Droits de l'Homme / Human Rights

Death of Special Branch Head Oktay

Police Special Operations head Behçet Oktay is said to have shot himself in his car Ankara yesterday (25 February). He later died in hospital.

An autopsy will be carried out to determine whether the death was a suicide.

Some news reports claimed that someone else was to be promoted to Oktay’s position and that he had been depressed.

Links to Ergenekon

Oktay had also been implicated in the investigation into the clandestine ultra-nationalist Ergenekon organisation. Two special branch officers from Elazığ and Antalya who had been arrested in the investigation claimed that Oktay had asked them to help former Special Branch head İbrahim Şahin, also under arrest, to build a clandestine special team.

According to the Yeni Şafak newspaper, the prosecution in the Ergenekon case has found evidence of many telephone conversations between Oktay and his predecessor Şahin.

Oktay was Special Operations head since 1997. Between 1994 and 1997 he was on duty in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır. During that period retired Colonel Abdülkerim Kırca was commander in Diyarbakır. He killed himself last month. Abdülkadir Aygan, former PKK militant and later assassin for the clandestine Gendarmerie Intelligence Anti-Terrorism Unit JITEM, said that Kırca had been involved in unsolved murders in the area, ordering some and carrying out others by himself.

Oktay was born in Malatya, southeastern Turkey, in 1957. He went to police highschool and later the police academy. He did duty in the provinces of Erzincan, Kars, Istanbul, Afyonkarahisar and Bingöl. Oktay had been awarded the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Medal of Distinguished Courage and Self-Sacrifice. (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 26, 2009)

International Mother Language Day: 21 February

The declaration of the Human Rights Association of Turkey (IHD):

21 Feburary was proclaimed as International Mother Language Day by UNESCO.

Mother language even as a concept is considered as dangerous in Turkey that is proud itself on Children's Day. Despite the right of petition, children, who demand education in their mother language, can be dismissed from schools, universities. Mother language is still a taboo in Turkey.

The paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Article 39 of the Treaty of Lausanne, which has established the Turkish Republic, state;

“No restrictions shall be imposed on the free use by any Turkish national of any language in private intercourse, in commerce, religion, in the press, or in publications of any kind or at public meetings.Notwithstanding the existence of the official language, adequate facilities shall be given to Turkish nationals of non-Turkish speech for the oral use of their own language before the Courts.”

According to the Treaty of Lausanne there cannot be even a constitution that is contrary to these provisions. What is the situation in Turkey? Still, Turkey continues to violate even the Treaty of Lausanne. Therefore the right of people, who want to speak in their mother language, has been being violated since the Treaty of Lausanne. It is clear that such a situation may cause serious legal results.

Even the Treaty of Lausanne has recognized languages of Turkish citizens that are not minority.

However the Turkish Constitution, which is an outcome of the military coup and has been prepared in 1982, does not recognize any language except for Turkish. In other words it completely different from the Treaty of Lausanne.

The Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution states that

“International agreements duly put into effect bear the force of law. No appeal to the Constitutional Court shall be made with regard to these agreements, on the grounds that they are unconstitutional. In the case of a conflict between international agreements in the area of fundamental rights and freedoms duly put into effect and the domestic laws due to differences in provisions on the same matter, the provisions of international agreements shall prevail”.

Therefore,

In accordance with fundamental human rights such as The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The European Convention on Human Rights and Its Protocols, Convention on the Rights of the Child, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economonic, Social and Cultural Rights, which Turkey has ratified, Turkey should recognize and implement (education) it.

There is an exam of sincerety for the Government, which states that it took a step with establishing the Kurdish TV. This exam is about to abolish prohibiton on languages and recogition of right of mother language. (www.ihd.org.tr, February 21, 2009)

Rights Activists React as Children Crowd Prisons

At least 107 children have been taken under custody during protests regarding the commemoration of PKK's leader Abdullah Ocalan's arrest on February 15th, 1999. Local papers report a baby being hurt in a police raid to a house of suspected participants and a child blinded when a police's gas bomb hit him on the eye.

In Yüksekova, a child is allegedly hospitalized when a police vehicle runs over him. Five children were taken under custody and released after questioning.

16 children were taken under custody in Nusaybin, Mardin; two among them were arrested and sent to prison. In Diyarbakır, 16 children are reported still under police custody. 18 children in Adana and 20 children in Batman are under custody. Allegations involve police checking bypassing children's hands to see "if they have marks to prove they throw stones or not."

On the other hand, rights activists and family members of the accused children will meet MP's in parliament. They will demand amendments to the law, in order to end children tried with terror charges.

An Initiative for Justice for Children, including rights activists from Diyarbakır, Ankara and Istanbul will initiate a campaign to that respect. More than a thousand people have signed an online petition, which can be reached at Çocuklara Adalet.

Responding a motion by DTP MP Selahattin Demirtas, Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Sahin revealed that 724 children have been accused by terror charges in 2006 and 2007, as defined at the Counter Terrorism Law.   

319 among those were tried in Diyarbakır courts, focus of Kurdish unrest in Southeastern Turkey.

Another 422 children were tried with the Article 220 of the Penal Code during the same period, which penalizes "organizing to commit crime." Yet another 413 children were accused of "membership to armed organizations", as defined in Article 314 of the Penal Code.

In 2006, the government had introduced a change in the Counter Terror Law, which enabled courts to try children aged between 15 and 18 as adults. In the same year, the Court of Cassation made a leading ruling, deeming participation in an protest as legal proof for "membership to the organization" calling for the protest. As a result, hundreds of children are tried with membership to the PKK, while activists condemn the situation as being against international standards. (BIA, February 17, 2009)

Special Teams attacks the wrong house with machine guns and gas bomb

In Çukurca district of Hakkari, special operation teams in black masks fired at a house with heavy machine guns and threw gas bomb on it. It turned out that the wrong house was attacked. Hakkari governor Muammer Türker apologised the residents of the house.

DTP MP Hamit Geylani brought up the issue in the Parliament. Geylani put a question. According to the information given by Geylani special operation team officers raided on four houses in Narlı neighbourhood in the midnight hours of 3 February 2009. The team fired at houses with machine guns and threw gas bombs afterwards. Police then broke in, hit the residents with butts of arms and searched the houses.

One of the residents Hacı Erdem said: “At around 01.00-02.00 in the morning there was loud voices outside. Then they threw a gas bomb into the house. They broke in; they made us lie on the floor, stepping on our heads. They kicked us. Women and children were affected by gas. Police officers dragged children out. They searched the houses with dogs.”

Hakkâri governor Türker said they had information on the latest bombings in Çukurca. Türker said “Security forces acted sensitively considering the risk of losing lives. If they had not entered that way there may have been killings.”

Türker said that the police targeted three houses but one adjacent house was raided too by mistake. The governor said they apologised from the residents of the fourth house and paid their damages. (antenna-tr.org, , February 18, 2009)

"Saturday Mothers": Government Must Find Bodies of Disappeared

24 years ago, the “Saturday Mothers” first gathered in front of Galatasaray School in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, to protest against the disappearances of their sons, husbands, and other relatives. In 24 years, many of them have not been found, so the protests have restarted.

They were supported by members of the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD), Democratic Society Party (DTP) MP Sebahat Tuncel, who is part of the Committee for those lost in detention, dancer Zeynep Tanbay, activist Garo Paylan, journalist Nadire Mater, and publishers Ragıp Zarakolu and Necati Abay.

Existence of mass graves and "death wells"

The protesters demanded that mass graves and the acid wells of the Turkish Pipeline Corporation BOTAŞ be opened.

In recent weeks, the investigation into the illegal ultranationalist Ergenekon organisation has brought to light information and rumours about sites of mass graves.

Relatives of around 50 people who disappeared took part in the silent sit-down protest. Hanife Yıldız spoke, saying that she had taken her son Murat to the police station herself before he disappeared: “We have appealed to the state and to humanity until today, but the state did not hear us. The carnations and flowers we were given for years have dried in our hands.”

"They said he jumped into the sea"

“My son was wanted for a judicial reason. I myself took him and a lawyer to the Bornova police station. When I went back to ask about my son, they told me that they had taken him to Istanbul by ferry to let him show them a gun. They said that he jumped into the sea. I don’t believe it.”

Then DTP MP Tuncel spoke, saying that the Ergenekon trial was turning into a trial of discharges. She demanded the opening of BOTAŞ wells in Silopi, a district in the Kurdish-majority province of Şırnak, in the southeast of Turkey, as well as the opening of mass graves. She said that a struggle for democracy could only begin if Turkey’s dark side became known.

"The state is hiding the truth"

Representing the Istanbul branch of IHD, dancer Zeynep Tanbay read a press statement. She said that although the Ergenekon investigation was not extensive enough, it was important because some truths and confessions were being heard from members of official state organs.

Referring to the identification of three more people in Diyarbakır as members of the Bulut family, after the family had been denied information for years, Tanbay added: “The demands to open the ‘death wells’ and mass graves have been rejected so far. Through this rejection, the state is aiming to hide the truth.”

She referred to a similar situation in Italy, saying “Millions of people in Italy marched against Gladio and brought the organisation down. If our number increases, then this dirty structure, which has murdered our people, lost our people in detention, burnt our villages and raped people, will be brought down.”

Movement began in 1995
The Saturday Mothers protests started in 1995, when Emine Ocak’s son Hasan Ocak disappeared in detention. His body was found in a graveyard for the poor 55 days later, and it bore evidence of torture. The protests continued from 1995 to 1999, the last seven months being marked by harrassment by security forces. Many Saturday mothers were detained regularly.

Some of the cases which the relatives of the disappeared have brought have been taken to the European Court of Human Rights, and Turkey has been convicted. (BIA, February 16, 2009)

Once again Report of Crime for Güçlükonak massacre

The same report of crime for Güçlükonak massacre submitted in 1996, 2000 and 2003 but disappeared in the labyrinths of justice has been submitted to the Public Prosecution Office for the fourth time.

The report of crime prepared by Celal Başlangıç (journalist), Ercan Kanar (lawyer), Hakan Tahmaz (journalist), Münir Ceylan (former chairman of petrol industry workers trade union) and Şanar Yurdatapan (musician) who visited Güçlükonak in 1996 as part of "Together for Peace" initiative. It was submitted to the prosecutor following a brief press statement outside Beşiktaş Justice Hall on 13 February 2009 at 11:00 am. The letter wanted the incident to be investigated and those responsible to be punished.

What happened in GÜÇLÜKONAK on 15 February 1996?

A minibus was fired at with machine guns, 11 people were killed. Chief Office of the army blamed PKK but PKK did not acclaim it. Relatives of the victims blamed the soldiers. An independent delegation “Together for Peace” initiative reached to the witnesses but their statements were silenced.

Akın Birdal (HRA chair at the time) who made a press statement on the issue, “Özgür Radyo” (Free Radio)producers who interviewed the delegation; lawyer Ercan Kanar, trade unionist Münir Ceylan and musician Şanar Yurdatapan who reported crime to the prosecution Office; Celal Başlangıç who commented on the issue in his book were prosecuted on the complaints of the chief of staff, some got condemned.
Reports of crime led to nothing, the issue was hushed up.… and then one day,

Confession 13 years later: "it was the soldiers not the PKK!"

Person who said that was the Minister of State in charge of Human Rights at the time of the massacre, Adnan Ekmen. Ekmen told “Yeni Aktüel” weekly and then spoke to Taraf daily newspaper:

“We tried to conduct research as Ministry. We had the impression that it was not the doing of the PKK as the soldiers had claimed. I tried a lot but under the circumstances it was not possible to get anywhere.” (antenna-tr.org, February 15, 2009)

Three More Bodies Identified in Diyarbakır

In 2003, eight dead bodies were found in the Bağcılar village, Kulp district of Diyarbakır province in the Kurdish-majority southeast of Turkey.

In 2007, DNA samples identified two of the bodies as Hasan Örhan and Mehmet Selim Örhan.

Now, three more bodies have been identified as Ali Bulut, Ekrem Bulut and Ramazan Bulut; they disappeared on 12 June 1994.

The identity of the three remaining bodies is still unknown. The bodies were found in a mass grave in Bağcılar village, when the grave was opened following the appeals of the relatives of the disappeared. The bodies bore many bullet wounds, their feet were broken and deformed. The bodies had also been burnt.

The Örhan family is still missing another person, and the Bulut family two.

Muharrem Erbey, president of the Diyarbakır branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) told bianet that there was a witness who had been detained together with the Bulut family members by soldiers in 1994, and who was later released. The witness said that the soldiers were from the Bolu Commando Mountain Brigade from the west of Turkey. The prisoners were first taken to a primary boarding school in Lice, a district of Diyarbakır, and tortured there. Then some were released.

Erbey noted that despite the fact that the bodies had been identified, no murder investigation had been initiated by the prosecution yet. IHD Diyarbakır is preparing a criminal complaint against the Bolu Commando Brigade which was on duty in the region at the time, and which has also been pointed towards by the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee.

In a different event in Kulp in 1993, eleven people went missing after being arrested in a village called Alacaköyü. Later their bodies were found in a mass grave. The Parliamentary Committee had accused the Bolu Commando Unit of carrying out the operation, and said that it was led by General Yavuz Ertürk who had come from Bolu.

This week, members of the Bulut family spoke with the press at the IHD headquarters in Diyarbakır. The uncle of the missing persons, Abdulbaki Bulut, spoke in Kurdish, demanding the capture of those responsible: “There is no point in hiding anything anymore. We suffering families are expecting support from the state and that those responsible be found.”

Erbey told bianet that the families had applied for information on the missing persons again and again, but that soldiers, police and prosecutors told them that they were not under detained. If they were killed, so the families were told, it would have been by the PKK. (BIA, Tolga Korkut, February 12, 2009)

* This news item is based on an article in the Diyarbakır Olay newspaper.

IHD's evaluation on the situation of human rights in Turkey           

Declaration by Öztürk Türkdoğan, President of the Human Rights Assciation of Turkey (IHD):

Human rights defenders express the basic human rights problems of Turkey generally in terms of fundamental human rights as: military tutelage, deadlock in Kurdish question, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and conscience, minority rights, torture and right to life. In terms of democracy; political parties regime, law on elections and problematic regulations in regard to local administration. If we evaluate 2008 within the framework of these issues, it ca be said that it is a year on which the parliament and other ruling groups blocked the process, however; people and civil society organizations pressured the process.

Deadlock policy based on violence in Kurdish question has continued. The Government's step regarding Kurdish TV Channel has turned into, in fact, an attempt to create its Kurdish type. Some Kurdish letters, which are used in the Kurdish TV Channel, in the Latin alphabet are accepted as forbidden in the Turkish alphabet that is in fact a Latin alphabet as well and caused prohibition of thousands names of people and change of name of places and hundreds people were sent to prison and now there is an atmosphere in which as if these facts were forgotten. Actually, the Government and especially the Parliament must apologize to Kurds. Although establishing a TV Channel in Kurdish language, which was considered as unknown language until recent time, is a positive improvement, the question can be solved with recognizing Kurdish identity and a Constitutional circumstance that will provide an atmosphere for survival of the identity. Common and strong reactions of Kurds in 2008 have shown that the question must be solved through peaceful policies.

Effects of military tutelage regime over politics have continued in 2008. The Government's militarist utterances, not denying memorandums that were published in the media, transferring Semdinli case to the military court, media briefings and statements about political issue by the Turkish General Staff have presented the problem in this field. Limited scope of the Ergenekon case and not including crimes conducted in the East and Southeast can be explained with an efficient military tutelage regime.

In regard to freedom of expression in 2008; change of the Article 301 did not make change in its essence and this fact shows that problem in this issue is going on. There has been no change in the articles, which are obstacles to freedom of expression, in the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and Anti Terror Law (TMK). Even after change of the Article 301, the Minister of Justice has permitted for case in more than 50 files. The Minister has asked for a court case against Mr. Temel Demirer in a manner that sentenced Mr. Demirer. The most problematic event in the field of the freedom of expression is that the High Court has made decisions according to which people can be sentenced as a member of illegal organizations, in accordance with the Article 220 of TCK, though they are not. These decisions have been made to sentence people as a member of illegal organization if their expressions in demonstration show similarity with expressions of illegal organizations. It is a decision, which has been made to reduce social opposition to silence. This decision of the High Court is even opposite to the Turkish Constitution of 1982. The judiciary decisions, which are not impartial, in regard to the freedom of expression have been sustained with old State Security Court’s practices through new heavy penal courts. Increase in number of arrest people is a typical indication of this situation.

Developments in the field of freedom of religion and belief was limited with headscarf step, which was cancelled by the Constitutional Court. However there was a development, which was celebrated in the squares, for Alevis in 2008. Not fulfilling the responsibility of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decision about abolishment of compulsory religion course, subsequently exercising an opposite constitutional regulation by the same court in regard to Leyla Şahin case has revealed the Government's ideological characteristic. The Government has wasted 2008 regarding the freedom of religion and belief. It has tried to create its Alevis in the freedom of religion and belief field like it works to create its Kurds in the Kurdish Question.

The new law on foundations has brought some changes partly in terms of minority rights. However fundamental problems of minorities have not been solved yet.

After the change in the Law on the Duties and Competencies of Police in 2007, police violence has increased in 2008. Some people were shot as they did not obey stop warning of the police forces. Although it is blatantly against the Constitution, the Government did not take any measures. Torture incidents increased in 2008. Making apology after Engin Ceber was killed did not solve the problem. When the Government will abolish impunity regarding torture and right to life violations, there might be positive developments.

The report, which has been prepared related with the campaign conducted by the IHD about sick prisoners in Turkey, shows that violations in prisons have reached to a very high level. Total number of prisoners are higher than the capacity of prisons in Turkey. Prisoners' fundamental rights are ignored, subsequently; prisoners' many rights especially right to life, right to health, right to communication, right to conversation and linguistic rights have been violated. It seems that High Security Prisons will be one of the prominent issues that we will carry out activities in 2009. Violations in Imrali Prison, in which Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is being kept, have caused serious reactions by democratic public opinion and many Kurdish people. We hope that the Government’s statements, which have been announced to the public opinion, will decrease problems in Imrali prison in 2009 to the lowest level. IHD has announced to the public many times that Imrali Prison should be closed.

In terms of economic and social rights, the world economic crisis was the most important event in 2008. Reflections of the crisis are more poverty and unemployment in Turkey. Police attack on workers, who wanted to celebrate 1st May as unity, solidarity and struggle day of working class, has revealed the Government's policy that is against labour. Workers deaths in Tuzla shipyard is a serious phenomenon to show how wild capitalism is being exercised. The working class in Turkey could not solve even this problem and it is an exemplary situation in regard to its weakness and not being unified.

2008 was the year on which censorship raised again. Blocking websites, in manner that is contrary to the law, with court decisions, confiscating opposite newspaper even while they were being prepared to issue, cancelling accreditations of some TV channels and newspapers correspondences, which followed Prime Ministry news, revealed the Government's censorship aspect in 2008.

Although, the problems, which were mentioned above generally, could be solved via a democratic Constitution, the Government wasted its chance in this issue with change in the headscarf issue. AKP faced the closure case against it in that period and then started to follow a militarist policy to rescue itself from the closure. The ruling party was not closed by the court but now the part is in a position that has danger of closure in any time. This is an exemplary situation to show effect of military tutelage system. Judiciary system had an attitude that is appropriate for spirit of the Constitution of 1982. Silent position of democratic groups regarding the closure case against the Democratic Society Party (DTP) resulted from ambiguity in the Kurdish Question.

Although state institutions wasted 2008 in regard to transforming the state from an oligarchic to a democratic one, there was an increase in the struggle of people, various disadvantaged groups and non-governmental organizations. The struggle of the latter gave hope to human rights defenders. 2008, on which politics was in a deadlock situation and could not produce any solution, is like an indicator for 2009 regarding establishment of new developments in this field. New political searches and some political cooperations and activities to establish a comprehensive party, which will include include various social groups, among democrats, patriots, leftist and socialist groups are hopes that struggle will increase in 2009 in favour of oppressed groups.

There were many extensive evaluations on human rights by human rights organizations and human rights defenders in 2008 because of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These evaluations highlighted mainly that people became distant from the ideal situation of overcoming fear and poverty in all over the world, however; people have still hopes.

Pressures on human rights defenders increased in 2008. The following cases are some of the examples pressures that human rights defenders were subjected to; Mr. Rıdvan Kızgın one of the former Central Executive Board members, Mr. Ethem Açıkalın the president of IHD Adana Branch stayed in prison just because he did what he should as a human rights defender, sentence against IHD Canakkale Branch because of the peace activities on 1st September and torture and ill-treatment against IHD Adana and Izmir Branches. There was hardly dialogue between human rights defenders and the Government in 2008. Of course the Government is responsible for it. Indeed same person is the ministry of both security and human rights in this Government. This situation shows that Government sees human rights as a security question.

EU process was forgotten in 2008 on which people, despite all kinds of nationalist statements and lynch practices, want brotherhood insistently, Kurds and Alevis fought for their rights, politics was in deadlock situation but new searches were started. Expressing EU progress reports in a more critical manner showed that EU process is also in situation of parting ways for Turkey. The current position of the Government, which set out to become a full member of the EU, shows that politics is in a deadlock situation in Turkey.

In conclusion, it can be said that problems regarding fundamental rights and freedoms could not be solved in 2008, however; people, non-governmental organizations and disadvantaged groups were decisive to fight for a better future. (IHD, December 31, 2008)

Prosecutor Denies Transsexual Singer Right of Free Speech

Ten people filed criminal complaints aganist singer Bülent Ersoy last year, after she had expressed her opposition to the ground attacks in Northern Iraq. Bakirköy Public Prosecutor Ali Çakır in Istanbul had demanded punishment, saying that Ersoy’s words had also been broadcast on the pro-Kurdish Roj TV channel. He demanded three years imprisonment and a trial was opened. Ersoy was charged with turning the public against military service.

Hundreds dead in operations

Around a year ago, on 22 February, Turkish Armed Forces sent ground forces into Northern Iraq in ordre to attack the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Dozens of soldiers and hundreds of PKK militants are said to have died.

Turkey was watching the funerals of the “martyrs” on the evening news. Young men masked their fears as they sent off their friends to military service with shouted slogans of heroism and nationalism, one of them being, “Martyrs don’t die, the country can’t be separated.”

Of all the political parties, only the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) opposed operations. To say that numerous cross-border operations in the past have not put an end to the PKK or to suggest that the country should mourn the deaths of Turkish soldiers and Kurdish militants as a sign of failed policies is equivalent to treachery in the eyes of many.
It took a judge from a national popstar competition, “Popstar Alaturka”,  to say what many people may have thought secretely.

Bülent Ersoy, a colourful transsexual singer, temporarily banned from performing on stage after the military coup in the 1980s, and now mostly in the magazine headlines for her outfits, young husbands and cosmetic surgery, expressed her opposition to the cross-border operations in Northern Iraq on live TV on 24 February.

"I am not a mother but I am a human being..."

What was it she said on live TV?

“If I had given birth to a child and someone sitting at a desk had said ‘You will do this, he will do that’, and I would have buried my child, would I accept that?”

This was greeted with applause from the studio audience. Ersoy continued:

“I cannot know exactly what it means to have a child. I am not a mother and will never be able to be one. But I am a human being; and as a human being, to bury them…I may not know how these mother’s hearts are breaking, but mothers understand.”

She continued, “This is not a war under normal conditions. It is written down and people are forced to play along. There is intrigue, and that is hard to cope with.”

Nationalist clichés

Another jury member, singer Ebru Gündeş, answered in a well-worn nationalist phrase, “Let Allah grant everyone the happiness of being a soldier's mother. May I have a glorious son and send him to the military,” to which Ersoy replied, “...and then you get his dead body back.”

Gündes answered, “Martyrs don’t die, the country can’t be separated,” to which Ersoy said:

“Always the same clichéd words, we always say the same. Children go, bloody tears, funerals…I don’t share your opinion. Why do we take part in the game? Alright, the country can’t be separated, but…Should all mothers just give birth and bury their children, is that it?”

In his indictment, prosecutor Çakır had used another clichéd nationalist phrase, “All Turks are born as soldiers.

Prosecutor appealed against acquittal

On 18 December 2008, singer Ersoy was acquitted of charges. However, the determined prosecutor has filed an appeal.

Ersoy’s lawyer Muhiddin Yüzüak said that such an appeal was standard procedure and announced that he and his client had agreed that she should not comment on the case.

"If you cannot give birth,you had better shut up!"
However normal such an appeal may be, one part of it is striking in its attempt to accuse the singer based on her transsexuality:

“It would be naive to evaluate as goodwill and freedom of expression the words uttered by a person who is medically unable to bear children and who is thus arguably provoking Turkish mothers.”

So, the Chiefs of General Staff, who will never give birth, are allowed to send dozens of children to war fronts, risking their deaths. A prosecutor who will never give birth, is allowed to count everyone as soldier and promote such a mentality. But when singer Ersoy, who will never give birth, says “If I had a child, I would not send him to his death”, this counts as provocation!

Thus a prosecutor is trying to limit the freedom of expression of a transsexual on the grounds that she cannot give birth…(BIA, Emine ÖZCAN, February 11, 2009)

EHRC condemned Turkey for arresting HAKPAR executive

European Human Rights Court (EHRC) ruled that Turkey unlawfully restricted freedom of expression of former deputy chairman of Rights and Freedoms Party (HAKPAR) İbrahim Güçlü.

Güçlü was condemned for “separatist propaganda” at a press conference on "Democracy and Kurdish issue”.

EHRC ruled that the Turkish authorities, by condemning Güçlü, did not pay attention to the right of the public to get information.  Stating that article 10 of the HR convention was violated, EHRC condemned Turkey to pay 5 thousand Euros compensation and 2 thousand Euros of court expenditure.

Miroğlu’s case in EHRC

Kurdish politician Orhan Miroğlu who addressed his elector in Mersin in Kurdish during the election campaign for 22 July 2007 General Elections had been condemned. Miroğlu applied to European Human Rights Court (EHRC).

EHRC accepted the application. Miroğlu told bianet "If this case leads to a positive ruling it may end the controversy over the use of Kurdish in political party activities and campaigns." (antenna-tr.org, February 11, 2009)

A child gets 3 years’ prison sentence for throwing stone at a police officer
 
A 15 year old boy Y.G in Adana who was claimed to have thrown Stones at police officers during a demonstration supporting Abdullah Öcalan has been condemned to 7.5 years prison sentence for  ‘committing crime on behalf of the organisation’. The sentence was reduced to 3 years and 45 days due to his age and good conduct in court. Deducting the time he had stayed in prison the court released Y.G.

17 children between the age of 15 and 17 who were claimed to have demonstrated and thrown Stones at police officers in Adana and Gaziantep were charged with “making propaganda for PKK”, “membership to organisation”, “throwing stones at the police” in last December and January. Adana High Criminal Courts with special powers, Nums. 6, 7 and 8 gave 17 kids prison sentences varying between 10 years 8 months and 8 months.

6 children between the ages of 13 and 16 were arrested in Adana's Dağlıoğlu neighbourhood for demonstrating on 19 October 2008 and chanting ‘Biji serok Apo’(Long live Apo), ‘Break the hands touch Apo’, ‘PKK is people PKK is here’ and throwing Stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers. Trials continue at High Criminal Court Num.7 with special powers. The children are charged with ‘committing crime in the name of PKK terrorist organisation, possession of explosives, causing danger to public security, PKK propaganda’. Each kid was asked to be imprisoned between 21 years and 6 months. (antenna-tr.org, February 9, 2009)
 
"Prosecutors Obliged to Investigate 11 Dead in Güçlükonak"

Despite several attempts by rights activists, prosecutors failed to take legal action about the Güçlükonak incident, where 11 were killed and bodies burned in 1996. Then Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul branch director Ercan Kanar, activist Sanar Yurdatapan and trade unionist Münir Ceylan filed criminal complaints against military personnel and the General Staff, but never received any replies.

On the contrary, their complaint resulted in a case against them, where they were tried with "insulting the military". An Istanbul court sentenced them to 1.5 years in prison but the judgment was overturned by the Court of Cassation. 

"The Turkish deep state was responsible," said Adnan Ekmen, then the Minister of State on Human Rights in a recent interview published in Aktüel weekly. He reminds us that identity cards of the deceased were in the hands of the "authorities" even before the killings, but fails to clarify who the authorities are.

"Following the incident, the General Staff had gathered journalists to the scene with helicopters and blamed it on the pro-Kurdish PKK.

"I knew that the General Staff's declaration didn't reflect the truth," Ekmen told bianet.

"But without concrete evidence to prove my point, I hesitated to bring the issue before the parliament."

Prosecutors should act on Ekmen's words, Kanar told bianet. "An investigation should compromise of all officials working in that region at that time. Relatives of the deceased should be allowed to intervene." He urges that the case should be merged with the Ergenekon case in Istanbul. "If Ergenekon is going to shed light to unlawful acts happened in eastern Turkey, all those responsible from state killings –whatever their ranks shall stand trial."

On January 15th, 1996, just a month after PKK's declaration of ceasefire, 11 former and on-duty rangers were killed and their vehicle was set fire to. The next day, the European Parliament was to question the government's reply to PKK's ceasefire. Despite unidentifiably burned bodies, military officials presented totally intact identity cards of the deceased; raising suspicion. Relatives of the deceased applied to the ECHR and Turkey was condemned at the Strasbourg court. (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 10, 2009)

IHD announced: 38 Died in Turkish Prisons in 2008

There have been 3 thousand 519 applications regarding rights violation allegations in prisons, said Turkey's Human Rights Association (IHD) in its annual report published today.

According to information gathered from applicants and media monitoring, a toltal of 38 people died in prison because of misconduct. More than 10 suicide claims are included in this sum. One in 10 applications to the association is concerning torture allegations.

1 602 inmates told of violations arising from disciplinary measures, 462 people complained of violations of concerning their health, 363 inmates applied against arbitrary obstructions such as ban on books and 323 were on restraints imposed on talking and writing in Kurdish.

Members of the IHD staged a press meeting before the Parliament building and announced their findings. (BIA, February 6, 2009)

1968 Youth Leader Sarp Kuray is again in prison for seven years

Sarp Kuray, the head of the outlawed left-wing “June 16” organization, surrendered on February 4, 2009, to start serving a seven-year sentence for setting up a terrorist organization. One of the youth leaders of the 68 generation, Sarp Kuray was sentenced to life-prison also for organizing thirty different political actions after the 1971 military coup.

Prior to the military coup, he was the leader of the Military Academy cadets engaged in fight against US imperialism and for a socialist order in  Turkey.

Speaking to members of the press before turning himself in yesterday, Kuray said that in a private meeting with Perinçek, the IP leader tried now at Ergenekon Case, told him: “We have friends at the Supreme Court of Appeals. We can take care of your file if you move with us.”

Kuray said Perinçek made him various offers and told him that he had very influential connections in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), as well.

Kuray also stated that at the same meeting with Perinçek the IP leader told him that a group of certain civilians always developed the roadmap of the military, claiming that in recent times Perinçek himself was that civilian individual.

Kuray told reporters that he rejected Perinçek’s proposals, saying: “I have seen what can happen when one sets up alliances with the military. I will never become part of any anti-democratic formation again.” (todayszaman.com, February 6, 2009)

"Saturday Mothers" Urge for Renewed Action for The Disappeared

Protesters used to meet in front of the Galatasaray school every Saturday from 1995 to 1995, holding up placards with pictures of missing persons, demanding to know their fate and the prosecution of those responsible. In the last seven months of the protests, security forces intervened at every protest. It became commonplace for the protesters to experience police detention for at least one night.

The movement started when Hasan Ocak, son of Emine Ocak, was taken into police custody on 21 March 1995. His tortured body was found in a cemetery for the poor fifty-five days later.

The gathering on Saturday was watched by a great number of police officers. Relatives of Ali İhsan Dağlı, Hasan Ocak, Rıdvan Karakoç, Cemil Kırbayır, Kasım Alpsoy, Serdar Tanış, Düzgün Tekin, İsmail Şahin and Hasan Gülünay were present, as well as activists protesting against their and other people’s disappearance.

Statements given during the Ergenekon trial have pointed to organised killings by JITEM, the clandestine Gendarmerie Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Unit. Bodies are said to have been hidden in acid wells and other places.

Perpetrators are protected

Leman Yurtsever of the Human Rights Association’s (IHD) Committee for People Disappearing in Detention has pointed out that the Ergenekon investigation is bringing to light what the Saturday Mothers/People were saying for years. Their voices were never heard.

On Saturday (31 January), protesters came together again to protest against the disappearance of Ali İhsan Dağlı, whose case has caused the European Court of Human Rights to convict Turkey. A corps commander, Hasan Kundakçı, was implicated, and he is now implicated in Ergenekon. Yurtsever asked why he was not being prosecuted. She said that although perpetrators of crimes were known, they were being protected.

"We do not have him"

A relative of Dağlı’s described his disappearance: “He was taken into custody in the Esme village, Silvan district of Diyarbakır in 1995.  People who saw him in custody have made statements. There were even photos of him in custody published in the newspapers. All the efforts of his family and the Human Rights Association have remained fruitless. The state has never changed its answer: ‘We did not take him, we do not have him.’”

Systematic search for bodies needed

Yurtsever listed the demands of the protesters as follows:

“Wells, acid wells and mass graves need to be opened and searched. It is true that many people died in the so-called Sapanca triangle during (retired general and Ergenekon prime suspect) Veli Küçük’s time. They killed Behçet Cantürk, Rıdvan Karakoç, Hayrettin Eren and many others there. We don’t only want their bodies. The perpetrators need to be taken to trial.”

A specific demand is that the cases of the missing persons be merged with the Ergenekon trial, and that all those whose names appear in missing persons cases be put on trial.

Some examples of missing persons

Fehmi Tosun: arrested by plain clothes police in Avcılar, Istanbul on 19 October 1995, he was never heard of again.

Kenan Bilgin: Taken from his home in Ankara on 12 September 1994 by an Anti-Terrorism Squad, he was detained under suspicion of being a member of an illegal organisation.

Hayrettin Eren: Through friends he was able to tell his family that he was detained by security forces in Istanbul on 21 November 1980. His family saw his car in front of the Gayrettepe Police Station, but were told “he is not here.”

Rıdvan Karakoç: After being detained in Istanbul in 1995, his body was found. There was evidence of torture.

Hüseyin Morsümbül: He was taken fron his home in Bingöl on 18 September 1980 by gendarmerie and plain clothes officers. His father was also detained and tortured. In prison his father was told that his son had escaped, but he said, “not even a bird could have escaped from there.”

İsmail Şahin: He left his home in Istanbul on 18 January 1996 and never appeared again. A few days later his daughter Sibel told her mother that she had seen her father on Star TV news, being beaten by police.

Hüseyin Toraman: He was taken into custody on 7 October 1991 inIstanbul, and never heard of again. Kocamustafapaşa,

Hasan Gülünay: Detained in Istanbul on 20 July 1992, he has been missing ever since.

Ali İhsan Dağlı: According to the statement of a soldier B.G., Dağlı was suspected of being a PKK supporter. On 19 April 1995, he was trapped and wounded by Turkish security forces in the Kuruçayır village of Savur district in Diyarbakır province. The soldiers took him hostage. He was beaten by villagers and soldiers. A Huey helicopter provided by the USA arrived, and a high-ranking general carrying a US-patented M-16 helped to beat him up. The village was then burnt down and Dağlı taken away. An army officer later told B.G. that Dağlı died in custody. His body was never found.

Kasım Alpsoy: He was taken into custody from his home in Adana in May 1994. The next day his sister and her husband went to pick up his ID at the police station. Although they knew he was there, the police denied this. He was never heard of again. Following a witness statement that his body was in a grave in Mersin, permission was not given to open the grave. (BIA, Emine ÖZCAN, February 2, 2009)

Turkey tops list of Human Rights offenders in Europe 2008

European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has today published its' annual report on judgements/applications to the court for 2008

The court delivered 1,543 judgments in 2008, 3% up on 2007, and 30,163 decisions, 11% up.

57% of applications to the court had been lodged against just four States (Russian Federation, Turkey, Romania and Ukraine), with the remaining 43% covering the other 43 Member States.

Top 5 offending countries against Human Rights in the EU 2008

1) Turkey 257 Judgements against

2) Russia 233 Judgements against

3) Romania 189 Judgements against

4) Poland 129 Judgements against

5) Ukraine 110 Judgements against

UK came 11th out of 43 with 27 Judgements against

Current caseload at the court 100,000 applications

Source for data ECtHR: http://www.echr.coe.int/echr/

One Child Dead, His Friends in Prison – Justice?

Malik Ecder Özdemir, MP for the Republican People’s Party (CHP) visited around 20 children aged 14-17 who have been detained in a cell in Diyarbakır prison for around a year.

The MP told bianet that the children are being held in bad conditions and that their basic rights are being violated.

The children are being accused of membership in a terrorist organisation and other crimes.

On last year’s anniversary of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s arrest in February 1999, police and demonstrators clashed in several provinces and dozens of people were arrested. A fifteen-year old boy, Yahya Menekşe, was run over by a tank in Cizre, a district of the southeastern Kurdish-majority province of Şırnak.

During protests at his funeral, the police again arrested dozens of people. Around 40 children who had attended the funeral were put on trial.

Meanwhile, in October 2008, the Cizre District Administration (Kaymakamlık) refused permission for an investigation into the police officers suspected of involvement in the death of Menekşe.

Rojhat Dilsiz, lawyer for the Menekşe family, told bianet that they have appealed against this refusal at the administrative court and that their appeal has been accepted. The lawyer announced that seven police officers would be put on trial, accused of causing a death through negligence.

The court case is expected to start in April.

MP Özdemir summarised the conditions of the children in prison thus:

“There are 20 children staying in a cell made for 5-6 people. They have been separated from their families and their education has been interrupted. They have been taken to court 2 to 3 imes, their statements have been taken, their identities were verified, and then they were sent back to prison. As this trial is taking so long, it is difficult for these children to believe in justice.”

The MP demanded an immediate end to the prosecution of the children:

“Their psychological condition is precarious; they seem remorseful. They said, ‘We only wanted to take our friend’s body; we did not know this would be punished as severely.’”

Özdemir visited the prison together with MPs from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Murat Yıldırım, Fatih Arıkan and Mithat Ekici. They are part of the Prisons Sub-Committee of the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission. The committee works towards preventing torture, maltreatment and violence and prisons and will write a report on its findings.

Currently dozens of children in Diyarbakır, Adana and other provinces are being tried not in children’s courts but in Special Authority Heavy Penal Courts. They stand accused of membership in an terrorist organisation after taking part in protests against alleged maltreatment of Abdullah Öcalan in prison, or protests at the visit of Prime Minister Erdoğan to the city.

Following a change in the Anti-Terrorism Law in 2006, 15- to 18-year-olds can now be tried in such courts.

Recently, two children in Adana were sentenced to 21 years imprisonment after taking part in pro-Kurdish Newroz events in Gaziantep.

The Initiative for Justice for Children has been following these cases. Its members have called for an immediate release of the children, for a change to laws to make this release possible, and for rehabilitation programmes for these children, who, so the Initiative, have experienced violations of numerous rights. (BIA, Erhan ÜSTÜNDAĞ, February 1st, 2009)

Pression sur les médias / Pressure on the Media

Polémique autour d'une amende fiscale visant un groupe de presse

La condamnation du premier groupe de presse turc, Dogan, à une amende d'environ 500 millions de dollars pour fraude fiscale par la direction des impôts a relancé la polémique en Turquie sur les intentions du gouvernement, accusé de vouloir museler la presse.

Au terme de contrôles fiscaux répétés, le groupe Dogan, numéro un turc des médias, s'est vu infliger le 18 février une amende sans précédent de 826 millions de livres turques, soit la somme astronomique de 426 millions de dollars (332 millions d'euros), une condamnation qui pourrait aussi être suivie de poursuites pénales.

Le fisc reproche au premier groupe du pays, propriétaire entre autres des quotidiens Hürriyet et Milliyet et de chaînes de télévisions comme CNN-Türk, des retards d'impôts dans un transfert de capital à l'éditeur allemand Axel Springer, ce que le groupe nie, affirmant avoir payé à temps.

Dogan médias et l'opposition au Parlement ont vu dans cette condamnation une nouvelle offensive du gouvernement du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan contre la liberté de la presse.

Dans un communiqué, le groupe, dont est propriétaire Aydin Dogan, homme d'affaires septuagénaire, a estimé qu'il y avait de "sérieuses raisons de croire que ces contrôles fiscaux avaient été motivés par des raisons politiques", accusant à mots à peines couverts M. Erdogan de vouloir affaiblir le trust médiatique.

Une première confrontation avait opposé les deux parties en automne lorsque les journaux du groupe avaient mis en cause le gouvernement dans le scandale "Deniz feneri" (le Phare en turc), une organisation caritative, proche de l'AKP, condamnée en Allemagne, ce qui avait provoqué l'ire du Premier ministre.

Le groupe Dogan a été un critique du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste), au pouvoir depuis 2002, soupçonné par les milieux laïques de vouloir islamiser la Turquie, musulmane mais laïque.

Le gouvernement a mis en oeuvre des réformes démocratiques pour renforcer ses chances d'adhérer à l'Union européenne mais celle-ci a exhorté Ankara à en faire davantage pour les libertés individuelles, notamment de la presse.

Le chef de l'opposition au Parlement, Deniz Baykal, a accusé M. Erdogan de "vouloir faire taire la presse et les journalistes", avant les élections municipales prévues le 29 mars, un scrutin que M. Erdogan veut à tout prix remporter pour asseoir sa force politique après sa victoire aux législatives de 2007.

M. Erdogan "impose des amendes quand une information ne lui convient pas", a dit le président du Parti républicain du Peuple (CHP).

Pour les associations de presse turques l'acharnement gouvernemental contre le groupe Dogan est une nouvelle preuve de la volonté de l'AKP de combattre les instances qui lui résistent, afin d'étendre encore sa mainmise politique.

M. Erdogan, qui a appelé ses électeurs à "boycotter" les journaux d'opposition, affirme que l'amende infligée à Dogan est tout à fait "légale" et qu'il n'y est pour rien.

Lors du week-end devant ses partisans à Adiyaman (sud-est), il a cependant dit que "la liberté de la presse ne pouvait être utilisée pour diffamer".

M. Erdogan se considère comme un champion de la liberté d'expression après son emprisonnement pour quatre mois en 1999 pour avoir récité un poème lors d'un meeting électoral. Cela ne l'a pourtant pas empêché de lancer des poursuites contre de nombreux journalistes et caricaturistes pour diffamation. Il a aussi banni plusieurs journalistes de la couverture de l'actualité le concernant. (AFP, 23 fév 2009)

Second Court Case for Turkish Publisher of “God Delusion”

The Sisli Chief Public Prosecution in Istanbul has brought an action against publisher Erol Karaaslan of Kuzey Publications for “inciting people to hatred and hostility or denigration”.

Last year, the complaint of an Emre Bukağılı about the Turkish translation of the “God Delusion” book by Dawkins resulted in a court case in which the publisher was acquitted on 2 April 2008.

Now a complaint by a Sonia Eskinazi, who says that the book insults Judaism, Allah and the prophets, has resulted in a new court case.

Karaaslan will be tried at the same court, the Şişli 2nd Criminal Court, on 16 June. Like the first time, the articles cited are Articles 216/1-3 and 54 of the Turkish Penal Code.

The publisher faces up to four years imprisonment.

On 30 October, Eskinazi filed her complaint, in which she said that the 360-page book contained insults of the Jewish religion, Allah, and prophets much-loved by Jews.

Five particular pages have been cited in the indictment for overstepping the mark of criticism, and inciting hatred or denigration.

At the publisher’s acquittal on 2 April, the court had cited an expert’s report had said that there was no sign of insult to Islam, and that the book referred to a corrupted Torah/Old Testament. The report also said that the book offered a balance of opinions and that there was no need to confiscate it. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 24, 2009)

Editor Held Responsible for Insults against Anti-Militarist Journalists

The Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court in Istanbul has sentenced Mustafa Dolu, responsible editor for the Tercüman newspaper to an administrative fine for allowing the insult of two journalists in the newspaper.

A sentence of 90 days imprisonment was converted into a fine of 7,080 TL (around 3,300 Euros), roughly half of the amount each for the insult of journalist Perihan Mağden from Radikal newspaper and journalist Ece Temelkuran from Milliyet newspaper.

The court cited Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, saying that the honour and respectability of the two journalists had been damaged in the press.

The court sentence refers to two articles published in the Tercüman newspaper on 18 and 19 January 2008 and entitled “You Answer that Ugly Woman” and “These Women Have Lost Their Way” respectively.

The second article is related to a Turkish flag which high school students made from their own blood and sent to the then-General Staff Yaşar Büyükanit. He had shown the flag to journalists a week before, expressing his pride in the children. The Tercüman newspaper had even distributed promotional copies of this “flag” to its readers.

Both Mağden and Temelkuran had reacted to the flag in their columns. On 15 January, Radikal newspaper columnist Mağden had written an article entitled “Flag of Blood”, in which she condemned the militarist, war-mongering and violent atmosphere which had inspired the children to such an act. She also condemned Büyükanit’s reaction. Her article ended: “No one should die on this soil anymore. There should be no more odes to being killed and killing in this country. Let there be no applause and tears for such pathological expressions on this soil. Let there be no more discourse of “martyrs.”

Temelkuran had written an article entitled “Bloodflag, Flagblood” in the Milliyet newspaper on 18 January, in which she had said: “If only this noise, which makes flags out of children and dead children out of flags, would end.”

In an article entitled “These women have lost their way”, which included their photographs, the Tercüman newspaper said:

“While reactions against the flag-enemy Mağden are continuing, another ugly (person) has emerged. Ece Temelkuran has also had the cheek to insult the Turkish flag and has committed a crime (…). Reactions continue to flood in against Radikal newspaper journalist Perihan Mağden, whose name has been associated with polemics recently, and her ugly words, which are remote from a Turkish identity.”

Tercüman editor Mustafa Dolu spoke in his defence at the first hearing, claiming that the expression “ugly” was not intended to insult. He added that editor-in-chief Ufuk Büyükçelebi was above him in the newspaper hierarchy. It is possible that he will appeal. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 24, 2009)

IPI Accuses Prime Minister of Intimidating Media

Ferai Tınç, Hürriyet newspaper journalist and president of the International Press Institute’s (IPI) Turkish Committee, has interpreted recent events concerning journalists and newspapers as “no coincidence”. She spoke to bianet about several events:

Mehmet Emin Karamehmet, the head of the Çukurova Group (which owns Show TV, Lig TV, Sky Turk, Akşam and Güneş newspapers and Alem FM radio station) was bugged by court order

The Doğan group has been heavily fined after selling 25 percent of its shares to the German Axel Springer Group in 2006.The Doğan group owns, among others Hürriyet, Milliyet, Radikal, Posta, Fanatik, Referans and Turkish Daily News newspapers, as well as CNN Türk, Kanal D and Star TV channels. The Ministry of Finance is claiming that irregularities accompanied the sale and has charged the Doğan Group a tax penalty totalling 826 million 300,000 TL (around 385 million Euros). The Doğan Group has denied any irregularities and has announced that it will go to court.

The Capital Markets Board (SPK) is investigating the partnership structure of the Cumhuriyet newspaper.

According to Tınç, “The Prime Minister is making it obvious that he does not like a free press. He is using the economy as a weapon of intimidation.”

She said that previous governments had used similar means, but against business people rather than the media. She also pointed to the many court cases Prime Minister Erdoğan has opened against journalists, as well as many statements he has made against the press.

Prime Minister Erdoğan has accused the Doğan Group of supporting the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and has called on members of his own party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) to boycott the media institutions owned by the group. In addition, the group has been heavily fined.

The Doğan group has announced that the sales procedure of shares to the Axel Springer group began in November 2006 but ended on 2 January 2007, and that the relevant taxes were thus payed in 2007. It insists that no irregularities took place.

Prime Minister Erdoğan referred to the accusation of intimidation at a party rally in Aksaray, saying: “A state institution carries out a legal procedure, and immediately they start to blame the government. Whatever happens to you, you think it comes from the government, from the AKP…”

In a statement the Ministry of Finance said that tax evasion had taken place, and that the Ministry and its personnel would go to court to file a complaint against the Doğan Group for their statement which included hostility and insult. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 19, 2009)

Attacked Journalist Yarayan’s Condition Life-Threatening

After he was attacked and beaten by four masked people in Siirt, a province in the southeast of Turkey, Diya Yarayan has been in the intensive care unit of Siirt State Hospital.

Yarayan is the owner of the Siirt Birlik newspaper. His wife, Hatice Yarayan spoke to bianet, saying that her husband’s life was not out of danger yet:

“My husband can talk. He told me that those beating him intended to kill him. His whole body is bruised. He has got a huge bruise on his shoulders, and what looks like knife cuts on his feet. His eyelids are bruised, and his whole head is covered in bandages.”

Following the attack, four people were arrested on court orders, but Hatice Yarayan indicated that she believes that more people are behind the attack.

“When I went to my husband’s office two months ago, there was a death threat written in Arabic on a piece of carton on his desk. It was written in big letters with a ball point pen, containing swear words and the phrase ‘They will kill you soon anyway.’ My husband has got a friend of Arab origin whom he sometimes argues with. Because he has not been seeing him recently, this friend has been angry. I told my husband to go to the prosecution, but he didn’t.”

Yarayan said that she and her husband had been publishing the newspaper under great difficulties for the last five years. They have had no financial support: “We have an economic crisis. Our house is mortgaged, and together with bank credits, we are 100,000 TL in debt. We were going to get rid of our debts, but now our dreams have been shattered.”

She said that she has been disappointed by the lack of support from other journalists or the Siirt Governor, saying that she expected at least moral support. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 19, 2009)

Raids nationalistes des « hacktivistes » turcs en Belgique

Ils n'endommagent pas votre machine mais y déposent des slogans nationalistes parfois menaçants. Un épisode de la guerre psychologique sur le Net.

Le site d'information régionale Best of Verviers a été fortement perturbé, à la fin de l'année dernière, par des pirates informatiques turcs agissant sous le label « caprazates.org ». La page d'accueil a été « défacée » et lui a été substitué le slogan: « We are in the service of the Turk Nation» (<< Nous sommes au service de la nation turque »). « Caprazates.org» n'est que l'un des innombrables groupes de hackers turcs qui pratiquent la guerre idéologique  à travers la Toile. « C'est un sacré nid de jeunes et moins jeunes, entre 14 et 30 ans, qui veulent mettre en avant la suprématie de leur pays, décrit le Français Damien Bancal, rédacteur en chef de Zataz.com, un site d'information sur le piratage informatique. Une excuse pour faire des bêtises, mais les faits sont là: j'estime qu'ils ont modifié au moins 50 000 sites. Certains sont membres du "1923 (NDLR: date de la création de l'Etat turc) Türk group", très à droite de la droite turque. »

Une grande organisation n'a pas trop de difficultés à restaurer sa page d'accueil. C'est moins évident quand le drapeau turc s'abat brutalement sur un club de foot amateur ou une organisation de jeunesse ! TI a fallu plusieurs jours à Christophe Dechêne, ainsi qu'à son équipe d'informaticiens bénévoles, pour remettre sur pied Best of Verviers. « Maintenant, il est tellement sécurisé que nos chroniqueurs ne parviennent plus à poster eux-mêmes leurs photos », regrette le webmaster.

« Les petits-enfants de l'Empire ottoman»

Les ennuis ont commencé lorsque le site verviétois a adopté le logiciel gratuit Joomla. Davantage que le renom de la capitale de l'eau ou un incident local, c'est peut-être ce qui a attiré involontairement l'attention des « hacktivistes ». Cette semaine-là, ils ont lancé plus de 7 500 messages chauvins à travers le monde. Rien de personnel, donc. « Les hacktivistes ne sont pas des voleurs de données ni des gens qui détruisent les logiciels, relève Olivier Bogaert, de la Computer Crime Unit de la police fédérale. Ils diffusent leurs slogans comme d'autres des tracts dans la rue. » N'empêche.

Certaines attaques sont bel et bien dédicacées et, en termes de guerre psychologique, elles font mouche.

Le 14 janvier 2007, la page d'accueil du SPF Défense avait, ô honte, subi un « défacement » hostile. Le message s'adressait, menaces à l'appui, à ceux qui soutiennent que les Arméniens ont été massacrés au début de la Première Guerre mondiale ou qu'il existe un problème kurde en Turquie. Signé : « Les petits-enfants de l'Empire ottoman ». Le parquet fédéral a envoyé une commission rogatoire internationale en Turquie, mais sans grands résultats.

Depuis lors, d'autres sites ont encore été parasités : police locale de Nivelles-Genappe, CPAS d'Anvers, Agence flamande de l'entreprise (parce que l'Etat belge aurait « cautionné» une marche du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan). Aucune statistique n'est cependant disponible. « Nous avons effectivement pu constater que· des messages turcs apparaissaient régulièrement sur des sites Internet hackés, reconnaît Tine Hollevoet, porte-parole de la police fédérale. Apparemment, beaucoup de victimes ne déposent pas plainte, ce qui a pour conséquence de compliquer toute intervention des services de police. »

Depuis la guerre de Gaza, les hackers turcs, constituant un véritable baromètre de l'opinion publique de leur pays, inondent les sites officiels étrangers de messages de soutien à la cause palestinienne. (Le Vif-L'Expresse, Marie-Cécile Royen, 13-19 février 2009)

Two Newspapers Convicted for Different “Crimes”

In October 2007, the PKK attacked a military base in Dağlıca, southeast of Turkey, and later kidnapped 8 soldiers. Milliyet newspaper announced their release on 4 November. Now responsible editor Hasan Çakkalkurt has been sentenced to 1 year, 6 months and 22 days imprisonment for violating the secrecy of an investigation.

On 12 November 2007, Milliyet newspaper carried articles with the headlines “Arrest of eight kidnapped soldiers” and “They talked about the night of the battle”.

The Gendarmerie General Command had applied to the Van Gendarmerie Command Military Court in order to ban all print and broadcasting media from covering events related to the Dağlıca attack and kidnapping, citing the fact that the eight soldiers were being investigated.

In the attack, thirteen soldiers had been killed and 17 more wounded.

The Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance decreed on 13 February this year that the articles published by the Milliyet newspaper represented a violation of the media ban. Under Article 283/1 of the Turkish Penal Code, responsible editor Çakkalkurt was sentenced. The initial sentence of one year was increased to 1 year, 10 months and 15 days because the offence was repeated in print. Because of the behaviour of the journalist at the hearings, the sentence was finally reduced to 1 year, 6 months and 22 days.

Lawyers for the newspaper have argued that the news item is of the same date as the Van military court’s decision to impose a media ban, and that thus no violation took place. They also spoke of the right of the people to be informed.

Because the prison sentence was over a year, it was not converted into a fine. The newspaper’s lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals.

At the same court in Bakırköy, Posta photo-reporter Ahmet Cumalı has been sentenced for violating the private life of Derin Mermerci, a well-known woman in high-society, whom he took photos of at a fashion show. The sentence is still to be announced.

In a previous case, Cumalı had been sentenced to 1 year 3 months imprisonment for taking photos of singer Sezen Aksu in her bathing suit. The sentence, handed out by Bakırköy’s 16th Criminal Court of First Instance on 4 November 2008 under Article 134/2 of the Turkish Penal Code, had been deferred.

However, because Cumalı has been sentenced for the same offense within five years, he will face punishment for both cases. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 16, 2009)

Police Unlawfully Questions Journalists' Identity

The police asked for "official" press identity from journalists and unlawfully barred those who don't hold one, in yesterday's meeting organized by trade unions against the economic crisis and government policies.

Officers declined to accept designed identity cards of journalists, issued by their employers and forced them to cover the meeting from a remote point in Kadıköy Avenue. "Official" press identities are issued by the Prime Ministry and are subject to bureaucratic limitations. Those working for online media are not recognized as journalists, for example.

Bawer Cakir of bianet was among those impeded by the police. "The police chief wouldn't listen to us", he recalls.

He was then able to enter the meeting area from a different checkpoint, but "the designed platform for journalists wasn't well-suited for covering the speeches."

When two groups of trade unionists clashed briefly over a dispute concerning voicing support for Turk Metal-Sen chief Mustafa Ozbek –who is under custody in relation to Ergenekon case- Cakir was caught in between.

"Some colleagues were beaten and others were targets of clubs and umbrellas thrown." Cakir himself was hit on the neck. Kızıl Bayrak paper's Ozgun Cetin also recalls the event: "About 70-80 members of the Turk Metal-Sen union entered the area where journalists stood. They were there just to defend Ozbek and had no incentive in relation to the meetings puposes. I was hit by a club on the chest."

He also claimed that the police discriminated against journalists working for the leftist press, while others were allowed to pass. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 16, 2009)

309 people condemned under article 301 of TPC

A recent statement by Turkey's Minister of Justice has shown the extent to which certain laws are used to open trials. Most shocking is the number of children put on trial.

Article 301: 1,042 people on trial in two years

Following the written question of Diyarbakır’s Democratic Society Party (DTP) MP Selahattin Demirtaş, Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Şahin told parliament that a total of 742 trials were opened under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code in 2006 and 2007, and that 1,042 people were tried in these cases.

From his answer it emerged that 16 of the people on trial were children.

During the same period, 309 people were convicted under Article 301; of these, six were children.

Anti-Terrorism Law: 737 children on trial

In his statement, which was given on 6 February, the minister further said that a total of 4,784 trials were opened in the relevant time period under Anti-Terrorism Law No. 3713. A total of 11,720 people were tried, 737 of them children.

Hundreds of children accused of membership in illegal organisations
Under Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code, which deals with membership in and spreading propaganda for illegal organisations, 2,469 trials were opened in the two years. A total of 17,510 people were put on trial, 422 of them children.

Courts opened another 2,239 trials under Article 314, which deals with founding and leading an armed organisation. A total of 6,582 people were tried, 413 of them children.

EP worried about freedom of expression

On 11 February, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted a report written by Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Dutch MEP and Rapporteur on Turkey’s accession, with 65 votes to 4.

The progress report on Turkey in 2008 emphasises worries about press freedom and freedom and expression in Turkey. It referred to changes in Article 301, which were made in April 2008 and took effect on 8 May, saying that the changes were not sufficient to prevent the trial of non-violent opinions. (BIA, February 16, 2009)

Dissident Local Journalist on Trial Rejects Judge

In Gerger, a district town in the southeastern province of Adıyaman, journalist Hacı Boğatekin is on trial for insulting and spreading slander about prosecutor Sadullah Ovacıklı.

The Gerger Criminal Court of First Instance has now sent Boğatekin’s demand for a different judge ot the Adıyaman Heavy Penal Court for evaluation.

On 5 February, judge Ayşe Gül Şimşek sent the plea for rejection of the judge to the Adıyaman court. This court will now decide whether the ninth hearing at the Gerger court, due to be held on 18 March, will be led by judge Şimşek or someone else.

"A fair trial impossible"
Previous to the court case, the journalist’s lawyers Mustafa Köroğlu, Zeynel Fırat, Osman Süzen and Taylan Tanay, the latter from the Association of Contemporary Lawyers (ÇHD) in Istanbul had withdrawn from the counsel of defence, saying that they did not believe a fair trial was possible.

Köroğlu, former president of the Adıyaman Bar Association, said: “Ever since the beginning of the trial, illegal practices and decisions took place. The judge was influenced by the prosecution. We are withdrawing from the case because we believe that there is no possibility of a fair trial and there is no real possibility to defend our client. We do not want to only go through the motions, and want to offer our client the opportunity to employ a new lawyer.”

When asked for his opinion, prosecutor Sedat Turan said that the Adıyaman court had accepted the rejection of a judge by Boğatekin in another trial. He said, “It is up to the court to decide.”

Claims that prosecutor threatened journalist

Turan has demanded 13 years and 2 months imprisonment for journalist Boğtekin, because he claimed that his colleague, prosecutor Sadullah Ovacıklı was “close to Fethullah Gülen”, the controversial and influential Turkish religious leader. Boğatekin has already spent 109 days in prison because of this case.

Following an article entitled “Feto and Apo”, which he wrote in the Gerger Fırat newspaper that he owns, prosecutor Ovacıklı is said to have said to Boğatekin: “How dare you call the Venerable Hoca Fethullah Gülen ‘Feto’? Apologise immediately, or I’ll get you for that.” When Cumali Badur published these claims on the website Gerger.com, he was also prosecuted, with 4 years and 6 months imprisonment demanded.

109 days detention

The claims about prosecutor Ovacıklı landed Boğatekin in prison and he was detained for 109 days. The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) had condemned his detention.

On 25 June 2008, the Malatya 3rd Heavy Penal Court sentenced the detained journalist to 18 months imprisonment in absence. He was accused of spreading PKK propaganda. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 11, 2009)

Writer Demirer awaiting Court’s 301 Decision

Following Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Şahin’s decision to allow the trial of writer Temel Demirer under the notorious Article 301, the 2nd Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance is awaiting whether the Ankara 4th Administrative Court will cancel this permission.

Demirer is accused of “denigrating the state of the Turkish Republic” and faces up to two years imprisonment.

The administrative court may take until 29 May to make a decision. The writer’s lawyers, Filiz Kalaycı and Levent Kanat appealed for a cancellation of permission for trial on 10 November 2008 to the administrative court. When this court rejected the appeal for stopping the trial, the lawyers then appealed to the regional administrative court. The Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance has been awaiting a decision of this second administrative court since 14 November 2008.

Kalaycı told bianet that it was a positive sign, both for this and future 301 cases, that the criminal court was awaiting the decision of the administrative court. “If this becomes normal for all 301 cases, then we believe that fair trials are at least partially taking place.”

Kanat said that they had demanded a copy of the report on the murder of Hrant Dink, Turkish-Armenian journalist, compiled by the Prime Ministerial Investigation Committee. The criminal court has indicated that it will await the decree of the administrative court before evaluating any further demands, but has allowed the defence to obtain a copy by themselves.

Demirer had said, “Hrant Dink was not killed for being Armenian, but for recognising the genocide [of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915].”

Public Prosecutor Levent Savaş wrote an indictment on 24 December 2007, including police reports, transcripts of recordings prepared by the police, and CDs. Demirer spoke at a meeting in protest at Dink’s murder and is said to have said:

“(…) We are living in a country that conspires to kill those who shout out the truth. Hrant was not only murdered because he was Armenian, but because he told the truth about the genocide that happened in this country. If Turkish intellectuals do not commit 301 crimes under Article 301, they will also have murderered Hrant. We have a genocide in our history, an Armenian genocide. Hrant told us all the truth about this and paid for it with his life. Those who do not commit crimes against this murderous state are also murderers. Those who killed the Armenians in the past, are now attacking our Kurdish brothers. Those who want brotherhood of peoples need to face history. We must commit offences so that what happened to our Armenian brothers and sisters does not happen to our Kurdish brothers and sisters. I call on all of you to commit offences. Yes, there was an Armenian genocide in this country.” (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 9, 2009)

Insult of Anti-Militarist Journalists: Court Case Starts

At the first hearing at the Bakirköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul on 2 February, the prosecution demanded punishment for editor Mustafa Dolu of the Tercüman newspaper for permitting journalists of the paper to insult journalists Perihan Mağden and Ece Temelkuran.

The prosecution referred to two articles published on 18 and 19 January 2008 and entitled “You Answer that Ugly Woman” and “These Women Have Lost Their Way” respectively.

The second article is related to a Turkish flag which high school students made from their own blood and sent to the then-General Staff Yaşar Büyükanit. He had shown the flag to journalists a week before, expressing his pride in the children. The Tercüman newspaper had even distributed promotional copies of this “flag” to its readers.

Both Mağden and Temelkuran had reacted to the flag in their columns. On 15 January, Radikal newspaper columnist Mağden had written an article entitled “Flag of Blood”, in which she condemned the militarist, war-mongering and violent atmosphere which had inspired the children to such an act. She also condemned Büyükanit’s reaction. Her article ended: “No one should die on this soil anymore. There should be no more odes to being killed and killing in this country. Let there be no applause and tears for such pathological expressions on this soil. Let there be no more discourse of “martyrs.”

Temelkuran had written an article entitled “Bloodflag, Flagblood” in the Milliyet newspaper on 18 January, in which she had said: “If only this noise, which makes flags out of children and dead children out of flags, would end.”

In an article entitled “These women have lost their way”, which included their photographs, the Tercüman newspaper said:

“While reactions against the flag-enemy Mağden are continuing, another ugly (person) has emerged. Ece Temelkuran has also had the cheek to insult the Turkish flag and has committed a crime (…). Reactions continue to flood in against Radikal newspaper journalist Perihan Mağden, whose name has been associated with polemics recently, and her ugly words, which are remote from a Turkish identity.”

Tercüman editor Mustafa Dolu spoke in his defence at the first hearing, claiming that the expression “ugly” was not intended to insult. He added that editor-in-chief Ufuk Büyükçelebi was above him in the newspaper hierarchy.

The prosecution demanded punishment under Article 125 of the Penal Code. The hearing was postponed until 23 February.

Another journalist is on trial for an article on Perihan Mağden. Oray Eğin, journalist at the Akşam newspaper, wrote an article entitled “This year’s scandal: the columnist who had too much to drink at Çankaya”, Çankaya referring to the presidential residence and a reception taking place there on 29 October 2007.

The court case continued on 4 February, when the court listened to Eğin’s statement. He said that he had written about what he had been told. The case continues on 27 April. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 9, 2009)

Appeal For Solidarity With Two Detained Radio Journalists

Platform of Solidarity with the Imprisoned Journalists Informs:

Two radio journalists were imprisoned recently depending on the so-called “Anti-Terror Law”; which is named “Law Against Society” by the social opposition in Turkey. Nadiye Gurbuz, General Broadcasting Coordinator of Democrat Radio (Izmir); and Mine Ozalp, staff of Ozgur Radio (Istanbul) were those two journalists. The common point of these two radio stations were that they rose the voice of the social opposition forces.

As the Platform of Solidarity with the Imprisoned Journalists, we view this as an attack against the freedom of expression and free thought, against the social opposition. We protest this attack.

With the last two imprisonments, the number of imprisoned journalists in Turkey prisons rose to 23. We ask to Prime Minister Erdogan, who had claimed that “Turkey is no more a country thet condemns free thought”...

How come can a country who detains journalists, writers, radio broadcasters claim to be a country who does not “condemn free thought”?

Freedom to Nadiye Gurbuz and Mine Ozalp!
Freedom to imprisoned journalists!
The “Anti-Terror Law” and the 301st article of the Penal Code shall be canceled!

Platform of Solidarity with the Imprisoned Journalists (TGDP)
7th of February, 2009
(tutuklugazeteciler@mynet.com,  February 8, 2009)
 
Solidarity Campaign For Sociologist Dr. Ismail Beşikçi

In solidarity with Sociologist Dr. Ismail Besikçi, a group of distinguished intellectuals and human rights defenders issued a joint declaration under the title "The Mission of the Intellectual Is To Tell the Truth under Any Circumstances".

Dr. Beşikçi is one of the distinguished academics of Turkey. He spent more than 15 years of his life in prison, and he was the subject of countless coercions and atrocities. According to the declaration, Dr. İsmail Beşikçi was "seriously insulted with embarrassing and humiliating expressions" in two articles published by a web site near to the PKK. It is also claimed that Dr. Beşikçi was threatened in one of these articles by saying “the teacher's approaches overstep the mark.”

Although the articles in question were immediately removed from the site, this solidarity campaign has been an occasion to remind Dr. Besikçi's unforgottenable courageous fight for the freedom of the Kurdish people and to express the solidarity of the democratic forces of Turkey with him:

"Dr. İsmail Beşikçi was a respectable intellectual who has valiantly confronted with a rarely encountered bravery, discretion, determination and obstinacy the formal ideology, formal history, formal facts and the TC (Republic of Turkey) behind it that ignore and deny the Kurdish people. Dr. Beşikçi is a person who has made living in virtue his principal, who is the symbol of honesty of ideas and intellectual candor.

"The interest of Beşikçi in the Kurdish problem has not started with the PKK. His interest in the Kurdish problem is a compulsion and manifestation of intellectual candor and scientific honesty, the conscience of justice, equality and freedom. Because an intellectual is only an intellectual if he/she questions the generally accepted 'facts', exposes lies and hypocrisy, if he/she can speak in the name of who doesn’t/can’t, tells what is not/cannot be told, in short, if he can speak where and when everybody keeps silent. That’s why as Julien Benda says 'The mission of the intellectual is to stand up to that which is unfair and wrong and to confront it with human consciousness while everyone goes down on their knees', he means İsmail Beşikçi and those like him... That which separates the intellectual from the company of those with diplomas who are called 'enlightened' (educated) in Turkey is his/her determined and obstinate objection to every kind of sovereignty, all sorts of formal and dominant ideology, formal facts, lies, distortion, ignoring, taboos, icons, superstitions, etc.

"İsmail Beşikçi has spent more than 15 years of his life in prison, he was the subject of countless coercions and atrocities. Why? Because the TC had nothing to say to him. As TC could not answer criticism, it chose to punish him by fending him off from the university, by putting him in prison... Now it seems that those who threaten Beşikçi in the name of the Kurdish people also don’t have the power to make counter-criticisms and they therefore choose to threaten him... Let us not forget that at the point where intolerance of criticism start, concepts such as freedom, equality and democracy no longer have any worth and credibility.

"Our aim herewith is not to respond to the above-mentioned articles that are not compatible with the customs and style of criticism. We, those who have signed below, wish to announce that our teacher/friend sociologist Dr. İsmail Beşikçi, who is the pride of this land, this geography, of all oppressed peoples, and the symbol of being an intellectual, of intellectual honesty, scientific candor, free thought, and criticism is not alone and that we fiercely condemn the ugly attack directed at him."

Fikret BAŞKAYA, Suavi AYDIN, Sibel ÖZBUDUN, Yüksel AKKAYA, Yücel DEMİRER, Tolga ERSOY, İsmet ERDOĞAN, Aydın ÖRDEK, Sait ÇETİNOĞLU, Temel DEMİRER, Levent KANAT, Babür PINAR, Fatime AKALIN, Haydar ÇETİNBAŞ, Serpil KÖKSAL, Engin BAYRAMOĞLU, İbrahim AKYOL, Merdan ÖZÜDOĞRU, Eren KIRMIZIALTIN, Mustafa KARABUDAK, Fettah KARAGÖZ, Ayhan ÇINAR, Mahmut KONUK, Metin AYHAN, Ahmet ÖNAL, Özgür BAŞKAYA, Mehmet HORUŞ, Barış ALPARSLAN, Uğur KARA, Emrah CİLASUN, Recep MARAŞLI, Kemal DEMİR, Murat ÖZENÇ, İzzettin ÖNDER, Paşa ÖZTÜRK, Zeynel GÜL, Necmiye ALPAY, Şirin AK, Emrullah SÜSLÜ, Kazım BENLİ, İbrahim AKSOY, Oktay ETİMAN, Ali İMREN, Erkan ARSLAN, Ali ARAL, Seher EROL, Cengiz EKİZ, Kadir CANGIZBAY, Hasan KÜREKÇİ, Ragıp ZARAKOLU, Şanar YURDATAPAN, Kamil AKSOYLU, Yalçın ERGÜNDOĞAN, Mete K. KAYNAR, Attila TUYGAN, Eugene SCHOULGIN, Kemal DOĞAN, Zehra ŞENOĞLU, Murat ÇELİKKAN, Ahmet Hamdi SERİNGEN, Fatih ÖZTÜRK, Asuman ÖZBEY, Orhan Yalçın GÜLTEKİN, Ersin TEK, Selim MAHMUTOĞLU, Cengiz ALĞAN  Mehmet DEMİR, Mithat SANCAR, Ömürhan SOYSAL, Günay GÜLTEKİN, Hüseyin ÇAKIR, Erdal KARAYAZGAN, Hacı TONAK, Yüksel HAN, Prof.Dr.Gençay GÜRSOY, Turgay OGUR, Hürriyet KARADENİZ, Aytekin YILMAZ, Volkan AKYILDIRIM, Hulusi ZEYBEL, Ferhat KENTEL, Ahmet CAKMAK, Berna GÜLER, Erol ÖZKORAY, Ragip DURAN, Nihat BEHRAM, Baskin ORAN

Journalist Ozkoray's Judicial Victory Against the Turkish General Staff

One of the distinguished journalists of Turkey, Erol Ozkoray has gained a victory against the Turkish General Staff's attempts to condemn him up to 50 years in prison for his 12 antimilitarist articles published by the political review Idea Politika.

All of the 12 trials opened since 1999 have resulted either in acquittal or in a dismissal of the charges.  Past week, Ozkoray's latest trial was declared prescribed by the Court of Cassation.

Ozkoray was sentenced by a heavy penal court of Istanbul to a fine of 2,200 YTL in 2006 under Article 159 of the Turkish Penal Code for two articles criticizing the Army, but his lawyer Eren Keskin appealed against the verdict at the Court of Cassation.

Contributor to the online review Sesonline, Ozkoray said after the prescription: "The title of one of the tried articles was Pandemonium. It means the capital city of irregularities, disorder, moral decadency and hellish life. In fact, I had described Ergenekon already in 2001. For me, the Turkish State is not a thing other than the Turkish Armed Forces. Today, Ergenekon means the State.  So, Ergenekon is identified with the Armed Forces. Our last ten-year democratic struggle was an attempt to show the real face of the 1st Ergenekon Scandal. Each illegal action launched by the General Staff against me constitutes a new proof revealing the real source of the Ergenekon. The chiefs of staff such as Hüseyin Kivrikoglu, Yasar Büyükanit and Ilker Basbug are accomplices at these illegal proceedings. The Turkish Armed Forces have lost their credibility because of these scandalous proceedings."

Ozkoray also announced that all of his writings pursued and acquitted will be published under the title of "Forbidden Writings" in April 2009 by the Belge Publishing House.

*

Info-Türk had published in its April 2007 issue the following report on Ozkoray's struggles and trials:

On 25 April Sisli Heavy Penal Court No 2 concluded the case against Erol Özkoray, editor-in-chief of the journal Idea Politika, launched in connection with the articles entitled "Ordu Ne Ise Yarar" (What is the Army Good For) and "Yeni Barbarlar Apoletli Talibanlar" (New Barbarians are the Talibans with Epaulets) published in 2001.

The court decided in the drop of the case due to lapse of time.

The first case led to his acquittal and the high court approved it. Yet the second case went on and Özkoray was condemned to paying fine over two articles. High court ordered a re-trial due to amendment of the penal code. At the end of the retrial court rejected the case on the grounds that a second case was opened over the same article. Prosecutor had demanded the same with the same reason.

Anti-militarist opposition writer Erol Ozkoray published his new book "What Is the Army For?" by Belge Publications while he was being prosecuted for the article by the same title. His trial ended by dismissal of the case on the grounds that the same article went through trial and acquitted before. The case, being a redundant attempt, shows the determination of the Turkish military leaders to punish Mr. Ozkoray for his relentless criticism of their political role.

Founder and editor-in-chief of the quarterly magazine Idea Politika, Erol Özkoray tells in the book the story of his taboo breaking mission for he true democracy in Turkey. Along the road on his too courageous mission for this country, he faced 20 legal procedures against him, his publication was collected more than once and finally shut down, all driven and pressed by the military. Being prosecuted in accordance with Article 301 of the Penal Code, for "insulting the army" and "insulting the Republic" he was among the Turkish writers and journalists as the assasinated Armenian editor Hrant Dink and Nobel Laurate Orhan Pamuk facing trials in the same courti with the same charges for his free thinking.

In the book and his numerous articles, he analysed the Turkish army's influence within institutions, its omnipresence in politics and its economic weight. He came to the conclusion that the army is obstructing the democratisation of the country and the road for the European Union membership.

The charges against him demanded 30 years of prison sentence.

In the files of his trials, Mr. Ozkoray discovered confidential documents issued by the top military generals, one being the present Chief of the General staff, Mr. Buyukanit, asking the attorneys and the official investigators to follow the case closely making sure Ozkoray is prosecuted and punished. With this legal scandal, Mr. Ozkoray?s criticism became harsher with each case; declaring the Chief of the General Staff Mr. Buyukanit as the enemy of the Turkish democracy before the General announced his latest ultimatum for the Turkish Government concerning the election of the president.

Mr. Ozkoray's previous book was titled "Totalitarian Turkish Farm" by Belge Publications which analysed the totalitarian roots of the Turkish regime based on the military, monopolized pres, corrupt politicians and the business.

Mr. Ozkoray is an Istanbul born political scientist who studied in Paris, worked as a journalist for AFP and wrote articles for El Pais, Libération, Politique Internatioanle, Les Echos, La Revue and Jeune Afrique.

Two Journalists On Trial for Revealing "Big Brother"

An Istanbul court continued the case against two journalists tried for revealing an unlawful general authorization of surveillance, allowing the police, the gendarmerie and the national intelligence service to pursue all electronic communication between citizens.     

Daily Milliyet's Gokcer Tahincioglu and Vatan newspaper's Kemal Goktas are accused of "acquiring classified information" and "rendering public officers working in counter terrorism as targets". Two journalists face up to three years imprisonment if convicted.

Tahincioglu testified in court this morning and reminded the judges that the Ankara court's authorization in question has already been outdated when their news articles appeared.

"Ministry of Justice has approved this fact. Court orders can't be classified and general surveillance authorizations are a violation of fundamental human rights. The Supreme Court of Appeals and the Minister of Justice himself declared those points."

The court postponed the case to March 31st and allowed the prosecution to prepare its judgment on merits.

Following the articles on June 2008, laws concerning electronic surveillance by security forces have been amended and more strict guidelines have been introduced.

Goktas and Tahincioglu were awarded the Freedom of Press award for these articles by the Turkish Association of Journalists. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 5, 2009)

Four Left-wing Radio Workers Under Custody

Police take left-wing Ozgur Radio employees Sinan Gercek, Metin Ozalp, Mine Ozalp and Izmır's Demokrat Radio's coordinator Nadiye Gurbuz into custody.

The allegations remain unknown as the case is regarded as classified by court, lawyers of the defendants told bianet.

Officers from Counter Terrorism Unit of the Istanbul Police Department raided houses of the accused early this morning.

Ozgur Radio issued a written statement, condemning this act as a part of "the ongoing pressure to silence socialist media". 

Four people are under investigation linked to a previous operation against the illegal Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), the police claimed.

"A report have been filed to investigate Ozgur Radio's revenues following the police operation in 2006" said lawyer Filiz Kilicgun. "We have yet to see the case file as it remains classified. So we don't know the exact allegations and can't inform our clients."

Radio workers can remain under custody up to four days. Gurbuz will also be brought to Istanbul for rendition. Police have confiscated several computers during the raid.

In 2006, 23 people have been arrested and tried with jail sentences. Among them were Ozgur Radio editor-in-chief Fusun Erdogan, Atilim newspaper editor-in-chief İbrahim Cicek and news coordinator Sedat Senoglu. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 4, 2009)

New Journal: “Feminist Politics”

The Socialist Feminist Collective published its first issue of the quarterly “Feminist Politics” yesterday (29 January).

The cover subject was “Neoliberalism, AKP and Female Labour”, and there were articles by Filiz Karakuş, Nurcan Özkaplan, Necla Akgökçe, Hülya Osmanoğlu, and Yelda Yücel on this theme. There were interviews with Ailsa McCay, Ece Kocabıçak and Selin Çağatay.

The issue also contains contributions on modern art and feminism, the upcoming local elections, violence towards women, sexual harrassment/ rape and the media, trials of women committing murders, homophobia, women’s rights, the headscarf, motherhood, victims of urban transformation, the “Purple Needle” campaign (encouraging women to fight back against sexual harrassment in public spaces) and women’s shelters.

Other contributors to this issue are:

Zelal Yalçın, Hasbiye Günaçtı, Tuğba Baykal, Şöhret Baltaş, Melda Yaman Öztürk, Meriç Eyüboğlu, Gülnur Acar Savran, Asuman Türkün, Canan Yıldız, Fatoş Hacıvelioğlu, Selin Nakıpoğlu Akın, Ayşe Toksöz, Serpil Sancar, Gülümser Uğurlu, Feryal Saygılıgil, Evun Sevgi Okumuş, İlkbahar Atılgan, Cemre Baytok, Deniz Saltukoğlu, Bengisu Peker, Ceren Ayçenk, Deniz Gökçe, Şöhret Baltaş, Derya Divrikli, Perihan Meşeli, Lale Bakırezer. (BIA, February 1st, 2009)

Kurdish Question / Question kurde

Sur ordre de l’armée, pas de vote pour le DTP

Selon une information de l’agence de presse DIHA, à l’approche des élections municipales (29 mars 2009), les pressions sur le DTP se font de plus en plus grandes. Alors que le parti politique pro-kurde continue ses travaux dans le cadre de la campagne électorale à Karayazi (près d’Erzurum), les militaires se “promènent” de villages en villages, en particulier à Karasu (Avares) et Incesu (Avariza)- deux villages sures pour le DTP- pour menacer la population civile et les maires.

Le sous-préfet de la bourgade principale aurait rencontré plusieurs personnes pour leur demander de ne pas voter en faveur du DTP, les appelant à entreprendre des travaux contre le DTP et à obliger la population à ne pas attribuer de voix à la formation politique pro-kurde.

Interdiction de voter DTP:

Selon le témoignage de Mr Cetin Gözmen, originaire du village de Karasu, les soldats ont réuni l’ensemble des villageois(es) devant la mosquée pour leur interdire tout vote au DTP, les menaçant d’un ton grave. “Lorsque les soldats sont venus dans le village, ils nous ont demandé de nous rassembler devant la mosquée. Un membre du corps armé nous a dit de voter pour les partis que l’on souhaitait, à l’exception du DTP. A l’opposition de certains, il a déclaré, insultant, que tous les villageois seraient visés en cas de victoire du DTP et qu’il nous fallait rester sur nos gardes. Seulement nous ne courberons pas le dos devant ce genre de menaces. Que le monde sache que toutes les voix seront accordées au DTP” a-t-il déclaré à l’agence de presse. 

Des menaces qui s’étendent jusqu’aux villes:

Souhaitant préserver l’anonymat, un des villageois a expliqué que les menaces s’étendaient jusqu’aux villes. “Les menaces n’ont pas lieu dans les seuls villages. Ils s’étendent également aux villes. Le sous-préfet travaille comme s’il était le directeur de l’AKP. Il a convoqué plusieurs personnes pour leur demander de travailler contre le DTP. Certaines personnes ont témoigné que le sous-préfet leur interdisait de voter pour le DTP dans la mesure où en cas de victoire l’Etat n’accorderait plus de subventions. Le sous-préfet leur a demandé de prendre leurs responsabilités et de faire tout leur possible pour éviter la victoire du DTP”.

Le bureau du DTP qui officie dans la région a déclaré être au courant des menaces exercées contre la population, précisant qu’il y aura un recours en justice. (bersiv.com, 27 février 2009)

Parler en kurde par Ahmet Altan

Dans un article du 25 février 2009 publié au journal Taraf, Ahmet Altan, écrivain et journaliste turc, réagit à la polémique suscitée par le Président du DTP, Mr Ahmet Türk, pour avoir défier l’interdiction de la langue kurde au parlement.

La traduction du texte par Berçem Adar:

Hier, en consultant les sites internets des différents journaux, en regardant les journaux télévisés, j’ai cru qu’il s’était passé quelque chose de très grave. Les discours, les déclarations, les censures… Que s’est il passé? Ahmet Türk a parlé en kurde au sein du Parlement turc. Dans notre pays, il y a une évidence qui surprend encore aujourd’hui beaucoup de monde: le Kurde parle kurde. Je vis dans un pays pour qui parler en kurde est encore un phénomène. Je vais vous livrer un secret. Le Kurde parle kurde. Le Turc parle turc. L’Anglais parle anglais. Le Français parle français. Que l’on m’énerve et  j’irais encore loin dans l’énumération. Pourquoi est-ce qu’il nous parait étrange d’entendre un Kurde parler le kurde?

Tout le monde applaudit Bill Clinton lorsqu’il fait son discours en anglais au sein de l’Assemblée nationale turque mais ils sont étonnés d’entendre Ahmet Türk parler en kurde. Pourquoi ne pourrait-on pas parler en kurde dans l’Assemblée alors que l’anglais est autorisé? Il n’y a, bien évidemment, aucune explication logique. Mais voilà l’explication qui a été trouvée: ” Seules les langues reconnues officiellement par l’Etat peuvent être utilisées au sein de l’Assemblée”. Ce qui signifie, autrement dit, “toutes les langues, exceptée le kurde, peuvent être utilisées au sein de l’Assemblée”. Ce genre de logique n’est plus acceptable dans la mesure où le kurde est l’une des langues officielles de l’Irak. Que va-t-il alors se passer? Et bien rien. Nous devons accepter que les Kurdes parlent en kurde. Qu’y a-t-il de plus naturel que de voir les Kurdes parler en kurde? Que se passerait-il si on parlait en kurde? L’Etat va s’effondrer?

Si ce pays venait à s’effondrer sous prétexte qu’une partie de la population parle sa langue maternelle, alors laissez le s’effondrer. Un pays qui sombre pour avoir simplement “parler” ne peut, de toute façon, rester debout. Mais que l’on ne s’inquiète pas, aucun pays ne s’est effondré au motif que certains ont parlé leur langue maternelle. Tout au contraire, c’est en interdisant aux gens la possibilité de parler leur langue maternelle qu’un pays s’effondre. Aux EU, l’administration américaine officie aussi bien en anglais qu’en espagnol. Pourquoi? Parce que l’Etat est une organisation inventée, au service des gens. Et parmi l’une des obligations de l’Etat américain: assurer un service de qualité pour ses citoyens d’origines latines qui ne maitrisent pas l’anglais. Voilà pourquoi l’administration fait usage de l’espagnol. Vous ne le croirez pas mais les EU, pour autant, ne se sont pas effondrés. La Turquie non plus ne sombrera pas. Et ce, même si on décidait d’installer des enseignes en kurde dans les établissements publics.

Je vous promet, si je savais que cela servirait, je m’agenouillerais et supplierais pour qu’on abandonne toutes ces politiques. Je suis vieux, bientôt avec l’autorisation de Dieu je mourrais et je suis aujourd’hui obligé de rappeler que le Kurde parle le kurde. Du point de vue d’un rédacteur/ auteur, c’est une situation honteuse. Qui voudrait écrire de telles banalités? On pourrait ne pas les écrire mais c’est impossible dans la mesure où sous la bêtise humaine des crimes contre l’humanité sont orchestrés. 

Il est interdit pour les prisonniers kurdes de pouvoir parler en kurde avec leur famille. La malheureuse mère qui ne sait parler le turc ne peut faire autrement que de contempler son fils derrière les barres d’aciers, sans dire mot, en silence et sous les larmes. Pensez à cette mère… Pensez à ce fils… Ahmet Türk a vécu cette scène lorsqu’il était dans la prison de Diyarbakir (Amed). Il n’a pas pu parler à sa mère qui ne connaissait pas le turc. Il s’était alors promis qu’un jour il parlerait le kurde dans un lieu public. Et il l’a fait… Et il a bien fait.

Certains disent qu’il l’a fait pour les élections. Et alors, il peut le faire. Les autres ne le font-ils pas? C’est le jeu de l’élection. Les candidats entendent satisfaire leurs électeurs. C’est une bonne chose. Je ne sais pas quand nous parviendrons à nous débarrasser de ces raisonnements grotesques mais la bonne nouvelle vient des hommes politiques qui n’ont pas réagit brutalement. Exception faite du Président de l’Assemblée selon qui parler le kurde est un ”crime” contre la Constitution, personne n’a vraiment tenu de propos agressifs. Même les membres du CHP ont tenu des propos tempérés. C’est pour dire. Cela signifie que nous apprenons petit à petit. Les Kurdes parlent le kurde.

Quelles malheurs il a fallu connaitre dans ce pays pour apprendre cela. On a interdit à la population de parler le kurde dans les rues, de chanter en kurde. Les interdits ont été levées, que s’est il passé? La vie s’est normalisée et relaxée… bien qu’on soit toujours obligé d’écrire ce genre de choses. Allez, tous ensemble… “Les Kurdes parlent le kurde, les Turcs parlent le turc, il neige en hiver, il pleut au printemps, Ali lance moi le ballon…” (bersiv.com, 26 février 2009)

Diyarbakir Police Prevents Release of Children

Ten children who participated in protests in Diyarbakır during the visit of Prime Minister Recep Tayyıp Erdoğan on 20 October 2008 are on trial, but their hearings have again been postponed.

On Tuesday, there were two court hearings in Diyarbakır. Human rights activists who have come together as the Initiative for Justice for Children came to the city in the southeast of Turkey from Izmir, Istanbul and Ankara to join local activists of the Initiative.

Call for a release of children
The Initiative reiterated its demand for the release of the dozens of children who were arrested in different provinces and at different times for taking part in protests. It has also called on changes in the regulations that make such arrests possible.

The first trial hearing took place in the morning. Six children who had been released in December 2008 after being detained for two months, stand accused of membership in an illegal organisation, namely the illegal Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Need for more comprehensive report
The court case was closed to the press and public. The court listened to an expert report prepared by Ümit Biçer, head of the forensic medicine department at Kocaeli University. In the report, which the defence lawyers had asked for, Biçer concluded from examining the files that the children were too young to realise the crime they were accused of or the consequences of taking part in protests.

Biçer criticised earlier reports for only taking into account the mental state of the children and said that experts from different disciplines had to carry out a comprehensive examination.

When the prosecution approved of this, the court postponed the case until 12 May in order to give the lawyers time to create a social examination report on the children.

Police statements considered sufficient proof

Canan Atabay, lawyer for the children, told bianet that if the court demanded a new social examination report and if it was carried out by a deputation of experts, that this could create a precedence for other cases.

The lawyer added that four children were arrested for taking part in protests purely on the statements of police officers, without any further proof. According to the expert’s report, one of the other two children was also not filmed on the police video, and it was “doubtful” whether the last child was filmed either.

Detention of two children to continue

In the afternoon, the trial of four other children continued. Because they are aged 15-18, they are being tried before a Special Heavy Penal Court, which has taken the place of the State Security Courts. Two children are being tried without detention, but it was decided to continue the detention of the two other children.

Despite the fact that there is no proof beyond the statements of police officers as to the participation of the children in protests, the three judges refused a demand for the release of the two children. In addition, the court sent an indictment to the school of two children in order to support a disciplinary investigation into their behaviour.

The court case has been deferred until 24 March.

Children tried as adults
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government made an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Law (TMY) in 2006, allowing children aged between 15 and18 to be tried as adults concerning charges defined in that law. As such, just participating in an event called by the PKK results in charges of "membership to a terrorist organization", foreseeing harsh penalties.

The amendment came after wide spread protests in Diyarbakır and other cities with a majority Kurdish population.

Rights activists demand an alteration in law, to bring the existing practice in par with international standards on child criminal justice system.

Hundreds of children on trial and/or sentenced

Only this year, more than 100 children were taken into custody during protests in commemoration of the arrest of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on 15 February ten years ago. In 2006 and 2007, 1,572 children were put on trial on charges under the Anti-Terrorism Law and the Penal Code. During the same time, 174 children were sentenced, 92 of them in Diyarbakır.

Other trials will continue in March, too. (BIA, Erhan USTUNDAG, February 26, 2009)

What Kurdish Leader Said in Mother Tongue – Whole Text

Kurdish MP Ahmet Türk said, “They are spreading the propaganda that Kurdish is freely spoken. We wanted to see whether this was true.”

This led to Türk speaking Kurdish in a party group meeting of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), of which he is co-chair, in parliament. The state TRT 3 channel which broadcasts live from parliament was ordered to halt broadcasts by Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan when it was realised that he was speaking Kurdish.

Following the speech made on 25 February, Türk’s press advisors handed out a Turkish translation of the Kurdish text. It has here been translated into English:

“21 February is International Mother Language Day. Language is very important in Kurdish history. Because the Kurds who did not know any languages apart from their own were put under a lot of pressure. During the military coup, the state arrested many people and put them in prison. I was also arrested. Our families came for visits, and they wanted to talk Kurdish, because they spoke no other language. But because they knew that if they spoke Kurdish it would create problems for us and them, and that we were beaten for it, they could not speak. Sometimes we defied the ban and said ‘how are you mother?’ because we wanted them to go home without their hearts broken. Later we paid for it and were beaten. At that time I promised myself that one day, I would speak my mother tongue at an official meeting.”

“The Prime Minister is praising his party and their projects on TRT 6 (the newly set up state channel broadcasting in Kurdish). But when members of the DTP greet others in their own language, they are taken to court. They are investigated. When a mayor speaks to his people in his own language, he is taken to court. But when the Prime Minister speaks Kurdish, no one says anything. We find this wrong, hypocritical. What has the Prime Minister done to make the language free, we wonder.”

“8 March is approaching and I want to extend my congratulations to all women for this day.  The DTP is an important step towards Kurdish women and women all over the world participating in political, cultural and economic life. Kurs have long valued women highly. Our Kurdish ancestors said this years ago, ‘A lion is a lion, neither male nor female.’”

“21 March, Newroz, is also approaching. Newroz stands for enlightenment and peace. It is the rebellion of people against oppression. Our people will celebrate Newroz with great joy. I wish our people success for that day.”

“Not much time is left until the local elections on 29 March. These elections are very important for us and for providing peace. I believe that our friends and our people will make appropriate efforts.”

“The honourable Erdoğan was in Diyarbakır a few days ago, together with the honourable Kutbettin Arzu (Diyarbakır AKP MP). Erdoğan called Arzu an ‘atom ant’. I wonder what Arzu has done for the Kurds. He only went to the parliamentary podium once, when he was sworn in. How then can he be an ‘atom ant’? I think he is at most a quiet bug.”

“Here I would like to read you part of a poem by the Kurd Cigerxwin:

If you never sit side by side

If you never look on conversations with a smile

If you never add pleasure

If you do not build dialogue

If you do not understand each other

Then there is no beauty left in life.”
(BIA, February 26, 2009)

Le leader du DTP a défié l'interdiction de la langue kurde au parlement

Ahmet Türk, chef du Parti pour une société démocratique (DTP), la principale formation pro-kurde de Turquie, a défié ouvertement la loi en prononçant mardi un discours en kurde au Parlement turc, avant que la chaîne publique retransmettant ses propos ne coupe brusquement ses émissions. Il s'adresssait au groupe parlementaire de son parti à l'occasion de la Journée internationale de la langue maternelle de l'UNESCO.

Avant une explication en turc, il a continué en kurde pendant quelques instants avant que la chaîne publique TRT 3 qui consacre une grande partie de ses émissions aux activités parlementaires ne cesse la retransmission.

M. Türk a été ovationné débout par la vingtaine de députés du DTP mais l'ensemble des partis politiques représentés dans l'enceinte du Parlement ont dénoncé cette initiative, selon les médias.

"La langue officielle de la Turquie est le turc", a indiqué le président de l'Assemblée nationale Köksal Toptan. "Cela est édicté par la Constitution et les lois. Cette réunion devait être conduite en turc", a-t-il dit aux journalistes, cité par l'agence Anatolie.

La loi fondamentale et les lois turques bannissent strictement l'usage d'une autre langue que le turc au Parlement ainsi que dans les établissements publics.

Selon, la chaîne d'information NTV le parquet d'Ankara a lancé une enquête judiciaire sur l'affaire.

Le DTP est déjà menacé d'interdiction par la justice turque pour collusion avec la rébellion kurde du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK). Selon les analystes, ce discours en kurde pourrait indisposer les procureurs et juges qui seront chargés du dossier. (AFP, 24 fév 2009)

5 years prison sentence for applause at funeral!

Body of a HPG guerrilla Adnan Donuk was brought to Urfa. Donuk had been killed in Hakkari. 300 people attending his funeral chanted slogans while villagers applauded. One of those who applauded was 70 year old Mehmet Çiçek. Çiçek was recorded by a police camera while applauding. Diyarbakır Prosecutor filed a case against Çiçek with the charge of ‘propaganda” asking for 5 years prison sentence.

The indictment said: "Accused Mehmet Çiçek supported by clapping hands “Ocalan” slogan chanted by a group. It has been understood that the accused Çiçek actively participated in the funeral of a PKK member, applauding the pro-Ocalan slogans hence making propaganda for the terrorist organisation." (antenna-tr.org, February 23, 2009)

DTP member Hüseyin Kalkan gets 1 year and 3 months prison sentence

Mayor Hüseyin Kalkan who supported the statement of Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakır city chairman Hilmi Aydoğdu "Attacks on Kirkuk are the same as attacks on Diyarbakır and vice versa" has been condemned to 1 year and 6 months prison sentence for “inciting people to hatred and hostility”. The sentence was then reduced to 1 year and 3 months due to good conduct.

Kalkan has been given 3 years and 9 months prison sentence in total and 10875 lira of fine in the six cases he was prosecuted over his ideas in the last two years. Kalkan also has four cases in the High Court.

Five condemnations, one final, four in the High Court
Kalkan who was among mayors who sent a letter to Danish Prime Minister to prevent the closure of Roj TV was given 1875 fine for “praising crime and criminal”. Kalkan could not appeal against it since it was less than 2 thousand lira. Hence it became final.

Diyarbakır High Criminal Court Num.6 condemned Kalkan to 10 months prison sentence for statements to Los Angeles Times and Sabah newspapers in March and June 2006. The case is in High Court.

Kalkan was condemned to the same sentence for saying to press that “people on the mountains were struggling for an honourable life”, on 26 November 2007. Kalkan was found guilty of propaganda for a terrorist organisation. The case is in the High Court.

Diyarbakır High Criminal Court Num.5 gave Kalkan 10 month’s prison sentence for visiting the graveyards of PKK members leaving carnations ad praising them on 27 October 2007. The case is in High Court.

The same court gave Kalkan 9 thousand lira fine for praising Roj TV on 1 March 2008 at a reception. That case is in High Court too. (antenna-tr.org, February 23, 2009)

Clashes on Anniversary of Öcalan’s Arrest

Ten years ago, Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), was arrested in Kenya and brought to Turkey.

Like in previous years, the anniversary of his capture was marked by protests in cities with Kurdish majority populations or a significant percentage of Kurdish inhabitants. The police prevented demonstrations, which MPs of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) and other DTP politicans took part in. Dozens of people were injured in clashes between the police and demonstrators.

Batman

MPs Ayla Akat Ata and Bengi Yıldız, as well as mayor Hüseyin Kalkan and province party chair Özcan Erdem took part in making an announcement to the press. When the police stopped the protesters from marching, Yıldız said: “When we come here, we can take part in an illegal demonstration. We may also express our support for a criminal. The security forces cannot spray tear gas and intervene. They will identify people and do their duty. They think that they can intimidate us, but they are wrong.”

The DTP politicians later visited those injured in clashes in hospital.

Diyarbakır

More than 10,000 people gathered in front of the DTP party building in Diyarbakır. The rally was also attended by DTP MP Aysel Tuğluk, Greater Diyarbakır mayor Osman Baydemir, and the mayors of three other Diyarbakır municipalities.

The police prevented the demonstrators from marching, and the DTP building was surrounded after a press release.

Tuğluk did not allow the police to enter the building or to arrest the wounded. She said, “This is a democratic reaction by the people. You cannot interfere.” She was then harrassed by the police, who threw many tear gas bombs into the building.

According to the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office, eight police officers and seven demonstrators were injured. NTV news spoke of more than 40 arrests.

Siirt

Around 1,000 people gathered in front of the DTP province party building, including MP Osman Özçelik, mayors and candidate mayors of Siirt, as well as the province party leader, Abdurrahman Taşçı.

Taşçı said, “The hegemonic powers have prevented a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue with the 15 February plot (i.e. the arrest of Öcalan). The esteemed Öcalan has been punished with confinement in the cell many times. We declare the day of the 15 February conspiracy as a dark day for the Middle Eastern peoples.”

Suruç district in Şanlıurfa

In the Suruç district of Şanlıurfa, hundreds of women took part in a sit-down protest in front of the district DTP party office. They condemned Öcalan’s confinement punishment and the conditions in the prison where he is being kept.

Öcalan is being kept on a prison on İmralı island in the Marmara Sea. He is the only prisoner there and guarded under maximum security conditions.

Yüksekova and Şemdinli districts in Hakkari

In Yüksekova, shop keepers left their shutters down in protest. Demonstrators closed the main roads to traffic and built barricades. Security forces fired shots in the air and intervened with tear gas bombs. Four people, two of them children, were arrested. In Şemdinli, too, shopkeepers kept their shops closed, and minibuses did not work. The Hakkari Governor’s Office reported that 4 police officers were injured in clashes.

Mardin

The police arrested a total of eight people at demonstrations in the Kızıltepe and Nusaybin districts. Shopkeepers in the Derik district kept their shutters down.

Şırnak

The police used force to prevent demonstrations in different areas in Şırnak. In the district of Cizre, the police prevented a mass visit to the grave of Yahya Menekşe, a 16-year-old boy who was run over by a police tank at a demonstration on last year’s 15 February.

Van

The police shot in the air and used tear gas and pressurised water guns to stop demonstrations in the Hacıbekir neighbourhood in Van. Three people were injured and 10 people arrested. In the district of Başkale, the police tried to stop shopkeepers from closing their shutters, but the shops remained closed. (BIA, February 16, 2009)

* Information from the following local media was used for this article: Yüksekova News, Diyarbakır Gün TV, Batman Çağdaş newspaper.

La police turque a attaqué les manifestants kurdes en Turquie

Pour la deuxième journée consécutive, des incidents ont opposé dimanche des manifestants kurdes et la police dans la ville kurde de Diyarbakir, à l'occasion du 10è anniversaire de l'arrestation d'Abdullah Öcalan, fondateur du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK).

Environ 3.000 manifestants, dont le maire de la ville, selon un journaliste de l'AFP, ont défilé dans les rues en brandissant des portraits du chef spirituel kurde et scandant des slogans anti-gouvernementaux.

Des heurts entre policiers en manifestants auraient fait une quinzaine de blessés dont des policiers et des journalistes et 42 personnes, selon la police, ont été arrêtées.

D'autres manifestations, selon l'agence de presse Anatolie, ont également eu lieu dans les provinces d'Hakkari et de Sirnak, où vivent d'importantes communautés kurdes, ainsi que dans la ville méditerranéenne de Mersin, où la police a fait usage de gaz lacrymogènes.

Des milliers de Kurdes manifestent à Strasbourg pour la libération d'Öcalan

Plusieurs milliers de Kurdes (10.000 selon la police, 20.000 selon les organisateurs) ont manifesté samedi matin à Strasbourg, pour réclamer la libération d'Abdullah Öcalan, détenu en Turquie depuis 1999.

Venus massivement et en famille d'Allemagne, de Suisse et de Belgique, ils ont achevé vers midi leur défilé coloré en brandissant des portraits de leur ancien leader. Des banderoles réclamaient la "Liberté pour Öcalan" et condamnaient son "enlèvement" en 1999.

Öcalan a été arrêté en 1999 au Kenya par des agents turcs avec l'aide des services de renseignement américains. La Féderation des associations kurdes en France (Feyka), organisatrice de la manifestation, dénonce un "complot international" dans le cadre de cette arrestation.

Transféré en Turquie, Öcalan a été condamné à mort pour "séparatisme" en juin 1999, une peine commuée en 2002 en prison à vie après l'abolition de la peine capitale. La Cour européenne des droits de l'homme a recommandé en mai 2005 à Strasbourg l'organisation d'un nouveau procès, estimant que celui de 1999 était "inéquitable".

L'ancien leader est le seul pensionnaire de l'île-prison d'Imrali (nord-ouest de la Turquie). Le Comité anti-torture (CPT) du Conseil de l'Europe a estimé l'an dernier à l'issue d'une visite au détenu que son isolement devait cesser pour sa santé mentale.

Chaque année depuis l'arrestation d'Öcalan, une manifestation réunie la diaspora kurde à Strasbourg. (AFP, 14-15 fév 2009)

Final Resolutions of the 5th International EUTCC Conference

Final Resolutions of the 5th International EUTCC Conference on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds, held at the European Parliament in Brussels on 28-29 January 2009:

The 5th International Annual conference has brought together contributors from all over the world including leading academics, writers, legal experts, human rights organizations and prominent Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals.

While the Conference welcomes the steps that have been taken in reforms since the conference last met, there is still a long way to go to get the process of accession moving again since it stalled in 2007. The title of this conference is 'Time for Change' but the initiative for change in Turkey must not come from within that country alone. The EU must take the lead in finding a peaceful resolution to this ongoing problem. It is essential that all of the groups involved make this a priority if the accession process is to move forward once more.

In addition to the above, The EUTCC Conference resolves to periodically make recommendations of measures for the Turkish accession process, the protection of human rights and the situation of the Kurds
 
Pursuant to the presentation of Conference papers and interventions made by delegates, this Conference resolves to adopt the following declarations and calls for action to be undertaken by relevant parties to the conflict in the Kurdish Regions of Turkey.
The Conference issues the following declarations:

The Conference notes that neither EU nor Turkey has publicly tackled the long-standing issue of the Kurdish issue which is central to the realisation of democracy, stability, and human rights in Turkey. 
 
The Conference notes that the 2007 European Commission progress report on Turkish accession found that “no major issue has been addressed and significant problems persist”, and joins with the Commission in urging Turkey to confront these problems;
 
The Conference notes that the 2008 European Commission progress report on Turkish accession took note of “the process underway to prepare a new, civilian constitution; regards it as a key opportunity to place the protection of human rights and freedoms at the core of the constitution; reiterates that a system of checks and balances needs to be established, guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, social cohesion and the separation between religion and state; underlines the need for a broad involvement of civil society in this process…” The report also expresses concern about “the hostility shown to minorities and about politically and religiously motivated violence; calls on the Turkish Government to…make sustained efforts to create an environment conducive to full respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms”
 
Recalling the resolutions from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th International Conferences on EU, Turkey and the Kurds, the Conference continues to give its qualified support to Turkey’s bid for EU accession.
 
1)      The Conference takes note of the European Commission’s assessment of the continued downward trend in the number of cases of torture and ill-treatment and the positive effect of the relevant legislative safeguards; however, it is concerned about whether the anti-terror law and the law on police powers will weaken this positive record;
 
2)      The Conference notes the progress made with regards to the efficiency of the judiciary, welcomes the Turkish governments plan to implement a reform strategy designed to strengthen the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and to increase the confidence enjoyed by the judiciary amongst the public; is of the view that this strategy should ensure that interpretation of legislation related to human rights and fundamental freedoms is in line with ECHR standards. The Conference notes with concern that in 2007 the European Court of Human Rights handed down by far more judgements against Turkey for violations of the ECHR than against any other country, including against Russia;
 
3)      The Conference welcomes the declaration of two ceasefires by the PKK on 1st September 2005 and 1st October 2006, and hereby once again calls upon all relevant parties involved in the armed conflict in Turkey to forthwith stop all hostile military operations in the region including Northern Iraq (South Kurdistan) and henceforth pursue non-violent resolutions to the conflict;
 
4)      The Conference notes that though Turkey has made progress in some areas, much work remains to be done, and stresses that the EU must hold Turkey to the standards laid out as criteria for accession, must monitor Turkey’s progress, exert pressure on Turkey to implement further reforms, and most importantly, follow up on these conditions to ensure that concrete progress is made and that any gains made remain permanent. In its turn, Turkey must fulfil its obligations both under international law and as set out in the Copenhagen Criteria.
 
This Conference calls upon the European Union/EU governments to:
 
5)      The Conference calls upon the European Union to strongly and publicly  support all EU requirements concerning democratic and legal reform within Turkey;
 
6)      With specific reference to the 2007 European Commission progress report, the European Parliament report on the increasing suicide of Kurdish women in Turkey, as well as recalling the 2005 CEDAW response to Turkish Report to the Committee,) the Conference calls on the EU to ensure that Turkey address the status of all women and girls in the context of international standards, particularly considering the high rates of illiteracy, domestic violence, honor killing, suicide and forced and early marriages in Turkey, for which the lack of requisite services and judicial training fail to guarantee legal protections (and in particular notes the need to address the regional disparity in the position of women through education, literacy, access to meaningful employment, political representation and access to justice);
 
7)      Furthermore, with reference to the above, it requests the European Union to use all it powers to ensure that the Turkish Government develops, in consultation and co-operation with Kurdish women a National Action Plan to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Resolution (S/RES/1325), passed on 31st October 2000, is the first resolution ever passed by the Security Council that specifically addresses the impact of war on women, and women's contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace; and requires that women are equal participants in all peace-building measures

8)      The Conference also urges each member state of the European Union to assist —including by earmarking funds— in the creation of a democratic platform for dialogue between Turkey and Kurdish representatives and fully comply with their own freedom of expression obligations in respect of those Kurdish organizations and individuals who are concerned to promote the same;
 
9)      The Conference reiterates that the Governments of the EU should not criminalize peaceful dissent of Turkey echoed by Kurdish organizations situated in Europe and to review its proscription of certain Kurdish organizations, especially in the light of public commitments to the search for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question within the present territorial integrity of a democratically reformed Turkey;
 
10)  The Conference renews its mandate for its directors, advisors and committees, to engage and campaign on both a political and civic level across Europe in support of Turkey’s accession bid to join the European Union on the basis of this resolution.

This Conference calls upon the Turkish Government to:

11)  The Conference notes with alarm the failure of certain institutions, including but not limited to the military and the police, within the Turkish State apparatus to adhere to its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and international humanitarian law in accordance with the spirit and terms of its own recent reform packages and commitments given under the accession process; in particular, it is dismayed that institutions of the State have continued its military activities, which primarily affect its Kurdish citizens;
 
12)  The Conference notes that it has become clear over the last 30 years that there is no military solution to the ongoing armed conflict in Turkey;
 
13)  The Conference welcomes the fact that in 2007 democracy prevailed over attempts by the military to interfere in the political process; encourages the Turkish government to make further systematic efforts to ensure that the democratically elected political leadership bears the full responsibility for formulation of domestic, foreign and security policy and that the armed forces respect this civilian responsibility; points out the need to establish full parliamentary oversight of military and defence policy and all related expenditure;
 
14)  The Conference notes that there is evidence suggesting that the government and military are trying to influence the judiciary and calls upon the Turkish government and military to refrain from such interference and ensure a free and fair judicial system. Furthermore, the Conference encourages Turkish authorities to pursue investigations into the Ergenekon affair, noting the opportunity for Turkey to investigate cases related to the Deep State, such as disappearances, torture, extra judicial killings, etc., but stresses that relevant rules and procedures should be followed and that impartiality and fair trials should be guaranteed for all without exception;
 
15)  The Conference calls upon Turkey to fully investigate the murders of Hrant Dink and of the three Christians in Matalya, as well as other cases of politically or religiously motivated violence, including full clarification of allegations of negligence on the part of the competent authorities, and to bring those responsible to justice;
 
16)  The Conference expresses its deep concern over Turkey’s employment of articles of the criminal code to prosecute writers, journalists, intellectuals, lawyers and many other defenders of free speech, including articles 215 (praising an offence and offender), 216 (incitement to hatred), 217 (provocation to disobey the law), 220, para. 8 (making propaganda for a criminal organization), 288 (attempt to influence a fair trial) and 301 (insulting the Turkish nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, Institutions and Bodies of the State) of the Turkish Penal Code; the Conference calls on the EU to ensure that Turkey remove restrictions on freedom of expression from their legal framework entirely;
 
17)  The Conference urges the Turkish government and the parliament to go further in its reform of Article 301 of the Penal Code and deplores the fact that no real progress has been achieved regarding freedom of expression a underlining that further legislative reform, and most importantly, implementation steps will be required to ensure that Turkey fully guarantees freedom of expression and press freedom in line with ECHR standards;
 
18)  The conference calls upon the Turkish government to encourage and support the growth of NGOs and civil society organisations and welcome healthy debate and constructive criticism as natural and beneficial to a vibrant democracy; to this end, the conference is appalled by the current climate of fear and intimidation faced by many in the NGO community, especially those working on human rights;
 
19)  The Conference calls upon Turkey to fulfil its positive obligations under article 10 of the ECHR to promote a positive climate in which freedom of expression can   flourish, and to protect writers, journalists, intellectuals, lawyers and many other defenders of free speech  from unlawful interference by state and non-state actors;
 
20)  The Conference welcomes the recent adoption by the Turkish Parliament of the Law on Foundations and calls upon Turkish authorities to ensure that the law is implemented in line with the ECHR and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights;
 
21)  The Conference calls upon Turkey, following the positive step taken with the adoption of the Law on Foundations, to fulfil its commitments regarding freedom of religion by establishing, in line with the ECHR and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, a legal framework enabling all religious communities to function without undue constraints, in particular as regards their legal status, training of clergy, election of hierarchy, religious education and construction of places of worship; calls for the immediate re-opening of the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary and the public use of the ecclesiastical title of the Ecumenical Patriarch;
 
22)  The Conference is disappointed at the limited progress made in strengthening the social dialogue mechanisms in Turkey and calls upon the Turkish government to fully implement ILO conventions, underlining the need to remove current restrictions on freedom of association, the right to strike and the right to collective bargaining;
 
23)  The Conference underlines its view that the resolution of the armed conflict in Turkey is essential to the establishment of a stable, democratic and peaceful Turkey capable of entering the European Union. True democratic reform can only occur if Turkey undertakes new political reform to its state institutions and banishes adherence to ethnic nationalism which is the root cause of the conflict and Turkey’s endemic instability;
 
24)  This Conference therefore asserts that the Kurdish people and their representatives should be given a genuine participatory role in the accession process and in any debate over Turkey’s democratic constitutional future;

Confidence Building Measures
 
The Conference further asserts that more must and can be done on all sides and calls for the following confidence building measures to be adopted;
 
25)  This conference notes that the resolution of the conflict and the constitutional recognition of Kurds in Turkey are central to regional stability;
 
26)  In this respect, the Conference calls upon the Turkish Government to begin a public debate about the constitutional recognition of the existence of the Kurdish people within Turkey;
 
27)  The Conference calls upon all political parties in Turkey to help foster the conditions within Turkey for a democratic platform for dialogue;
 
28)  The Conference urges Turkey to recognize that for democracy to function, it is imperative that local municipalities across the country enjoy the full support of national government;
 
29)  In particular, the Conference calls upon the Turkish Government to ensure that all legally constituted  democratic parties are allowed to engage in peaceful political activity without interference or constant threat of closure, with particular reference to the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and its current democratically elected members of parliament; in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention of Human Rights;
 
30)  This Conference calls upon the Turkish Government to immediately cease the harassment and politically-motivated investigations of Kurdish politicians;
 
31)  The Conference notes the judgements of the ECtHR in several cases, but in particular in the case of Abdullah Öcalan vs Turkey, regarding conditions of detention in Turkey. The Conference further calls on the Turkish government to implement CPT (Committee on Prevention of Torture) recommendations on conditions of detention and specifically relating to the health of Mr. Öcalan;
 
32)  The Conference calls on the Turkish government to step up its fight against torture perpetrated outside detention centres and against the impunity of law enforcement officials, and to ratify and implement the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), thus providing for systematic torture prevention and for independent monitoring of detention centres;
 
33)  The Conference calls upon the Turkish government to launch a political initiative favouring a lasting settlement of the Kurdish issue, which can only be based on tangible improvements in the cultural, economic and social opportunities available to citizens of Kurdish origin;
 
34)  The Conference calls on the Turkish government not to engage in military operations in Northern Iraq (South Kurdistan) violating Iraq’s territory; urges Turkey to respect Iraq’s territorial integrity, human rights and the rule of law, and to ensure that civilian casualties are avoided. Furthermore, the conference notes that military operations make it difficult to sustain dialogue with its neighbour, Iraq and its Kurdish Regional Government.

35)   In reference to the above, the Conference notes that these are political issues and need a political response, that the military response jeopardizes any gains made in this arena and acts as a deterrent to future improvements, and calls upon Turkey to cease such military activities in Northern Iraq (South Kurdistan).
 
The Conference calls upon Turkey and the EU to:
 
36)  In particular, the Conference urges Turkey and the Member States of the EU to take practical and visible steps to demonstrate their full support for the establishment of a democratic platform for dialogue between all peoples constituting the Turkish Republic; NGO’s and civil society groups specifically should be encouraged and supported to contribute to such a platform;
 
37)  The Conference supports the undertakings by the EU that reform in the area of Turkey’s fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law must be strengthened in the course of accession negotiations and welcomes the commitment by the EU Commission to continue to monitor the reform process;
 
38)  The Conference reiterates the view expressed in the 2004 - 2007 Conferences, that Turkey has not yet fulfilled the political elements of the Copenhagen Criteria, and reiterates that its support for the accession process is dependent upon the institutions of the EU robustly enforcing accession standards. It further underlines that there can be no further compromises on membership criteria akin to the EU decision to allow Turkey access to the negotiating table for ‘sufficiently’ fulfilling the Copenhagen Criteria;
 
39)  Recalling last year's conference resolution number 10, the Conference calls upon Turkey to ratify the European Framework Convention on the Protection of Minorities as well as other UN Instruments concerning minorities and to respect the existing cultural and minority rights of all groups; and calls on the EU to apply pressure on the Government of Turkey as a potential member of the EU to ratify said Framework;
 
40)  The Conference calls on the EU to recognize that torture is still an administrative practice of the state rather than an isolated practice and forms part of the systematic policy of the state in Turkey, and calls upon Turkey to put a halt to all such practices and ensure the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Conference calls on Turkey to fully cooperate with and implement CPT recommendations with regards to the conditions of detention of Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held for more than nine years as the sole inmate of the prison on the island of Imralı, and recent allegations of torture of detained persons by law enforcement officials and prison officers, as well as the situation of foreign nationals detained under aliens legislation. The Conference condemns these activities and calls for an immediate end to such actions. The Conference calls on the EU to exert pressure on Turkey to abstain from the use of torture as a tool of the state and fully cooperate with the CPT;
 
41)  Recalling Articles 10, and 14, and Article 2 of the first Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 8 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority languages, and the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly’s resolution 1519 of October 2006 on the cultural situation of the Kurds, the Conference reiterates its call to the State of Turkey and the European Union to develop and promote a strategic plan for mother tongue education;
 
42)  This Conference expresses regret with regards to the Turkish government’s initiation of work on the ill-planned Ilısu Dam in August 2006, and the start of the expropriation of land by the Turkish state which threatens mass displacement and loss of livelihood of the area’s inhabitants, the majority of whom are Kurds; endangers the historically important city of Hasankeyf, in an apparent attempt to further disassociate Kurds from their rich heritage and culture; and will, according to several environmental assessment reports, further jeopardize access to water for Turkey’s neighbours and cause irreversible environmental harm;
 
43)  The Conference calls upon the Turkish government to reassess its position and calls on EU bodies monitoring the impact of internal displacement and potential effects of this project on the already overpopulated urban centres of the Kurdish regions, as well as on member governments to put pressure on foreign capital companies to withdraw their investments in the project;
 
44)  The Conference notes that nothing has changed with regards to Turkey’s stance on the Ilısu Dam, consultations, or resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons, and calls upon the EU to abstain from funding or supporting the project;
 
45)  The Conference notes that all evidence suggests that the vast majority of Internally Displaced Persons are unable to return to their villages without government support and also face political difficulties. The Conference notes that the EU could play a vital role in assisting Turkey and exerting political pressure to remedy the situation of Internally Displaced Persons. The Conference calls upon the EU to make this a vital criterion to the accession of the EU, to monitor the situation with regards to Internally Displaced Persons and their conditions, and to follow up on such monitoring.

At this critical juncture all actors involved (the EU, Turkey and the Kurds) must take heed of lessons from their past, and act in accordance with international law and humanitarian norms. With this in mind, this Conference calls upon the international community to:
 
46)  To take the lead in formally recognizing the consistent policies of discrimination directed at Kurds, and by consequence, all who live in the Kurdish regions and the resulting economic, political and social problems and make a concerted, visible and tangible effort to support all parties in putting an end to them;
 
47)  This Conference calls upon Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq to use its good offices to reduce regional tensions.
 
48)  The Conference recalls Turkey’s commitment to good neighbourly relations, and stresses its expectation that Turkey will refrain from any threats against neighbouring countries and resolve all outstanding disputes peacefully in accordance with the UN Charter and other relevant international conventions; Stresses the need to arrive at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question; calls on both parties to use the current window of opportunity with a view to achieving a comprehensive settlement within the UN framework, based on the principles on which the EU is founded; in this regard, recalls its previous resolutions stating that the withdrawal of Turkish forces would facilitate the negotiation of a settlement;
 
49)  The Conference calls on the Turkish government to end the economic blockade and to re-open its border with Armenia; calls once again on Turkish and the Armenian governments to start a process of reconciliation, in respect of the present and the past, allowing for a frank and open discussion of past events; calls on the Commission to facilitate this reconciliation process.
 
50)  This Conference calls upon its directors, advisors, and committees, to engage and campaign on both a political and civic level across Europe in support of Turkey’s accession bid. The Conference calls upon EU bodies and EU member states to support Turkey in its bid to join the European Union, and calls upon Turkey to make a firm commitment to further progress in the areas set out in the above resolutions. The time for change has arrived and opportunities for advancement must not be lost at this crucial juncture.
 
51)  The Conference is alarmed by the decision of the Turkish courts to sentence Leyla Zana, winner of the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, and welcomes the unanimous decision made by the Presidents of all groups of the European Parliament to closely monitor the case and raise the issue with Commissioner Rehn. (estella24@tiscali.co.uk, February, 17, 2009)
 

10 Years Since Ocalan's Arrest, Turkey Failed to Solve Kurdish Issue

Turkey has wasted an opportunity to resolve the Kurdish issue peacefully following PKK's leader Abdullah Öcalan's apprehension 10 years ago, political analyst Kenan Kalyon told bianet.

With the help of US intelligence, Ocalan was confiscated in Nairobi, Kenya on February 15, 1999 and brought to Turkey. He was then tried and condemned to life on terror charges. He remains in Imrali prison. Every year, Kurds all around Turkey and in Europe gather in protests on February 15th to condemn what they call an "international complot".

Following Ocalan's arrest, we witnessed a period of ceasefire where the PKK gave priority to political struggle but the state failed to assess this chance, Kalyon said.

"The state hoped to solve the problem by prolonging it in time and hoping for a self dismantlement of the PKK, now it lost Ocalan. Those predictions didn't realize. PKK managed to reform itself and continue with a collective direction." 

Despite lost chances, he lists several positive developments in the last 10 years, regarding the Kurdish issue.

"First of all, Kurds are represented in the parliament following July 2007 elections. Disregarding the short experience of Party of Democracy in 1990s, the Kurdish movement is involved in parliamentary politics.

Secondly, even if not a fully open relations, Turkey has initiated dialogue with Kurds in Northern Iraq.

Thirdly, the Kurdish movement managed to withhold its power, clarifying its demands and programme for a peaceful solution. Those included a new definition of constitutional citizenship, which would avoid any discrimination ethnic grounds. This move also avoided any accusation of separatism."

Despite these positive developments, Kalyon thinks Turkey was pushed on the brink of a social dismantlement based on ethnicity, as a result of years of nationalist enticement. He recounts lynch attempts against Kurds on several occasions. "This proved that the barrier before a solution didn't just stem from the bureaucracy, the state and politicians but also on a social level."

Kalyon criticizes Turkey for avoiding "his own Kurds", while communicating with Kurds in Iraq.

And lastly, The Justice and Development Party's (AKP) efforts to introduce political Islam in Eastern Turkey, to weaken the Kurdish opposition is rendering the any solution distant, said Kalyon. (BIA, Bawer CAKIR, February 12, 2009)

Début de censure sur TRT 6?

D’après une information de l’ANF, la chaîne publique turque TRT 6, connue pour diffuser entièrement en langue kurde, a censuré les mots kurdes “Amed” et “Berfin”.  Participant à une émission matinale, Ozan Yusuf- chanteur local- a témoigné de la censure pratiquée sur quelques unes de ces chansons au motif qu’elles comprenaient les mots “Amed” et “Berfin”.

Regrettant sa participation à l’émission, Ozan Yusuf a déclaré que la chaîne TRT 6 se servait des chanteur(se)s kurdes en vue de l’assimilation de la population kurde. A l’exception des célèbres chanteuses kurdes Rojîn et Nilufer, la chaîne est dénoncée par bon nombres d’artistes kurdes qui refusent une quelconque participation, considèrant TRT 6 comme un investissement de l’AKP effectué à l’approche des élections municipales. Il en ressort que la direction de la chaîne rencontre des difficultés pour trouver des spectateurs et des invités, appelant ainsi à la participation des chanteur(se)s locaux(les).

Parmi ces chanteurs, Ozan Yusuf contacté pour l’émission matinale de la chanteuse kurde Rojîn. Censuré pour avoir chanté les mots “Berfin” et ”Amed”, il raconte: “j’ai été choqué par leur attitude lors de l’émission. Ils ont censuré mes chansons sous prétexte qu’elles employaient les mots “Berfin” et “Amed”, des mots utilisés par certaines organisations m’ont ils dit, et m’ont demandé de chanter d’autres chansons“. Après avoir souligné qu’ “Amed” était l’ancien nom de la ville de “Diyarbakir” et que “Berfin” désignait une fleur en langue kurde et qu’il s’agissait de termes très souvent employés, Ozan Yusuf a déclaré avoir compris l’intention véritable de la chaîne qui, selon lui, se servirait des artistes kurdes en vue de l’assimilation de la population kurde.

Le chanteur dit avoir refusé la diffusion des trois émissions auxquelles il a participé. En vain. L’une des émissions enregistrée a tout de même été diffusée. Regrettant sa participation à l’émission, le chanteur s’est excusé auprès du peuple kurde: “Je m’excuse mille fois auprès du peuple kurde. Il n’est pas possible, pour les chanteur(se)s kurdes de s’exprimer sur TRT 6. La chaîne utilise les artistes kurdes. J’appel les chanteur(se)s kurdes, locaux(les) ou célèbres, à refuser toute participation à la chaine TRT 6 qui ne reconnait pas les valeurs du peuple kurde et leur demande de ne pas se laisser manipuler par la chaîne” a-t-il expliqué à l’agence de presse ANF. (bersiv.com, 11 février 2009)

DTP MP Akın Birdal Candidate for Greater Istanbul Mayor

Akın Birdal, Diyarbakır MP for the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), will be the party’s candidate for mayor of Greater Istanbul in the local elections on 29 March.

Parties and organisations of the left, including the DTP, had previously announced that they would collaborate on a candidate.

Birdal told bianet that his name would stand next to the DTP logo on the ballot paper. He said that his campaign would emphasise “cultural variety living together” and added:

“We will draw attention to the multi-cultural make-up of Istanbul. We know what has happened to Armenians, Assyrians, Turks, socialists and workers. Our aim is to turn Istanbul into a city without worry and fear. A city where people do not have to worry about today and tomorrow, about work and food.”

He said that he was a candidate for everyone who was uncomfortable with today. “Istanbul is Turkey, and we need to form emotional and spiritual bonds between Istanbul and Diyarbakır. We will carry Istanbul’s 1 May to Diyarbakır, and Diyarbakır’s Newroz to Istanbul. This is a basis for fraternity.”

Who is Akın Birdal?

Born in Niğde, central Turkey, in 1948, he studied soil science at Ankara University and did a Masters in Business at Gazi University. Before the military coup of 1980, he was among the founders of the village cooperative movement in Turkey.

He has been the chair of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and the vice president of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH).

He was a founding member of the Socialist Union Party, the United Socialist Party, the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) and the Socialist Democray Party (SDP). He is honorary chair person of the SDP and the IHD.

When he was chair of the IHD in 1996, he survived an assassination attempt. The attacker, Semih Tufan Gülaltay, was imprisoned and is now a suspect in the ongoing Ergenekon trial.

Birdal entered the general elections of 22 July 2007 as an indepedent candidate for Diyarbakır and was voted into parliament. He joined the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) in parliament and is also a member of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee.

He has published three books of memoirs, essays and poetry. He has two children. (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 11, 2009)

La pétition en faveur de Leyla Zana déclenche des commentaires haineux

Le communiqué de l'Association "Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne":

"Teröre, terörizme ve vatan hainlerine lanet olsun. 30.000 vatandaşımızı öldüren bu gözü dönmüş insanlık düşmanı, uyuşturucu satıcısı katilleri savunduğunuz içinde siz de tarih önünde hesap vereceksiniz".

(Que la terreur, le terrorisme et les traîtres à la patrie soient maudits. Et vous, vous aurez à rendre des comptes face à l'histoire, parce que vous défendez ces ennemis de l'Humanité, ces assassins sanguinaires et ces vendeurs de drogue qui ont tué 30000 de nos citoyens).
 
Cet "honorable correspondant" qui nous a envoyé ce "poulet" ne manque pas d'air au moment où le procès du réseau ultranationaliste turc Ergenekon, qui secoue la Turquie toute entière, révèle des crimes épouvantables comme ceux de ses escadrons de la mort accusés d'avoir fait disparaître nombre de militants kurdes, à Silopi, dans les cuves d'acide d'une compagnie pétrolière turque, la BOTAS, membre du consortium européen "gazoduc Nabucco". Combien ? Nul ne le sait encore, mais c'est près de 10 000 personnes qui, depuis 1990, sont portées disparues, dont 5000 au cours de garde à vue.

Oui, à l'heure des comptes, nous serons fiers de pouvoir dire que nous avons apporté notre soutien aux "mères d'Istanbul," ces femmes de disparus qui, depuis 1995, occupaient, non sans risque, chaque samedi, la place Galatasaray, pour clamer leur douleur et réclamer justice; (nous avons filmé, en mai 1997, cet impressionnant rassemblement au milieu duquel apparaît l'avocate Eren Keskin que Rennes et Douarnenez vont accueillir, en mars, dans le cadre des manifestations organisées à l'occasion de la Journée Internationale de la Femme).

Oui, à l'heure du bilan, nous serons fiers de pouvoir dire que, dès 1995, nous nous sommes rendus à Ankara pour protester contre l'incarcération de Leyla Zana condamnée à 15 ans de prison pour délit d'opinion.

Oui, nous serons fiers de pouvoir dire que nous avons pris la défense de "sans grade", de kurdes ordinaires comme Kadir, ce kurde qui fut amené à quitter la Bretagne, faute d'un titre de séjour, et qui croupit au fond de sa prison d'Izmir dans l'attente d'une lourde condamnation pour des crimes qui n'en sont pas et qu'il n'a pas commis.
 
La Turquie a mal à sa démocratie et sa justice est l'expression de ce grand corps malade : il est tout à fait incompréhensible que la justice d'un pays candidat à entrer dans l'union européenne puisse requérir des peines de 10, 30, 50 ans et plus au seul motif que le justiciable est soupçonné de sympathie envers "une organisation séparatiste".

C'est Suleyman Demirel, lui-même, alors Président de la République qui admit, en 1999, que cette justice-là n'était ni impartiale, ni indépendante, et une étude récente de la Fondation des Etudes économiques et Sociales de Turquie (TESEV) relève que "plus de 60% des juges estiment que leur rôle est de défendre l’Etat, bien avant celui de faire appliquer la loi ou de défendre les droits de l’homme”.

Ce ne sont pas les réformes "cosmétiques" du code pénal qui modifieront sensiblement la situation, à l'instar de la réforme de l'article 301 du code pénal, par exemple, qui consiste à remplacer "insulte à la turcité" par "insulte à la nation turque", à réduire les peines encourues et à requérir l’autorisation du ministre de la justice avant l’engagement de toute procédure judiciaire (!) Il ne faut donc pas s'étonner que Bekir Kaya, candidat DTP à la mairie de Wan (Van), soit poursuivi pour avoir utilisé, dans sa profession de foi, la lette interdite W, que Aysel Tugluk, députée DPT de Diyarbakir, ait été condamnée, ces derniers jours, à un an et demi de prison pour "propagande" de la rébellion kurde, que Leyla Zana puisse, après l'audience du 31 mars, retourner en prison pour de longues années et que Kadir puisse écoper, le 19 mars prochain, d'une peine de 10 à 30 ans de détention.
 
Les" tribunaux de sûreté de l'Etat" (DGM) ont été théoriquement supprimés mais certains tribunaux, comme la X° Chambre du Tribunal d'Izmir qui va juger Kadir, sont des tribunaux à "compétences spéciales" qui ont gardé les mêmes locaux, les mêmes méthodes de travail, le même personnel et les mêmes prérogatives que feu les DGM.
 
La démocratie doit avancer dans les textes, mais aussi  dans les têtes.

André Métayer (andre-metayer@orange.fr, 10 février 2009)

o Pour prendre contact avec le comité de soutien à Kadir DILSIZ : 02.99.72.20.62.
o Pour signer la pétition en faveur de Leyla ZANA, clic sur http://www.amitieskurdesdebretagne.eu

Si l’UE souhaite la résolution de la question kurde!

Analyse du chroniqueur kurde Ahmet Dere:

Vu la nécessité politique et communautaire on se rend mieux compte de l’importance que les kurdes représentent dans l’avenir de l’Union européenne. La réalité en est que, dans la décennie à venir, les kurdes, en tant que véritables éléments de la Turquie, seront mieux intégrés dans les valeurs européennes. Par conséquent, toutes les évolutions au sein de l’Union européen concernent en particulier ces derniers de plus près. De facto, le Kurdistan et la société kurde, disposant d’une position stratégique entre l’Europe, auront un rôle prépondérant dans cet axe. Jusqu’à présent, les kurdes résidants en Europe et qui ne se considéraient pas comme une entité de cette institution, n’ont pas joui de multiples possibilités.
 
Dans l’avenir cette tendance sera inversée. La concentration de la communauté en Europe démontre qu’ils en sont désormais une réalité indéniable. On peut évoquer aisément les incompatibilités et les situations qui relèvent de contrariété entre la Turquie et l’UE. Quand bien même les petits pas avancés, dans les dernières années sous la pseudo « démocratisation » soient considérés comme une évolution positive par certains milieux, néanmoins, on sait qu’en réalité que cette marge d’évolution est relativement restreinte. Malgré l’atmosphère optimiste provoquée depuis 2005, par l’ouverture du  processus de négociations, la Turquie, en aucun cas n’a abandonné sa politique classique et sa mentalité militariste. Suivant les événements en cours en Turquie et au Kurdistan, on se rend compte avec facilité que tous les efforts dispensés par le pays, dans la perspective de se rapprocher de l’UE, sont des actions artificielles et dépourvues de tout contenu. De même, les modifications constitutionnelles, entreprises sous le nom de « paquet de conformité à l’UE », n’ont pu aller au-delà de simple formalité artificielle.
 
Quelles que soient les modifications, la constitution de la Turquie est toujours dominée par la mentalité du régime militaire du 12 Septembre. Par conséquence, le kémalisme et la mentalité militariste dominent tous les mécanismes de l’Etat turc. Personne ne peut défendre un aspect conforme à la civilisation contemporaine, ni au niveau de sa constitution, ni au niveau de son système étatique. De fait, tant que le Kémalisme et la mentalité militariste n’auront pas été franchis, on en peut, en aucun cas, prétendre à l’instauration d’une mentalité et d’un système sains. Pour que la Turquie puisse intégrer à l’Union Européenne, il est nécessaire pour elle, avant tout de réaliser un sérieux changement de mentalité. Que l’on soit partisan ou pas, une union saine avec l’Europe sera bénéfique en ce qui concerne la démocratisation de la Turquie. Néanmoins, n’oublions pas que, dans le pays le nombre de ceux qui pensent le contraire est relativement important. En l’occurrence, il s’agit des opposants aux droits de l’homme : ceux qui tirent bénéfices de la guerre et des situations chaotiques. En effet, un système rentier institutionnalisé est instauré dans ce pays depuis des siècles. Le changement de ce système est dont inconcevable avec des modifications artificielles. Par conséquent, la conformité de la Turquie aux critères de l’UE peut demander des années, voire des décennies. En effet, plus particulièrement durant les deux dernières années, on ne peut évoquer aucune évolution susceptible d’être sérieuse.
 
En tant que l’une des barrières la plus importante devant la démocratisation de la Turquie, le militarisme persiste encore dans sa pérennité. D’autant plus, alors qu’en cette période l’influence de l’armée devrait être diminuée, l’armée demande beaucoup plus d’autorité. Source d’inquiétude, cette situation est constatée et critiquée par différents milieux européens. L’alliance du gouvernement AKP avec l’armée ne fait qu’attiser ces inquiétudes. Ce constat semblerait à ralentir et même handicaper sérieusement le processus des négociations l’UE-Turquie.
 
En cette période difficile et contradictoire entre les deux protagonistes, la position des kurdes nécessite d’être abordée de plus près. Je pense que ceci est débattu, petit à petit par certains responsables européens derrière les portes closes. D’où, plus particulièrement durant les deux dernières années, on remarque une nette évolution dans les observations des responsables européennes en ce qui concerne la situation des kurdes. Il peut être question d’avancées plus conséquentes pendant les années de 2009 et 2010. Entre temps, de leur coté, les Kurdes doivent marquer une évolution dans leurs différentes activités, formuler plus concrètement leurs revendications et les faire transmettre aux instances compétentes de l’UE.
 
Malheureusement, dans une telle période historique, l’attitude officielle turque se distingue négativement. De nature provocante et dérangeante, la déclaration d’Erdogan à Hakkari, en 2008: « soit tu aimes, ou tu quittes » a fait l’objet de nombreuses critiques tant en Turquie qu’en Europe. Dans le rapport annuel de la Commission Européenne un paragraphe a été accordé à cette notion qui a fait l’objet de larges débats depuis lors. Malgré de multiples faits et évolutions négatifs en Turquie, le mouvement démocratique kurde entre dans sa phase de résolution. De manière générale, tous les événements qui se déroulent sur la scène international et plus particulièrement au Kurdistan et en Turquie, démontrent que dorénavant plus rien ne sera comme avant. En tant que notions archaïques, toutes les attitudes consistantes à restreindre la libre existence des peuples et des communautés, sont désormais dépassées. Dans un tel tournant historique,  le peuple kurde souhaite disposer librement de sa place parmi les peuples du monde.
 
Dans cette perspective, notre peuple a marqué un net avancement à travers la lutte qu’il a livré pendant la période de trente dernières années. Par conséquence, à travers leurs actions, les Kurdes démontrent qu’ils optent pour un choix contemporain et civilisé ; celui de vivre librement dans leur pays et d’évoluer avec les autres populations sur le même pied d’égalité. Nous savons que ces revendications démocratiques et contemporaines sont suivies de près par les milieux européens. (Ahmet DERE, farasin@hotmail.com, 8 février 2009)

15 years prison sentence wanted for DTP Deputy Sebahat Tuncel

Prosecutor of İstanbul High Criminal Court N°10 asked the court to sentence Sebahat Tuncel DTP MP for Istanbul to 15 years prison sentence on the charge of “membership to an illegal organisation”.

Former mayor of Diyarbakır’s Sur district Abdullah Demirbaş told the court that Tuncel wanted to travel to Northern Iraq in the summer of  2004 to conduct a research on the conditions of women in the region. Demirbaş said that he called Duhok mayor Serbest Arif Reşid and sent Tuncel to him and told her to meet Hasan Silevani of Kurdish Writers Association.

Demirbaş said that as a result of her visits in 2007 KDP women’s branch chair Şiirin Ahmedi attended a women’s conference held by Bağlar Council.

Prosecutor Kırbaş insisted on his previous case arguing that it was not known for how long Tuncel stayed in Northern Iraq and what she did there.

Sebahat Tuncel is charged with "PKK membership" (prison sentence between 7.5 and 15 years) and other accused İbrahim Tekdemir is charged with "assisting and helping a terrorist organisation" (4.5 years).  (antenna-tr.org, Fabruay 7, 2009)

Prison Sentence for Pro-Kurdish MP Aysel Tugluk

Aysel Tuğluk, Diyarbakır MP for the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), said in Batman in February 2007: “The honourable Prime Minister is telling us that he will talk to us if we denounce the PKK as terrorists. Even if we do that, this problem will not be solved.”

She now faces 1.5 years imprisonment for the speech she made at the party conference in the southeastern city.

At yesterday’s (5 February) hearing at Diyarbakır’s 4th Heavy Penal Court, her lawyers rejected all charges; however, she was sentenced to 1.5 years imprisonment for spreading PKK propaganda. The sentence was not deferred.

The court had put a halt to the case when Tuğluk was elected into parliament in July 2007. However, when the Supreme Court of appeals overturned this decree, she was retried.

Her lawyers, Sabahattin Acar and Fethi Gümüş, told bianet that her utterance had been taken out of context. They said that she had been emphasising democracy, equality, peace and brotherhood, and that her words had been twisted in order to accuse her.

Gümüş announced that they would file an appeal against the sentence today (6 February). The court did not consider any extenuating circumstances, and has sent the file to the Parliamentary Speaker’s Office in order to lift her parliamentarian immunity.

Selahattin Demirtaş, also Diyarbakır MP for the DTP and parliamentary group leader, made a written statement in which he said that the government’s and Prime Minister’s politics were increasing the pressure on Kurdish politicians. He said that the party was interpreting this decree as “a punishment handed out by the PM personally.”

“The judgment in Tuğluk’s case is the result of a political approach. The basic arguments of this political approach have been imposed onto society by PM Erdoğan,” he added.

Demirtaş said that he would gladly sign his name under the speech which earned Aysel Tuğluk a prison sentence, and that they considered it a punishment given to all peace supporters, those who were seeking a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, and everyone using their democratic political rights. ,

“The time to hold people to account for the prison sentences of the honourable Leyla Zana, and now for the honourable Aysel Tuğluk, will be at the balllot boxes of 29 March (when local elections take place). We will make our most meaningful reply to those who think they can silence us by punishing us with an embarrassing victory, and we will present this gift to our people, who are thirsting for freedom.” (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 5, 2009)

Yet Another Child Convicted on "Terror" Charges

Adana 6th High Criminal Court condemns a 15 year-old to 7,5 years in prison for "being a member to an terrorist organization," on grounds that he had participated in a street protest against PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan's conditions of imprisonment.

Considering the child's good conduct during the trial, the court then reduced the penalty to 3 years and 45 days and taking into account his detention period, ruled for his release from prison.

The child was taken into custody on November 1st, 2008. He had been in Pozantı prison since.

"17 children have been sentenced last two months for similar offences," Human Rights Association (İHD) Adana branch director Ethem Acikalin told bianet.

"These rulings are incompatible with Turkey's obligations arising from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Turkish Constitution and the Law on the Protection of Children."

Two children were sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison in January on similar provisions. Numerous others are on trial in Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sırnak and other cities for participating in protests in relation to the Kurdish issue.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government made an amendment in the Counter Terror Law (TMY) in 2006, allowing children between ages of 15 and18 to be tried as adults concerning charges defined in that law. As such, just participating in an event called by the PKK results in charges of "membership to a terrorist organization", foreseeing harsh penalties.

The amendment came after wide spread protests in Diyarbakır and other cities with a majority Kurdish population.

Rights activists demand an alteration in law, to bring the existing practice in par with international standards on child criminal justice system. (BIA, Bawer ÇAKIR, February 5, 2009)

Disparus au Kurdistan…

Le 19 avril 1995, une unité de la Gendarmerie est de sortie près du village de Kuruçayir, non loin de la métropole d’Amed (Diyarbakir), sous le commandement de Hasan Kundakçi. Tombé dans l’embuscade préparé par le corps de la gendarmerie, Mr Ali Ihsan Dagli, ”simple” villageois blessé, est arrêté. Alors que le village de Kuruçayir est détruit et brûlé, Mr Dagli et sept autres villageois sont amenés dans un domaine pour subir quelques tortures. Mr Ali Ihsan Dagli est ensuite transporté vers un lieu inconnu par un hélicoptère de l’armée turque. Malgré les innombrables démarches entreprises auprès de l’Etat turc, la famille reste sans nouvelle. Mr Dagli est porté disparu. L’Etat turc, en réponse à la demande de nouvelle formulée par la famille, répond ne pas connaitre l’individu.

Pourtant, l’un des septs villageois arrêté et torturé en même temps que Monsieur Dagli, Ramazan Ökmez, déclare avoir entendu Mr Dagli crier “Ne me tuez pas, j’ai des enfants!“. Pourtant, une photo prise par un soldat- envoyée au siège de Human Rights Watch à New York- témoigne de l’arrestation du disparu.

Les voies de droit internes étant épuisées, la famille Dagli saisit la Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme. Dans une note envoyée à la Cour, le Ministère des affaires étrangères explique que Mr Dagli n’a jamais été placé en garde à vue. Seulement, les témoins et la photo attestent du contraire. La Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme décide alors de condamner la Turquie.

Des milliers de Ali Ihsan Dagli:

Le nom de Mr Dagli apparait dans la liste des disparus qui se comptent par milliers. Selon l’association des droits de l’Homme de Turquie (IHD), depuis 1990, près de 10 000 personnes sont mortes disparues dans des conditions tues par les autorités. 5000 personnes sont portées disparues suite à des garde à vue. Selon le rapport de l’IHD de 2004, le sort de 834 personnes, des Kurdes pour majorité, restent toujours inconnus. Quelques associations civiles contestent le nombre de disparus, l’estimant supérieur à 10 000 personnes.

Dans le cadre d’une supposée lutte contre le terrorisme, des milliers de personnes ont été portées disparues dans la région du Kurdistan. Certains, comme Ali Tekdag, sont disparues sous le regard du public, d’autres comme Ali Ihsan Dagli sont disparues loins des regards mais une chose est certaine: tous sont portés disparus à la suite d’opérations menées par les agents civiles et militaires de l’Etat.

La responsabilité du Premier ministre Ciller

Sous le gouvernement de Mme Ciller, le nombre de disparus a considérablement augmenté dans la région du Kurdistan. Celle qui déclarait, avant son accession au pouvoir, prendre à bras le corps la question kurde et vouloir chérir, protéger ces citoyens kurdes du “terrorisme” du PKK a failli à sa mission puisqu’elle n’a pas su assurer la protection de la population kurde placée sous état d’urgence et terrorisée non par le PKK mais par l’armée turque.

En manque de courage et de volonté politique, Mme Ciller a très vite abandonné l’idée d’une résolution politique et démocratique de la question kurde. Préférant laisser le dossier aux mains de l’armée turque, elle déclare le 03 novembre 1993: ” L’Etat luttera non seulement contre le PKK mais contre tous ceux qui apportent une aide matérielle au PKK“. Par cette seule phrase, Ciller annonce le programme mis en place par le JITEM (nom du service de renseignements de la gendarmerie turque) qui prévoit l’assassinat de milliers de militants kurdes.

Mehmut Eymür, Haluk Kirci, Alaatin Kanat, Mahmut Yildirim, Kasif Kozinoglu, Ibrahim Sahin, Yasar Öz, Mehmet Emin Yurdakul, Hamdi Poyraz ont orchestré avec efficacité les meutres et disparitions au Kurdistan pour le compte de la République démocratique de Turquie. Selon quelques témoignages, confirmés par les propos d’un ancien membre du JITEM: Abdülkadir Aygan, la grande majorité des corps assassinés sont enterrés dans les domaines appartenants au JITEM ou jetés dans des puits de chaux ou d’acides.

L’assassinat de militants kurdes, membres ou non du PKK, se pratique jusqu’en 2001, date de disparition de deux membres du HADEP qui officiaient dans la ville de Silopi: Mr Serdar Tanis et Mr Ebubekir Deniz.

Des morts ressuscités par l’affaire Ergenekon

Pendant de longues années, les familles des disparus se réunissaient pour une manifestation devant le Lycée Galatasaray à Istanbul afin de rappeler le sort des militants kurdes. Manifestations qui ont été interdites par les autorités turques. Ce qui a fait dire au journaliste Yildirim Türker du journal Radikal: ” Désormais, plus de manifestant pour nous rappeler que des personnes sont portées disparues depuis leur placement en garde à vue, nié par l’Etat, malgré les preuves et témoignages; personne pour nous rappeler que leurs corps démembrés avec haine ont été jetés… on ne sait où, dans quelle rivière, dans quel forêt, dans quel puit”.

Seulement le procès Ergenekon, à la une de l’actualité en Turquie, a permis aux militants démocrates du pays d’ “imposer” le dossier et de demander aux autorités à ce que lumière soit faite sur les évènements tragiques qui ont eu lieu au Kurdistan pour que les coupables et responsables soient justement poursuivis en justice et condamnés.

 “Quelques” noms de disparus rappelés par l’ANF se trouvent dans la page suivante: http://bersiv.com/actualite/650-disparus-au-kurdistan/ (ANF-Bersiv.com, 5 février 2009)

Enquête judiciaire pour lettre et langue interdite

Et une enquête judiciaire de plus pour le DTP. A la demande de la direction du service de police de Wan (Van), le Procureur de la République a décidé de poursuivre le parti politique pro-kurde pour avoir fait usage de la lettre W et parler en kurde.

Dans le cadre de la campagne électorale, le DTP s’est rendu à Wan le 28 janvier 2009 pour présenter son candidat aux élections municipales, Mr Bekir Kaya, avec un bus, aux couleurs kesk û sor û zer (rouge, jaune, vert), affichant une pancarte “DTP WAN”.

Considérée comme particulièrement dangereuse eu égard à son origine kurde, la lettre W est interdite dans la République démocratique de Turquie au motif que son usage porterait atteinte à l’intégrité territoriale turque. Une interdiction maintenue, malgré l’apparition d’une chaîne publique turque dont la diffusion se fait en kurde, et assurée par tout un arsenal juridique depuis longtemps en vigueur.

Sur une base légale et conformément aux lois actuellement en vigueur qui interdisent l’usage des lettres X, Q, W et prohibent l’utilisation de la langue kurde, notamment dans le cadre d’une campagne électorale, la direction du service de police a demandé à ce que le Procureur de la République enclenche une procédure judiciaire à l’encontre du DTP, auteur de l’infraction.

Mr Bekir Kaya, candidat aux élections municipales du DTP à Wan, a dénoncé l’enquête judiciaire- ouverte au motif que le DTP faisait usage de la lettre W et de la langue kurde. La considérant comme anti-démocratique, Mr Kaya a déclaré que les membres du DTP continueront à  faire usage de la langue kurde. “Nous allons continuer à parler notre langue maternelle. Que les Procureurs de la République nous poursuivent par voie judiciaire. Je leur souhaite bon courage” a expliqué le candidat.

Selon Mr Bekir Kaya, l’AKP mène une politique hypocritre et mensongère. Le candidat aux élections municipales dénonce en effet la propagande menée par l’actuelle majorité qui annonce la levée des interdictions pourtant maintenues en pratique. Pour le candidat du DTP, le combat continuera tant que la langue kurde ne sera pas sous garantie constitutionnelle. “Nous ne renoncerons pas à nos revendications. Peu importe ces interdictions, nous continuerons à lutter pour que la langue kurde soit garantie par la Constitution” a-t-il dit. (Yeni Özgür Politika, Gündem Online-bersiv.com, 3 février 2009)

Ban on Kurdish Persists…

Prosecutor: If you speak Turkish, you are not allowed to speak in Kurdish
 
Zübeyde İnal, mother of a convict in Tekirdağ F Type prison applied to the prosecution office complaining that her son Muhammet İnal was mistreated in prison and she could not communicate with her son through the phone since they spoke in Kurdish. Prosecution Office launched an investigation and set out to determine if the mother knew Turkish. As it was determined that Zübeyde İnal could speak Turkish too, the prosecutor dropped proceedings, stating that she was not allowed to make her phone conversations in Kurdish.

Said “How are you” in Kurdish

Another convict in the same prison, M. Fatih Bingöl was having a conversation with his family when the line was cut. Bingöl called his family and said "Hi I will speak in Kurdish they probably will cut it off. I will not call if they do that, don’t worry “and then he said "How are you?" in Kurdish, upon which the line was cut off.

Who is dumping Lausanne?

Treaty of Lausanne, article 39 reads:

“No restrictions shall be imposed on the free use by any Turkish national of any language in private intercourse, in commerce, religion, in the press, or in publications of any kind or at public meetings. Notwithstanding the existence of the official language, adequate facilities shall be given to Turkish nationals of non-Turkish speech for the oral use of their own language before the Courts.”

Write the draft law without the letter “w”

Osman Özçelik, Democratic Society Party’s (DTP) MP for Siirt, put forward a draft law proposing that celebrate 21 March as ‘Freedom and Peace Festival, Newroz’ and making the day a holiday.

Laws and Regulations Department Headquarters examined the draft and underlined some spelling mistakes in the text with the use of letter “w”. The report wanted the draft to use letter ‘v’ instead of ‘w’ adding that under article 3 of the Constitution ‘Turkey is an indivisible whole with its state, land and nation. Her language is Turkish; our laws must use Turkish words.”

17 people condemned for making politics in “Kurdish”

Manisa Criminal Court of Peace Num.2 condemned Şah İsmail Özocak to pay a fine of 3 thousand lira for making election propaganda in Kurdish before 22 July 2007 elections. Özocak was an independent candidate supported by DTP in Manisa. It has been revealed that Özocak did not know Kurdish, he appealed to the High Court on 12 January.

In December 2008 Manavgat Criminal Court Num.1 gave 15 people 9 months prison sentence each for speaking Kurdish during election campaign. Poet Şükrü Erbaş, Kurdish politician who was killed in 2005 Hikmet Fidan were among the condemned as well as some who cannot speak Kurdish.

5 years prison sentence asked for the owner of Aram Publishing House

Bedri Adanır the owner of Aram Publishing House faces a possible 5 year prison sentence under the charge of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” (Anti-terror law article 7/2) for publishing a book, “On Culture and Arts” a compilation of past public addresses by Abdullah Ocalan. Diyarbakır Prosecution service’s indictment noted that the book referred Abdullah Öcalan as "Chairman", members as "guerrilla" and "martyrs".

Ayrıntı newspaper closed down for one month

Istanbul High Criminal Court Num.14 closed down a weekly paper “Ayrıntı” for one month, “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” in its 24-30 January dated 5th. issue. The ruling was based on article 25/2 of Statue 5187. The court also ruled that in reports and news in the same issue there was “praising crime and criminal and propaganda for organisation” hence confiscated the issue.

High Court is confused on sexual orientation

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite and Transsexual Solidarity Association Lambdaistanbul has been active in Istanbul since 1993 and it was officially founded as an association on 18 May 2006. İstanbul Governorship wanted Lambda to be closed down claiming that Lambda’s statue was against law and morals. Prosecutor rejected the case on the grounds of freedom of assembly but Governorship appealed to High Court.

On 29 May 2008, Beyoğlu Court abolished LambdaIstanbul on the grounds that it was in violation of general morals and Turkish family structure despite a contrary expert report.

High Court Legal Department Num.7 reversed İstanbul Criminal Court of First Instance Num.3 "violation of public morals".

High Court Department Num.7 made the ruling on 25 November 2009. The high Court ruling stated "sexual identity and orientation is not a phenomenon chosen by individuals according their preference but it is brought from birth or the manner of upbringing." However the court ruled that it may be banned to promote homosexuality.

High Court: They have the right but they cannot spread it

High Court referred to article 20 of United Nations Human Rights Universal Declaration, article 22 of Political and Civil Rights Agreement and article 9 of European Human Rights Convention, article 10 of the Constitution, article 56 of Turkish Civil Law, and article 3 of Law of Associations however leaves the door open for a restriction:

"Articles 30 and 31 Law on Associations can be implemented and the said association can be reported for closure in the future if the association in violation of its statue engages in activity to promote, spread and encourage lesbian, gay, transvestite or transsexual sexual orientation.  (Freedom of Expression Weekly Bulletin - Issue 05/09, 30 January 2009)

L’université Bilgi autorise l’enseignement du kurde

L’université Bilgi (Istanbul) a répondu favorablement à la demande de quelques étudiants qui exigeaient un enseignement en kurde. Selon le recteur de l’Université, Mr Aydin Çubuk, les étudiants pourront accéder à l’enseignement du kurde dès le second semestre de cette année. Les étudiants se sont déclarés heureux et satisfaits de la nouvelle.

S’appuyant sur les propos du Président du Conseil de l’enseignement supérieur (YÖK- Yükseköğretim Genel Kurulu)- Mr Yusuf Ziya Özcan- qui avait annoncé la création de filières d’enseignement de la langue kurde et de littérature kurde dans les universités d’Istanbul et d’Ankara, et prenant acte de l’avis du Président de la commission de l’éducation du même Conseil- Prof. Halis Ayhan- qui se déclarait favorable à l’enseignement de la langue kurde comme seconde langue, les étudiants de l’Université Bilgi ont formulé leur demande d’un enseignement du kurde à leur recteur.

” Pendant des années, le kurde était considéré comme inexistant. Il est évident que les choses ont aujourd’hui changé. L’Université Bilgi, du fait de sa mission, a toujours été la première à appliquer concrètement les mesures nouvelles. Elle a toujours été une pionnière. Elle peut endosser ce rôle en ce qui concerne la langue kurde. Nous voulons donc autoriser l’enseignement de la langue kurde et prendre les mesures nécessaires pour que le projet se concrétise. Etre l’Université pionnière en ce qui concerne l’enseignement de la langue kurde inscrirait l’université dans l’Histoire de la République” a déclaré le recteur de l’Université lors de son entretien avec les étudiants.

Selon le recteur de l’Université Bilgi, l’enseignement du kurde sera possible dès le second semestre de cette année, c’est à dire dès le mois de février 2009. Mr Aydin Çubuk a assuré que l’Université se préparait à accueillir le corps enseignant compétent. En cas d’insuffisance, l’Université entrerait en contact avec l’Université de Selahattin qui a répondu favorablement à la demande.

Les étudiants demandeurs de cours ont exprimé leur satisfaction et se sont dit heureux et honorés de la décision. Remerçiant le recteur et son administration, “Le kurde est une langue qui compte depuis maintenant quelques années. C’est la première fois, dans l’histoire de la République turque, que l’enseignement en kurde sera autorisé. Nous remerçions le recteur de l’Université pour l’honneur qu’il nous fait. Nous sommes bien évidemment enthousiastes du fait qu’il s’agisse d’une grande première. Nous attendons les premiers cours avec impatience” ont déclaré les étudiants interrogés.  (Kurdshow - bersiv.com, 1 février 2009)

So it was a “genuine citizen” who set fire on the flag in Mersin

It has been reported that the man who gave a Turkish flag to kids and told them to set fire on it during Newruz celebrations in 2005 in Mersin was Ali Kutlu who is under arrest for Ergenekon operation.

The court asked Mersin security centre if Ali Kutlu was the guy in the flag incident. Security centre examining the pictures said he was it. In 2005 during Newroz celebrations in Mersin 6 children were arrested for setting fire on a flag. The trial continues.

HRA lawyer Ali Bozan said,“A climate of lynch was created at that time against Kurds in big cities. Those who invented the term “so-called citizens” saw what genuine citizens are up to.”

The general staff had made a very harsh statement after the incident in Mersin. Chief of staff of the time Hilmi Özkök said that those attacked Turkish flag were so-called citizens and the attacks were treason.

DEHAP leader Tuncer Bakırhan said at the time that it was a set up. (antenna-tr.org, February 1st, 2009)

Minorités / Minorities

"Zirve Massacre Related to Deep State"

Lawyer Ozkan Yucel questions the arrest of two more people in the Malatya case, saying that "there must be further relations behind the murders".

Varol Bülent Aydın and Huseyin Yelki have been taken under custody as the prosecution puts forward allegations of soliciting the murders. The police investigation, which led to the development, is continuing alongside the court hearings. Aral and Yelki will be interrogated during the next court hearing on April 13th.

A group of nationalists had planned and murdered Tilman Ekkehart Geske, Necati Aydın and Uğur Yüksel on April 18th, 2007, for their alleged “missionary activities.”

"We suspect that this is the doing of the deep state, trying to cause hatred among people," Izmir Bar Association member Ozkan told bianet.

"We hope that the investigation will uncover the true forces behind the murders. Who is behind this act, this is important to find out. Without such developments, the case will fail to bring justice."

Prosecution's indictment about Aydın and Yelki is yet to be completed. Following its completion, the court will interrogate the two suspects.

During the last sitting on February 20, the court called 10 more witnesses to be heard. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 26, 2009)

Court Says "Feel Free to Insult Those Apologising to Armenians"

Vatan newspaper journalist Can Ataklı wrote an article entitled “What did they get that money for?” on 31 December 2008. In the article he claimed that there was a list circulating on the Internet which made connections between individuals who had signed an apology campaign for “the events of 1915” and money received from the EU. Ataklı also put this claim forward.

Academics Ahmet İnsel and Murat Belge and writer Adalet Ağaoğlu sent letters of refutation to the Vatan newspaper, but they were not printed. They then applied to the Istanbul 1st Criminal Court of Peace.

However, the court’s decision of 29 January 2009 seems more concerned with the apology campaign than the journalist’s controversial claim.

In its decision, it said that those starting the campaign and demanding a refutation had taken part in an “apparently innocent campaign which, according to some, brings a great responsibility to the past and history of the Turkish Nation, and may even hold the Turkish Nation and the Turkish State legally responsible on the international platform – a campaign which assumes that a crime was committed and that regret was felt.”

The court said that even if this campaign was organised within the framework of the freedom of thought and expression, “and even if it was presented like a moral and righteous act, and even if it was accepted as such, there is no doubt that those who do not share this opinion and their resistance in terms of history and thought are also within their rights.”

The court also said that parts of the letters of refutation made it clear that it was no crime to accept money from the EU if certain conditions were fulfilled, and that the journalist’s article was thus within the right to freedom of the press.

Haluk İnanıcı, the lawyer for İnsel, Belge and Ağaoğlu, criticised the judge for writing a justification that was unrelated to their complaint, saying, “I have been a lawyer for 25 years, and I have demanded hundreds of refutations, and find this attitude strange.”

Judge Cavit Marancı reacted angrily, saying that he had taken great care in his 30-year career to differentiate between objective and subjective information. He accused the lawyer of disrespect and of personalising the issue.

Lawyer İnanıcı filed an appeal to the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court, but the result did not change. Judge Sevim Efendiler decreed that the prior decree was appropriate.

Prof. Dr. Baskın Oran, political scientist at Ankara University, argued in this week’s supplement to the Radikal newspaper that the court decree was debating the apology campaign rather than whether a refutation was necessary.

The controversial article by Can Ataklı has also affected bianet’s Ertuğrul Kürkçü; he is general secretary of the IPS Communication Foundation which received money from the EU Human Rights and Democracy Programme from 2003 and 2006. The article implied that he personally was given this money. A letter written to Tayfun Devecioğlu, the editor-in-chief of Vatan newspaper, was not published. Nadire Mater, president of the foundation, and Ertuğrul Kürkçü are also preparing to go to court. (BIA, Erol ÖNDEROĞLU, February 24, 2009)

Racist Film in Schools: Lawyer Calls on Parents to Sue

"Daddy, did the Armenians slaughter us?” was the question that a father in Istanbul, doctor Serdar K., was met with one day when his daughter came back from school.

His daughter had been shown a film distributed to all primary schools by the Ministry of Education. The ministry is said to have written a letter to all schools saying that it should be screened to classes, and that schools should report back on the effects the film had on the children, aged 6-14.

Although the Ministry is now saying that the film was intended for the viewing of teachers only, some children have already been exposed to the film.

It deals with the events of 1915, when, so many Armenians and also an increasing number of Turks say, millions of Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire were forcibly sent into exile across to Syria. Definitions of the event range from a genocide (i.e. a deliberate plan to eradicate an ethnic group) to claims that the government was at the least negligent in letting so many people starve, die of exhaustion or be killed by gangs. The Turkish official discourse has long been to deny any wrongdoing, and rather blame nationalist Armenian gangs for causing upheaval in the Ottoman Empire and killing Turkish civilians.

Serdar K.’s daughter is in fifth grade. He says that she has been severely disturbed by the film. He has filed a complaint about the Ministry of Education, the Istanbul Educational Board and the management of his daughter’s primary school at the Üsküdar prosecutor’s office in Üsküdar, Istanbul.

In his statement, he writes:

“On 13 February, my daughter was shown the documentary ‘Sarı Gelin’ at her school without my knowledge or permission. My daughter was extremely disturbed and frightened by the film and she asked my questions like ‘Did the Armenians slaughter us?’”

“The fact that my daughter was shown such a documentary which disturbs her psychology and develops feelings of hatred by the school that I entrusted my daughter to is a direct attack on her rights and my rights as her parent. My daughter has been affected so much that even my insistence on the brotherhood of all people has been in vain. I have been forced to complain in order to achieve a punishment of those responsible.”

Lawyer Fethiye Çetin has called on parents to go to court in order to prevent further screenings of the film. She told bianet that the Educational Board must revoke its directive to show the film and to send reports back. The Ministry of Education has denied that any central directive was sent out.

Çetin said that parents could cite Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which deals with “inciting hatred among people or denigration”. If parents document that their children are affected psychologically, they could also demand compensation.

Gündem Çocuk, a children’s rights association, told bianet that they would support families going to court and follow the process. The same association has also criticised the statement by the Ministry of Education denying that schools were instructed to show it to all children.

If, so the assocation, it is true that the film was only meant for teachers, this still does not explain why a need for such a film was felt.

The film promotes hatred and divisions in society, exactly the kind of mentality that has driven young nationalists in Turkey to act as killers in the murders of journalist Hrant Dink, priest Andrea Santoro and the three Christian men in Malatya.It was this mentality that Hrant Dink's widow Rakel Dink referred to at his funeral procession, when she said that even murderers were babies once, and that hatred was instilled in them later.

Apart from the ideological content, the film also contains scenes of violence totally inappropriate for children of that age, a fact the Ministry should be well aware of.

Especially affected are the schools of the Armenian population in Turkey, who have already expressed their concern about the film, which they are expected to show as well.

The Ministry of Education should further have remembered that Turkey is a signatory country to the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed in 1995.

Article 36 charges the state with “protect[ing] the child against all other forms of exploitation prejudicial to any aspects of the child's welfare.” (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 23, 2009)

UNESCO: 15 Languages Endangered in Turkey

21 February, International Mother Language Day, has been marked with the publication of a new edition of the "Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger". The United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has published an interactive digital Atlas based on information collected by over 30 linguists.

The degree of danger that languages face has been expressed in five different categories:

unsafe
definitely endangered
severely endangered
critically endangered
extinct

A staggering total of 2,500 languages is affected, a large percentage of the 6,700 languages spoken today. Of these 2,500, around 230 have been extinct since the 1950s. As for Turkey, the atlas says that 15 languages are endangered, and three more are extinct.

Fifteen endangered, three extinct in Turkey
Four languages in Turkey were categorised as unsafe: Zazaki, Abkhaz, Adyge, and Kabard-Cherkes.

Definitely endangered are: Abaza, Homshetsma, Laz, Pontus Greek, Romani, Suret (a language similar to Assyrian) and Western Armenian.

Three languages are severely endangered: Gagavuz, a language spoken mostly in Moldova and by a diaspora in Turkey, Assyrian and Ladino, the language spoken by the Sephardic Jewish community in Turkey.

One more language is critically endangered: Hértevin, a language that used to be spoken in the province of Siirt in the southeast of Turkey. In 1999, there were 1,000 speakers left.

The UNESCO Atlas says that three languages have become extinct in Turkey. Cappadocian Greek is extinct in Turkey and critically endangered worldwide. A language called Mlahso, which was spoken in the Lice district of Diyarbakır became extinct when its last speaker died in 1995. A language called Ubykh was lost with the death of its last registered speaker in 1992.

Factors affecting language vitality

In order to measure the danger a language is in, UNESCO uses nine criteria:

Absolute number of speakers
Intergenerational language transmission
Community members’ attitude towards their own language
Shifts in domains of language use
Governmental and institutional language attitudes and policies, including official status and use
Type and quality of documentation
Response to new domains and media
Availability of materials for language education and literacy
Proportion of speakers within the total population
UNESCO runs safeguarding projects for languages in different countries, working towards strengthening the use of languages in culture, education, communication and science. However, no such language protection programmes are run in Turkey.

How can a language be prevented from disappearing?

As UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura stressed, “The death of a language leads to the disappearance of many forms of intangible cultural heritage, especially the invaluable heritage of traditions and oral expressions of the community that spoke it – from poems and legends to proverbs and jokes. The loss of languages is also detrimental to humanity’s grasp of biodiversity, as they transmit much knowledge about the nature and the universe.”

Thus it is important to protect languages. According to UNESCO’s website,

"The most important thing that can be done to keep a language from disappearing is to create favourable conditions for its speakers to speak the language and teach it to their children. This often requires national policies that recognize and protect minority languages, education systems that promote mother-tongue instruction, and creative collaboration between community members and linguists to develop a writing system and introduce formal instruction in the language."

"Since the most crucial factor is the attitude of the speaker community toward its own language, it is essential to create a social and political environment that encourages multilingualism and respect for minority languages so that speaking such a language is an asset rather than a liability. Some languages now have so few speakers that they cannot be maintained, but linguists can, if the community so wishes, record as much of the language as possible so that it does not disappear without a trace."

Readers interested in some of the many languages spoken in Turkey are referred to the links on mother languages in Turkey to the right of this article. (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 23, 2009)

Le décret « Mémoire » approuvé en commission

Le projet de décret relatif à la transmission de la mémoire des crimes de génocide, des crimes contre l'humanité et des crimes de guerre a été approuvé, lundi, à l'unanimité en commission du parlement de la Communauté française.

Ce texte, dont l'intitulé a été amendé pour inclure les faits de résistance, est le fruit d'une large concertation avec des historiens, des juristes en droit pénal international et une vingtaine d'associations. Il crée notamment un Conseil de la transmission de la mémoire, constitué d'experts proposés par les universités, dont les avis soutiendront la reconnaissance des opérateurs et les subsides auxquels ils peuvent prétendre.

Son but est non seulement d'harmoniser le système actuel de subvention, mais aussi de coordonner le travail de mémoire via la cellule "Démocratie ou barbarie". (Belga, 16 février 2009)


Christian bookshop in Turkey vandalized

Following threats from Muslim nationalists, a Turkish Bible Society bookshop in the southern city of Adana was vandalized for the second time in a week on Thursday (Feb. 12).

Security camera footage shows two youths attacking the storefront of the Soz Kitapevi bookshop, kicking and smashing glass in both the window and the door. The door frame was also damaged.

Bookshop employee Dogan Simsek discovered the damage when he arrived to open the shop. He described security footage of the attack, which took place at 8:19 a.m., to Compass.

"They came at it like a target," he said. "They attacked in a very cold-blooded manner, and then they walked away as if nothing had happened."

The security camera did not clearly capture the faces of either youth, and police are still attempting to identify the perpetrators.

During the first attack on Feb. 7, the glass of the front door was smashed and the security camera mangled. Both have since been repaired.

Simsek told the Turkish national daily Milliyet that these are the first such incidents he has witnessed in the 10 years he has worked there.

"We sit and drink tea with our neighbors and those around us; there are no problems in that regard," said Simsek, though he did acknowledge that local opinion is not all favorable. "This is a Muslim neighborhood, and many have told us not to sell these books."

The bookshop has received threats from both Muslim hardliners and nationalists. Last November, a man entered the shop and began making accusations that the Soz Kitapevi bookshop was in league with the CIA, saying, "You work with them killing people in Muslim countries, harming Muslim countries."

The attacks are another example of the animosity that Turkish Christians have faced recently, especially the small Protestant community. The Alliance of Protestant Churches of Turkey released its annual Rights Violations Summary last month, detailing some of the abuses faced by Protestant congregations in 2008.

The report makes it clear that violent attacks, threats and accusations are symptoms arising from an anti-Christian milieu of distrust and misinformation that the Turkish state allows to exist.

The report cites both negative portrayal in the media and state bodies or officials that "have created a 'crime' entitled 'missionary activities,' identifying it with a certain faith community" as being primarily responsible for the enmity felt towards Christians.

It urges the government to develop effective media watchdog mechanisms to ensure the absence of intolerant or inflammatory programs, and that the state help make the public aware of the rights of Turkish citizens of all faiths. (http://www.hrwf.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=105&Itemid=126 , Roger Elliott, February 17, 2009)

Handed out Halva to honour Hitler’s soul

Right wing Türk Eğitim Sen, Teachers’ Union chairman Ali İhsan Öztürk and a group of teachers distributed halva for Hitler’s soul at the city square in Kayseri in protest of the statements of Israeli Army Commander Avi Mizrahi. Handing out halva is a Muslim practice to honour the soul of a close one who died recently.

Referring to Turkish Prime Minister’s words to Israeli President Peres at a meeting in Davos “You know killing well” Avi Mizrahi said “Erdoğan should look at the mirror”. Mizrahi said that Turkey massacred Kurds and Armenians and added “Turkey kept northern Cyprus under occupation for ten years.” 

Kayseri Num.2 branch chairman of right wing teachers union Türk Eğitim- Sen Ali İhsan Öztürk claimed that he dreamt Hitler in his sleep. Öztürk said “Mr Hitler told me in my dream ‘are the massacres committed by Bush in Iraq any lighter than the ones I did?... He complained that this was not fair and we distribute halva to honour his soul to avoid his curse.”

One year prison sentence asked for the placard ‘Armenians and Jew are not allowed’

Niyazi Çapa the chairman of the Federations of Osmangazi Cultural Associations made a press statement holding a placard ‘Armenians and Jews are not allowed in this building, dog may enter’, outside the building of the association. Çapa was accused of racism and a case has been filed against him.
Çapa will appear in Eskişehir Court Num.4. and he faces a possible 1 year prison sentence. (antenna-tr.org, , February 18, 2009)

Le parlement wallon zappe le génocide arménien

Le militant franco-belge Pierre-Yves Lambert nous informe que le Projet de décret relatif à la transmission de la mémoire des crimes de génocide, des crimes contre l'humanité et des crimes de guerre a été adopté à l'unanimité lundi 16 février 2009, en commission du Parlement de la Communauté française de Belgique et que ce projet fait totalement l'impasse sur le génocide arménien.

Le militant franco-belge des droits de l'homme, responsable du site Suffrage Universel, s'inquiète à juste raison : "le projet en ligne (les amendements adoptés en commission ce lundi ne sont pas encore disponibles sous format électronique) ne fait référence, tant dans l'exposé des motifs (5 pages) que dans les commentaires des articles (6 pages), qu'à la Shoah et au génocide des Tutsis. Le mot "arménien" n'apparaît pas une seule fois dans tout le texte, alors qu'il s'agit d'un des trois principaux (par le nombre de personnes concernées) génocides du XXème siècle. Il s'agit d'une question d'actualité, le projet de décret vient d'être adopté à l'unanimité ce lundi en commission du Parlement de la Communauté française. Il va donc y avoir un vote en séance plénière et les médias belges francophones vont à nouveau évoquer cette question des génocides."

Si le vote en séance plénière entérine ce projet de décret incomplet, on pourra l'interpréter comme le signe tangible d'un virage du Royaume de Belgique en direction d'une politique négationniste du génocide arménien. (www.collectifvan.org, 18 février 2009)

Children Exposed to Racist Propaganda Movie

The General Staff of the Turkish Army has prepared a six-part “documentary”, which was sent to all primary schools through the province authorities of the Ministry of Education. The DVDs are to be shown to children “at a convenient time”, and schools are to report back on the effects of the film by 2 March, so a letter sent to schools by the Ministry in January.

One of Turkey's most controversial issues

The film is named after a well-loved folk song, “Sarı Gelin” (Blonde Bride), a song whose melody is known in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia, yet, so the vehement critics, the film has nothing to do with promoting intercultural understanding.

The full title of this “documentary” is “Sarı Gelin: The Inside Story of the Armenian Problem”, and it was sent out to primary schools in June 2008.

It deals with the events of 1915, when, so many Armenians and also an increasing number of Turks say, millions of Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire were forcibly sent into exile across to Syria. Definitions of the event range from a genocide (i.e. a deliberate plan to eradicate an ethnic group) to claims that the government was at the least negligent in letting so many people starve, die of exhaustion or be killed by gangs. The Turkish official discourse has long been to deny any wrongdoing, and rather blame nationalist Armenian gangs for causing upheaval in the Ottoman Empire and killing Turkish civilians.

A recent rapprochement between Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Armenian Serzh Sargsyan, as well as an initiative by Turkish intellectuals to apologise for the events of 1915 seemed to be indications of a lessening of polarisation. However, critics of this “documentary” say that it reiterates the Turkish nationalist stance.

"A generation fed on hatred"

The education trade union Eğitim-Sen has demanded that schools immediately stop showing this film. Trade union leader Zübeyde Kılıç told bianet that their report on the film would be published within a week, and that they may go to court in order to prevent further screenings at schools.

According to Kılıç, the film would teach 12 million children, aged 6-14, to hate Armenians and anyone who is different. It would “create a generation fed on hatred.”

She added, “These children are at an age when they accept information without interpreting it, when they accept what they are told as the truth, and when things are stored in their memory. It will be impossible for a child watching this film not to feel hatred for Armenians.”

“As for the Armenian children (i.e. citizens of Turkey who will also be exposed to this film), they may be marginalised or discriminated against afterwards. This worry may lead to them hiding their identities.”

Kılıç has called on an education which would teach the events of 1915, as well as other controversial parts of Turkey’s history, in a way that would heal wounds. “But this film encourages conflict.”

"Human rights violation"
The History Foundation has also denounced the film as propaganda rather than a documentary. The foundation is currently working on a project to identify human rights violations in school books, and argues that this film represents just such a violation. It has also called on the Ministry of Education to halt the viewings.

The foundation added, “This documentary is using a language of hostility and discrimination to sow seeds of hatred in a society where a hostility towards Armenians exists already. The ‘justified reasons’ for this hostile attitude towards people who are ‘not one of us’ is built on manipulative and selective ‘arguments’ put forward in the film. The young pupils watching this film will accept those claims as the truth.”

Societal peace needs to be promoted
The History Foundation further said, “All these children and their families are citizens with equal rights in this country. It should be expected from the Ministry of Education that it would respect such sensitivities in its practices. A safe environment, and societal peace, can only be created when education practices are in tune with such an understanding of citizenship. Damaged children’s brains can only stand in the way of societal peace.”

Armenian schools worried

Aris Nalcı, a writer for the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, reports that schools have started showing the film. He says that the Armenian schools, which have also received the DVDs, are worried. Some heads of school have said that their teaching staff watched the film and decided that it would create traumas among children.

Images of mass graves and bones for children

The journalist cites psychologist Asist. Prof. Dr. Serdar Değirmenoğlu, who says that children at that age would not be possible to recognise bad propaganda material. The militarist tone of the film is supported by images of mass graves, bones and skulls. Old men, who are calculated to evoke feelings of sympathy, are interviewed. The psychologist exp. (BIA, February 18, 2009)

Turkey Delays Assyrian Monastery Trial For the Third Time

For the third time Turkey has rescheduled the hearing for the different cases regarding the land dispute of St. Gabriel Monastery. The new hearing is set for March 4. International attention increased after the state escalated the issue (AINA 2-6-2009). The hearing on February 11 was supposed to address various issues including the issue of a wall the monastery built and whether the 270 hectares that were confiscated by the government belong to the monastery. Also the new claims raised in January by the Treasury to confiscate additional 130 hectares were planned to be adjudicated.

More than 120 people gathered in front of the courthouse of Midyat; among them were villagers from the three villages who initiated the lawsuits against St. Gabriel. Many observers from the EU countries came, including three diplomats from Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands. Representatives of various Assyrian/Syriac organizations from abroad sent delegates. Demonstrating their solidarity with the Assyrian case, representatives from the Mahallamis (an Arabic speaking group in South-East Turkey) and Democratic Society Party (DTP), including the DTP member of the Turkish parliament from Batman Ayla Akat Ata, attended the hearing.

As Gerd Höhler, the reporter of a Cologne Newspaper, put it, this made very clear that the trial against St. Gabriel became "a political process and a yardstick for Turkey's European aspirations."

Observers and diplomats were allowed to enter the small court room but only a dozen chairs were available for the people involved in the trial. Journalists were sent out of the room by the Judge, but they did not miss too much. Less than an hour after opening the hearing was closed and rescheduled for March 4.

Observers speculated on how long this game might continue. Turkey is currently focused on the regional elections, to take place on March 29, and the EU issues seem less important to Erdogan. The campaign is dominated by domestic policy issues. Erdogan's AKP party is courting its radical Islamic clientele by maintaining and increasing pressure on a Christian religious center.

Meanwhile a support campaign for St. Gabriel has been started by a peace committee in Izmir. The campaign named Don't Touch Mor Gabriel has collected more than 5200 signatures in its appeal. (AINA, Abdulmesih BarAbrahem , February 17, 2009)

La projection d'un film négationniste dans les écoles primaires turques

Le Ministère de l'éducation nationale de Turquie a décidé de faire projeter dans les écoles primaires un film négationniste réalisé suivant les directives de l'Etat-major de l'Armée turque. Il s'agit du film intitulé "Sari Gelin" qui nie le génocide des Arméniens en 1915 et culpabilise les Arméniens pour les évènements tragiques de l'époque.

Selon le quotidien Birgün du 10 février 2009, Le ministère demande aux directions provinciales de l'enseignement primaire d'établir des rapports détaillés sur l'impact de la projection de ce film sur les élèves des écoles primaires.

Depuis des années, ce film est utilisé avec ses versions en turc, russe, anglaise, allemande, française, espagnole et arabe comme une arme de propagande tant en Turquie qu'à l'étranger.

Le 6 juin 2005, le magazine Time Europe avait diffusé gratuitement 550 000 exemplaires de ce DVD dans une opération publicitaire financée par la Chambre de Commerce d'Ankara.

Plusieurs organisations arméniennes avaient lancé une campagne de protestation contre Time Magazine.

Pour corriger cette erreur, le Time Europe avait publié le 17 octobre 2005, un courrier des lecteurs signé conjointement par 5 associations françaises : Mémoire 2000, le Conseil de Coordination des Organisations Arméniennes de France (CCAF), le Comité de Défense de la Cause Arménienne (CDCA) -- ANC France, J'Accuse, et le Mouvement contre le Racisme et pour l'Amitié entre les Peuples (MRAP).

Dans une note de l'Editeur faisant suite à cette lettre, le Time avait présenté ses excuses pour la diffusion de ce DVD.

Les associations pour la protection de l'enfance ont réagi contre la projection de ce film qui contient plusieurs scènes de violence.

DurDe, une initiative des citoyens contre le racisme et le nationalisme, proteste ce projet qu'elle considère une tentative pour saboter le récent développement des relations entre la Turquie et l'Arménie. (Birgün - Info-Türk, 11 février 2009)

Insisting on a case against the people who apologised from Armenians
 
Ankara Chief Public Prosecution service dropped the proceedings about the complaint against the campaign of "I apologise from my Armenian brothers and sisters". The complainants appealed to a Sincan High Criminal Court. Sincan court will examine it again and decide if an investigation is needed or not.
 
Complainants wanted the organisers and signatories of the campaign to be charged under article 301 of TPC. The chief prosecution had answered on 26 January that "In democratic societies adverse ideas are under protection too as part of freedom of expression".

28 thousand 600 people signed the apology petition so far and it has been reported recently that a group of Armenians from Australia were preparing to answer the campaign by their apology campaign.
 
Six people complains against 28 thousand 600 signatories
 
Hasan Hüseyin Satır, Sabahat Özgür, Mehmet İnal Kolburan, Hüseyin Erdoğan, Serdar Orhaner and Kürşat Karacabey from Ankara want the organisers and signatories of the campaign to be punished for "insulting Turkish".
 
Over 28 thousand people have signed the petition on www.ozurdiliyoruz.com. The petition says:
 
"My conscience does not accept apathy or denial about the Great Disaster suffered by Ottoman Armenians in 1915. I refuse that injustice, personally I share the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters, I apologise from them." (antenna-tr.org, February 9, 2009)

No Trial for “We are All Armenian” Slogan

The Şişli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has decided not to start a trial following a complaint against Mustafa Sarıgül, mayor of Istanbul’s Şişli municipality.

Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was shot dead in front of his newspaper office in Şişli on 19 January 2007. His funeral was attended by over 100,000 people, many of them carrying placards which read “We are all Armenian” or “Murderer 301”, referring to Dink’s trial under the controversial Article 301. The protestors walked through Istanbul from his office to the church where he was buried. The march was mostly silent, but sometimes the crowd called out “We are all Armenian”, a demonstration of solidarity which has been distorted by nationalists.

Following the funeral, Mete Çağdaş, a columnist in a local newspaper in Sinop, on the Western Black Sea, had filed a complaint against the mayor of Şişli, arguing that the slogans represented a violation of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and insulted Turkishness.

Çağdaş had written in the newspaper Haber 57 that, as a journalist, he condemned the murder of his colleague Dink, but that the slogans used at his funeral were unacceptable. He said that his grandfather was killed by an Armenian gang.

He also wrote an article entitled “Honourable Prosecutor”, which read:

“They carried placards saying ‘Hrant’s murderer is Article 301.’ They branded the laws of the Turkish Republic as murderers. Shouting ‘We are all Armenian’, they violated the constitution. They insulted the unity of the nation with separatism based on race. They caused traffic congestion. With live broadcasts, they encouraged others to take part in the demonstration. They did not even carry one Turkish flag. What else do you want? Treason, provocation, separatism and extreme disturbance. I am complaining and am a plaintiff. Honourable Prosecutor, please start an investigation…”

Çağdaş also said that the funerals of soldiers were ignored. In a reaction to the prosecutor’s decision,  he wrote on 8 February, he said: “Two, three marauders, a handful of gangsters and traitors- we were beaten by them,” thus insulting those taking part in the funeral procession.

The Şişli prosecution decided not to prosecute on 15 January, but the decision has only just been made public. Radikal newspaper cites Çağdaş as objecting to the length of time. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 10, 2009)

Turkish State Escalates Legal Battle Against Assyrian Monastery

Contrary to the expectation that the Turkish authorities might change the course of events and establish some barriers to protect the monastery of St. Gabriel from the arbitrary claims of the neighbouring villages, the state itself is now increasing the legal pressure by filing a new claim at the cadastre court in Midyat, claiming further pieces of land that belong to St. Gabriel.

Across European parliaments, many politicians are observing with surprise and deep worry, how a few neighbouring Muslim villages, with legal support of the state, pressure one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world. Numerous appeals by politicians, churches and human rights organizations sent to the government in Ankara ask for state protection of the remaining Christians and for the freedom of religion in Turkey.

According to European diplomats, Erdogan's government is aware of the explosiveness of the case. The EU has underlined its strong interest in this matter, particularly expressed through the deployment of the Swedish diplomat Helena Storm as an observer to the trial in late December in Midyat (AINA 1-21-2009). The topic of religious freedom in context of the accession negotiations with the EU is on the agenda. However, what EU observer have witnessed so far does not appear to be evidence of special respect and protection of the Christians as an indigenous population by a country that intends to join the EU.

As previously reported, based on several inspections and oral statements made last year by the heads of the three neighbouring villages, Yaylantepe, Eglence, and Candarli, the state claimed 276 hectares of monastery land. As a consequence, the disputed monastery forest has been allocated to become pasture land for the neighbouring villages. This contradicts the boundaries officially defined in 1938 between the monastery and the three villages. The documents of the monastery, which prove the ownership along with the evidence that the monastery paid property taxes are apparently ignored. Therefore, the monastery submitted a complaint with cadastre court in Midyat, where, after several hearings, the latest was held on December 19th, and decision postponed to February 11th.

Now, surprisingly, the Treasury filed-in a new complaint to the cadastre court on January 29th claiming eight parcels within the surrounding monastery wall and four parcels outside of the wall, arguing that they are not cultivated. Although the monastery cultivated this land temporarily, in other years it used it for the cattle as pasture land. The parcel outside the wall was an old vineyard, which has been partially converted to a soccer field. The overall additional size that the government claims is about 130 hectares.

What is behind this course of action? This question is raised by many observers of the case who cannot decipher the attitude of the government with regards to St. Gabriel. Why is the Turkish government escalating and complicating the problem?

It would probably be too easy and trivial to explain or answer the questions the way many Assyrians do, which is, that Turkey tries to drive out the remaining Christians from their historical homeland. Upon closer examination, the case appears much more subtle and complex, like many issues in Turkey. And so far there are only a few indications:

During his last trip in December to the court hearing in Midyat, the Swedish-Assyrian journalist Nuri Kino conducted talks with all relevant parties involved in the dispute and searched for ways to facilitate a dialog with the people of the Kurdish villages. His article (AINA 1-14-2009) was published in the renowned Swedish magazine Tidningen Kulturen and appeared also in the Turkish newspaper Evrensel. Kino met with the village heads behind the lawsuit, spoke with villagers and tried to understand their motives and points of views. Accordingly, the villagers gave hints that the parliamentarian of the ruling party AKP, Süleyman Celebi, a lawyer, helped them to formulate their claims against St. Gabriel. In an interview with the Turkish newspaper Evrensel, Celebi portrayed himself as neutral in this case while blaming the Assyrians for "emotionalizing" the topic. Based on the statistics of the last elections and a report by Evrensel, almost 98% of the villagers did cast their votes for Erdogan's ruling party AKP.

In a live telephone interview with ACSA-TV (Qolo Hiro) on January 27th, with the village head of Yayvantepe, Ismail Erkan, it became clear to all Assyrians watching: "Without Süleyman Celebi", there would be "no solution possible", Erkan said. The TV moderator Özcan Kaldoyo tried to understand what the gains for the villages would be, if the monastery land would be confiscated by the state. Erkan responded that the "villages would use is to pasture their cattles," without fearing any consequence.

In a short report of the German TV channel ARD (Europe Magazine) from January 31st, another indication was given as a possible background for the problems of the monastery, which is the "refusal of protection payments" to the neighbouring Kurdish villages. Now, with questionable legal means, the villagers are trying to gain ownership of the monastery land.

These hints would strongly suggest that the members or followers of the AKP party, which are influential in southeast Turkey, backed by politicians, are capable of using the state and its judicial system to annex monastery land for the Kurdish villages; they are trying to demoralize the residents of the monastery by a continuous legal battle to compel surrender.

The latest complaint, however, is not submitted by private people but by the state. Is this the different policy path that the new Governor of Mardin, Hasan Durür, is taking, after he took office on January 1st? Assyrians hoped that he would have taken a different approach and policy stand and help towards pacification of the situation through his authority.

Currently, all political arguments are blocked formally by Turkey, citing the ongoing court case; the state appearing now as the plaintiff shows that this is an excuse. Therefore, the monastery is expecting a lengthy procedure. According to the Chairman of the Monastery Foundation, Kuryakos Ergün, all available legal means, up to the European Court, will be exhausted.

In fact, the monastery has received solidarity statements from all over the world, not least from Turkish democratic circles. Among the people offering help are also quite a few lawyers from the west of Turkey, which have offered the monastery to voluntarily defend its case in court litigations.

Assyrian organizations in Germany organized a large protest rally on Sunday, January 25th in Berlin, where about 20,000 people from all over Germany and its neighbouring countries participated. Many German politicians, church representatives and human rights groups expressed their solidarity with the Assyrian monastery. Some of the posters the demonstrators carried through the streets of Berlin said: "What have we done to you?" which best characterizes the embitterment of hundreds of thousands of Assyrians living abroad, who themselves were driven out of Turkey over the past decades. (Assyrian International News Agency, By Abdulmesih Bar Abrahem, February 6, 2009)

"Intelligence Lies Leave Dink's Murder in Dark"

"Injustice reigns even after Dink's murder, as justice is averted during the case. He would have defended himself as a journalist, if he were alive. Now he's dead, I take it as a duty to defend his rights. So I decided to do something against those trying to leave the murder in dark."

Journalist Nedim Sener explains his motivation for his latest book, "Dink Murder and Intelligence Lies". Turkish Armenian journalist Dink had been murdered on January 19, 2007 and amid pouring evidence regarding authorities neglect to protect him, the case remains unsolved in a just manner. Bianet's Erol Onderoglu interviewed Sener.

How did you come to write this book?

Pure coincidence. I was talking to an experienced police officer one day and he told about a case of injustice. Something was going on in the Department of Intelligence. I can't say the details but it was then I decided to take on this subject.

Nevertheless, it was impossible to cover the case as news articles. Murder investigations were scattered between Istanbul and Trabzon. On the other hand, no one focused on Ankara. It was imperative to paint a complete picture, overcoming the dispersity of evidence put forward by civil service inspectors in Ankara. I decided to tackle the issue in the form of a book. 

What is your aim in writing this book?

One may disagree with Hrant Dink's writings and sayings but he could have defended himself if he were alive. Now he's left dead, I had to act against those violating his rights. Despite two past years, not all details of his murder have been brought to light and this makes me pessimistic. All evolved before the eyes of people but only the murderers are on trial. Quoting Dink's brother's words, no one will live in peace as long as this murder remains in dark. Because you would never know the truth if something happens to you. For example, we still don't know the murderers and the motives of the killings of journalist like Abdi Ipekci or Ugur Mumcu.

Withholding intelligence by the police and the gendarmerie, how this is affecting the case?

The most horrendous aspect of this case is that those accused of neglect in his murder are still serving in high posts in the police and in the gendarmerie. No such case exists in advanced democracies. But this is turkey.

It's obvious that public servants obliged to enlighten this murder are trying to cover up by forging false documents, by lying and deceit. Prime Ministry's investigation revealed that intelligence officers such as Ramazan Akyurek and Ali Fuat Yilmazer still hold their positions.  

How would this case be solved?

Planning of the murder was conducted under police control for the most part. Especially the Trabzon police department... Upon his release from prison, Yasin Hayal had killing Dink on his mind. Informant Erhan Tuncel relayed all parts of the murder plan to the police. Some of this information had been sent to central intelligence department in Ankara. Those reports openly said that Dink was going to be murdered. They should have at least appointed a guard for Dink.

Anyways, following the Prime Ministry's report, these points became formal facts and it asks for investigations into Akyürek and Yılmazer's misconduct. PM Erdogan approved this. Despite those facts they remain in their posts. As this is the case, it's not possible to await justice out of this case.

There is a special emphasis to the link between Ergenekon case and Dink's murder. Why?

I believe that the two cases should be merged. Numerous personalities involved in Dink's murder are on trial in Ergenekon. The court's efforts to link Trabzon Gendarmerie commander Ali Öz to Ergenekon defendants is important. Revealing all relations between the accused in Dink's murder and Ergenekon defendants remain as a problem. When this is accomplished we may have a more precise picture.

We know the killers but we don't know exactly why this murder was committed. Some say Dink was a victim of extreme nationalist backed up by the state, others claim he was the target of the Armenian Diaspora. The fact is, we don't know the exact truth. (BIA, Erol ONDEROGLU, February 4, 2009)

Génocide arménien: Jack Lang dénonce "une campagne injuste" contre lui

L'ancien ministre socialiste Jack Lang a dénoncé mercredi "une campagne injuste" contre lui, après la diffusion sur internet d'une séquence dans laquelle il s'interroge sur la pertinence des lois mémorielles en prenant l'exemple du génocide arménien.

"Je suis attristé par la campagne malhonnête et injuste orchestrée contre moi au sujet de l'Arménie", écrit-il dans un communiqué où il rappelle son rôle dans l'adoption, en 2001, d'une loi reconnaissant en France la réalité du génocide arménien.

Lors d'un débat avec des historiens enregistré en octobre 2008 à Blois, M. Lang s'était publiquement interrogé sur ce texte : "Je ne sais pas si je réagirais de la même manière aujourd'hui, mais en tous cas je l'ai voté, et à l'époque j'étais président de la Commission des Affaires étrangères de l'Assemblée nationale, donc je suis doublement coupable, si j'ose dire".

La séquence, enregistrée en vidéo, a été diffusée sur le site Dailymotion, puis sur ceux du Nouvel Observateur et du Monde. Selon le quotidien, elle a suscité une forte polémique sur les forums en ligne.

Ces propos ont été tenus "dans le cadre d'un débat scientifique entre historiens sur la compétence des parlements à édicter des lois mémorielles", souligne Jack Lang, ajoutant: "Je continuerai à me battre pour que dans le monde entier le génocide du peuple arménien soit reconnu, et notamment en Turquie".

Un député UMP, Roland Blum (Bouches-du-Rhône), s'était dit mardi "stupéfait" de cet extrait, allant jusqu'à accuser Jack Lang de "regretter" d'avoir voté la loi de 2001.

M. Lang se trouve depuis dimanche au Japon. "Mes positions sont claires et nettes", a-t-il affirmé mercredi au téléphone à l'AFP: "Je n'ai pas à polémiquer avec qui que ce soit, UMP ou je ne sais qui, je n'ai aucune leçon à recevoir de personne". (AFP, 4 fév 2009)

Un nouveau suspect dans les meurtres de trois chrétiens

Un tribunal turc a inculpé mardi un nouveau suspect dans l'affaire des meurtres de trois chrétiens dans l'est de la Turquie en 2007, a rapporté mercredi l'agence de presse Anatolia.

Varol Bulent Aral est accusé d'être "le chef d'une organisation terroriste" et du "meurtre de plus d'une personne dans le cadre des activités de l'organisation". Il avait été cité par l'un des accusés comme étant l'instigateur (de ces crimes), a précisé l'agence.

Sept hommes sont déjà en procès depuis novembre 2007 pour le meurtre du missionnaire allemand Tilmann Geske et des convertis turcs Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, dans les bureaux d'une maison d'édition chrétienne située dans la ville de Malatya en avril 2007.

Le nouveau suspect a nié avoir joué un rôle dans ces meurtres lors d'une comparution devant la justice en tant que témoin, en octobre 2008.

Toutes les victimes sont des membres de la très petite communauté protestante de Malatya.

Le procureur a requis la prison à vie pour cinq des accusés, les deux autres risquant une année d'emprisonnement pour avoir apporté leur aide aux meurtriers présumés. (AFP, 4 fév 2009)

Turkey's school books are militarist, racist and unscientific

A collaborative project of the History Foundation (TV) and the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV) has resulted in a report entitled “Human Rights in School Books”.

This was the second time that school books were scanned for problematic passages. 139 primary school books (from year 1 to 8) were examined for militarist, nationalist, unscientific, gender biased and racist passages.

At a press briefing in Beyoğlu, Dr. Gürel Tüzün of the History Foundation said, “Human rights violations start in school books.”

He added, “The results show that primary school books are problematic in content.”

The project began in August 2007. 139 books, which had been revised under recent curriculum changes were examined. Only 11 books, that is eight percent, were found to be unproblematic.

Tüzel said that project found that books:

- did not develop critical perspectives
- contained mistakes, sometimes deliberate ones, and ignored other issues
- were problematic in terms of creating an “us-them” mentality and not promoting peaceful values
- did not develop a democratic conscience or laicism
- were biased in terms of the gender roles assigned to women.

He added that the school books often contained subjective opinions and often referred to “higher authorities” such as Atatürk or Allah.

Overemphasis of "national values"

The report criticised, for instance, that pupils were constantly being reminded of the War of Independence, the flag, Atatürk and similar “national values”.

The nationalist discourse in many books meant, so Tüzel,  that children were being taught that only “we” have “national values”, thus elevating a nationalist mindset by denigrating other societies and cultures.

Creationism and Sunni indoctrination

Another issue was that a creationist perspective was being presented as a scientific concept in biology classes.

The most problematic book was found to be the Religious Culture and Ethics book.

“This lesson continues to be based not on a religious studies curriculum but on theology, and here the aim is to teach Sunni Islam beliefs.”

The curriculum of this lesson, as well as the obligation to attend it, has often been criticised by Alevis, who argued that it represented an indoctrination in one religion only.

Curriculum needs to be demilitarised

Project coordinator Gamze Rezan Sarısen then called for the curricula to be reviewed according to the international agreements that Turkey has signed. She also called for an abolition of the “National Security Class”, in which children are taught by military personnel, and for a demilitarised curriculum.

Peace education and critical thought

Turks and other identities should be shown as integrated subjects, and there should be an emphasis on peace education. Pupils should learn conflict resolution techniques, observing all sides, as well as a culture of debate. A course on human rights should be offered as a separate lesson.

The report also proposed that the “Thinking Education” offered as an elective one-hour lesson in classes 6 yo 8 should become obligatory and be increased to two hours a week.

The activists called on Turkey to withdraw their qualifications to their signature of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in order to offer different groups the right to education variety in religion, ethnicity and mother tongue.

A mindset that can create murderers

Tüzün criticised the fact that literature extracts of Kurdish, Armenian,  Jewish and other non-Turkish writers did not feature in books, and that everyone was automatically considered to be heterosexual.

He reminded the audience of a sentence by Rakel Dink, widow of murdered journalist Hrant Dink. She had referred to “the darkness which makes murderers out of babies”.

The project workers have decided to create a hotline where teachers, pupils and parents can give notice of further violations. (BIA, February 2, 2009)

European Parliamentarians Call on Turkey to Protect Assyrian Monastery

Last week the Parliamentary Assembly of the council of Europe held its plenary session. MP's from 47 countries (including all EU countries, Russia and Turkey) debated the state of Human Rights in Europe. During this session Dutch MP Pieter Omtzigt took the initiave to raise the question of the St. Gabriel Assyrian Monastery in Turkey.

In conjunction with 23 other MPs, Mr. Omtzigt made a motion for a resolution which "calls on Turkish authorities not to take away ownership of grounds with wrong pretexts and with potential irreparable consequences for this world's cultural heritage and on one of the foremost places of religious worship in Turkey. The Assembly sees this as a test for the exercise of freedom of religion in Turkey and decides to follow this issue carefully."

The full text of the motion, and a list of signatories can be see here.

The St. Gabriel monastery has come under legal attack from surrounding Muslim villages, who assert the monastery has encroached upon their lands. The monastery denies this and says it is the legal owner of the lands and has paid taxes on them.

Click here for background information on the case. (AINA, February 1, 2009)


Politique intérieure/Interior Politics

Premier Erdogan's Electoral Speech in Diyarbakır Amid Protests

During a rally in Diyarbakır, PM Recep Tayip Erdogan called for unity, claiming that the government doesn’t allow discrimination against Kurds. The police stepped up security for Erdogan. Shops were closed while Erdogan’s convoy passed, in protest against his visit. On another occasion, police took five people into custody.

“We don’t want anyone to become ‘other’. We want to eliminate barriers which harm the sentiment of belonging to this country. We have not and will not discriminate among citizens. As long as the river Euphrates flows, we [Turks and Kurds] will walk together,” Erdogan said, addressing the crowd.

He emphasized the importance of TRT6 -the state channel in Kurdish, which went on air in 2009-, the government’s free coal support to the poor and the controversial reparation scheme for those affected during “the struggle against terrorism”.  

TRT6 broadcast Erdogan’s speech live, simultaneously translating it into Kurdish.

The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), which is powerful in the region, had criticized Erdogan’s planned visit and called for unity against the ruling justice and Development Party (AKP) in upcoming local elections.

The week before the visit, the police had used force against protestors, who gathered to commemorate PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan’s arrest on Feb. 15th, 1999. Several DTP MP’s were also harassed by the police. In the following days, thousands marched to protest against police violence.

Erdogan has challenged the DTP on several occasions in the two parties' race for Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayorship. While his party is able to make use of the fact that it is in government, DTP criticizes lack of support and discrimination by Ankara.

The DTP’s candidate in 29 March elections is Osman Baydemir, the current mayor. The AKP has named Diyarbakır MP Kutbettin Arzu as candidate.

In the elections in 2004, Baydemir got 58 percent of the vote, while the AKP’s candidate rested at 35 percent. (BIA, February 22, 2009)

Mehmet Agar Finally in Court for "Stay Behind" Operations

Mehmet Ağar, former Chief of Police, and then Minister of the Interior, is now facing a trial because his parliamentary immunity was lifted after his resignation from the True Path Party (DYP) leadership after the general elections of July 2007.

The trial concerns the events remembered in Turkey as the “Susurluk scandal”. A car accident in which three people died in 1996 revealed relations between the police, a parliamentarian from Urfa, the southeast of Turkey, and a contract killer. These “deep state” relations were investigated in a satisfactory manner, leading many to claim that the current clandestine Ergenekon organisation was able to grow out of Susurluk.

Mehmet Ağar is accused of forming an armed illegal organisation in the Susurluk context. He is demanding acquittal.

He attended the hearing in the Ankara 11th Heavy Penal Court yesterday (9 February); he said that when he was Chief of Police, he had thousands of armed people under his command and would not have felt the need to form an armed group.

In addition, his lawyers said that it would be difficult for Ağar, who lives in Istanbul, to attend further hearings in Ankara; they applied for permission to hand in the defence in writing, and the court consented.

The defence also asked for more time to prepare, since the evidence fills 26 binders; the trial was adjourned until 13 May.

Lawyer Özlem Gümüştaş told bianet that the court rejected three applications of intervening parties. One of them was her client Hüseyin Ocak, brother of Hasan Ocak who disappeared in 1995, when Ağar was Chief of Police. He disappeared after protests in the Gazi neighbourhood of Istanbul, where the police opened fire and killed 17 people. His body was found in a graveyard for the poor in Istanbul 58 days later, and it bore traces of torture.

Other parties wishing to join the trial were the Association of Contemporary Lawyers (ÇHD), who claim that Ağar made unjust accusations about them, and relatives of İbrahim İlçi, who was killed in operations against the militant leftist Dev-Sol organisation.

The court argued that the evidence admitted in court did not prove that any of the applicants suffered injury from crime and rejected the applications. The lawyers will follow the case and renew the applications at a later stage.

Mehmet Ağar stated in court that he only knew Abdullah Çatlı, the contract killer who died in the car accident in Susurluk, from the press and was not further acquainted with him.

Ağar stands accused of hiding Abdullah Çatlı when he was accused of murders and not informing authorities, of handing Abdullah Çatlı and Yaşar Öz gun licences and special passports, thus abusing his position.

At the hearing, Ağar claimed that the passports, and thus also his signature on them, were fake. He denied any involvement in gun licences and pointed out that the police had carried out an investigation in the matter.

He told the court that he knew Öz through a secret service member, Tarık Ümit. He said that the PKK was earning money through human trafficking, and that he wanted to use Öz’s connections and received some telephone numbers from him.

Ağar was then asked about the fate of Tarık Ümit, who disappeared in 1995. Ağar said that another secret service agent told him that there were rumours that the police had been involved. When Ağar asked the Istanbul police, he said, he found no evidence, and the secret service agent never called him again.

Ağar was further questioned on all his relations with suspects in the Susurluk trial. Ağar claimed that while the PKK was pressing the Bucak tribe, of which MP Sedat Bucak was a member, to remain neutral, Ağar was convincing them to become village guards, fighting against the PKK with the army.

Sedat Bucak was the only person to survive the Susurluk car crash.

Because, so Ağar, the Urfa region where the tribe lived was not under emergency law, there were security fears. “We helped the tribe to become village guards.”

Ağar also claimed that he was helping Hüseyin Kocadağ, a special police team chief in Diyarbakır and Hakkari, both in the southeast of Turkey, at the time. Kocadağ was also found dead in the Susurluk car crash.

As for special police forces officer Ayhan Çarkın, who claimed that he killed 1,000 people in operations, Ağar said that he knew him from motivational seminars for police officers held in Istanbul.

Ağar said he met İbrahim Şahin, the former head of special forces who is now a defendent in the Ergenekon trial, during the formation of the special forces unit. (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 10, 2009)

Le double standard du "héros de Davos" à l'égard des Kurdes

Claquant la porte d'un débat sur la situation à Gaza organisé le 28 janvier dans le cadre du sommet de Davos, le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a accusé le président israélien Shimon Pérès de "tuer des gens".

Dans le quotidien Milliyet, Ece Temelkuran s'est félicitée dans un premier temps de la franchise d'Erdogan, pour manier ensuite l'ironie. Elle a souhaité que "le personnage courageux qui s'est illustré à Davos en faveur des Palestiniens" puisse faire de même avec toutes les injustices existant aujourd'hui en Turquie.

"Ah ! si on avait quelqu'un d'aussi vaillant qu'à Davos, capable de faire toute la lumière sur les rumeurs selon lesquelles des citoyens turcs d'origine kurde auraient été tués et jetés dans des cuves d'acide ! [de telles rumeurs ont circulé dans le cadre de l'enquête sur le réseau Ergenekon].

"A l'instar de celui qui, à Davos, a invoqué la Torah pour dire 'Tu ne tueras point', notre héros à nous pourrait, quant à lui, citer le Coran où il est écrit que tuer est un péché.

"De même qu'à Davos on a évoqué 'les enfants palestiniens tués sur les plages de Gaza', notre grand homme pourrait peut-être enfin nous expliquer comment, chez nous, des enfants kurdes ont été assassinés.

"Où est donc, chez nous, celui qui à Davos défendait le Hamas parce qu'il 'a été légitimé par les urnes' ? Cette personne pourrait en effet dire la même chose du DTP [Parti démocratique du peuple, prokurde, considéré comme trop proche du PKK; Erdogan refuse de serrer la main à ses députés] et affirmer sa légitimité démocratique 'puisqu'ils ont été élus…'

"Ah ! si l'on pouvait en avoir un comme lui pour mettre à genoux notre Premier ministre, qui s'en prend désormais aux journalistes, opposants, syndicats, bref, à tous ceux qui ne lui ressemblent pas !" (courrierinternational.com, 2 février 2009)

Fraudes électorales à l’approche des élections municipales?

Une information de l’agence de presse DIHA révèle un début de fraude électorale à l’approche des élections municipales prévues en mars 2009 en Turquie. Des milliers de personnes, demeurant dans les quartiers de Barbaros et Yenibey dans l’arrondissement de Seyhan de la ville d’Adana, sont révélées inscrites sur les listes électorales de la ville de Mardin.

Selon les éléments d’informations fournies par quelques maires de quartiers et militants du DTP avertis, des gardiens de villages et des membres de l’AKP (parti actuellement majoritaire) seraient à l’origine de cette tentative de fraude électorale.

D’après Mr Ismail Tilhe, maire de Yenibey (Adana), un groupe membre de l’AKP visiterait les quartiers et profiterait de leurs parentés avec la population pour les inciter, moyennant finance, à s’inscrire sur les registres électorales du quartier de Midyat à Mardin pour accroitre le potientiel électoral de l’AKP. “Ces familles, une fois convaincues, ont été emmenées par autobus à Mardin pour être inscrites sur les listes électorales de la ville” témoigne Mr Ismail Tilhe.

Des citoyens inscrits et non avertis

“Nombres d’habitants de la ville d’Adana, installés plus précisément dans les quartiers de Barbaros et Yenibey, ont été inscrits, moyennant finance, sur les listes électorales de Midyat, Gelin Kaya, Yolbasi, Cavuslu et Sögutlu” a expliqué Mr Tilhe. Si certains perçoivent une rémunération en contrepartie de leurs acceptations à l’inscription, d’autres ne sont pas prévenus de la situation. Mr Abdulkadir Abayrak, citoyen demeurant à Adana, a ainsi témoigné au maire qu’il avait été enregistré, curieusement, sur les registres électoraux de la ville de Mardin et qu’il lui a fallu mentionner, par voie manuscrite, sur cette même liste électorale que l’inscription avait été faite sans son autorisation. Dénonçant là la fraude électorale, le maire de Yenibey a appelé à la vigilance des différents partis politiques et du Comité électoral turc. “Nous voulons que les autorités annulent immédiatement ces incriptions frauduleuses. Nous avons en notre possession les documents nécessaires qui prouvent l’existence de ces inscriptions frauduleuses et abusives. Rien que dans ma circonscription près de 50 familles ont été enregistrées sur les listes électorales de Midyat (Mardin)” a dénoncé Mr Tilhe.

Plus de 2000 personnes inscrites sur la liste de Midyat

Mr Mehmet Faik Ertem, autre maire, avoue qu’il rencontre habituellement bon nombres de tentatives de fraudes électorales avant les élections, parmi lesquelles l’inscription frauduleuse des citoyens de la ville d’Adana sur des listes électorales autres. ”Par voie officielle et en échanges de promesses, des citoyen(ne)s sont enregistré(e)s sur les listes électorales d’autres circonscriptions. Dans mon quartier, près de 2000 personnes ont été inscrites sur les listes de Midyat. Je me tourne vers le Haut conseil des élections (YSK- Yüksek Seçim Kurulu) et lui demande de prendre des mesures afin de rendre impossible l’inscription des habitants d’Adana sur les registres électoraux de Mardin“. a-t-il expliqué.

Le DTP saisit le Comité électoral turc

Mahmut Içlek, membre du DTP, a déclaré avoir été prévenu du transfert des voix électorales par l’information de quelques maires. “Nous avons relevé le nom des personnes, quartier par quartier. Ils achètent les voix électorales des habitants d’Adana pour le compte de l’AKP. Nous avons averti les membres de notre parti qui officient dans les villes où il y a fraudes électorales pour qu’ils puissent procéder à leurs annulations et en informer le Comité électoral. Nous avons parlé avec le responsable politique du DTP de Midyat et les listes électorales cachetées de la ville ont été envoyées au comité électoral” a raconté à l’agence de presse Mahmut Içlek.

Selon Mr Içlek, la plupart des électeurs inscrit fraudulement sont des émigrés forçés à l’exil (NLDR: chassés de leurs villages). “Ce sont des gens qui pour la plupart ont payé le prix de la lutte menée pour la démocratie. Ces gens sont placés dans une situation telle qu’il est facile pour les gardiens de villages d’obtenir leur voix électorale en contrepartie d’une somme d’argent. Nous allons voir ces familles pour les convaincre de ne pas accorder leurs voix à l’AKP et ces gardiens de village. Nous allons faire usage de toutes les voies légales pour empêcher ces fraudes électorales et appelons le comité électoral turc à faire son travail”. (Agence de presse DIHA-bersiv.com, February 1, 2009)

Forces armées/Armed Forces

Public prosecutor files an appeal of singer Bülent Ersoy's acquittal

Following the acquittal of singer Bülent Ersoy for her criticism of cross-border operations into Northern Iraq last year, the prosecutor in the case is insisting on an appeal, arguing that Ersoy's biological inability to have children is an insult to Turkish mothers.

Ersoy, a colourful transsexual singer, temporarily banned from performing on stage after the military coup in the 1980s and now mostly in the magazine headlines for her outfits, young husbands and cosmetic surgery, expressed her opposition to the cross-border operations in Northern Iraq live on TV on 24 February 2008. She made comments, such as, "If I had given birth to a child and someone sitting at a desk had said, 'You will do this, he will do that,' and I would have buried my child, would I accept that?" and "I cannot know exactly what it means to have a child. I am not a mother and will never be able to be one. But I am a human being; and as a human being, to bury them (. . .) I may not know how these mother's hearts are breaking, but mothers understand."

Although Ersoy was acquitted of the charges against her on 18 December 2008, the prosecutor has filed an appeal.

Ersoy's lawyer, Muhiddin Yüzüak, said that the appeal is standard procedure and that he and his client have agreed that she should not comment on the case.

However normal such an appeal may be, one part of it is striking in its attempt to accuse the singer based on her transsexuality: "It would be naive to evaluate as goodwill and freedom of expression the words uttered by a person who is medically unable to bear children and who is thus arguably provoking Turkish mothers."

BACKGROUND: On 22 February 2008, the Turkish Armed Forces sent ground forces into Northern Iraq to attack the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Dozens of soldiers and hundreds of PKK militants are said to have died.

Turkey watched the funerals of the "martyrs" on the evening news. Young men masked their fears as they sent their friends off to military service shouting slogans of heroism and nationalism, such as: "Martyrs don't die!" and "The country can't be separated!"

Of all the political parties, only the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) opposed the operations. To say that numerous cross-border operations in the past had not put an end to the PKK or to suggest that the country should mourn the deaths of Turkish soldiers and Kurdish militants as a sign of failed policies was equivalent to treachery in the eyes of many.

Ten people filed criminal complaints against Ersoy after she expressed her opposition to the ground attacks in Northern Iraq. In Istanbul, Bakirköy Public Prosecutor Ali Çakýr demanded punishment, saying that her words had also been broadcast on the pro-Kurdish Roj TV channel. He demanded three years imprisonment and Ersoy was brought to trial and charged with "turning the public against military service."

Updates the Ersoy case: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/98153 (BIA, February 16, 2009)

General Staff Reacts to Alleged Illegal Relations

The General Staff accuses media of disseminating false information regarding its members' relations to illegal organizations allegedly revealed in Ergenekon case.

Based on Ergenekon suspect İbrahim Sahin's testimony to prosecutors, Radikal daily attested that Sahin had been involved with high-ranking military officers.

According to two articles published on February 11 and 12th, Fatma Cengiz –also an Ergenekon suspect and alleged officer at Kayseri Air Base, acts as the contact person between Sahin and army officers.

On another account, Sahin alleges that Chief of General Staff General İlker Basbug and Communications Department Head General Metin Gurak ordered him to assemble an under-cover unit made up of police officers and soldiers.

He also suggested meeting Gurak in person on several occasions. Sahin is an ex-special forces dirtector, who had been condemned in court for illegal counter terrorism activities.

The General Staff denied any connection to Sahin and said no officer in the name of Fatma Cengiz worked in the armed forces.

It stressed that preliminary investigations are classified and revealing such information is criminalized by law.

"Such publications by the media unjustly harm state establishments and personnel. Those allegations are beyond common logic. It's unthinkable to suggest that a general commanding 700 thousand troops would ask for an illegal organization." (BIA, February 12, 2009)

Raids aériens meurtriers de l'armée turque en Irak

Treize rebelles kurdes du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) ont été tués, dont des commandants, lors des bombardements effectués la semaine dernière par l'aviation turque contre des cibles situées dans le nord de l'Irak, a rapporté vendredi l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Citant des sources de sécurité turques, l'agence semi-officielle turque souligne que plusieurs responsables de l'organisation classée comme terroriste par la Turquie, les Etats-Unis et l'Union européenne, ont été abattus lors des raids.

Ceux-ci réalisés les 4 et 5 février, avaient visé des caches du PKK dans la région de Khakurk, dans la région autonome kurde du nord de l'Irak.

Des installations logistiques de l'organisation séparatiste ont subi de gros dégâts, affirme l'agence.

L'armée turque a effectué plusieurs séries de bombardements visant des cibles du PKK dans le nord de l'Irak en vertu d'une autorisation parlementaire obtenue pour mener de telles opérations de l'autre côté de la frontière. La première autorisation avait été donnée en 2007 et a été renouvelée en octobre dernier pour une année de plus.

Le PKK a lancé en 1984 une campagne armée pour obtenir l'autonomie du sud-est de la Turquie, une région peuplée majoritairement de Kurdes. Le conflit a fait 44.000 morts.

Selon Ankara, quelque 2.000 rebelles du PKK sont retranchés dans les montagnes du nord de l'Irak, y disposent de la liberté de mouvement et s'y approvisionnent en armes et en munitions avec lesquelles ils lancent des attaques en territoire turc. (AFP, 13 fév 2009)

Inciting if she cannot give birth!

Bakırköy Public Prosecutor appealed to High Court to reverse the acquittal of musician Bülent Ersoy who had been charged for saying at a TV show “If I had a son I would not send him to the army”. Prosecutor Ali Çakır said in his appeal letter “This person biologically does not have the ability to give birth and speaks to incite Turkish mothers, considering his words as product of good will and freedom of expression is credulous”.

Çakır added that ROJ TV quoted Ersoy and some DTP mayors wanted to rename streets after Ersoy.

Ersoy had said at a TV show on 24 February 2008 “All right the motherland cannot be divided and all that but what about these kids? Mothers give birth to them and then bury them is that ok?” (antenna-tr.org, February 10, 2009)

Ankara examine un retour de la France dans l'aile militaire de l'Otan

La Turquie examine la décision de la France de réintégrer la structure militaire intégrée de l'Otan, a indiqué son ministre des Affaires étrangères Ali Babacan, laissant entendre que son gouvernement pourrait s'y opposer si Paris continuait de freiner l'entrée d'Ankara dans l'UE.

"Les modalités (d'un retour de la France) sont en train d'être discutées au sein de l'Alliance atlantique. Est-ce qu'il y aura un vote (des pays membres) ou pas, on ne le sait pas encore", a-t-il dit dans des déclarations publiées samedi par la presse turque.

Le retour de la France dans l'alliance occidentale "est plutôt une affaire politique que légale. La plupart des alliés de l'Otan y voient une décision positive mais nous sommes toujours en train de l'évaluer", a souligné le ministre.

Membre fondateur de l'Otan en 1949, la France, devenue une puissance atomique indépendante, en a quitté le commandement intégré en 1966, avant d'y faire un retour partiel dans les années 1990.

En 2007, le président français Nicolas Sarkozy a lié le retour complet de Paris dans le commandement militaire intégré de l'Otan à des progrès substantiels en parallèle sur l'Europe de la défense.

La Turquie est membre de l'Otan depuis 1952.

La France est parmi les Etats qui freinent le plus la marche de la Turquie vers l'Union européenne depuis l'ouverture des négociations d'adhésion en 2005.

Le président français est catégoriquement opposé à l'entrée des Turcs dans l'UE et prône à la place "un partenariat spécial", rejeté par Ankara.

Cependant, déjouant certains pronostics, la France a tenu sa parole d'ouvrir deux chapitres (10 en tout sur 35) pendant sa présidence de l'UE dans le deuxième semestre de 2008, évitant une crise avec Ankara. (AFP, 7 fév 2009)

La Turquie veut envoyer un navire de guerre dans le golfe d'Aden

Le Parlement turc a autorisé mardi l'envoi, par le gouvernement, d'un navire de guerre dans le golfe d'Aden afin qu'il participe à la force internationale qui pourchasse les pirates et trafiquants d'armes somaliens dans le nord de l'océan Indien.

La proposition gouvernementale, qui précise que la mission du navire durerait un an, a été adoptée lors d'un vote à main levée.

Selon une source militaire, le navire pourrait se rendre sur place dès la fin du mois de février.

Ali Babacan, le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères, avait annoncé la semaine dernière que cette mission "ne (serait) pas une mission individuelle, mais plutôt une participation de la Turquie à une force navale impliquant un certain nombre de pays".

Selon la motion gouvernementale, la mission du navire de guerre turc consisterait à patrouiller au large de la Somalie, à escorter les bateaux de commerce, à se saisir des navires des pirates "en usant de la force si les circonstances l'exigent" et à les arrêter si "cela s'avère nécessaire".

En revanche, l'équipage du patrouilleur ne participera pas à des opérations militaires terrestres.

Le 2 février, des pirates somaliens avaient relâché un cargo turc et ses onze hommes d'équipages, capturés à la mi-décembre.

En 2008, environ 140 navires étrangers ont été attaqués au large de la Somalie, pays en guerre depuis 1991, et les actes de piraterie dans la région ont augmenté de près de 200% par rapport à 2007, selon le Bureau maritime mondial (BMI).

Près de 150 personnes ont été arrêtées en 2008 par les navires de guerre croisant dans le golfe d'Aden dans le cadre de la lutte anti-piraterie, selon un document présenté lors d'une conférence de l'Organisation maritime internationale (OMI) à Djibouti en janvier. (AFP, 10 fév 2009)

Pacifists' Meeting in Istanbul: “Turkey Should Leave NATO”

24 NGOs, trade unions and political parties and other groups have announced that they will start a campaign against NATO on its 60th anniversary on 4 April.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Istanbul branch of the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers (MMO), Prof. Dr. Tahsin Yeşildere, the president of the University Lecturer Association, said that, like all over the world, Turkish pacifists and NATO opponents would take to the streets. He added:

“We will not allow celebrations of the 60th anniversary of NATO. Our campaign will consist of showing NATO supporters the truth about NATO’s crimes, murders, occupations, coups, assassinations and contra-guerrilla organisations.”

Apart from the dissolution of NATO, the protesters have the following demands:

Turkey should leave NATO immediately and pull its soldiers out of Afghanistan.

NATO bases in Izmir, Konya, Şile, Balıkesir and Marmaris should be closed down immediately.

The groups that have come together for this protest are:

The Anti-capitalist Peace Rock  Initiative, Pedal for Peace Group, Demokratic Society Party(DTP), Revolutionary Socialist Workers’ Party (DSİP), Labour Party (EMEP), Labour Movement Party (EHP), Socialist Platform for the Oppressed (ESP), Association for Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the Young Civilians, the People’s Front, HOMUR Caricature and Humor Group, the Initiative to Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism, Human Rights Association (İHD), the Confederation of Trade Unions for Public Workers (KESK), Global Action Group (KEG), the Organisation of Human Rights and Solidarity with Oppressed People (MAZLUMDER), Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Socialist Party, Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Social Democratic Foundation (SODEV), Turkish Communist Party (TKP), Association of University Lecturers, Green Party. (BIA, Bawer ÇAKIR, February 5, 2009)

NATO has names of Ergenekon founders, claims retired prosecutor

Gültekin Avcı The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has in its records the names of the individuals who form the nucleus of Ergenekon, a clandestine terrorist organization charged with scores of unsolved murders and other atrocities conducted for the purpose of ruling the country from behind the scenes or triggering a military takeover, according to a claim put forth by Gültekin Avcı, a retired public prosecutor experienced with shadowy formations and illegal gangs inside the state.

Avcı claimed that the names of the members of the illegal network were kept at centers of intelligence services in Washington and London, but he did not specify the names of the agencies. Avcı said these records held names of civilian and military members of Ergenekon.

He also claimed that if NATO wanted to, it could share this information with the prosecution to help the Ergenekon investigation.

He also pointed to the similarities between Ergenekon's organizational structure and NATO's experience, noting that Ergenekon bears the basic qualities of Operation Gladio -- a stay-behind army set up in NATO countries during the Cold War years to counter a communist invasion.

Avcı said in NATO's experience, stay-behind organizations were formed at the level of generals. He stated that over time, the confidential elements inside these armies, which hold great power given to them by the state, have gotten out of control and have recruited more civilians.

"In all these structures, the techniques and system used were the same. Intelligence units trained these agents. They set up secret burial sites to store munitions, wireless devices and similar equipment," he said. "The major contributors to these behind-the-scene networks that were established all over Europe were these countries' armies and military intelligence services. All of these secret networks were set up under the supervision and directive of the military intelligence services of the given country."

Avcı also claimed that Turkey's illegal structures are backed by important Masonic connections and individuals, recalling the ties of the Masonic lodge P2 in Italy to the Gladio network. He said if NATO shared its records with the prosecution, it would be of significant help to the investigation; but he also noted that this was a distant possibility.

Recalling the munitions found buried underground, Avcı said most clandestine organizations tended to have secret arms depots and underground arms caches to avoid being left without munitions. He also expressed his belief that there could not be fewer than 200 such munitions burial sites in Turkey.

He claimed that heads of separate units in the military knew the locations of these arms caches and were given maps to these places by their superiors. "When these weapons and ammunitions are needed for an operation, they can easily be obtained," he said. "Those who are at the level of hit men do not know the location of a given arms cache. The prosecution has to compare every single item of weapons or ammunitions found during the investigation to the inventory of the Special Forces Command and military intelligence units. But we are seeing that the General Staff has not been so helpful thus far regarding this." (Today's Zaman, 6 February 2009)

Conscientious Objector Özkan Faces Court

Yesterday (5 February) was the first hearing in the case of conscientious objector Doğan Özkan at the Üsküdar 1st Criminal Court of Peace. He is facing charges for discouraging people from doing military service. The hearing was postponed until 17 March to give Özkan more time to prepare his defence.

As part of Human Rights Week, the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) staged a conscientious objection campaign in front of the Selimiye barracks in Üsküdar, Istanbul on 12 December 2004. Doğan Özkan read a press statement on behalf of the association.

Özkan told bianet that the hearing, which was supposed to start at 11.50 am, was delayed unti 3 pm. After the judge had listened to his defence, he was told: “This defence is problematic, it might lead to a trial. Why don’t you change it?” (BIA, Bawer ÇAKIR, February 5, 2009)

Relatives of disappeared people marched to a Military Building

Families of the people who have gone missing after being arrested or kidnapped attended a pres meeting organised by Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakır city organisation and marched to a building used by gendarme intelligence organisation JITEM as place for interrogation. Families carrying the pictures of their missing relatives wanted Ergenekon organisation to give account.

DTP member Ali Şimşek said that in the past years people would say farewell when they left home in the morning, and that the executions without trial had become part of daily life. Şimşek said that trying to show that process as the doings of a few people out of control was underestimating it.

Şimşek emphasised that the most important suspects of Ergenekon case including Veli Küçük, Hurşit Tolon, Şener Eruygur, Levent Ersöz and Arif Doğan were on duty in the region for long years. Şimşek added: "JİTEM is responsible for hundreds of people who went missing or murdered without trial. The address of JİTEM Diyarbakır group headquarters is this building which used to be Gendarme Battalion Base… This is a sort of place with entrance but with no exit and hundreds of murders have been committed here It is widely believed that the bodies are buried around in the region. Ergenekon prosecutors should come here." (antenna-tr.org, February 4, 2009)

“Torture to Conscientious Objector Bal” trial continues

Conscientious objector Mehmet Bal was the victim of physical and emotional violence between 8 and 9 June 2008 in Beşiktaş military police station and Hasdal Military Prison. The fourth hearing of the case under the charge of “malicious injury” was heard by Hasdal Military Court on 3 February.
5 convicts in military prison were listened to as witnesses.

Bal said that the judge addressed the witnesses as “my son” and they answered with “commander sir”. Bal added that the prosecutor in the case was the same prosecutor who had complained against him under article 301 of TPC. The next hearing is on 17 March 2009.

People who attended the hearing as observers included: Ferhat Kentel, Adnan Özyalçıner, Temel Demirer, Semra Somersan, Neslihan Akbulut, Sennur Sezer, Tayfun Gönül, Beria Atantürk, Leman Yurtsever, Gülsüm Ekinci, Çağlar Gürbüz, Öznur Şahin, Levent Duran, Nilgün Yurdalan, Gürşat Özdamar, Mehmet Atak, Halil Savda and Balam Kenter. (antenna-tr.org, February 4, 2009)

Conscientious Objection Is on EU Accession Agenda

The European Commission has announced that EU accession negotiations would also involve a debate on the right to conscientious objection and the right to choose social service instead of military service.

Following the questions of Erik Meijer, MEP of the Dutch Socialist party, Olli Rehn, member of the European Commission responsible for Enlargement, said that these issues would be discussed under Chapter 23, “Judiciary and Fundamental Rights”, in accession negotiations.

Repeated punishment for conscientious objectors

Rehn emphasised that those refusing to use arms for religious or conscientious reasons were punished repeatedly. The EU has voiced its concern over this issue in its progress reports and in meetings with Turkish officials.

Rehn pointed out that the form of military service in the EU varied from country to country; the Copenhagen Criteria did not touch on this issue, nor is there any EU legislation on it.

Dual nationals still obliged to do military service in Turkey

Meijer said that males of Turkish origin with a second passport from an EU member state were obliged to do military service in Turkey. He added that Turkey had not signed the 1963 Convention on the Reduction of Cases of Multiple Nationality and Military Obligations in Cases of Multiple Nationality

According to this convention, persons with dual nationality can only be called on to do military service until the age of 38. If they have worked abroad for three years or more, they can pay to be exempt from military service. Not doing one’s military service is a ground for denaturalising someone. On the other hand, doing one’s military service in countries such as Germany, Denmark, France or Israel means that a second military service does not have to be carried out in Turkey.

Meijer asked whether the obligatory and disciplinarian military service in Turkey was making integration of Turks in the EU more difficult. Finally, he asked, “Do you realise that the money payed for military service exemption is probably being used for operations against the Kurdish-majority population in the Southeast?” (BIA, Erhan ÜSTÜNDAĞ  February 3, 2009)

Affaires religieuses/Religious Affairs

Trois journalistes ouzbeks traduits en justice pour islamisme

Trois journalistes ouzbeks sont traduits en justice depuis lundi par un tribunal du pays qui les accuse de faire partie d'une organisation religieuse islamiste interdite, a déclaré à l'AFP un défenseur des droits de l'homme.

"Les trois hommes sont accusés d'avoir organisé un groupe religieux interdit représentant une menace pour la sécurité et l'ordre public", a déclaré ce militant, Abdourahmon Tachanov, un membre de l'ONG de défense des droits de l'Homme Ezgoulik.

Le gouvernement affirme que les journalistes arrêtés à l'automne 2008 et dont l'un est le rédacteur en chef de l'hebdomadaire Yetti Iklim, ont reçu des fonds du groupe islamiste Nurcular, basé en Turquie, a ajouté M. Tachanov, qui a pu consulter l'acte d'accusation.

Le bureau du procureur n'était pas joignable dans l'immédiat pour commentaire. Il avait auparavant démenti que des journalistes aient été arrêtés.

Cinq rédacteurs d'un autre magazine, Irmok, font l'objet de poursuites pour des motifs similaires, a-t-il dit.

Les huit accusés, âgés de 32 à 36 ans, ont tous fait leurs études dans des écoles turques qui ont été très nombreuses dans le pays au milieu des années 1990 lorsque les relations turco-ouzbèkes étaient bonnes.

Puis ces relations se sont dégradées, Tachkent accusant la Turquie d'offrir l'asile à des militants d'opposition ouzbeks.

Le gouvernement laïque d'Ouzbékistan affirme que le pays est menacé par des groupes islamistes fondamentalistes opérant depuis les pays voisins. (AFP, 16 fév 2009)

Socio-économique / Socio-economic

Report Reveals Deep Inequalities in Education

"At least 442 thousand 625 children in Turkey –4 out of a 100 in the relative age group are left outside the educational system" says Reform in Education Initiative (ERG) in a recent report.

Researchers from Galatasaray, Sabancı and Bahçeşehir universities analyze data regarding disparities in education and revealed deep inequalities concerning socio-economic status of the family as well as regional and gender-based dispositions.

Titled "Inequalities in Education: Policy Analysis and Recommendations", the report reveals that the rich spend as much as 21 times more on education than the poor.

Pupils from poor families prefer attending vocational schools and multi-programme lycees while children of richer families attend general high schools, which is more likely to continue to higher education.

According to the report, 15 percent of all children attending primary schools fail to receive a diploma. Seven out of ten pupils who fail to complete mandatory primary education are girls.

Only one out of two girls in rural areas of southeastern Turkey attend primary education. Girls in Istanbul are twice as likely to get education than those in the southeast.

Furthermore, the quality of the education is disputed. 32 percent of 15 year-olds can't understand what they read while 52 percent struggle to solve basic mathematical problems.

Researchers demand a stronger emphasis on achieving equality in education regarding national policy papers and strategies.

Increasing public resources for education and positive discrimination for the most impoverished regions are also important. The reports requests further efforts to narrow the quality gap between types of schools, generalizing pre-educational services. (BIA, February 25, 2009)

* To reach ERG and to read the full report (in Turkish), please click on: http://www.erg.sabanciuniv.edu

Turkish Airlines et le gouvernement critiqués après le crash d'un avion

La compagnie aérienne Turkish Airlines (THY) et le gouvernement turc faisaient l'objet jeudi de sévères critiques pour leur gestion de la crise après le crash la veille d'un avion près d'Amsterdam, qui a fait neuf morts.

La compagnie publique et le ministère des Transports ont principalement été critiqués pour avoir annoncé hâtivement que les 134 personnes à bord (127 passagers et sept membres d'équipages) avaient survécu à l'accident, alors que les secouristes néerlandais étaient encore en train d'examiner l'intérieur de l'appareil.

Le quotidien populaire Vatan a qualifié cette annonce prématuré de "scandale", tandis que le journal Aksam a déploré qu'on ballotte les parents des occupants de l'appareil "de la fête à la torture".

Le quotidien libéral Radikal a reproché à THY et au gouvernement une gestion "amateuriste" de la situation d'urgence, et accusé leurs cellules de crise d'avoir de fait provoqué une nouvelle "crise".

Le syndicat turc de travailleurs du ciel Hava-Is a pour sa part considéré que "la respectabilité de THY et de tout le secteur de l'aviation a été touchée".

THY, membre de Star Alliance, le plus grand réseau aérien mondial, a connu une croissance régulière ces dernières années. Le nombre de passagers transportés a augmenté de 89% entre 2003 et 2007, pour atteindre 19.646.000 personnes, selon la compagnie.

Sa flotte de 129 appareils dessert quelque 140 destinations.

Selon son site internet, THY est arrivée en tête en 2007 d'un classement de 27 entreprises de l'Association des compagnies aériennes européennes dans le domaine de la sécurité opérationnelle, définie en fonction de la ponctualité des vols et de l'absence de toute forme d'incident.

Le dernier accident mortel sur un vol de THY est survenu en 2003 à Diyarbakir (sud-est de la Turquie), faisant 74 morts.

Les enquêteurs à pied d'oeuvre au lendemain de l'accident d'un avion turc

Une quarantaine d'experts enquêtaient jeudi sur l'accident de l'avion turc qui s'est écrasé mercredi à Amsterdam en faisant 9 morts alors que l'appareil avait été victime, l'avant veille, d'une défaillance technique et immobilisé plusieurs heures.

Mais ce bilan aurait pu être beaucoup plus lourd car il y avait 134 personnes à bord.

Soixante-trois personnes, parmi les 127 passagers et sept membres d'équipage, étaient encore hospitalisées jeudi, dont six dans un état critique, a déclaré Theo Weterings, maire de la commune où est situé l'aéroport de Schiphol-Amsterdam, lors d'une conférence de presse.

Le Boeing 737-800 de la Turkish Airlines, qui avait décollé mercredi matin d'Istanbul avec 134 personnes à bord, s'est écrasé à 10H31 locales (09H31 GMT), dans un champ labouré, à trois kilomètres de l'aéroport de Schiphol-Amsterdam.

Selon Turkish Airlines (THY), l'appareil devait effectuer lundi un vol à destination de Madrid mais "a été retiré après un rapport du pilote faisant état d'une panne du voyant principal d'avertissement".

"La pièce défectueuse a été remplacée durant la même journée, permettant à l'avion de reprendre son activité", a affirmé THY : "après ce changement, l'avion a effectué huit décollages et atterrissages sans qu'aucun problème ne survienne".

En atterrissant, "l'avion a été fortement endommagé, c'est une véritable épave : que tant de gens aient réussi à en sortir seuls, ça surprend beaucoup, certains ont parlé de miracle", a déclaré à l'AFP Fred Sanders, un porte-parole du Bureau d'enquête pour la sécurité, chargé d'enquêter sur les lieux de catastrophe aux Pays-Bas.

Aucune hypothèse sur les causes de l'accident de l'avion, qui s'est cassé en trois morceaux, n'était privilégiée ni même avancée par les enquêteurs jeudi.

"Le fait qu'il n'ait pas pris feu a beaucoup aidé, c'est peut-être dû au fait qu'il a atterri dans un champ boueux plutôt que sur une route ou une piste d'atterrissage où des étincelles auraient augmenté le risque d'incendie", a expliqué le porte-parole.

Six personnes décédées et quatre des blessés les plus graves n'avaient pas encore été identifiés jeudi midi, a souligné M. Weterings. Trois Turcs, membres de l'équipage, sont morts et ont été identifiés.

A bord du Boeing 737-800 de l'appareil de la Turkish Airlines se trouvaient notamment 53 Néerlandais, 51 Turcs, sept Américains, trois Britanniques, un Allemand, un Bulgare, un Italien et un Taïwanais, selon M. Weterings. Les nationalités d'une quinzaine de personnes restent à établir formellement.

Les boîtes noires de l'appareil étaient analysées jeudi par le Bureau d'enquêtes et analyses (BEA) à Paris, rattaché au secrétariat d'Etat français aux Transports.

Leur exploitation devrait "permettre de reconstituer ce qui s'est passé, notamment et les derniers moment du vol", a indiqué à l'AFP Sandra Groenendal, une autre porte-parole du Bureau d'enquête pour la sécurité.

L'enquête sur place, qui a démarré dès mercredi soir, "devra établir s'il y a eu des erreurs qui auraient pu être évitées, si quelqu'un est responsable", a déclaré à l'AFP une porte-parole du parquet, Annemiek van Eck.

En Turquie, la compagnie aérienne Turkish Airlines (THY) et le gouvernement ont été sévèrement critiqués pour leur gestion de l'accident, principalement pour avoir annoncé hâtivement qu'il n'y avait aucun mort alors que les secouristes néerlandais étaient encore en train d'examiner l'intérieur de l'appareil. (AFP, 26 fév 2009)


Real Unemployment is 26 Percent, Future Bleak

New data published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) based on November 2008, estimates current unemployment at nearly 3 million (2 million 995 thousand), a rate of 12.3 percent.

Compared to the November of the previous year, 2007, this represented an increase in the number of unemployed people by 645,000 people.

During this year, 1 million 93 thousand people have been added to the labour force, but only 448,000 of them have found employment; the other 645,000 people have caused the increase in unemployment.

If one looks at how unemployment is distributed in the different sectors (agriculture, industry, services), 283,000 more people have been employed from November to November, while 43,000 people lost jobs in the industry. There was an increase of 258,000 jobs in the service sector in the same period.

This shows that last year, it was the industrial sector where employment decreased, and this is an important trend.

The figure below shows the number of people employed in the different sectors (in thousands) during the different months of that period, starting with November 2007 (Kas ’07). The agricultural sector is in blue, the industrial sector in purple, and the services sector in white.

The most important issue, however, is that among the 24.3 million people in the labour force, there are in fact more than the officially-quoted three million unemployed. They are hidden because they are not counted as part of the labour force, and this prevents us from seeing the real dimensions of current unemployment.

In order to calculate the real rate of unemployment, one would have to add all the people who have given up hope of finding work and are thus not actively seeking employment, those who work on a seasonal basis only, and those who are underemployed.

As a matter of fact, there has been a steep rise in this category of “hidden” unemployment. For instance, the number of people who have given up looking for work rose from 630,000 to 717,000 in one year. Those who said they would work if they found work made up 1 million 40,000 a year ago, but this number has risen to 1 million 251 thousand. There are 409,000 seasonal labourers. The number of people who are underemployed, that is who work provisionally, has risen from 600,000 to 855,000.

If one adds all of these unemployed people to the official numbers, then the real number of unemployed people is not 2 million 995 thousand, but 6 million 223,000. This means an unemployment rate not of 12.3 percent, but of 25.8 percent.

If one considers then that the real unemployment rate was 21.9 percent in November 2007, and 22 percent in November 2006, this shows that there has been a rapid increase.

In addition, one can say that the November 2008 data on unemployment has yet to reflect the economic decline which has become more rapid in the last three months.

It has already become apparent that the industrial sector (including construction) is losing rather than creating jobs. It is obvious that the increase in unemployment in industry will affect the services sector. As a result, the unemployment figures of the next months will be worrying. (BIA, Mustafa SONMEZ, February 16, 2009)

Thousands Shouted "We Won't Pay the Price of the Crisis"

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Kadıköy, Istanbul today in a protest to say “we won’t pay the price of the economic crisis”.

Three biggest trade union confederations, the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DISK), the Confederation of Turkish Workers’ Unions (TURK-IS) and the Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) had called for a meeting against unemployment and poverty, with a united struggle of labor and democracy.

Participants gathered in three different places and marched to Kadıköy Avenue. DISK chair Suleyman Celebi criticized the government’s policies faced with economic crisis, saying “people are forced to comply with an approach of charity”.

“The government refuses to hear the voice of thousands who gathered here today. We say no to dismissal of workers, condemning them to poverty and unemployment, using the crisis as an excuse. We say no to lowering salaries. We want democracy and peace.”

The government is indirectly encouraging unregistered economy, KESK chair Sami Evren said. He demanded policies aimed at improving living conditions of the poor and the unemployed.

Tension rose for a while, when members of the Turk Metal-Is union protested for their chair Mustafa Ozbek, who’s is held in prison on allegations related to the Ergenekon case. Contesting Birlesik Metal-Is members clashed with the protesters, known for their nationalist aptitude.

Number of socialist and leftist parties and groups supported the meeting, which gathered under heavy rain. (BIA, February 15, 2009)

Une femme turque sur trois victime de violences conjugales

Plus d'une femme sur trois en Turquie est victime de violences conjugales mais très peu d'entre elles rapportent les faits aux autorités, selon une enquête officielle publiée jeudi.

39% des femmes turques subissent des violences physiques de la part de leur époux ou de leur compagnon, révèle cette enquête réalisée pendant l'été 2008 auprès de 13.000 femmes âgées de 15 à 59 ans, à travers 51 provinces turques, par la Direction du statut de la femme (KSGM), un organisme officiel.

15% des femmes sont victimes d'abus sexuels, selon l'enquête publiée sur le site internet du KSGM.

Seulement 4% des femmes battues déposent une plainte à la police et 1% sont intégrées dans des foyers spéciaux.

La Turquie, un pays laïc dont la population est en grande majorité musulmane, a multiplié les réformes en faveur des femmes pour renforcer ses chances d'adhérer un jour à l'Union européenne.

Mais sur le terrain et dans les mentalités, il reste beaucoup à faire pour réduire les discriminations dont sont victimes les femmes, selon les organisations féministes. (AFP, 13 fév 2009)

La Russie veut développer sa coopération dans le nucléaire avec la Turquie

La Russie veut développer sa coopération avec la Turquie dans tous les domaines, notamment dans le nucléaire et l'énergie électrique, a déclaré vendredi le président russe, Dmitri Medvedev, lors d'une rencontre à Moscou avec son homologue turc, Abdullah Gül.

"Nous sommes intéressés par le développement des relations dans l'énergie électrique, le nucléaire et la coopération industrielle", ainsi que dans "le transport et le secteur agricole", a déclaré le chef de l'Etat russe au début des ses entretiens au Kremlin avec M. Gül.

Après leur rencontre, le ministre de l'Energie Sergueï Chmatko a indiqué que la Russie espérait construire en Turquie une centrale nucléaire.

"Nous nous attendons à ce que très bientôt notre proposition soit transmise au gouvernement de la Turquie par la commission des appels d'offre", a déclaré le ministre.

La centrale serait composée de quatre blocs dont chacun sera capable de produire 1.200 mégawatts. Selon M. Chmatko, ce projet représente un investissement de 18 à 20 milliards de dollars sur une dizaine d'années.

Le ministre russe a aussi indiqué que des négociations étaient en cours pour un contrat de livraisons d'électricité à la Turquie d'une valeur de 60 milliards de dollars sur quinze ans.

Les deux pays ont "des relations de partenariat avec une composante économique puissante et la croissance des échanges commerciaux en témoigne", a relevé le président turc.

La Russie est le principal partenaire commercial de la Turquie. Les échanges entre les deux pays ont atteint l'an passé 37,8 milliards de dollars (29,3 milliards d'euros). Moscou fournit notamment 63% du gaz consommé par les Turcs et 29% du pétrole.

"Nous espérons que cette dynamique se poursuivra malgré les problèmes dus à la crise" économique et financière mondiale, a souligné M. Medvedev.

"Nos pays sont des puissances de la région de la mer Noire", a-t-il observé en mettant l'accent sur "la nécessité d'efforts communs pour maintenir la paix et la sécurité dans la région de la mer Noire et dans le Caucase".

Pour sa part, M. Gül a dit espérer que "cette visite sera un tournant qui donnera une nouvelle qualité" aux relations bilatérales.

Le dirigeant turc devait rencontrer dans l'après-midi le Premier ministre russe, Vladimir Poutine.

Ankara cherche à renforcer sa diplomatie en ex-URSS et tout particulièrement dans le Caucase, qui se situe entre la Turquie et la Russie. (AFP, 13 fév 2009)

AKP is Preventing Gender Equality Committee

Following the efforts of women’s rights activists and women MPs, a Gender Equality Committee (literally a “Equality for Women and Men Committee”), which is to audit laws and their implementations and suggest laws, was to be formed.

However, when put before parliament for approval, MPs of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) forced a change of name into “Equality of Opportunity Committee.”

Aysun Sayın, general secretary of the Association for the Education and Support of Women Candidates (KA-DER) expressed her disappointment, saying that that latter name had been suggested again and again, and that it ignored the struggle of women for equality.

"Discrimination will be ignored"
She explained why they wanted the initial name: “Can we truthfully say that the gender equality which is written into and protected by laws is really implemented in real life? If the Committee is called ‘Equality of Opportunity’, then we will be hindered by legal regulations. The discrimination and rights violations that women experience will be ignored.”

Sayin added that equality of opportunities presupposed equality: “If people say ‘we are equal in law’ and the committee is called ‘equality of opportunity’, then we cannot demand women quotas or special precautions in employment.”

The committee had been approved by the Constitutional Committee until the day before yesterday (10 February). When a male AKP MP found out the name and objected, it was changed.

Pınar İlkkaracan, co-founder of the Women’s Human Rights – New Solutions Association, had previously interviewed MP Gaye Erbatur of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) for bianet.

She recalls that Erbatur had described the Gender Equality Committee as a potential turnign point for the women’s movement and added:

Changes without consultation unacceptable

“Last week all parties were in agreement. As women, we had congratulated them on such political determination. How can they suddenly, without asking us, change the name of the committee and the aim described in the first paragraph? Whose equality of opportunity are they talking about?”

İlkkaracan argued that equality of opportunity could at the most be a subheading of the Gender Equality Committee. She criticised Nimet Çubukçu, Minister of State responsible for women and the family, for her lack of interest in the matter.

Parties and women are protesting

İlkkaracan told bianet that the CHP and the Democratic Society Party (DTP) refused to vote for the Equal Opportunities Committee in protest on Tuesday (10 February).

KA-DER general secretary Sayın said that the women’s organisations had been caught by surprise by this sudden change but that they had started sending faxes of protest to the Ministry concerned with women’s issues. (BIA, Emine ÖZCAN, February 11, 2009)

Workers to Protest against Paying the Price of the Crisis

On Sunday, 15 February, trade unions have organised a protest march against unemployment and corruption. They are being supported by professional organisations, such as the Turkish Union of Chambers of Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), and socialist organisations such as the Revolutionary Socialist Workers’ Party (DSİP), the Platform for a Healthy and Safe Future for Everyone (HSGGP) and the Platform for Socialist Solidarity (SODAP).

"We will not pay the price"

Mehmet Soğancı, chair of the TMMOB, said, “The capitalist globalisation crisis is not our crisis.” Speaking for the TMMOB, he criticised the infamous words of Prime Minister Erdoğan, who had said that the crisis would pass Turkey by.

“All around the country we are going to raise our voices against dismissals from work, low pay rises, poverty, unemployment, price rises and anti-democratic practices. We will not let the anyone let us, the workers, the ones getting by on a wage, the poor, the oppressed, pay the price for the capitalist globalisation crisis.”

He called on workers to join the demonstration in Kadıköy, Istanbul on Sunday.

"An equal, free and fair world"

The Platform for Socialist Solidarity (SODAP) also called for participation: “We will shout out our determination for socialism for an equal, free and fair world, and we will announce our disregard for a system which cannot offer the people work, food and a peaceful life.”

The Revolutionary Socialist Workers’ Party (DSİP) announced that it would participate in the protests carrying anti-capitalist banners. They said they would protest against global warming as well as poverty and unemployment.

Trade Union Federations DİSK, KESK and Türk-İş have called on workers to meet in two different places in Kadıköy at 10 am on Sunday. At 11 am, the groups will march towards Kadıköy square, where there will be speeches at 1 pm. (BIA, Bawer CAKIR, February 11, 2009)

Gender Equality Commission in Parliament After 10 Years of Struggle

Establishment of a Gender Equality commission will be voted at the parliament. Pınar İlkkaracan of Women for Women's Rights-New Ways Association talks to Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Gaye Erbatur –one of the few women MP's struggling for rights- about the process.

Establishment of an equality commission in parliament is a result of ten years of struggle and a historic moment. The fist motion for the commission dates back several years, isn't it?

The process began in 1998. Oya arasli and Bilgen Keles introduced a motion for a Gender Equality Inquiry Commission. That commission worked for three months and revealed the inequalities in Turkey in a report, published by the Deractorate General on the Statue of Women (KSGM). I was in that report, a permanent parliamentary commission on gender equality was proposed. Only after ten years that proposal is realizing.

A harsh struggle was given in the parliament during those years.

Women's rights movement had voiced this demand on many occasions. For example, it was included in a shadow report presented to the UN Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 2005 and the Committee's recommendations to the government echoed this demand. But the issue has not made it to the parliaments agenda until today.  In the mean time, European Parliament's rapporteur on the statue of women in Turkey, Emine Bozkurt mentioned the demand in all her reports. Women MP's introduced several motions and lastly, following The Association for the Support and Education of Women Candidates' (Ka-Der) efforts to bring together all women MPs, Nimet Cubukcu and colleagues in AKP filed a motion last year. All in all, all parties except the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) worked to that end.

So how did it succeeded this time, after all those efforts?

On January 22nd, the new head negotiator in EU accession negations Egemen Bagis made a presentation regarding the National Programme. The part regarding women's rights was inadequate in that presentation.  There was no concrete plan involving sanctions. I addressed the group and told them that the chapter on social policies can be opened; the EU directives on gender equality are acquis communautaire for Turkey and they should be followed. What was said has been said for years and no concrete result have been achieved. I emphasized that we are encountering problems regarding jurisdiction and a commission with the power to oversee these problems would have the power to solve them, simultaneously coordinating suggestions to other commissions.

What reaction did you get?

EU Secretary General told that they also thought about this and they were enlightened by my speech. Bagıs conceded. He was persuaded. As a result, the motion came to the constituonal commission on January 28th. The draft wasn't all we wanted; so all women's groups came together and put up a draft. When the day came, there was an unseen solidarity among women MPs. It was incredible. Women MPs crowded the commission room. This was the result of the women's movement lobbying. There was political will, at last. (BIA, Pınar İLKKARACAN, February 9, 2009)

Another Dead In Tuzla Shipyards

Worker Selim Sevgili (30) dies in Dentas shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul, when the bunker doors of a ship he was working on closed on him. With this last incident, the number of workers who died in Tuzla shipyards rose to 119, 17 of them within the last year.

Shipyard workers' union Limter-Is is going to stage a protest, calling on authorities to take action to prevent more deaths.

Sevgili was called to work on Sunday even though he was on leave. Seriously hurt when the doors weighing tons closed on him, he lost his life while being commuted to hospital. Two other workers avoided the incident jumping inside the bunker, it was reported. The hydraulic doors may have closed accidentally by another man, it was alleged. Sevgili had worked for another firm and when he couldn't receive paychecks moved to this shipyard, the union told reporters.

"Sundays are off work in the shipyards but when called, he went to work afraid of being sacked" Sevgili's brother told Vatan daily. "We don't know even if he's social insurance or not."

Minister of Transpostation Binali Yıldırım reacted to questions about the incident. "In the days of economic crisis, there's no such thing as making Sunday's holidays. I'm working, you're working, we must all work," he said. (BIA, February 9, 2009)

Erdogan sème le doute sur un accord avec le FMI

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a semé le doute sur un accord avec le Fonds Monétaire International (FMI), très attendu par le secteur privé pour amortir l'impact de la crise mondiale, alors que les négociations avec l'organisation multilatérale avaient bien avancé.

"Un accord stand-by avec le FMI se base sur le bénéfice mutuel et nous ne signerons aucun document qui ne tienne pas compte des intérêts de la Turquie", a-t-il déclaré lundi à Istanbul, coeur économique du pays.

"Si nous ne parvenons à aucun accord, nous poursuivrons notre chemin avec nos propres ressources" sans aide du FMI, a-t-il dit.

Depuis des mois, Ankara négocie avec le Fonds un nouvel emprunt, qui devrait remplacer une ligne de crédit de 10 milliards de dollars (7,7 milliards d'euros), qui a expiré en mai 2008. Les spécialistes spéculent sur une enveloppe d'environ 20 mds de dollars (15,4 mds euros).

Une mission du FMI a terminé des entretiens en Turquie à la mi-janvier, en constatant des progrès mais aussi des divergences, notamment en matière de finances publiques à l'approche des élections municipales du 29 mars.

Une pause de dix jours dans les pourparlers annoncée par Ankara a été prolongée sine die.

Selon des experts, le gouvernement turc, irrité par les demandes du FMI de limiter drastiquement les dépenses avant le scrutin municipal que M. Erdogan souhaite remporter pour raffermir la position de son Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP), va sans doute traîner les pieds pour un nouvel accord ou ne pas en conclure du tout.

"Quand nous sommes arrivés au pouvoir (en novembre 2002, ndlr) le Trésor devait 23,5 mds de dollars (18,1 mds euros) au Fonds. Nous ne leur devons plus que 8 mds de dollars (6,1 mds euros), c'est tout", a souligné M. Erdogan, laissant entendre que son pays pouvait se passer d'un nouveau prêt.

Mais la Turquie est gagnée par la récession.

Après plusieurs années d'une croissance oscillant entre 5 et 10%, la Turquie a été rattrapée par la crise mondiale. Les économistes prévoient 500.000 chômeurs de plus en 2009 qui viendraient s'ajouter aux 2,6 millions actuels (10,9% de la population active).

La production industrielle a chuté de 17,6% au mois de décembre, soit le plus mauvais chiffre des sept dernières années, selon l'institut des statistiques TÜIK.

"Nous nous attendons à des chiffres encore plus exécrables pour le deuxième semestre de 2009. L'économie réelle va souffrir davantage avec plus de licenciements", indique Ahmet Nakkas, président de l'association des producteurs textile.

Tous les secteurs sont touchés. L'automobile, pilier de l'économie, est particulièrement affaibli, avec une chute de 45,4% des exportations en décembre sur un an. Des constructeurs comme Ford, Renault et Fiat ont tour à tour décrété du chômage technique.

Le gouvernement a mis des crédits à la disposition des petites et moyennes entreprises, très pénalisées, mais cela reste insuffisant, selon l'organisation patronale Tüsiad qui a exhorté M. Erdogan à s'appuyer sur le FMI.

"Il ne faut pas donner l'impression que l'on veut rompre le dialogue avec le FMI (...) Fermer les yeux aux attentes en période de crise ne servira qu'à approfondir la récession", a mis en garde un éditorialiste du journal Sabah. (AFP, 10 fév 2009)

Worrying “Record” in Agricultural Imports

Following the IMF/World Bank structural adjustment programme in 2007, and a drought brought about by global warming, the harvest yields of many products were lower. As a result, prices rose for consumers.

In 2008, the food crisis is still making itself felt. In addition, the economic crisis which originated in the  USA and is now affecting the whole world, has also affected agriculture. This year, too, farmers in southeastern Anatolia have faced a severe drought.

According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), many products yielded below-average harvests when compared with previous years. The harvest of red lentils dropped by 80 percent, of barley, soya beans and green lentils by 40 percent, of cotton and olives by 25 percent, of haricot beans by 20 percent, and of wheat, sunflower seeds and chickpeas by around 10 percent.

Because Turkey has such geographical and climatic variety, it is suitable for a great variety of agricultural products. However, as a result of mismanagement and a limit on exports, farmers have become disillusioned with the sector. Also, valuable foreign currency was spent on imports.

In the last five years, more than one million hectares of arable land have been abandoned, and around two million farmers have given up farming. The climate is still the greatest determining factor in agriculture;  when droughts decrease production, nothing is done.

While the value of agricultural exports was 3 billion 724 million dollars in 2007, imports amounted to 4 billion 640 million dollars; this means a foreign trade deficit of 916 million dollars.

TÜİK published foreign trade data for 2008 at the end of January. According to the institute, there was a 5.4 increase in agricultural exports from 2007, thus amounting to 3 billion 928 million dollars. However, at the same time, imports rose by 37.7 percent, amounting to 6 billion 392 million dollars.

Thus, the foreign trade deficit in agricultural products has risen by 169 percent from the previous year, now amounting to 2 billion 464 million dollars. This is a “record” in the 85-year history of the Turkish Republic.

According to TÜİK, the greatest rise in imports was in grains, animal fat and plant oils, fertilisers, oily seeds and fruit. In 2007, grains to the value of 973 million dollars were imported, compared to 2 billion 137 million dollars in 2008, an increase of 119.6 percent. Fat and oil imports rose from 796 million dollars to 1 billion 658 million dollars, and fertiliser imports from 997 million dollars to 1 billion 482 million dollars.

Turkey must increase its investments in irrigation; it must move from surface irrigation to trickle irrigation and production models that use less water. In order to increase the efficiency and quality of agriculture, farmers need to be supported with input and technology. Environmentally-friendly production methods must be encouraged. (BIA, Necdet ORAL, February 4, 2009)

Relations turco-européennes / Turkey-Europe Relations

EU Court Says Visa Not Necessary for Turkish Business

The European Court of Justice decreed yesterday (19 February) that citizens of Turkey who worked in businesses founded in Turkey did not need visa to enter EU member states if they were entering while carrying out a service.

The decree is based on Article 41 of an additional protocol signed by Turkey and the European Economic Community on 23 November 1970.

The court case had begun after two truck drivers, Mehmet Soysal and İbrahim Savatlı, had applied to the Berlin Federal Court in Germany for a cancellation of visa requirements. The European Court of Justice had been asked for a decision.

EU legal experts have said that the decision is based on basic principles of law and is written in clear language, which makes it unlikely that there will be appeals.

This decree does not mean, of course, that all citizens of Turkey are allowed to enter EU member states without a visa. Rather, it exempts business people or employees on business trips from having to apply for visa when travelling to the EU.

The decree may result in EU member states allowing Turkish citizens to apply for a “visa exemption” status. (BIA, Tolga KORKUT, February 19, 2009)

Les eurodéputés préoccupés par le manque de progrès de la part de Turquie

"Le ralentissement continu du processus de réforme en Turquie pour la troisième année consécutive" préoccupe la commission des affaires étrangères du PE. Elle demande au gouvernement turc de "démontrer sa volonté politique de poursuivre les réformes" pour lesquelles il s'est engagé en 2005.
 
La Turquie n'a ouvert à ce jour que 10 des 35 chapitres de négociation avec l'UE. En 2008, seuls quatre nouveaux chapitres ont été entamés, dont deux sous la présidence française de l'UE (liberté de circulation des capitaux, et société de l'information et médias). Un seul chapitre (science et recherche) a été conclu depuis l'ouverture des pourparlers en octobre 2005. Les membres de la commission des affaires étrangères ont adopté ce mercredi leur projet de résolution annuel du Parlement sur les progrès réalisés par la Turquie en 2008, rédigé par Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE-DE, NL).
 
Réformes démocratiques insuffisantes
 
Les députés regrettent que la liberté d'expression et la liberté de la presse ne soient toujours pas pleinement protégées en Turquie. Ils estiment également que la modification de l'article 301 du code pénal, telle qu'adoptée en avril 2008, n'est pas suffisante puisque des personnes continuent à être poursuivies pour avoir exprimé des opinions non violentes, dont Leyla Zana, lauréate du Prix Sakharov du Parlement européen en 1995.
 
Les demandes d’interdiction introduites en 2008 contre deux partis parlementaires, particulièrement contre le parti kurde DTP (Demokratik Toplum Partisi), inquiètent les députés  qui souhaitent que la législation sur les partis politiques soit modifiée.
 
Le texte invite aussi le gouvernement turc à reprendre ses travaux sur une nouvelle constitution laïque et à agir pour réduire le nombre de "crimes d'honneur" dont sont victimes les femmes.
 
Un règlement global de la question de Chypre nécessaire
 
Le texte souligne la nécessité de parvenir à un "règlement global" de la question de Chypre sur la base des résolutions du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU. Les députés soutiennent les négociations directes en cours entre les dirigeants des communautés chypriotes grecque et turque et invitent la Turquie à retirer ses troupes pour faciliter le climat de ces pourparlers.
 
Les députés déplorent que l'accord d'union douanière UE-Turquie et son protocole additionnel ne soient toujours pas pleinement appliqués par le gouvernement turc. Le non-respect des engagements de la Turquie d'ici décembre 2009 pourrait sérieusement affecter le processus de négociation, selon la résolution.
 
La non-reconnaissance de Chypre bloque l'ouverture de huit chapitres économiques. La Turquie refuse par ailleurs l'accès de ses ports et aéroports aux navires et avions chypriotes.
 
Trouver une solution durable à la question kurde
 
Pour les députés, Ankara doit s'engager pour une solution durable de la question kurde. Cette initiative devrait passer par une meilleure intégration économique et sociale des citoyens d'origine kurde, y compris leur offrir des possibilités réelles d'apprendre le kurde dans l'enseignement public et privé et de l'utiliser dans les émissions radiodiffusées, dans la vie quotidienne et dans l'accès aux services publics. Dans ce contexte, les députés se félicitent du lancement d'une chaîne télévisée en langue kurde le 1 janvier 2009.
 
Nabucco, "projet européen prioritaire"
 
Les parlementaires demandent l'ouverture de négociations sur le chapitre "énergie" depuis octobre 2007. Ils regrettent qu'aucun accord n'ait été obtenu en ce sens au Conseil.
 
Le chapitre sur les questions énergétiques fait l'objet de réserves de Chypre, qui mène actuellement des opérations de prospection de gaz et de pétrole au large de ses côtes. Les députés demandent à la Turquie d'apporter tout son soutien à ce "projet européen prioritaire".
 
Le projet Nabucco a repris de l'importance depuis la crise gazière entre l'Ukraine et la Russie, qui a mis en lumière l'extrême dépendance de l'UE à l'égard de Gazprom. Le gazoduc Nabucco permettrait d'approvisionner l'UE en gaz de la mer Caspienne transitant par la Turquie et en contournant la Russie.
 
Proche-Orient et Caucase
 
La commission se félicite des efforts de médiation déployés par la Turquie au Proche-Orient et dans le Caucase du Sud, notamment à la suite du conflit entre la Russie et la Géorgie. (EP Service de presse, 11 février 2009)

CHP leader Baykal complains his party is misunderstood in Europe

CHP leader Deniz Baykal (L) speaks during a media conference with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn at EU headquarters in Brussels on Monday. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal has met with heavy criticism in Brussels, where he arrived earlier this week to have a series of high-level meetings with senior European Union leaders.

Responding to the criticism directed at him, Baykal stressed that the CHP is a fervent supporter of Turkey's aspirations to join the EU and that the CHP is not responsible for the misperceptions surrounding the party, implying that Europeans have failed to understand the CHP's policies.

Baykal met with a number of Turkish journalists yesterday in Brussels, where he arrived on Monday to have talks with senior EU leaders including European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn and the leader of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. During his meeting with members of the press, Baykal faced a great deal of criticism regarding his party policies.

Baykal, however, claimed that his staunchly secular party was misunderstood, adding that the cause of the misunderstanding was not the party itself.

"The misperception about the CHP's opposition to Turkey's aspirations to join the 27-nation bloc may stem from a number of things, but certainly not from us," he said. Baykal's remarks sparked questions over whether the experienced politician implied that Europeans and European politicians have the wrong idea about the CHP.

Baykal stressed that his party strongly supported all efforts to make Turkey an EU member country, recalling that he conveyed the same message to Rehn during their talks on Monday. "It is the duty of the opposition party to support Turkey during EU negotiations. The negotiations should end in Turkey's full membership in the union," he said.

When reminded that the CHP has been strongly criticized for blocking Turkey's path toward democratization, Baykal said: "Any serious project that would help Turkey become a more democratic country would draw the CHP's support. ... We are determined not to fall behind any country in the field of human rights and freedoms. We are ready to bring European standards of democracy and human rights to Turkey. However, the CHP will not lend its support to any attempt to give these rights only to a certain group of people."

Another topic over which criticism was directed at the CHP and its leader was the stance the main opposition party has adopted toward the launch of Turkey's first 24-hour television channel broadcasting in Kurdish. Baykal criticized the new Kurdish channel, which started its broadcasting life in early January, with harsh remarks and claimed the move to introduce a channel that would broadcast only in Kurdish would go against the "basic understanding of the state."

When asked about his party's displeasure with the Kurdish channel, Baykal said the notions of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish nation are clearly defined in the Constitution.

"We are the Turkish nation. The fact that we are the Turkish nation is not an obstacle to having different ethnic groups within us. We have Arabs, Circassians, Georgians, Abkhazians and Kurds. All are friends and brothers," he said.

In response to a question about a trial for fraud involving the Deniz Feneri charitable organization, Baykal harshly criticized the Turkish government and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

In September, a German court convicted three Turkish men of funneling $26 million in charitable contributions raised by Deniz Feneri to conservative companies in Turkey. Some Turkish press organs claimed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was also involved in the case, which sparked a heated debate between the prime minister and the Doğan Media Group.

"As the CHP, we are closely monitoring the Deniz Feneri case. We have strong steps to take against corruption when we come to power. ... This case has dealt a serious blow to the conscience of our people," Baykal said. (todayszaman.com, Selçuk Gültasli,11 February 2009)

Première réaction officielle de l’UE aux propos de Vecdi Gonul

L’Union européenne a officiellement répondu à la déclaration faite par le Ministre de la Défense Vecdi Gonul en novembre dernier qualifiant ses remarques de « non utiles ».

Vecdi Gonul s’exprimant à Bruxelles le 10 novembre lors d’une cérémonie commémorant la mort d’Atatürk avait soutenu que l’expulsion des Grecs et des Arméniens avait contribué à la création de la Turquie moderne. Ces remarques ont mené à un tollé énorme en Turquie.

En réponse à une question écrite d’un membre du Parlement européen, le Commissaire européen à l’élargisssement Olli Rehn a réagit pour la première fois au nom de l’Union européenne.

Olli Rehn a déclaré que l’UE n’était pas d’accord avec les remarques faites par le ministre et a pointé que Vecdi Gonul avait été fortement critiqué dans la presse turque.

En réponse à une question du député européen grec Démocrate-Chrétien Margaritis Schinas, Olli Rehn a souligné que les déclarations du ministre avaient aussi suscité beaucoup de critique de la par du public turc.

Olli Rehn a aussi précisé que ce type de remarques ne facilitait pas la réconciliation quant aux événements douloureux de l’historoire.

« La position de la commission est que seul débat intelligent et ouvert au niveau de la société peut frayer la voie pour une réconciliation sur des événements douloureux et contreversé de l’histoire. De telles déclarations, comme annoncé par la presse, ne semblent pas à la commission être en particulier utiles dans ce contexte » a dit le commissaire.

Le député grec a prétendu que les remarques du ministre turc de la défense étaient des provocations et avaient heurté les sentiments de beaucoup de descendants européens de grecs et d’arméniens.

Se demandant pourquoi l’UE n’avait pas fait de protestation formelle, le député grec a déclaré : « étant donné que la Turquie est un candidat à l’adhésion à l’UE, quand la commission fera-t-elle une protestation officielle quant à ces déclarations provocatrices du ministre turc de la défense concernant la nécessité du génocide des grecs du Pont et des arméniens, en particulier dans l’optique que les millions de descendants européens des victimes peuvent seulement sentir blessé par cet affront à la mémoire historique de leurs ancêtres de famille ? ». (Stéphane/armenews, 4 février 2009)


Turquie-USA/ Turkey-USA

US Human Rights Report Criticises Restrictions on Freedom of Expression

The Human Rights Report 2008 on Turkey published by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor listed many threats to the freedom of expression and press freedom caused by Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Law.

"Efforts beyond governments"

The report on Turkey is part of a general human rights report covering all countries outside of the USA. On the occasion of its publication, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke of her nation’s commitment to promoting human rights, saying:

“We will make this a global effort that reaches beyond governments alone. I intend for us to work with nongovernmental organizations, businesses, religious leaders, schools and universities as well as individual citizens, all of whom can play a vital role in creating a world where human rights are accepted, respected, and protected.”

The report states that it is not possible to criticise the state and the government freely and without fear in public:

“The government limited freedom of expression through the use of constitutional restrictions and numerous laws, including articles of the penal code prohibiting insults to the government, the state, the ‘Turkish nation,’ or the institution and symbols of the republic. Limitations on freedom of expression applied to the Internet, and courts and an independent board ordered telecommunications providers to block access to Web sites on approximately 1,475 occasions.”

Many issues still taboo

Freedom of expression on many issues, so the report, is still restricted:

“Active debates on human rights and government policies continued, particularly on issues relating to the country's EU membership process, the role of the military, Islam, political Islam, the question of Turks of Kurdish and other ethnic or religious origins as "minorities," and the history of the Turkish-Armenian conflict at the end of the Ottoman Empire. However, persons who wrote or spoke out on such topics, particularly on the Armenian issue, risked prosecution.”

The report further discussed the murder of journalist Hrant Dink in January 2007 and the increase in pressure on books about the Kurdish issue. Details about the cases of many journalists, writers, politicians and others are given:

Writers Temel Demirer and Orhan Miroğlu, publisher Ragıp Zarakolu, translators Atilla Tuygan and Mehdi Tanrıkulu, singer Bülent Ersoy, university student Durmuş Şahin, pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) officials Hilmi Aydoğdu and Hüseyin Kalkan, journalists Lale Sarıibrahimoğlu, Ahmet Şık, Alper Görmüş, Cengiz Kapmaz, Sakine Aktan, Sebati Karakurt, Necdet Tatlıcan and Hasan Kılıç are all discussed in terms of freedom of expression court cases. (BIA, February 26, 2009)

Full text: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119109.htm

Obama appelle le président et le Premier ministre turcs

Le président américain Barack Obama a appelé lundi le président turc Abdullah Gül et le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, et a eu deux conversations "chaleureuses et productives", a indiqué la Maison Blanche dans un communiqué.

M. Obama et les dirigeants turcs ont discuté de l'Irak, de la nécessité de travailler ensemble pour obtenir la paix au Proche-Orient et de la révision de la stratégie américaine en Afghanistan et au Pakistan, selon le communiqué.

"Le président a souligné l'importance de l'alliance entre les Etats-Unis et la Turquie et a affirmé qu'il était impatient de travailler à la fois avec le président Gül et le Premier ministre Erdogan sur un vaste agenda d'intérêt stratégique mutuel", a indiqué la Maison Blanche.

"Le président a insisté sur son désir de renforcer les relations turco-américaines et de travailler ensemble efficacement au sein de l'Otan", a ajouté le communiqué.

L'appel de M. Obama à M. Gül intervient juste après une visite de celui-ci à Moscou, dans le but de resserrer les liens avec le Kremlin, malgré des rivalités historiques entre les deux pays. (AFP, 16 fév 2009)

Les USA qualifient de "terroriste" le parti kurde PJAK actif en Iran

Le Trésor américain a qualifié mercredi de "terroriste" le Parti pour une vie libre au Kurdistan (PJAK) et a annoncé le gel des avoirs de ce groupe rebelle kurde actif en Iran et en Irak, que Téhéran accusait par le passé d'être soutenu par Washington.

Cette mesure "expose au grand jour les liens entre les terroristes du PJAK et le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) et soutient les efforts de la Turquie pour protéger ses citoyens des attentats", a souligné Stuart Levey, secrétaire adjoint au Trésor chargé de la lutte contre le terrorisme.

Contrairement au PJAK, le PKK figure sur la liste des organisations terroristes étrangères dressée par le département d'Etat américain.

Le PJAK ne prône pas la création d'un Kurdistan indépendant mais affirme lutter pour mettre fin au régime théocratique en vigueur en Iran au profit d'une fédération démocratique dans laquelle les Kurdes se verraient offrir une certaine autonomie.

L'Iran accuse le PJAK d'être responsable de plusieurs attentats sur son sol et accusait encore récemment Washington de le soutenir, avec d'autres organisations d'ethnies non persanes présentes à ses frontières, notamment au Khouzistan, province occidentale du pays à majorité arabe.

Depuis quelques jours, les Etats-Unis ont envoyé des signaux diffus sur l'Iran, pays avec lequel Washington n'entretient plus de relations diplomatiques depuis 1980 et qu'ils accusent de chercher à se doter de la bombe atomique.

Pendant sa campagne électorale, le président américain Barack Obama avait affirmé être prêt à rencontrer son homologue iranien Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Il y a quelques jours, M. Obama a dit être prêt à "tendre la main" à l'Iran à condition que Téhéran "desserre le poing".

Mais mardi, après que Téhéran eut fait une démonstration de ses progrès en matière de fusées en plaçant un satellite sur orbite, la Maison Blanche a affirmé que les Etats-Unis utiliseraient "tous les éléments de (leur) puissance nationale" pour faire face aux différents défis posés par l'Iran.

Selon Jeffrey Boutwell, directeur pour les Etats-Unis du groupe Pugwash, une organisation internationale de chercheurs qui a obtenu le prix Nobel de la Paix en 1995, M. Obama a engagé il y a plusieurs mois des contacts très discrets avec l'Iran, par le biais d'experts comme l'ancien secrétaire à la Défense William Perry, qui figurait dans son équipe de campagne.

Sans donner plus de détails, un haut responsable gouvernemental américain ayant requis l'anonymat a qualifié ces informations d'"inexactes". (AFP, 4 fév 2009)

Relations régionales / Regional Relations

Riposte furieuse d'Ankara aux déclarations d'un général israélien

L'ambassadeur d'Israël a été convoqué samedi à Ankara pour se voir transmettre une note officielle de protestation contre des propos d'un haut responsable de l'armée israélienne, a annoncé le ministère turc des Affaires étrangères.

La Turquie réclame une "clarification urgente" au sujet de déclarations du général Avi Mizrahi, responsable du quartier général de l'armée israélienne, jugées "inacceptables" par Ankara car elles contiennent des "affirmations et des sottises visant notre Premier ministre et notre pays", selon un communiqué du ministère.

Des médias turcs avaient rapporté vendredi que le général Mizrahi, répondant aux critiques de hauts responsables turcs sur la dernière offensive israélienne contre Gaza, avait déclaré que le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan devrait "d'abord balayer devant sa porte", faisant allusion aux massacres d'Arméniens sous l'Empire ottoman et au problème des Kurdes en Turquie.

Selon le communiqué d'Ankara, l'armée turque juge les propos du général israélien "excessifs, fâcheux et inacceptables".

"Nous attendons de l'état-major israélien, dont nous voulons croire qu'il attache de l'importance aux relations avec les forces armées turques, une clarification à ce sujet", poursuit le texte.

Dans un communiqué publié samedi soir, l'armée israélienne a affirmé que les propos du général Mizrahi n'exprimaient pas la position officielle de l'armée.

"Faisant référence aux critiques de la Turquie (sur l'offensive israélienne dans la bande de Gaza), le général Mizrahi a tenu des propos pouvant être interprétés comme une critique du passé de la Turquie", affirme le communiqué.

"Le porte-parole de l'armée israélienne souhaite clarifier que cela n'est pas la position officielle de l'armée", précise le communiqué.

M. Erdogan a fustigé quasi-quotidiennement l'offensive menée par Israël en décembre et janvier contre la bande de Gaza, ce qui a créé des tensions dans les relations entre les deux pays liés depuis 1996 par un accord de coopération militaire.

Le 29 janvier, M. Erdogan avait laissé éclater sa colère au Forum économique mondial à Davos (Suisse) en quittant avec fracas un débat public sur le conflit de Gaza auquel assistait le président israélien Shimon Peres.

Selon les médias turcs, les propos du général Mizrahi faisaient allusion à cet incident. (AFP, 14 fév 2009)

L'Egypte et la Turquie appellent à une réconciliation inter-palestinienne

Les présidents égyptien et turc ont appelé mercredi à une réconciliation inter-palestinienne, essentielle pour une trêve durable à Gaza après l'offensive israélienne.

"L'offensive israélienne n'aurait pas eu lieu s'il n'y avait pas de divisions et de divergences parmi les Palestiniens", a déclaré le président égyptien Hosni Moubarak au cours d'une conférence de presse à l'issue de ses entretiens avec son homologue turc Abdullah Gul.

"J'ai souligné auprès de M. Gul l'importance que nous attachons à une réconciliation inter-palestinienne car l'intérêt du peuple palestinien est avant tout une réconcilation entre les (différents) groupes", a déclaré le président.

L'Egypte avait déjà parrainé le cessez-le-feu qui a duré de juin à décembre 2008, avant que la guerre n'éclate dans la bande de Gaza. Depuis la fin de l'opération israélienne qui a duré 22 jours et s'est achevée le 18 janvier, Le Caire multiplie les contacts avec les émissaires d'Israël et du Hamas pour tenter d'obtenir un arrêt durable des hostilités.

Les Egyptiens ont également appelé le Hamas et le Fatah, mouvement du président palestinien Mahmoud Abbas, à se réconcilier et à former un gouvernement qui puisse être accepté par la communauté internationale.

Mais les deux mouvements sont profondément divisés depuis que le Hamas a pris le contrôle de la bande de Gaza en 2007. Cette rupture s'est encore aggravée depuis l'offensive israélienne de décembre qui a fait plus de 1.300 morts.

Le Hamas a aussi appelé à une restructuration de l'OLP, reconnue par la communauté internationale comme le représentant légitime des Palestiniens depuis 1974, intégrant le Hamas et le Jihad islamique.

Le président Moubarak s'est prononcé en faveur du maintien de l'OLP, dans laquelle le Fatah est le groupe le plus puissant.

Pour sa part, M. Gul a déclaré que la Turquie souhaitait continuer à soutenir les efforts de l'Egypte en vue d'établir une paix durable à Gaza et
de réconcilier les Palestiniens.

"Il est vital d'avoir une unité parmi les Palestiniens et les Arabes" alors qu'un nouveau gouvernement va accéder au pouvoir en Israël et qu'il y a une nouvelle administration américaine, a-t-il dit. (AFP, 11 fév 2009)

Israël n'a pas d'autre choix que d'accepter le plan de paix arabe (Abbas)

Un plan de paix arabe qui date de 2002 constitue "le seul choix" d'Israël pour assurer un règlement du conflit Israëlo-Palestinien, a affirmé samedi le président palestinien Mahmoud Abbas à l'occasion d'une visite de travail à Ankara, a rapporté l'agence Anatolie.

"Israël n'a pas d'autre choix que d'accepter le plan de paix arabe (...) Ce plan constitue toujours le meilleur fondement pour l'établissement d'une paix juste", a-t-il dit lors d'un entretien avec le président du Parlement turc Köksal Toptan.

Le plan de paix arabe, d'inspiration saoudienne, a été présenté lors du sommet arabe de Beyrouth (2002) puis relancé en mars 2007 lors d'un sommet à Ryad.

Il prévoit une normalisation des relations entre les pays arabes et Israël en échange du retrait israélien des territoires arabes occupés depuis juin 1967, la création d'un Etat palestinien avec Jérusalem-est pour capitale et un règlement "équitable et agréé" de la question des réfugiés palestiniens.

Israël a relevé des "aspects positifs" dans cette initiative mais ne l'a pas formellement acceptée, principalement en raison de la mention faite au droit au retour des réfugiés palestiniens.

"La Turquie soutient ce plan", a indiqué M. Abbas.

Plus tard, lors d'une conférence de presse commune avec le chef de l'Etat turc Abdullah Gül retransmise par les chaînes de télévision, le chef de l'Autorité palestinienne a souhaité l'établissement d'un "gouvernement d'unité ou de réconciliation" en Palestine qui "ne donnera pas de prétexte à Israël pour maintenir" son blocus de la bande de Gaza, contrôlée depuis juin 1997 par le mouvement islamiste Hamas et visé récemment par une vaste offensive de l'armée israélienne.

Le président palestinien a par ailleurs rejeté l'appel d'un dirigeant du Hamas en faveur d'une nouvelle représentation du peuple palestinien, estimant que l'Organisation de libération de la Palestine (OLP), la "maison des Palestiniens", ne pouvait être réformée, si nécessaire, que par les mouvements qui la reconnaissaient.

Le dirigeant palestinien faisait allusion à un appel lancé par le chef du bureau politique du Hamas Khaled Mechaal, en exil à Damas, en faveur d'une nouvelle structure représentant "le peuple palestinien à l'intérieur et dans la diaspora".

L'OLP, dirigée par Mahmoud Abbas, qui est également le chef du Fatah, regroupe les principaux mouvements nationalistes palestiniens, excepté cependant le Hamas, et chapeaute l'Autorité palestinienne.

"Toute organisation qui souhaite participer à l'OLP doit au préalable en accepter les statuts. Une fois à l'OLP, un mouvement peut toujours réformer de fond en comble l'OLP si il possède la majorité", a indiqué M. Abbas.

M. Gül a pour sa part lancé un appel à la réconciliation entre le Hamas et le Fatah, estimant qu'il s'agissait d'une condition sine qua non pour la création, à terme, d'un Etat palestinien. (AFP, 7 fév 2009)

Enquête turque sur d'éventuels crimes israéliens contre l'humanité

Un procureur turc enquête pour déterminer si Israël a commis un génocide et des crimes contre l'humanité lors de son offensive menée pendant 22 jours à partir de fin décembre à Gaza, a-t-on appris de sources judiciaires vendredi.

L'enquête porte sur une plainte déposée par l'organisation de défense des droits de l'homme Mazlum-Der, proche des islamistes. Mazlum-Der réclame le jugement du président israélien Shimon Pérès, du Premier ministre Ehud Olmert et de la chef de la diplomatie Tzipi Livni pour génocide et crimes contre l'humanité. Parmi les personnes visées par la plainte, figurent aussi le ministre de la Défense Ehud Barak et le chef d'état-major de l'armée Gabi Ashkenazi.

"Toute plainte mérite une enquête", a précisé un porte-parole du bureau du procureur. La législation turque oblige les procureurs à examiner chaque plainte qui leur est soumise avant de décider ou non une enquête approfondie pouvant déboucher sur une mise en accusation formelle.

Si le procureur décide qu'il ne faut pas de procès, la plainte sera classée sans suites.

Dans sa plainte, Mazlum-Der accuse Israël d'avoir mené "des attaques directes contre des civils dans le but de les éliminer" en employant des armes interdites au plan international. "Les suspects ont commis un génocide et des crimes contre l'humanité", affirme l'organisation dans sa plainte.

Mazlum-Der demande que les dirigeants israéliens soient arrêtés s'ils entraient en Turquie.

La législation turque autorise le jugement de personnes accusées de génocide ou crimes contre l'humanité même lorsqu'ils ont été commis à l'étranger.

L'offensive militaire menée pendant 22 jours le mois dernier par Israël contre le mouvement islamiste Hamas qui contrôle la bande de Gaza a causé la mort de plus de 1.300 Palestiniens. Treize Israéliens ont été tués dans cette opération déclenchée avec l'objectif annoncé de stopper les tirs de roquettes palestiniennes sur le sud d'Israël.

Le gouvernement de la Turquie, qui est l'un des rares pays musulmans alliés d'Israël, a critiqué avec force l'offensive israélienne à Gaza. (AFP, 6 fév 2009)

La Turquie veut "préserver ses liens" avec Israël après le clash sur Gaza

La Turquie a déclaré lundi qu'elle voulait préserver ses liens avec Israël et tirer un trait sur le coup de colère du Premier ministre turc Tayyip Erdogan à propos de Gaza lors d'un débat à Davos (Suisse).

"Nous accordons une importance spéciale à nos liens bilatéraux avec Israël et nous voulons préserver nos liens avec ce pays", a déclaré le vice-premier ministre Cemil Cicek à la presse à l'issue d'une réunion de cabinet.

"Maintenant, c'est vers l'avenir que nous regardons. La Turquie ne veut s'en prendre ni à Israël ni aux Israéliens", a-t-il dit.

La Turquie, pays musulman mais Etat laïque, est le principal allié régional d'Israël. Tous deux ont noué des liens économiques étroits depuis la signature d'un accord de coopération militaire en 1996.

M. Erdogan a cependant fustigé quasi quotidiennement l'offensive menée par Israël à Gaza en décembre et janvier, au point d'être accusé par une partie de la presse turque d'être en faveur du mouvement islamiste Hamas qui contrôle ce territoire. Plus de 1.300 Palestiniens sont morts dans cette offensive. (AFP, 2 fév 2009)

Tzipi Livni appelle la Turquie à "respecter" Israël

La ministre israélienne des Affaires étrangères Tzipi Livni a appelé dimanche Recep Tayyip Erdogan à "respecter" Israël après l'accrochage verbal du Premier ministre turc avec le président israélien Shimon Peres, à Davos en Suisse, sur le conflit de Gaza.

"Nous entretenons avec la Turquie des relations stratégiques importantes, c'est pourquoi j'attend de la Turquie qu'elle fasse preuve de respect vis-à-vis d'Israël malgré les manifestations de rue (en Turquie) et les images très dures diffusées sur Gaza", a affirmé Mme Livni à la radio publique.

"Il est possible de tout réparer, il faut se parler, mettre les choses sur la table, tenir compte de nos intérêts communs, mais aussi de nos divergences", a poursuivi la ministre israélienne.
 Elle a également souligné qu'il fallait "comprendre que le Hamas ainsi que l'Iran constituent un problème pour tous les pays de la région".

Mme Livni a déploré que la Turquie se soit "positionnée autrement" et qu'elle ait été notamment "le premier pays a accepter de recevoir" une délégation du Hamas peu après la victoire du mouvement islamiste en janvier 2006 face au Fatah du président Mahmoud Abbas. (AFP 1 fév 2009)

Le président turc exhorte le Hamas à participer au processus de paix

Le président turc Abdullah Gül a exhorté le mouvement islamiste palestinien Hamas à s'impliquer dans le processus de paix au Proche-Orient, dans une interview à paraître lundi dans la presse saoudienne, à la veille d'une visite à Ryad.

"Il faut mettre fin aux dissensions interpalestiniennes. Le Hamas doit faire partie du processus de paix dans la région et changer d'attitude à l'égard de ce processus", dit M. Gül dans le quotidien Al-Medina.

Il se réfère au bras de fer entre l'Autorité palestinienne de Mahmoud Abbas et le Hamas, qui dirige la bande de Gaza depuis un coup de force contre les forces de M. Abbas en juin 2007. Le Hamas refuse également reconnaître Israël et de respecter les accords passés entre l'Autorité palestinienne et l'Etat hébreu.

"L'unité palestinienne est importante et nous sommes convaincus que la question palestinienne pâtit des dissensions" entre les factions palestiniennes, ajoute le président turc. (AFP 1 fév 2009)

Damas salue le geste "admirable" d'Erdogan face à Peres à Davos

Damas a salué dimanche l'attitude "admirable et courageuse" du Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, qui a quitté jeudi un débat sur le conflit à Gaza après un accrochage verbal avec le président israélien Shimon Peres à Davos (Suisse).

"Vous avez adopté une position admirable et courageuse en répondant à ceux qui ont tenté de falsifier les faits", a estimé le Front national progressiste (FNP, coalition de partis au pouvoir dirigée par le Baas) dans un message adressé à M. Erdogan et publié par l'agence Sana.

Le FNP a également rendu hommage au Premier ministre turc pour "s'être dressé contre ceux qui soutiennent le terrorisme israélien et avoir exprimé (votre) solidarité avec les cris de colère qui ont envahi le monde face aux assassinats, aux destructions israéliennes à l'encontre du peuple palestinien déterminé à récupérer sa terre occupée et ses droits spoliés".

La Syrie et Israël, qui sont officiellement toujours en état de belligérance depuis le premier conflit israélo-arabe de 1948, ont entamé en mai une série de pourparlers indirects par l'entremise de la Turquie.

Mais le président syrien Bachar al-Assad et M. Erdogan avaient estimé fin décembre, quelques jours après le début de l'offensive israélienne sur Gaza que celle-ci avait "détruit les efforts de paix" au Proche-Orient.

Lors d'un entretien à Damas, ils avaient affirmé qu'il était "impossible de parler de paix à l'ombre de l'obstination israélienne" à poursuivre les raids contre Gaza, selon Sana. (AFP 1 fév 2009)

Première rencontre entre Tayyip Erdogan et Serge Sarkissian à Davos

Le président arménien Serge Sarkissian et le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, dont les pays cherchent à mettre fin à des décennies de relations tendues, se sont rencontrés pour la première fois jeudi à Davos, a annoncé vendredi la présidence arménienne.

La réunion, qui a eu lieu en marge du Forum économique mondial de Davos, a été « "positive", a ajouté Erevan dans un communiqué.

« Le président Sarkissian et le Premier ministre Erdogan ont jugé positive leur première rencontre et ont chargé les ministres des Affaires étrangères des deux pays de promouvoir des efforts supplémentaires pour normaliser les relations » entre les deux pays, a encore souligné la présidence.

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a déclaré pour sa part jeudi que les parties turque et arménienne devaient accomplir des pas courageux pour le développement des relations bilatérales.

« Il serait dommage que les pas accomplis dans les relations soient sacrifiés pour les intérêts de la diaspora arménienne » a-t-il déclaré en s’exprimant lors d’un panel réunissant à Davos le président azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliyev, le chef de la diplomatie iranienne Manouchehr Mottaki et le ministre arménien des Affaires étrangères Edouard Nalbantian.

« L’objectif de la Turquie est de contribuer à la paix dans sa région » a-t-il ajouté. « Pour ce faire, nous avons élaboré le projet de Coopération dans le Caucase pour la résolution des problèmes dans la région » a-t-il encore ajouté.

« La diaspora arménienne travaille sans arrêt et pour cette raison, pour ne pas sacrifier les pas positifs accomplis (entre Ankara et Erevan), nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour une amélioration des relations » a-t-il indiqué.

Le président turc Abdullah Gul avait accepté en septembre 2008 l’invitation du président Serge Sarkisian de venir suivre le match de football Turquie-Arménie à Erevan. Cette visite qualifiée d’ « historique » d’un président turc dans la capitale arménienne avait permis la reprise du dialogue entre les deux pays.

L’Arménie et la Turquie sont « proches » de l’établissement de relations diplomatiques et de l’ouverture de leurs frontières, avait déclaré le 21 janvier le chef de la diplomatie arménienne Edouard Nalbandian.

Il avait toutefois précisé qu’Erevan ne renoncerait pas au « processus en vue d’obtenir la reconnaissance internationale du génocide » des Arméniens. (Stéphane/armenews, 1er février 2009)

Chypre et la Grèce / Cyprus and Greece

L'UE presse Ankara de soutenir le processus de réunification de Chypre

Le commissaire européen à l'élargissement, Olli Rehn, a pressé vendredi la Turquie de soutenir le processus de réunification de Chypre, divisée depuis 1974, lors d'une visite à Nicosie.

"Nous disons à la Turquie qu'elle devrait encourager un soutien politique pour créer un climat favorable, ce qui compte c'est que la Turquie soutienne le processus dans le cadre accepté par les deux dirigeants" des communautés grecque et turque de l'île méditerranéenne, a-t-il affirmé lors d'une conférence de presse.

"Il est en effet important que la Turquie contribue à créer une ambiance politique favorable pour faciliter un règlement global sur Chypre", a-t-il dit, après avoir rencontré le président chypriote, Demetris Christofias, et le dirigeant chypriote-turc Mehmet Ali Talat.

La question de la réunification de Chypre, membre de l'UE depuis 2004, est un sérieux obstacle à la candidature européenne d'Ankara.

Le président Christofias a affirmé la semaine dernière que la Turquie n'entrerait pas dans l'Union européenne tant qu'elle maintiendrait des troupes sur l'île.

Il a aussi rendu Ankara responsable de l'absence de réels progrès dans les négociations relancées en septembre 2008 après un gel de quatre ans.

Chypre est divisée depuis l'invasion du tiers nord de l'île par l'armée turque en 1974, en réponse à un coup d'Etat de Chypriotes-grecs, fomenté par la junte militaire au pouvoir alors à Athènes, souhaitant le rattachement à la Grèce.

La République turque de Chypre-nord (KKTC), autoproclamée en 1983, n'est reconnue que par Ankara qui stationne encore près de 40.000 soldats sur l'île, selon Nicosie.

M. Rehn a qualifié de "chance unique à ne pas rater" les négociations actuelles, qui ont enregistré peu de progrès sur les questions importantes.

De son côté, la commission des Affaires étrangères du Parlement européen a averti mercredi Ankara que son refus d'ouvrir ses ports aux navires chypriotes pourraient nuire à sa candidature à l'UE.

En décembre 2006, l'UE avait gelé 8 des 35 chapitres de la candidature turque en raison du refus d'Ankara d'ouvrir ses ports et aéroports aux navires et avions de la République de Chypre, qu'elle ne reconnaît pas. (AFP, 13 fév 2009)

Declaration on Turkish actor's confession of war crimes in Cyprus

The murder of prisoners of war and of civilians captured during wartime, constitutes one of the most severe violations of international law. The Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions state clearly that such acts fall far below the standards of international legality and render the actors responsible liable in the eyes of the international community. It is in this same spirit, that article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights declares the taking of life a flagrant violation.

The recent confession of the Turkish actor, Attila Olgac, for the murder of 10 Greek Cypriot captives during the Turkish invasion in Cyprus, in the summer of 1974, unmasks once more the crimes committed by Turkey; and renders the opening of its archives for the investigation of the fate of all the missing persons an inescapable responsibility.

The international community, of which the European Union is a significant actor, must put all possible pressure on Turkey, to comply with international law, the related decisions of the Strasbourg Court (namely the judgment on the fourth interstate case of Cyprus against Turkey of 2001, and cases brought by individuals such as the Varnava vs. Turkey) as well as all relevant UN Resolutions.

However, for the wounds to be cured, our country must be allowed to breathe the air of peace. Turkey must withdraw its army from Cyprus and that the human rights of our people, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, must be fully recovered. It is for that day, that the two leaders are currently having negotiations, and it is towards this direction that the international community must pressurize Turkey. (GUE/NGL Press - Gianfranco Battistini, January 2, 2009)
 

Immigration / Migration

Un Loup Gris assassin vivant en Belgique bénéficie de la prescription
 
Il était prétendument recherché par la justice turque pour complicité dans le meurtre il y a trente ans d’Abdi Ipekçi, rédacteur en chef libéral progressiste du quotidien turc Milliyet.
 
Le célèbre maffieux Yalçin Özbey membre du mouvement fasciste turc des Loups Gris résidant en Belgique de longue date, vient de bénéficier de l’impunité dans le meurtre d’Ipekçi conformément à l’article 104/2 du Code pénal turc qui fixe la prescription maximale à 30 ans[1].
 
Seul Mehmet Ali Agca, celui qui tirera plus tard sur le Pape Jean-Paul II, fut à l’époque arrêté et condamné dans l’affaire de l’assassinat du journaliste. Özbey, quant à lui, échappera à toute poursuite. Grâce à ses liens privilégiés avec les services secrets turcs et américains, le 23 novembre 1979, il parviendra même à organiser l’évasion de son comparse Agca, d’une prison militaire d’Istanbul.
 
Né en 1955 à Malatya, Yalçin Özbey, est devenu dans les années 1970 une figure de proue du mouvement fasciste, semant la terreur contre les forces de gauche[2].
 
Avec les maffieux assassins Abdullah Catli, Oral Celik et Mehmet Ali Agca, il fait partie du Gladio turc, une organisation terroriste d’extrême drtoite créée par l’OTAN pour lutter contre le communisme.
 
Après l’arrivée au pouvoir de la junte du général Evren en 1980 qui poursuivit le plan d’éradication de la gauche des Loups Gris, Yalçin Özbey et ses sbires ont été chargés par leur mouvement fasciste de commettre des assassinats  à l’étranger. Ils avaient dans leurs poches, des passeports diplomatiques délivrés par le régime militaire turc.
 
En 1981, Özbey participa à l’attentat contre le Pape Jean-Paul II et ce, de l’aveu même de son compagnon d’arme, le tireur, Mehmet Ali Agca.
 
En 1983, Özbey refait surface à Bochum en Allemagne à la tête d’une association de Loups Gris. Le 16 octobre 1983, il est arrêté dans ce local. La police allemande découvre en sa possession deux faux passeports, un cachet de l'ambassade de Turquie, des cachets appartenant à plusieurs institutions turques et un revolver Unic 7,65 mm .
 
Özbey négocie sa libération en échange de sa collaboration avec les services secrets allemands. Ces derniers lui proposent de contacter ses complices inculpés dans le procès de Rome pour qu’ils imputent l’attentat contre le Pape aux services secrets bulgares[3].
 
On connaît les conséquences de cette intox dans le procès de Rome.
 
Il est libéré trois mois plus tard sans être inquiété par la demande d’extradition turque.
 
Dix ans plus tard, il est à nouveau arrêté en Allemagne avec en sa possession 1,5 kg d’héroïne. Condamné à quatre ans de prison pour trafic de drogue, il échappe une fois de plus à toute procédure d’extradition vers la Turquie. Et pour cause : il contacte l'ambassade turque pour lui proposer ses services en échange d’une cessation de poursuites en Turquie et d'une nouvelle identité. Naim Aydin, responsable de la liaison avec la Sûreté turque de l'ambassade lui rend visite.[4] On imagine la suite.
 
Par ailleurs, deux agents des services secrets turcs (MIT) l’interrogent sur sa participation à l’assassinat du journaliste Ipekçi durant sa détention en Allemagne. En 1999, lorsque les juges de la 4e Cour d’assises d’Istanbul demandent les enregistrements de cet interrogatoire, la Sûreté turque rétorqua que ceux-ci ont été détruits. Mais à l’issue de ce procès intenté contre Oral Celik, ces enregistrements refont curieusement surface.
 
Dès sa sortie de prison en 1997, Özbey s’installe en Belgique.
Les autorités turques demandent son extradition à la Belgique en 1997 et 1999, demandes refusées au motif qu’à l’époque, la législation turque prévoyait la peine de mort.
 
En mars 2006, le malfrat récidive : il est arrêté à Schaerbeek dans un night shop pour « recel d'objets volés ». En fait, Özbey est accusé d’avoir entreposé des marchandises « tombées du camion » dans l’un de ses hangars.[5]
 
C’est l’époque où la soustraction à la justice belge de la militante du DHKP-C (Parti-Front révolutionnaire de libération du peuple, marxiste) Fehriye Erdal souleva une tempête d’indignation et de protestations dans les chancelleries.
 
La remise en liberté du fasciste Yalçin Özbey par un juge d’instruction bruxellois, un mois à peine après son arrestation, n’a en revanche suscité aucun émoi, ni à Bruxelles, ni à Ankara.

Une série de questions s’imposent au lecteur averti devant un tel double standard avec :
 
-         d’un côté, une Fehriye Erdal qui vient d’avoir 32 ans et qui a passé près de la moitié de sa vie à fuir des nervis sans scrupules comme Özbey et de l’autre, un Yalçin Özbey qui tuait des opposants politiques sous la protection de forces occultes à une époque où Fehriye n’était encore qu’un bébé.
 
-         d’un côté, une Fehriye Erdal qui est menacée d’extradition vers un Etat impitoyable à l’égard des militants de gauche et de l’autre, un Yalçin Özbey qui bénéficie d’une mansuétude consternante tant de la part des autorités belges que turques.
 
-         d’un côté, une Fehriye Erdal qui est en attente de son quatrième procès dans le cadre de l’affaire de Knokke et qui va être jugée en Belgique pour sa participation présumée à un attentat commis à Istanbul contre l’élite financière turque et de l’autre, un Yalçin Özbey, impuni sur toute la ligne dans d’innombrables affaires de meurtres et de tentatives de meurtre visant l’élite intellectuelle turque et de petites gens qui rêvaient d’une Turquie meilleure.
 
Cherchez l’erreur.
 
Cherchez l’erreur avant que d’autres assassins, comme Muhammed Nuh Kiliç, condamné en Turquie pour sa participation à l’incendie de l’hôtel de Sivas en juillet 1993 dans lequel périrent 37 intellectuels mais vivant actuellement en Allemagne en toute impunité[6], ne bénéficient eux aussi de l’imprescriptible.
 
Cherchez l’erreur avant que le couperet de la justice des puissants ne tombe une nouvelle fois sur d’honnêtes militants qui, comme Fehriye Erdal, sont persécutés, stigmatisés et saignés à blanc à chaque instant de leur existence.
 
Bahar Kimyongür
Le 28 février 2009

[1] Source : presse turque, 27 février 2009
[2] Yalçin Özbey participe à une tentative d’assassinat d’Ahmet Kaçmaz, secrétaire général du Parti ouvrier socialiste de Turquie (TSIP) et de Mihri Belli, figure éminente du socialisme turc.
[3] Jean-Marie Stoerkel, Les Loups de Saint-Pierre, Ed. Plon, Paris, 1996
[4] Rapport de Fikri Saglar, membre de la commission parlementaire Susurluk, cité par Enis Berberoglu, dans Hürriyet, 3 octobre 1997
[5] Philippe Boudart, « A-t-il tué un journaliste », La Dernière Heure , 8 avril 2006
[6] En tant que « rôtisseur  d’innocents », il a poussé le vice jusqu’à gérer une rôtisserie (salon kebab) à Mannheim



Malgré le jugement de la justice belge, Emir Kir deviendra-t-il le Bourgmestre de Saint-Josse?

Selon les dépêches des médias néerlandophones et turcs, le secrétaire d'Etat au gouvernement bruxellois Emir Kir (PS) serait nommé Bourgmestre de Saint-Josse par succession à l'actuel Bourgmestre M. Jean Demannez (PS) devenant gouverneur de Bruxelles.

L'information est accueillie par les médias turcs avec grand enthousiasme, en considérant une telle nomination comme une nouvelle conquête politique du lobby turc en Belgique.

Nous reproduisons ci-dessous quelques informations concernant un jugement rendu par la justice belge en date du 14 novembre 2005 contre M. Emir Kir.

Question: Le parti socialiste (PS) et ses partenaires pourront-ils placer M. Emir Kir à la tête de la commune de Saint-Josse sans attendre la décision finale de la justice sur cette affaire?

La justice belge a tranché: "Emir Kir est bien un négationniste"

Le Tribunal de Première Instance de Bruxelles, le 14 novembre 2005, a débouté le secrétaire d'Etat bruxellois Emir Kir (PS) et son avocat Marc Uyttendaele dans le procès en diffamation que le mandataire socialiste avait intenté contre les animateurs de Suffrage Universel (Mehmet Koksal et Pierre-Yves Lambert).

Les médias belges font un grand écho à la décision de la Justice belge à l'égard du secrétaire d'Etat Emir Kir et annoncent que l'opposition MR demande sa mise en congé en attendant la décision de la cour à laquelle l'avocat de Kir vient d'interjeter appel.

Le Soir: Le ministre PS est bien négationniste

"Négationniste », « menteur » et « délinquant », le secrétaire d'Etat bruxellois Emir Kir ? Le tribunal civil de Bruxelles estime que les responsables du site « suffrage.universel.be » n'ont pas été trop loin en qualifiant ainsi l'élu PS. Jugement sévère, mais conforme au réquisitoire.

M. Kir avait assigné les responsables du site voici un an. La plainte se retourne spectaculairement contre lui... Les trois juges exposent, dans un jugement de 13 pages, en quoi les auteurs poursuivis avaient le droit, mais presque même le devoir de le qualifier de « négationniste », « menteur » et « délinquant »... L'élu n'a eu d'autre choix, lundi, que de charger son avocat, Marc Uyttendaele, d'interjeter appel. L'opposition MR demande que le ministre se mette en congé en attendant la décision de la cour.

Négationniste. Le tribunal constate qu'Emir Kir « s'est, par l'ambiguïté volontaire de son discours, lui-même placé dans la situation qui est la sienne ». M. Kir refuse, pour rappel, de qualifier de génocide le massacre et la déportation des Arméniens par l'Empire ottoman tant qu'une commission d'historiens indépendants n'a pas statué sur la question... Une position qui « ignore délibérément les nombreux travaux sérieux déjà accomplis », estiment les trois juges, « ce qui revient dans les faits » à nier le génocide.

Menteur. Pour le tribunal, la déclaration d'Emir Kir au collège de contrôle des dépenses électorales, dans la foulée de la campagne du 13 juin 2004, « relève du mensonge pur et simple ».

Délinquant. Enfin, le tribunal constate que la qualification de « délinquant » « découle naturellement du fait que l'abstention de mentionner des dépenses est punie de peine de prison et d'amende. Il entre dès lors dans la fonction de la presse, et ne saurait être considéré comme fautif, le fait de dénoncer, même crûment, ce genre d'agissements contraires aux principes qui fondent notre société démocratique ». (Le Soir, Ricardo Gutiérrez, 15 novembre 2005)

La Dernière Heure: Emir Kir débouté de toutes parts

La plainte du secrétaire d'Etat bruxellois Emir Kir (PS) pour diffamation n'a pas été jugée «fondée» par la 14e chambre du tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles, hier.

L'élu socialiste demandait 7.500 euros de dommages et intérêts aux animateurs du site web www.suffrage-universel.be, Mehmet Koksal et Pierre-Yves Lambert pour diffamation. Estimant que «cette décision comprend des passages réellement choquants», Emir Kir a immédiatement annoncé qu'il irait en appel.

Le tribunal de première instance a en effet reconnu le droit du journaliste et de l'animateur du site web de qualifier le secrétaire d'Etat en charge des Monuments et Sites et de la Propreté publique à Bruxelles de «négationnistes», de «menteur» et de «délinquant» dans leurs articles au regard des événements auxquels a été confronté Emir Kir.

Pour le premier chef contesté, le tribunal «estime établi que la manifestation (auquel Emir Kir avait participé, NDLR) avait bien pour but de refuser - autrement dit de nier - que le sort fait aux Arméniens par la Turquie ottomane en 1915-1916 a constitué un génocide».

Pour Mehmet Koksal, ce constat constitue un précédent, «puisqu'aucun tribunal belge n'avait jamais clairement pris une telle position». En clair, poursuit le journaliste, «Emir Kir est pris à son propre jeu. En voulant nous attaquer, il fait en sorte qu'une autorité juridique belge reconnaisse le génocide arménien. J'espère que les socialistes prendront acte de cette décision pour prendre leurs responsabilités.»

Les deux autres thèmes sur lesquels Emir Kir avait demandé réparation n'ont pas non plus convaincu le tribunal. Qui estime qu'il n'est pas «sérieusement soutenable que ces publications (qualifiées de rédactionnelles pour l'un, de publicité pour les autres, NDLR) ont pu être réalisées à l'insu de Monsieur Kir; comment, notamment, expliquer la présence de sa signature? Prétendre du contraire, comme il l'a fait, relève du mensonge pur et simple».

Le député MR Didier Gosuin n'a pas manqué de réagir à une décision qu'il qualifie de «grave». Il demande qu'Emir Kir se mette en congé le temps de l'appel. (La Dernière Heure, M.L., 15 novembre 2005)

Belga: Qualifié de négationniste, Kir débouté dans plainte pour diffamation

Le secrétaire d'Etat bruxellois Emir Kir (PS) a été débouté, lundi, par le tribunal de Première Instance de Bruxelles, dans la plainte pour diffamation qu'il avait introduite contre les animateurs du site www.suffrage-universel.be, Mehmet Koksal et Pierre-Yves Lambert. En charge notamment de la Propreté publique et des Monuments et des Sites, le secrétaire d'Etat a aussitôt annoncé qu'il interjeterait appel de cette décision. Le tribunal donne non seulement raison sur toute la ligne aux enquêtes et articles de Suffrage Universel mais précise en outre que les journalistes avaient raison de qualifier Emir Kir de négationniste, de menteur et de délinquant en vertu de ses agissements politiques. Les publications incriminées portent principalement sur la position d'Emir Kir relative aux massacres et à la déportation subis par les Arméniens en Turquie en 1915-1916, qu'il reconnaît mais refuse de qualifier de génocide avant qu'une commission d'experts indépendants se soit prononcée à ce sujet. (Belga, 14 novembre 2005)


La Libre Belgique: Kir ne se dépêtre pas du génocide arménien

C'EST UN COMMUNIQUÉ AU VITRIOL qu'a diffusé, lundi, l'association «Suffrage universel». Titré «La justice a tranché: Emir Kir est bien un négationniste, un menteur et un délinquant», il se félicite que le tribunal de première instance de Bruxelles ait débouté le secrétaire d'Etat régional PS d'origine turque, qui avait lancé une action en diffamation contre elle. Ennuyé face à son électorat sur la question du génocide arménien, M. Kir a, plusieurs fois, refusé d'utiliser ce terme lors d'interventions médiatiques. Le fait avait été relevé par «Suffrage universel», qui s'était étendu sur la participation de l'élu PS à une manifestation où figuraient des slogans négationnistes. «Suffrage universel» avait aussi relaté les déboires de M. Kir quant à des manquements de sa déclaration de dépenses électorales. Et l'association rapporte les termes assez vifs que le tribunal aurait utilisés en le déboutant.

Ce que confirme le communiqué de M. Kir.Il prend acte de la décision, qui «comprend des passages qu'il trouve réellement choquants». Son avocat, Marc Uyttendaele, s'était déjà plaint de propos tenus en audience. Mais le cabinet Kir précise que le secrétaire d'Etat «n'entend pas, à ce stade, alimenter plus avant une quelconque polémique. Il a décidé d'interjeter appel de ce jugement. Il estime dès lors préférable de ne pas s'exprimer publiquement avant que l'arrêt de la cour d'appel ne soit connu».
Faut-il préciser que dans le climat actuel, le PS se serait bien passé de cette affaire? Dans l'opposition, le MR a demandé lundi soir la mise en congé de M. Kir, jusqu'à jugement définitif. Il estime aussi que le ministre a menti en commission des dépenses électorales du Parlement bruxellois. (La Libre Belgique, 15 novembre  2005)

La décision de la justice dans les pages Suffrage Universel

La décision vient de tomber. Le Tribunal de Première Instance de Bruxelles vient de débouter le secrétaire d'Etat bruxellois Emir Kir (PS) et son avocat Marc Uyttendaele dans le procès en diffamation que le mandataire socialiste avait intenté contre les animateurs de Suffrage Universel (Mehmet Koksal et Pierre-Yves Lambert).

Le tribunal donne non seulement raison sur toute la ligne aux enquêtes et articles de Suffrage Universel mais précise en outre que les journalistes avaient raison de qualifier Emir Kir de négationniste, de menteur et de délinquant en vertu de ses agissements politiques.

A propos de la plainte, "les publications incriminées portent principalement

* sur la position de monsieur Kir relativement aux massacres et à la déportation subis par les Arméniens en Turquie en 1915-1916, qu'il reconnaît mais refuse de qualifier de 'génocide' avant qu'une commission d'experts indépendants se soit prononcée sur cette qualification;

* sur le curriculum de vitae publié par monsieur Kir et son parti où il se présentait comme titulaire d'une "Licence en sciences politiques et relations internationales" alors qu'il fut établi qu'il n'avait jamais obtenu son diplôme de licencié, étant seulement candidat en sciences politiques;

* et sur son attitude devant le Collège de contrôle des dépenses électorales après les élections régionales de juin 2004;", indique la justice belge.

Mais le "tribunal constate:

- que l'article en cause met, sans aucun doute possible, ce titre en rapport avec le traitement des Arméniens en Turquie en 1915-1916;

- que la confusion avec le génocide des Juifs (et des gitans) commis par les nazis au cours de la seconde guerre mondiale n'est pas possible;

- et que, partant, le "minimum de précision" réclamé par monsieur Kir est bien fourni.

Il est d'ailleurs de même pour toutes les autres publications où ce terme et celui de "Négationnisme" sont utilisés.

"Concernant la participation de monsieur Kir à la manifestation du 29 mai 2004, il ressort des pièces versées aux débats que, s'agissant de manière évidente des allégations de génocide portées contre la Turquie ottomane, le thème central en était bien: "DEFENDS LA PATRIE – REJETTE LES ALLEGATIONS DE GENOCIDE"

La pièce 7 démontre en outre que ce thème était bien présent dès l'origine et que monsieur Kir n'a pas su l'ignorer puisque le tract et l'affiche qui annoncent la manifestation en reproduisant ces deux mots d'ordre, portent la publicité de dix-huit entreprises turques qui la parrainent.

Quant à la pièce 8, elle montre des manifestants portant des drapeaux turcs et des pancartes reprenant textuellement ces mots d'ordre.

Le tribunal constate qu'aucun document n'est produit qui pourrait établir que, comme l'affirme monsieur Kir, le véritable et seul thème originaire de cette manifestation aurait été d'appuyer l'entrée de la Turquie dans l'Union européenne.

Il est également d'avis que, à supposer même que la présence d'un grand nombre de manifestants nationalistes turcs eût détourné l'événement de son objectif originaire, monsieur Kir eût dû, en politicien responsable, s'abstenir en arrivant sur place de se joindre à la manifestation, s'il ne voulait pas que sa présence fût interprétée comme un soutien à des mots d'ordre qu'il conteste.

Par conséquent, le tribunal estime établi que la manifestation avait bien pour but de refuser l'idée (autrement dit de nier) que le sort fait aux Arméniens par la Turquie ottomane en 1915-1916 a constitué un génocide."

Après avoir lourdement insister sur les instances nationales et internationales ayant reconnues le génocide arménien, le tribunal affirme qu'"il ressort de ces reconnaissances que le génocide arménien est reconnu non seulement par le parti de monsieur Kir, mais également par des institutions nationales et internationales parmi les plus hautes, qui se sont fondées sur des études d'historiens et des rapports scientifiques et objectifs, émanant de sources très diverses.

Le tribunal constate dès lors que la position de monsieur Kir consistant à refuser de qualifier de génocide le massacre et la déportation des Arméniens par l'Empire ottoman en 1915-1916 avant qu'une commission d'historiens indépendants se soit prononcée sur la question, tent, en ignorant délibérément les nombreux travaux sérieux déjà accomplis, à reporter indéfiniment toute décision sur une telle qualification, ce qui revient dans les faits à la nier."

"Il résulte des points qui précèdent que la qualification de "négationniste" dans le chef de Monsieur Kir non seulement ne pouvait pas être confondue avec l'attitude de ceux qui nient le génocide pratiqué par les nazis sur les Juifs (et sur les Gitans), mais n'est en outre, dans ce contexte, nullement fautive.

Outre les arguments déjà exposés, le tribunal tient à souligner que, dans le contexte du débat politique autour de cette question, débat qui continue en Belgique, notamment sur la répression éventuelle de la négation du génocide arménien, une condamnation de l'utilisation des termes "Négationniste" ou "Négationnisme" empêcherait toute discussion publique et, par là, empêcherait la presse d'accomplir sa tâche d'information et de contrôle.

Une telle intervention serait à l'évidence disproportionnée par rapport à la valeur que monsieur Kir demande au tribunal de protéger.

Il en serait d'autant plus ainsi que monsieur Kir s'est, par l'ambiguïté volontaire de son discours, lui-même placé dans la situation qui est la sienne, ne voulant pas accepter l'existence du génocide arménien pour conserver les voix des électeurs d'origine turque, mais ne pouvant pas non plus le nier ouvertement afin de ne se couper de potentiels électeurs d'autre origine, majoritairement favorables à sa reconnaissance, ni de son propre parti qui, bien que gêné par cette affaire, affirme clairement le reconnaître."

A propos des dépenses électorales d'Emir Kir, le tribunal rappelle que "monsieur Kir a déclaré, dans la réponse écrite qu'il a faite au Collège de contrôle des dépenses électorales: 'L'article est un article de fond qui a été écrit à l'initiative par l'auteur et correspond à la ligne rédactionnelle établie par le comité de rédaction du journal BELTURK. La publication de cet article qui est une initiative spontanée de ce quotidien, ne saurait donc être considérée comme une dépense électorale..." "Sur la publication d'informations et d'une affiche électorale sur le site de BELTURK une argumentation identique à celle qui vient d'être développée... vaut pour la publication d'information me concernant..."

"Or, il n'est pas sérieusement soutenable que ces publications ont pu être réalisées à l'insu de monsieur Kir; comment, notamment, expliquer la présence de sa signature? Prétendre le contraire, comme il l'a fait, relève du mensonge pur et simple", estime le tribunal.

"Quant à la qualification de 'délinquant', elle découle naturellement du fait que l'abstention de mentionner des dépenses est punie de peine de prison (huit jours à un mois) et d'amende (50 à 500 francs). Il entre dès lors dans la fonction de la presse, et ne saurait être considéré comme fautif, le fait de dénoncer, même crûment, ce genre d'agissements contraires aux principes qui fondent notre société démocratique."

"Monsieur Kir dénonce également l'usage des termes "Emirdag ten Noode", "Turkbeekistan" et "Türk Blog inter-partis", comme relevant d'une démarche raciste et pouvant tomber sous le coup de la loi du 30 juillet 1981 réprimant la discrimination raciale. Le tribunal n'aperçoit pas en quoi ces termes, qui sont des créations sémantiques en partie humoristiques constitueraient des actes de discrimination raciale ou engageraient à en pratiquer."

Le jugement est si limpide et sans langue de bois qu'il n'est nullement nécessaire de commenter... Enfin un bol d'air pour tous les journalistes et chercheurs indépendants travaillant sans complaisance.

Notons d'ailleurs au passage l'hommage que rend le tribunal au travail d'investigation:

"A la lumière des pièces qui lui sont soumises, le tribunal constate:

- que les publications des défendeurs:

* couvrent un très large éventail d'informations nationales et internationales;

* se caractérisent par un esprit critique et un humour souvent très acerbes;

* qui sont la marque d'un sourcilleux esprit d'indépendance, tous les partis et orientations politiques faisant l'objet d'analyses sans complaisance;

* mais aussi par un professionnalisme certain, notamment par la mention des sources qui figure chaque fois avec une grande précision." (MK- www.suffrage-universel.be et www.minorites.org , 14 novembre 2005)

Voir également: Pierre-Yves Lambert, "Belgique - Emir Kir, premier bourgmestre allochtone?", http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/suffrage-universel/message/4173

Réactions aux discours ultranationalistes à l'ambassade de Turquie à Bruxelles

Les discours ultranationalistes prononcés par deux représentants de l'Etat turc lors d'une cérémonie de commémoration de la mort d'Atatürk en novembre 2008 à l'Ambassade de Turquie à Bruxelles continuent à susciter des réactions et inquiétudes en Europe.

Lors de cette cérémonie, le ministre turc de la Défense Nationale M. Vecdi Gönül avait fait l’apologie de la déportation des Grecs et Arméniens de Turquie organisée au début de la République en affirmant que la création d'une nation turque aurait été possible grâce à cette politique ordonnée par Atatürk. Quant à l'ambassadeur turc M. Fuat Tanlay à Bruxelles, il avait fait la lecture d'un poème haineux en éloge au drapeau turc: "Je creuserai la tombe de ceux qui ne te regardent pas avec mes yeux. Je ruinerai le nid de l'oiseau qui vole sans te saluer."  (Voir: Info-Türk, novembre 2008, Le ministre turc a fait des éloges de la déportation des Grecs et Arméniens).

Réagissant contre le discours de M. Gönül, le député européen Margaritis Schinasa, a demandé à la Commission européenne: "Les millions de descendants européens des victimes peuvent seulement se sentir blessés par cet affront à la mémoire historique de leurs ancêtres?"

En réponse à cette question, le Commissaire européen à l’élargissement M. Olli Rehn a dit: "De telles déclarations relayées par la presse, ne semblent pas à la commission être particulièrement utiles dans ce contexte à la commission. La position de la commission est que seul un débat intelligent et ouvert au niveau de la société peut frayer la voie pour une réconciliation sur des événements douloureux et controversés de l’histoire." (Voir: Première réaction officielle de l’UE aux propos de Vecdi Gonul)

D'autre part, le Bourgmestre de Herent M. Willy Kuijpers avait envoyé le 18 novembre 2008 à l'ambassadeur de Turquie une lettre demandant de prendre connaissance des textes prononcés lors de la commémoration du 10 novembre. (Voir: Info-Türk, décembre 2008, Le Bourgmestre Willy Kuijpers interpelle l'ambassadeur de Turquie en Belgique )

L'ambassadeur M. Fuat Tanlay n'a pas satisfait jusqu'ici à cette demande légitime. Au lieu de cela, dans sa réponse du 15 décembre 2008, il a défendu le poème raciste qu'il a lu lors de la cérémonie du 10 novembre 2008 et a insinué par la suite que M. Kuijpers s'allie avec "les défenseurs de l'organisation terroriste PKK, malheureusement nombreux en Belgique."

M. Fuat Tanlay représente la République de Turquie à Bruxelles depuis fin 2005. Cette représentation est entachée de scandales diplomatiques, ingérences dans la vie socio-politique du pays d'accueil et d'animosité contre les critiques du régime d'Ankara et les défenseurs des droits fondamentaux des minorités ethniques et religieuses de la Turquie.

Dans sa réponse à M. Kuijpers, M. Tanlay dit: "Le poème que j'ai lu le 10 novembre dernier, et que vous qualifiez de 'concepts et paroles nationalistes démodés', soutient l'intégrité territoriale et la conscience nationale de mon pays et ne présente aucun aspect expansionniste ni raciste. Contrairement aux nationalismes européens, le nationalisme turc n'a jamais déclenché de guerre. De plus, durant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, alors que tous les pays d'Europe, dont la Belgique, étaient en Guerre, la Turquie a su rester en dehors du conflit. La politique internationale de la République de Turquie est fondée sur le dicton "Paix dans la patrie, paix dans le monde" de son fondateur, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Cette approche est connue et respectée de tous."

De quelle paix parle Monsieur l'ambassadeur? Quelle paix dans la patrie? Ne s'agit-il pas d'une "pax turca" qui est bien décrite dans le discours de M. Gönül, bien dissimulée par son excellence: la déportation des Arméniens et des Grecs pour la construction de la nation turque. Une paix qui se confirme toujours par l'oppression du peuple kurde et des minorités restantes.

Il poursuit en défendant le poème ultranationaliste en le comparant à la Marseillaise: "J'ai évoqué le poème, 'Le Drapeau' d'Arif Nihat Asya, alors que je parlais d'un souvenir d'enfance. Ce poème exalte d'une façon poétique l'amour et le respect du drapeau national. Il n'a pas de connotation guerrière. De tels poèmes existent dans la culture de tous les pays ayant une tradition nationale (on peut relire par exemple les paroles de La Marseillaise). "

La comparaison du poème "Drapeau" avec la Marseillaise est ridicule. Cet hymne national français a été chanté pour la première fois le 10 août 1792 à l’occasion de l’entrée des troupes marseillaises dans Paris après l'occupation allemande. Il s'agit d'un hymne de résistance contre les forces d'occupation. Quant au "Drapeau", il s'agit d'un texte faisant l'éloge d'un expansionnisme sous le drapeau turc et condamnant à mort quiconque passe sans le saluer.

Il conclut sa lettre par une nouvelle ingérence provocatrice: "J'ai cependant un grand respect pour votre position, qui devrait à mon sens vous amener à vous opposer avec une grande force contre les défenseurs de l'organisation terroriste PKK, malheureusement nombreux en Belgique."

Ainsi, il insinue que M. Kuijpers s'allie avec "les défenseurs de l'organisation terroriste PKK, malheureusement nombreux en Belgique."

Rien d'étonnant, car un journaliste protégé de M. Tanlay, dans un livre illégal diffusé en Belgique, avait déjà qualifié de "collaborateurs du PKK"  des dizaines de personnalités politiques belges comme Willy Kuijpers, J. Vande Lanotte, F. Vandenbroucke, Hugo Van Rompaey, Jef Sleeck, Paul Pataer, Germain Dufour, Martine Devos, D. Van der Maelen, J. De Bremaecker, S. Verhaven, D. Grimbergsch, M. Vogels, M. Martens, Ph. de Feyt, E. Van Voerenbergh; J.M. Delizee, M. Harmegnies, Y. Ylieff, A. De Maght-Albrecht, W. Draps, J. Gossens. (Voir: Info-Turk, Mai 2000, Les provocations des barbouzes d'Ankara)

D'autre part, en décembre 2008, les sites turcs en Belgique diffusaient une autre déclaration de M. Tanlay en réponse à la demande d'explications du sénateur Josy Dubié concernant les menaces contre le rédacteur en chef d'Info-Türk, Dogan Özgüden, provenant des milieux ultranationalistes turcs. (Voir: Déclarations de l'Ambassadeur de Turquie)

Après la critique de cette manifestation raciste politico-diplomatique par Info-Türk, les médias au service du lobby turc orchestré par l'ambassadeur avaient lancé contre son rédacteur en chef  Dogan Özgüden une campagne d'insultes et de menaces. (Voir: Info-Türk, N°364)

Dans sa déclaration M. Tanlay dit:  "Il apparaît du texte de la demande d'explication que M. Dogan Özgüden se sent menacé par des personnes résidant en Belgique et qu'il a déjà déposé une plainte auprès du Procureur du Roi. Ceci est une affaire purement belge et ne concerne aucunement l'ambassade, sauf si M. Özgüden conserve encore sa nationalité turque et sollicite notre assistance."

Or, il ne s'agit pas d'une affaire purement belge et elle concerne directement l'ambassade turque, car l'objet de la plainte d'Özgüden auprès du Procureur du Roi fait suite à une déclaration précédente de M. Tanlay et aux attaques écrites des médias turcs encouragés par ce dernier.

De toute façon, ne serait-il pas ridicule que M. Özgüden puisse solliciter l'assistance d'un ambassadeur qui provoque contre lui les milieux ultranationalistes turcs et mette sa sécurité en péril?

M. Tanlay continue: "M. Özgüden critique régulièrement les Gouvernements et l'Ambassade de Turquie depuis très longtemps. Il exprime des vues très minoritaires au sein de la communauté turque. Je n'ai jamais ressenti le besoin d'y répondre, ni me suis senti gêné par ces vues."

Il est vrai que Özgüden critique les gouvernements et l'Ambassade de Turquie depuis le coup d'état militaire de 1971. Si le Parlement européen et la Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme critiquent et condamnent toujours le non respect des droits et libertés en Turquie, cette prise de position d'Info-Türk est pleinement justifiée. Toutefois, en disant "Je n'ai jamais ressenti le besoin d'y répondre, ni me suis senti gêné par ces vues", M. l'ambassadeur déforme la vérité. N'était-ce pas lui-même qui, dans sa déclaration au quotidien Hürriyet et également à un site turc dirigé par le correspondant de ce journal, disait: "Le site Internet Info-Türk est reconnu hostile à la République Turque et mène, depuis des années en Belgique, des activités contre la Turquie. " (Hürriyet, 21 avril 2007)

Encore une affirmation de l'ambassadeur: "Nous n'avons pas de lien avec les sites online turcophones en Belgique que l’on a qualifiés de 'pro-gouvernementaux'. Nous n'en subventionnons aucun."

Il faut être aveugle pour ne pas voir le lien entre l'Ambassadeur turc et les sites online turcophones en Belgique. Il faut simplement y jeter un coup d'œil pour voir les éloges formulées envers de lui à chaque occasion.

Nous suggérons également à M. Tanlay de lire une déclaration de l'ancien secrétaire général du tout puissant Conseil national de sécurité (MGK), l'ancien général Tuncer Kilinç, prononcée lors du JT du 22 janvier 2009 de la Star Televizyon: "J'avais l'autorisation de fournir le soutien aux associations turques œuvrant à l'étranger pour les intérêts suprêmes de notre pays.  Je les ai soutenues par l'intermédiaire des ambassadeurs."

C'est aux ambassadeurs turcs, notamment à M. Fuat Tanlay, d'infirmer ou de confirmer la déclaration de ce général, et s'il est vrai, d'expliquer comment fonctionne ce soutien du tout puissant Conseil national de sécurité (MGK) aux associations turques.

Quant à la forme de la lettre de M. Tanlay au Bourgmestre M. Kuijpers, elle constitue une nouvelle preuve du comportement de l'ambassadeur comme un gouverneur colonial n'ayant aucun respect de l'hospitalité du pays d'accueil et des normes diplomatiques.

Etant une personnalité politique de la Communauté flamande, M. Kuijpers a écrit sa lettre du 18 novembre 2008 en néerlandais, une des langues officielles de ce pays.

La réponse de l'Ambassadeur est en français sur un papier à en-tête anglais-français… Pourtant, étant donné qu'il a pu lire ou faire lire la lettre en néerlandais de M. Kuijpers, il aurait pu lui répondre en néerlandais ou la faire traduire en néerlandais.

Rien d'étonnant dans cet irrespect, car il représente un Etat qui nie depuis des décennies l'existence de la langue kurde, parlée par plus de 20 millions de citoyens.

De cette arrogance et ingérence, M. Tanlay en a fait plusieurs fois preuve depuis son arrivée en Belgique.

Déjà le 13 janvier 2006, M. Jean-François Istasse, président du parlement de la Communauté française de Belgique avait riposté à cette ingérence (Voir: Info-Turk, L'ingérence scandaleuse de l'Ambassadeur turc à la politique belge) ainsi que M. Jean Demannez, Bourgmestre de Saint-Josse en avril 2007 (Voir: Info-Turk, Le bourgmestre de Saint-Josse condamne l'immixion de l'ambassadeur turc).

Ironie du sort: Le ministère flamand de la Culture mène actuellement les pourparlers en vue de créer un centre culturel turco-flamand à Bruxelles avec ce M. Tanlay qui ne montre aucun respect à l'égard de leur langue et la discrimine comme il est fait avec la langue kurde en Turquie. (Info-Türk, 16 février 2009)

Conférence du professeur Haluk Gerger à Bruxelles

L'annonce du Collectif des Opprimés Immigrés:

Nous sommes dans une époque où la crise économique du système capitaliste / impérialiste s’approfondit, la politique néolibérale se purge, le capitalisme est en train de se noyer dans l’abondance. Au dessous du paysage lumineux du capitalisme, d’une part les faillites se multiplient, d’autre part le capital international mène plusieurs opérations par l’intermédiaire de ses états, accomplit des opérations afin de sauver ses entreprises et ses banques. Pourtant, la crise économique s’approfondit de plus en plus chaque jour. Le légende de ‘capitalisme sans alternative’ s’effondre encore une fois par cette crise : le socialisme s’impose fortement en tant qu’alternative!

Lorsque la crise économique capitaliste / impérialiste s’approfondit, les impérialistes et ses complices préparent des vagues d’attaque contre la classe ouvrière et les peuples opprimés. En se collaborant, ils mettent en place de nouveaux changements de loi en faveur du capitalisme international. En renforçant le militarisme partout ; ils organisent la réaction au sein de chaque pays ; ainsi ils essaient de gérer la crise par ces attaques idéologiques en semant des illusions réactionnaires parmi les masses.

La crise est celle du capitalisme qui est la source même de la crise. Ce sont les capitalistes qui doivent payer la facture ! C’est pourquoi il est important pour la classe ouvrière et le peuple, d’assumer la théorie et la pratique du socialisme comme alternative, en prenant une position conséquente pour ne pas payer la facture de la crise ! Le capitalisme c’est la crise ; la solution est le socialisme.

Nous appelons tous les ouvriers et les travailleurs à assister au “Débat : le capitalisme est la crise, socialisme est la solution” qui concerne la lutte contre la crise.

Les Intervenants :

Haluk Gerger (Chercheur / écrivain, Prof. Dr. à l’académie des sciences marxistes Nazim Hikmet)
Représentant d’AvEG-Kon (Confédération des Opprimés Immigrés en Europe)

28 février 2009 samedi à 13h30.

Adresse: Garcia Lorca - 47/49 Rue des Foulons 1000 Bruxelles (Metro Anneessens)
(http://www.collective-oi.org – info@collective-oi.org)

Meurtre d'une jeune turque en Allemagne: Le suspect turc arrêté en Turquie

Un Turc soupçonné d'avoir violé et tué une jeune fille allemande d'origine turque âgée de 8 ans a été arrêté dans la nuit de lundi à mardi dans une petite ville balnéaire du sud-ouest de la Turquie, a indiqué la police locale.

"Il a été arrêté", a précisé à l'AFP une porte-parole de la police de Didim, interrogé sur des informations de presse faisant état de la capture d'Ali K. (29 ans).

Plus tard, l'agence de presse Anatolie a rapporté que le suspect avait été inculpé par une Cour de la ville pour le viol et le meurtre de la jeune fille puis immédiatement écroué dans une prison locale.

Ali K. a rejeté les accusations portées à son encontre, a souligné l'agence.

Le suspect a été arrêté dans un appartement de ses proches à Didim avec l'aide d'autres membres de la famille, selon Anatolie.

Son beau-père a expliqué à l'agence être arrivé d'Allemagne pour assister la police à traquer son beau-fils après que la jeune victime eut été portée disparue le 12 janvier dernier.

La fillette âgée de huit ans a été identifiée par la presse turque comme étant Kardelen Kiraç. Le corps de l'écolière, étranglée et violée, avait été retrouvé le 15 janvier au bord d'un lac près de la ville allemande de Paderborn (ouest) où elle habitait.

L'affaire a provoqué l'émoi en Allemagne qui compte quelque 2,8 millions de Turcs, constituant la deuxième communauté immigrée du pays.

Ali K., un sans-emploi, résidait dans la même région depuis 2001 depuis son mariage avec une Turque. Selon les voisins, il aurait quitté précipitamment l'Allemagne pour la Turquie, indiquant que son père était malade après que la jeune fille eut été portée disparue après être sortie pour jouer.

Selon les autorités allemandes, le suspect ne devrait pas être extradé vers l'Allemagne car la Turquie, à l'instar de nombreux pays, dont l'Allemagne elle-même, peut juger ses ressortissants devant ses tribunaux même si le crime a été commis à l'étranger. (AFP, 11 fév 2009)

Les opposants turcs incarcérés en France resteront en prison

Le communiqué du "Comité des Libertés – France":

Erdogan Cakir, Sefik Sarikaya et Veli Yati, trois des 15 inculpés de l’enquête visant prétendument le DHKP-C en France et incarcérés depuis le 9 juin dernier à la prison de la Santé, ont comparu devant le juge antiterroriste Fragnoli, espérant pouvoir sortir de prison vu la vacuité de leur dossier.
 
Leur deuxième mandat de dépôt est arrivé a échéance mais le juge Fragnoli a décidé de le prolonger une fois de plus de 4 mois, au motif qu’il va très prochainement se rendre en Turquie en personne pour recueillir des renseignements sur le DHKP-C, sur ses activités et sur les inculpés.
 
Ainsi, on commence par arrêter des opposants politiques dont l’activité consistait à organiser des festivals culturels et à vendre des journaux dissidents mais toutefois légaux, même en Turquie, puis on échafaude des histoires et on fabrique des preuves, le tout, avec le soutien direct du régime fasciste d'Ankara.
 
Au bout de ces quatre mois de détention supplémentaires, les trois inculpés auront perdu un an de leur vie derrière les barreaux sans la moindre raison valable.

Ci-dessous, la liste des 4 détenus de l’enquête DHKP-C en France :
 
Erdogan CAKIR
N° 289707/div 1 / 46
42, Rue de la Santé
75674 PARIS CEDEX
 
Sefik SARIKAYA
N° 289706 Cellule 1/107
Maison d'Arrêt de la Santé
42, Rue de la Santé
75014 PARIS
 
Veli YATI
Maison de la Santé A Bloc 234
42, Rue de la Santé
75014 PARIS
 
Ilker ALCAN
N° 367 643 D4
Maison d'Arrêt de Fleury-Merogis
7, Avenue des Peupliers
91705 SAINTE GENEVIEVE DES BOIS/ PARIS
(comitedeslibertes@gmail.com, 10 février 2009)

Le concert à Bruxelles d'un chanteur faisant l'éloge des assassins de Hrant Dink

Le chanteur ultranationaliste turc Ozan Arif a donné les 7-8 février 2009 deux concerts en Belgique dans le cadre de sa tournée européenne destinée à inciter les Turcs en Europe contre les défenseurs des droits des peuples opprimés de Turquie.

Le premier concert d'Ozan Arif a eu lieu samedi à Liège et le deuxième dimanche à Bruxelles.

Selon l'information publiée par les sites ultranationalistes turcs en Belgique, lors de son concert à Bruxelles, Ozan Arif a fait des éloges au mouvement des Loups Gris tout en regretant la sensibilité grandissante en Turquie concernant les droits des Kurdes et Arméniens: "Il arrive en Turquie des choses inimaginables. On a créé la chaîne TRT-6 [en kurde, ndlr], d'une part, et d'autre part, un groupe de pseudo intellectuels demandent pardon aux Arméniens. Il y a de plus en plus de gens qui deviennent chrétiens quand un curé meurt et qui deviennent arméniens quand un Hrant Dink meurt… " a-t-il dit.

En regrettant également les critiques à l'égard de l'Armée turque, il est allé jusqu'à crier: "Chargez vos fusils, tuez les chiens…"

Le public dans la salle Marignan à Saint-Josse lui a répondu souvent an criant des slogans ultranationalistes: "Le mouvement idéaliste [Loups Gris, ndlr] ne peut pas être empêché!", "Nous sommes tous fidèles à Türkes [leader historique des Loups Gris, ndlr]!", "Ozan Arif, nous sommes tous avec toi!" et "Jamais les Loups gris ne mourront, jamais la patrie ne se divisera!"

Un site turc, le plus proche de l'Ambassade de Turquie, rapporte l'ambiance du concert avec grande admiration sous le titre "Ozan Arif a rugi à Bruxelles." (http://www.yenihaber.be/go.php?go=3010fc6&do=details&return=last_news&pg=1)

Ozan Arif est toujours jugé par un tribunal d'Istanbul, avec un autre chanteur ultranationaliste, Ismail Türüt, pour incitation à la haine avec sa chanson intitulée « Ne fait pas de plans ». Lors de son interrogatoire au tribunal Ozan Arif  a dit: "Je ne regrette pas d'avoir écrit cette chanson."

La chanson incriminée vante l’ultranationalisme des populations vivant dans le bassin de la mer Noire, avec des allusions à peine voilées à deux des assassins de Hrant Dink, Ogün Samast et Yasin Hayal.

Extraits des paroles : “ De plans, ne faites pas de plans qui ne conviennent pas en mer Noire ; Les coups dans le dos, le mensonge et les contre-vérités ne passent pas en mer Noire; Ne laissez ni Johnny (comprenez les Américains) ni les Russes tendre des pièges ; Le vent du séparatisme ne souffle pas en mer Noire ; Arrêtez de faire sonner les cloches d’églises, arrêtez d’être pro-arméniens ”.

Cette chanson est apparue dans un vidéo-clip, sur le site YouTube, qui a fait littéralement fureur en Turquie. Des milliers de personnes, en effet, se sont connectées sur le site, pour visionner la vidéo où l’on voit Ogün Samast, l’assassin présumé de Hrant Dink et Yasin Hayal, celui qui lui a fourni l’arme du crime, tous deux originaires de Trabzon, cette ville située au bord de la mer Noire.

On peut voir également sur la vidéo des extraits des funérailles de Hrant Dink, et notamment les centaines de milliers de personnes tenant des bannières portant la mention “ Nous sommes tous des Arméniens ”. Une photo du corps de Hrant Dink devant les locaux du journal Agos est montrée en illustration du passage de la chanson soulignant en substance que celui qui vendra sa patrie mourra immédiatement.

Par ailleurs, la vidéo montre une image du prêtre italien Andrea Santoro, assassiné en février 2006 dans la région de la mer Noire, au moment où Ismaïl Türüt chante « Arrêtez de faire sonner les cloches des églises ».

Récemment, Ozan Arif a lancé une campagne contre les intellectuels turcs ayant demandé pardon aux Arméniens. Le texte, signé également par Muhsin Yazicioglu, président du BBP (Loups gris islamo-fascistes), dit: "L'histoire a été écrite et a donné son verdict. Il n'y a pas de culpabilité pour avoir honte ni de coupables qui doivent demander pardon. Ceux qui ont lancé cette campagne dégoûtante en se cachant sous le nom d'intellectuels doivent comprendre que personne ne peut parler au nom de la nation turque et d'accuser la nation turque  " (Info-Türk, décembre 2008)

Un réfugié politique sera extradé de Suède vers la Turquie

Selon une dépêche de l'agence de presse ANF, le ministère suédois de la Justice vient de décider d'extrader le réfugié politique Musa Dogan vers la Turquie. La décision aurait été prise en application d'un accord mutuel entre la Turquie et la Suède.

Dogan avait été arrêté la semaine passée par la police Suédoise de Växjö (Stockholm) à la suite d'un mandat d’arrêt international lancé par les autorités turques auprès d’Interpol.

Musa Dogan est réfugié politique reconnu en Suède où il séjourne depuis 2006 en vertu de la Convention de Genève de 1951. Il est donc, selon les dispositions internationales ratifiées par la Suède, sous la protection des autorités de ce pays.

Musa Doğan a été condamnés à plusieurs années d’emprisonnement et a passé de nombreuses années dans les geôles turques.

La décision d'extradition a été protestée par les ONG suédoises et les députés du parti de la Gauche.

Background: http://www.info-turk.be/365.htm#Appel

 informations du mois passé Informations of the past month
Toutes les informations depuis 1976 All informations since 1976