Trial of SKD and IHD Ankara Branch

[greenscreen at gn.apc.org]

From: greenscreen (Umit OZTURK)

From: warresisters at gn.apc.org (War Resisters' International)
Subject: Trial of ISKD and IHD Ankara Branch, second hearing

Dear Friends

The second hearing of ISKD and Ankara Branch of IHD was held on 1 April
1997. Serdar Tekin and Oya Ataman, who did not take part in the first
hearing, were told to give evidence concerning the accusation. As two of the
accused, Oya Ataman and Serdar Tekin said that the court could not be
recognised as legitimate because of its military identity, and therefore
refused to give any evidence. Serdar also said that the legal norm itself
("breaking the will power of nation by alienating people from the military"
- Article 58 of Turkish Military Penal Code and Article 155 of Turkish Penal
Code) can not be legitimised because it goes against freedom of thought and
expression.
The third hearing of the trial will take place on 20 May.

Background information:
On 9 December 1995 Ankara Branch of IHD organised a congress called "Human
Rights Panorama of Turkey" . Izmir War Resisters Association (ISKD) were
also invited to present a statement on the subject of the right of peace.
ISKD prepared a written statement and sent it to the congress. All the
statements which had been presented at the congress were collected and
published in book form as a report of the congress by Ankara Branch of IHD.
On 15 August 1996 the 2nd State Security Court (DGM) of Ankara confiscated
this book and brought a trial against the former board of Ankara Branch of
IHD who were on duty in December 1995. The statement of ISKD was charged
with "alienating the people from military" (Article 58 of Turkish Penal
Code) and "breaking the will power of nation" (Article 58 of turkish
Military Penal Code). The accusation file was transferred to the Military
Court of General Staff and the trial opened against the boards of ISKD and
Ankara Branch of IHD. The first hearing of the trial was held on 18 February
1997.

Those accused are:
Former Board of Ankara Branch of IHD: Yildiz Temurturkan, oya Ersoy Ataman,
Ed Buyukculha, Naciye Erkol, Mustafa Tun, Meryem Erdal, Adnan Okur.
Board of ISKD: Osman Murat Ulke, Vedat Zeneir, Ferda Ulker, Ali Serdar Tekin.


posted by:
      --------------------------------------------------
     |  Umit Ozturk, Editor, Green Screen News          |  
     |  PO Box 10386, London N16 8RQ, United Kingdom    |
     |  tel/fax: +44-171-6907103                        |
     |  email: greenscreen at gn.apc.org                   |
     /)                                                 (\
    /                                                     \
  _( (+-------------------------------------------------+) )_
 (((\ \   /_)                                     /^)   / /)))
 (\\\\ \_/ /                                      \ \_ / ////
  \       /                                        \       /
   \   __/                                          \__   /
    |   |                                            |   |