TDN

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

Court upholds DEP convictions

Tough decision: Court of Appeals upholds DGM's convictions against Leyla
Zana, Orhan Dogan, Hatip Dicle, and Selim Sadak,

frees Ahmet Turk and Sedat Yurttas and orders heavier fines on Mahmut
Alinak and Sirri Sakik

Turkish Daily News
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ANKARA- The Court of Appeals on Thursday revised an initial conviction of
eight pro-Kurdish politicians, upholding the prison sentences passed on six
and ordering the retrial of two. The court upheld judgements against Leyla
Zana, Orhan Dogan, Hatip Dicle and Selim Sadak, who were each sentenced to
15-year prison terms by the State Security Court (DGM) last December. The
DGM's sentences against Ahmet Turk and Sedat Yurttas were upheld, but the
court ordered their release since they have served the required minimum of
their sentences under Turkey's liberal parole bill. The appeals court
ordered their retrial under the Anti-Terrorism Law.

The Court of Appeals also decided that the fines of TL 70 million imposed
on Sirri Sakik and Mahmut Alinak, both also sentenced to three-and-a-half
years in prison, were too lenient. The decisions of the appeals court were
announced by judge Demirel Tavil.

The former deputies Zana, Dogan, Dicle, and Sadak were originally charged
under the Anti-Terrorism Law with being members of an outlawed armed
organization and following their conviction applied to the appeals court.
ARA BASLIK --- Reactions to verdict

There were strong reactions to the Court of Appeals' decisions.

Responding to questions after the court session, Alinak evaluated the
decision as a punishment of the public. He likened the verdict to that
brought against Adnan Menderes and his colleagues, who were hanged on
Yassiada Island.

"Everybody is familiar with the case of Deniz Gezmis and his friends in
Turkey, they were sentenced to death unjustly," said Alinak. He continued
that the case against the former DEP deputies amounted to those who felt
powerful suppressing the poor. He added that the decision crushed the law
and was old-fashioned and claimed the trial was not a proper judicial
procedure.

He added that the verdict harmed voters' powers and also amounted to a
sentence passed on the public. He continued that nobody, even Prime
Minister Tansu Ciller, the former Chief of General Staff Dogan Gures and
President Suleyman Demirel could defend the Court of Appeals' decision.
Alinak said the verdict harmed human rights.

Speaking about the court's judgement, Sakik said it was a political
decision because former Chief of General Staff Dogan Gures had said he
wanted the deputies to be tried. He added that as everybody could see, the
Court of Appeals had ratified the verdict. Sakik claimed that the verdict
would not support peace and the decision favored neither Turkish society
nor Kurdish society. Lawyers of the defendants evaluated the verdict by
saying that they had not expected such a severe punishment. Lawyer Yusuf
Alatas said he had been optimistic from the beginning because of his
confidence in the Court of Appeals. He continued that this verdict had led
to disappointment, adding that it also meant sadness and disappointment for
the judiciary.

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65th Interpol meeting to be held in Turkey

Antalya to host police chiefs from 176 countries

Turkish Daily News
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ANKARA- The 65th meeting of Interpol, which investigates international
crimes, will be held in Antalya on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in
October 1996, with police chiefs of 176 countries participating.

Officials say that the meeting will be a very important opportunity to
promote Turkey and its tourism potential, demonstrating that Turkey is a
safe and secure country.

The 64th meeting is being held in Beijing this year. Yusuf Vehbi Dalda,
chief of the Interpol department at the Turkish police general directorate,
said that Interpol has 176 member countries and at least 500 police chiefs
are expected to participate in the meeting.

Dalda added that drug smuggling, anti-terrorism work, nuclear terrorism,
environmental pollution and counterfeit money operations will be discussed.

Mehmet Agar, chief of the police general directorate, said that it is very
important for Turkey to be the host of the meeting.

Agar recalled that Interpol organized the anti-drug and terrorism meeting
in Antalya in 1994, and that the international drug conference was held in
Istanbul this year. Police chiefs from most regions of the world attended
those meetings, an important point for Turkey, Agar added.

Police officials said that the connection between the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) and the drug trade will be outlined to the police
chiefs during the meeting.

Officials added that the meeting will be one of the biggest to be held in
Turkey and preparations have already started.


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