of the Anti-Terror Law on 12 March 1997. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 21, 1999)
 Doctor and Lawyer on Trial: The prosecution of Zeki Ruzgar, one of the lawyers of the Peopleís Law Office, Cumhur Akpinar, a doctor in charge at Forensic Medicine Institute and a former executive member of Ankara Medical Chamber, Ayse Betul Gokoglu, the Chairperson of the Association for Solidarity with the Relatives of Arrested Prisoners and for Human Rights (TAYAD), and Ali Ercan Gokoglu continued at Ankara SSC on 20 April. In the trial, Lawyer Ruzgar was indicted on charges of "being a leader of an illegal organization," under Article 168 § 1 of the Turkish Penal Code (TPC), Doctor Akpinar on charges of "aiding an illegal organization and sheltering its members," under Article 169 of the TPC, whereas Ayse Betul Gokoglu and Ali Ercan Gokoglu on charges of "being members of an illegal organization," under Article 168 § 2 of the TPC. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 21, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: The former Ozgur Gundem's reporter Yusuf Ontas, who was arrested on 13 April, was tortured in detention. He was arrested upon an arrest warrant in absentia issued on the grounds that he had participated in a demonstration against the re-patriation of the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey. The IHD reported that Yusuf Ontasí arm was broken under torture, and that he was taken to the hospital on 17 April. However, Ontas was arrested by the political police again on the grounds that he attempted suicide at the hospital. Ontas was remanded after a further five-day detention. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: HADEP Tuzla (Istanbul) local chairman Cemal Kilikli reported on 22 April that 54 members of the HADEP and Deri-Is trade union, who were detained during the Newroz festivities in the district, were tortured in detention. Kilikli stated that the detainees were tortured at Tuzla Gendarmery Station, and 10 of them had taken official forensic reports to this effect. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Trade-Unionist Convicted: Ali Urkut, the Chairman of the Health and Social Service Labour Union (SES), has been sentenced to two years in prison by the Ankara SSC on the grounds of "making separatist propaganda". He also received a fine. Ürkut has been released since he had already served 4 month in prison. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Party Executives On Trial: A case against HADEP's former Istanbul Provincial Chairman Mahmut Sakar (released on 17 February) as well as some other local executives of the party continued at Istanbul SSC on 21 April. They risk imprisonment of up to fifteen years on the grounds of "membership of" and "aiding and sheltering an illegal organisation" under Articles 168 and 169 of the Turkish Penal Code. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Sentence to Hasan Mezarci: The trial launched against former MP Hasan Mezarci at Trabzon Heavy Penal Court in connection with a speech he delivered in Trabzon during his parliamentary office ended on 21 April. Mezarci was sentenced to 10 months in prison for "insulting the judiciary." (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Death Penalty Demand, Concluded Trial: The trial launched against 7 persons on the claims of "being members of the Revolutionary Peopleís Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and having planned assassinating Kenan Evren, 7th President of Turkey" ended on 22 April. Berkan Abatay and Fadime Bastug were each sentenced to 12 years 6 months in prison and Ilhan Ucar to 3 years 9 months. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Party Executive Remanded:  The HADEP Mugla Provincial Organization Chairperson Ibrahim Yaslu, who had been detained on the allegations of ìseparatist propagandaî in a cassette he had used in the election campaign, was remanded on 22 April. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Confiscated Journal: The 13. issue of the journal Hevi, published in Kurdish, was confiscated by Istanbul SSC on the claims of ìseparatist propaganda.î (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Death in Prison: On 22 April, the police prevented a group of people from making a press statement in connection with the late prisoner Ugur Hulagu Gurdoganís death on 20 April at Istanbul Umraniye Prison. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Workers Detained: The workers who had been in resistance for a long period becaused they had been fired from the company Ayaz Deri in Tuzla, Istanbul, were detained by the gendarmery using force on 22 April. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Person Killed by Village Guards: Mustafa Meric was killed by village guards in Gecikmez Village, Sarikamis, Kars on 19 April for having voted for the HADEP in the elections on 18 April. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 23, 1999)
 Person Beaten by the Police: Feridun Gunbegi was beaten by the police in Mersin on 22 April because his son was playing with a toy gun in the street. "They beat me until their clubs were broken. They threatened to kill me unless I left this city," he said. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 24, 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: Six persons who were detained recently in Istanbul on charges of "being members of the TIKKO,î were remanded by Istanbul SSC on 25 April, whereas 4 persons were released pending trial. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 24-25, 1999)
 Confiscated Journal: The last issue of the journal Devrimci Hedef and the 11th issue of the journal Alevi Halk Gercegi were confiscated by Izmir SSC on the grounds that "illegal organizations were praised and separatist propaganda was disseminated" in the journals. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 24, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: A young girl named Safiye Akdag, who was detained in Istanbul, on 20 April, disclosed that she had been tortured throughout 4 days she had been kept in detention. Akdag stated that police officers had threatened to rape her, and added, ìThey tied me on a stretcher, gave electricity on my fingers and toes after wetting them with water.î (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 26, 1999)
 Death Penalty Demand: Istanbul SSC Prosecution Office launched a trial on the demand of the death penalty against Metin Yamalak, who was accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail to the Mavi Carsi Mall in Göztepe, Istanbul, and led to the deaths of 13 people on 13 March. Meanwhile, Azime Isik and two persons, whose names could not be revealed, were reportedly detained on the accusations of participating in the attack against the Mavi Carsi Mall. (Radikal-TIHV, April 27, 1999)
 Trial Against Diyarbakir Democracy Platform: A trial was launched against the executive members of the organizations that formed Diyarbakir Democracy Platform, on the accusations that they had "disseminated separatist propaganda" in the press statement they made on the demands that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan should be subjected to fair trial in accordance with the international standards. The prosecution of 22 defendants, including Diyarbakir Bar Association Deputy Chairperson Tahir Elci, Human Rights Association (IHD) Deputy Chairperson Osman Baydemir and THAY-DER (an association established by the relatives of the prisoners) Chairperson Kenan Sidar, shall commence in the forthcoming days.They had been expelled from the State of Emergency Region upon the orders by the State of Emergency Regional Governorate. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 27, 1999)
 HADEP Members on Trial: The trial launched against 47 executive members of the Peopleís Democracy Party (HADEP), 16 of whom are on remand, in connection with the hunger strikes staged at HADEP offices during the period when PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was in Italy, continued at Ankara SSC on 26 April. In the trial, the 47 defendants were indicted on the demand of imprisonment terms up to 7 years 6 months. (Radikal-TIHV, April 27, 1999)
 Hunger Strike: The hunger strike staged by Imam Celikdemir, a prisoner in Iskenderun Prison, on the demand of "transfer to another prison in Sakarya, Gebze or Canakkale," is on twenty-first day. His relatives disclosed that his health condition had deteriorated. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 27, 1999)
 Incident in the University: On 26 April, students adhering the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) attacked on the left-wing students at Hacettepe University Ankara Vocational High School. Four students were wounded in the incident, whereas 5 students were detained. (Radikal-TIHV, April 27, 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: Emine Korkut and Yilmaz Guleser, who were detained in Adana on the accusations of "being members of the PKK," were remanded on 26 April. Emine Korkut is reportedly the sister of Hatice Korkut, one of the lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Meanwhile, Emine Korkutís brother Ali Haydar Korkut, a major in the army, was detained on the accusations of "aiding his sister by sending money to her." (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 27, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: Fesih Demir, a member of HADEP who was detained in Carikli town of Diyarbakir on 21 April, disclosed that he had been tortured in detention. "I was subjected to falanga. Later, they took off my pants and threatened to rape me with a truncheon. Later, they took me somewhere else. The non-commissioned officer kicked me in the chest. I was rolled down. He said to me, 'Why did you elect the HADEP? I will kill you and party member Cemil.' Later they released me," he said. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 28, 1999)
 Torture in Detention: Nimet Fidan, who was detained during the ID check on the road between Diyarbakir and Mardin on 10 April, disclosed that she had been tortured in detention. Stating that she had been kept at a military zone for 15 days, she said, "They did not even received my testimony during this period of time. I was beaten without any reason. They tortured me much severely after the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) received a high rate of the votes. And they released me without referring to the prosecution office." (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 28, 1999)
 Pressure in Prisons: The hunger strike staged on 16 February by Mehmet Candemir and Yakup Soylu, who were transferred from Siirt E Type Prison to Elazig Prison where political prisoners are not confined, is under way. Meanwhile, Lawyer Kenan Sidar, Diyarbakir Branch Chairperson of the Association for Solidarity with the Families of Arrested and Convicted Prisoners (THAY-DER), disclosed that Mehmet Candemir was kept in a cell and he had been tortured. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 28, 1999)
 Journalist on Trial: The trial launched against Ragip Zarakolu, the editor-in-chief of the daily Ozgur Bakis, on the accusations that he had ìdisseminated separatist propagandaî in his article published in the defunct daily Ülkede Gundem on 25 June 1998, commenced at Istanbul SSC on 27 April. The trial was postponed to a further date. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 28, 1999)
 Persons Beaten by the Police: Ali Gulbas and Kurtulus Kansu, who were detained by gendarmes in Yakuplu town in Istanbul on 20 April on charges of involving in a fight, disclosed that they had been beaten by Major Cemal Kahraman at the gendarmerie station where they had been taken to. (Evrensel-TIHV, April 29, 1999)
 Closed TV Channels: The RTÜK issued one-week closure sentence against a local TV channel, Ey-TV, for ìviolating the principles of broadcasting.î The RTÜK also issued two-day closure sentence against TV channel BTV, and one-day for Interstar, Kanal 7 and Flash TV. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 29, 1999)
 Persons Detained Prior to 1 May: In Izmir, the police raided the offices of the journals Ozgur Gelecek, Ozgur Halk, Azadiya Welat, Halkin Gunlugu and Atilim, the daily Evrensel, Mart-Ekin Arts Center, Evrensel Cultural Center, and Mesopotamian Cultural Center (MKM) on 28 April. Beyaz Emektar and Ozan Cezmi Yalcinkaya were detained in the raid against the MKM, and Ishak Benek was detained in the raid against the journal Ozgur Halk. Besides, Huseyin Bozdag, Cevat Aksu, Dilsat Koyuncu, Dincer Mendillioglu and Ozdal Akyasar were detained on the same day while distributing the special issue of the journal Kizil Bayrak. Seven members of the Socialist Power Party (SIP) were detained while they were putting up the posters of the SIP in Istanbul. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 29, 1999)
 Youths Killed: It is reported that Yilmaz Eliveren (16) and his uncle Mehmet Eliveren (19), who had been killed by security officers in the vicinity of Genc, Bingöl, on 17 April, were not PKK militants, as it was claimed in the official statements made after the incident. It was discerned that the two youths had gone to a coffee house on the day of the incident in order to watch a football match, and fire had been opened on them while they had been turning back their house at about 21.00 by soldiers on guard around they house. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 29, 1999)
 Torture Trial: Incidents broke out during the trial launched against 8 police officers for torturing 15 people, including Suleyman Yeter, the Limter-Is Trade Union (trade union of dock and shipyard workers) Education Specialist, who was killed in detention at Istanbul Security Directorate on 7 March, when they were detained in 1997. Lesly Burley, the representative of Amnesty International who wanted to follow the hearing, was taken out of the Court Hall.  The journalists were not allowed to follow the hearing. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Journalist Convicted: The sentence of 1 year 6 months in prison that was passed on Aydin Korkmaz, the owner and editor-in-chief of a local newspaper in Cesme District of Izmir, by Izmir SSC under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Court, was upheld by the Supreme Curt. Korkmaz, who was convicted in connection with his article on May Day (1997), shall be imprisoned in August, in line with the Law on Execution of Sentences. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Artists on Trial: The trial launched against some artists from the Mesopotamian Cultural Center (MKM) who had been detained on 4 December 1998 when they wanted to go to Romania and subsequently remanded, continued at Istanbul SSC on 29 April. In the hearing, defendants Serhat Bucak, Rauf Bozkurt, Selma Civak, Zelal Gökce, Mehmet Yapistiran, Kadriye Cirik and Alaaddin Aykoc were released. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Journalists and Human Rights Defender on Trial: The trial launched at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 1 against journalists Abdurrahman Dilipak and Ahmet Tasgetiren and Mazlum-Der (Association for Human Rights and Solidarity with Oppressed People) Istanbul Branch Chairperson Avni Carsancakli in connection with the demonstration held in Istanbul on 11 October 1998 to protest the ban on wearing headscarves at universities, started on 29 April. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Concluded Trial: Murat Kucuk and Sait Dursun Deliktas, who were prosecuted at Izmir SSC on the accusations of "being members of the radical Islamic IBDA-C organization," were each sentenced to 30 years in prison, whereas Yakup Köse to 16 years 8 months. (Cumhuriyet-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Journal Closed: Istanbul SSC decided the closure of the journal Odak for 15 days in the trial launched on the accusations that "illegal organizations were praised and separatist propaganda was disseminated" in certain articles published in the 63rd issue of the journal dated 7 April 1997. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Detentions, Arrests: Ercan Uzlan, Yilmaz Yucedag, Adem Sahin, Serhat Kural, Rizan Boga and Cihan Aydin were remanded by Istanbul SSC on 29 April on the accusations of participating in certain acts carried out in Istanbul after the transfer of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey. (Sabah-TIHV, April 30, 1999)
 Death Penalty Demand: Istanbul SSC Prosecution Office launched a trial against Ergin Atabay, Abdullah Gunay and Azime Isik on the demand of the death penalty on charges of participating in the attack against the Mavi Carsi Mall in Göztepe, Istanbul, during which 13 people were killed on 13 March. Previously a trial had been launched on the demand of the death penalty against Metin Yamalak, who had been remanded on 6 April on the accusations that "he was the one who ordered the attack." (Evrensel-TIHV, May 1st, 1999)
 Death Penalty Demand: Ankara SSC Prosecution Office launched a trial against Kemal Erturk, Lale Acik, Nihat Konak and Bulent Erturk, who were remanded on the accusations of "carrying out the bomb attack against Cankiri Governor Ayhan Cevik" on 5 March. The 4 defendants were indicted on the demand of the death penalty under Article 146 of the Turkish Penal Code. In the indictment, imprisonment terms between 15 years and 22 years 6 months are sought for seven defendants on the accusations of "being members of an illegal organization." (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, May 1st, 1999)
 Singer on Trial: The trial launched against singer Ahmet Kaya on the accusations of "aiding the PKK and inciting people to enmity," started at Istanbul SSC on 30 April. In the hearing, Ahmet Kaya rejected the charges against him, and claimed that the pictures which are regarded evidence were montage of images. In the hearing, the Court Board lifted the abroad ban for Kaya, and postponed the trial to a further date for compilation of missing documents. Kaya had been detained upon his statement that he "demanded a TV channel to broadcast his clip that would be in Kurdish" during the evening program organized by the Association of Magazine Journalists on 10 February. He had been remanded on 15 February by Istanbul SSC, but released after having been kept on remand for about an hour, when the SCC accepted the objection raised by his lawyers against the decision of remand. Subsequently, the media broadcast the news and scenes from the night organized by the Kurdish Businessmen Association in Germany in 1993 in which he had participated. In the trial, which was launched under 169 Articles 169 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code, an imprisonment term up to 13 year 6 months is sought for Ahmet Kaya. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, May 1st, 1999)
 Mayor Remanded: Ihsan Celik, the Mayor of Patnos, Agri who has been elected from the list of the HADEP, was detained on 30 April. Celik was remanded by Erzurum SSC on 1 May on the accusations of ìdisseminating separatist propagandaî in a program broadcast on local radio channel Patnos Radyo on 21 April. Abdullah Izgi, an executive member of the HADEP Seyhan (Adana) District Organization, was detained during the ID check carried out by soldiers in the bus he took when he was coming back from Ceyhan Special Type Prison to Adana on 30 April. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, May 1st, 1999)
 Izmir IHD Branch Raided: Izmir Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) was raided by the police on 30 April. The police carried out an ID check during the raid, and seized certain publications, photographs and text of signature campaigns. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, May 1st, 1999)
Journalist Remanded: Ishak Benek, Izmir Representative of the journal Ozgur Halk who was detained in the police raid against the journalís office on 28 April, was remanded on the next day. Meanwhile, Erdal Guner, a staff member of the journal Halkin Gunlugu, and his brother, Binali Guner, were detained by the police who raided their house in the night of 29 April. (Ozgur Bakis-TIHV, May 1st, 1999)

 
Info-Türk
Home Page
Info-Türk
Publications
Info-Türk
Subscription
Info-Türk
Abonnement
Info-Türk
Bulletins