Kurdish writer gets two years for a

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

Subject: Re: Kurdish writer gets two years for article

n, 02 Oct 1995 15:46:52 -0800

------------------------ Forwarded from : ats at etext.org ------------------------

Kurdish writer gets two years for article

    ISTANBUL, Sept 28 (Reuter) - A Turkish court on Thursday
sentenced a Kurdish writer to two years imprisonment for an
article analysing the seperatist Kurdish rebel movement, the
writer's lawyer said.
    Recep Marasli, 39, was found guilty of ``separatist
propaganda'' under article 8 of the anti-terror law, which
Turkey's European allies want lifted as a condition for
establishing closer economic ties.
    ``We argued the charge was contrary to European conventions
on human rights, but the court obviously didn't listen to us,''
lawyer Riza Dinc told Reuters.
    Marasli, who in mid 1970s founded the first publishing house
to deal seriously with Kurdish history, faces another 27 cases
for articles or speeches he has made about the Kurdish guerrilla
war for autonomy or independence in Turkey.
    All the cases but one are under article 8, which human
rights monitors say is used by Turkey to silence criticism of
military operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
    Dinc said they would appeal the charge, but Marasli has
already been sentenced to four years imprisonment in other
cases.
    Marasli, who has been in and out of prison since 1971,
suffers from brain and nervous disorders and his supporters say
he cannot get proper treatment from the Istanbul prison.

Reuter N:Copyright 1995, Reuters News Service


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