Eight Student Leaders Jailed In Tur

[tabe at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl]

From: <tabe at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl>
Subject: Eight Student Leaders Jailed In Turkey

Forwarded from ATS

ADVOCACY ALERT

EIGHT LEADING STUDENTS OF THE STUDENT MOVEMENT IN ANKARA WERE SENTENCED TO
A TOTAL OF 96 YEARS IN PRISON

TURKEY  MAHMUT YILMAZ           Student at Hacettepe University
        AHMET ASKIN DOGAN       Student at Ankara University
        OZGUR TUFEKCI           Student at Ankara University
        BULENT KARAKAS          Student at Ankara University
        METIN MURAT KALYONCUGIL Student at Hacettepe University
        NURDAN BAYSAHAN         Student at Ankara University
        DENIZ KARTAL            Student at Gazi University
        ELIF KAHYAOGLU          Student at Gazi University

were sentenced to imprisonment by the State Security Court, Mahmut
Yilmaz, A. Askin Dogan, Ozgur Tufekci, Bulent Karakas, Metin Murat
Kalyoncugil among them are currently held in Ankara Central Closed Prison.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

University students in Turkey have been engaged in various efforts and
demonstrations in protest of the students' fee and privatization policies
of the universities since October 20, 1995. They set up the Coordination of
Student Unions in Ankara and in Istanbul with the participation of
student unions and organisations. The reactions of the students who are
fighting against the privatization of education and anti-democratic
practices in universities were organised by establishing the Coordination
of the Student Unions in Ankara and in Istanbul. Actions carried out by
these students after the establishment of the Coordination are as follows.

On October 20, 1995, three student representatives submitted petitions
demanding the abolishment of the rise in the students' fee to the Turkish
Grand National Assembly. One of these students was Mahmut Yilmaz, a student
at the Education Faculty at Hacettepe University.

On December 20, 1995, the students in Istanbul made a press release to
announce that they would follow up the petitions submitted on October 20.
In addition, many academics and non-govermental organisations had joined in
this protest action.

The Coordination of the Student Unions in Ankara organized a campaign to
help the people of Dinar township who lost their homes, relatives, and jobs
during an earthquake. Instead of paying the fees to the university budget,
a student delegation including Mahmut Yilmaz, Ozgur Tufekci, Bulent
Karakas conveyed the collected fees to the people in Dinar.

Eight students who were expelled from the universities they attended since
they could not pay student fees made a demonstration at the Turkish Grand
National Assembly and shouted slogans on the right to education. Mahmut
Yilmaz and Deniz Kartal were also among this group.

The university students gathered in front of the National Education
Ministry, interviewed by the Minister, and told that they could not
attend the university since they were unable to pay student fees. During
this interview the Minister promised to deal with their problems. One of
the students interviewing by the Minister was Deniz Kartal.

But promises were not fulfilled. The government cared neither the
abolishment of 350% rise in the student fees nor the enrollment of the
expelled students who could not pay university fees. The students all over
the country decided to make a demonstration on April 24, 1996.

The students' leaders were arbitrarily detained by the Anti-Terror Branch
of the Ankara Security Department from homes, streets, dormitories, and
universities between April 17-22, 1996. During fifteen days in custody, their
legal assistance was rejected. The Prosecutor of the SSC, Nuh Mete Yuksel,
directly participated in the interrogation of these student leaders. Even
if this conduct is not prohibited by the law, such a practice is not
usual during the pre-trial process. As it was claimed that they were
subjected to torture in custody, human rights organizations and Amnesty
International made urgent actions. The police officers allegedly put
molotov coctails in the students' homes by themselves. In this case,
police arranged the evidence to convict these student leaders. Students'
claim about the torture they were subjected to in custody and conspiracy
of the police officers were not taken into consideration before court.
Moreover, even witnesses were not listened by the Court. As a result,
these students were sentenced to heavy punishement not for committing a
crime. As many cases that were conducted at the State Secuirty Court, the
decision made by the court was based on political reasons.

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Participants in this action should write letters to the Turkish
authorities listed below. Letters should object to the unfair decision of
the State Security Court about these student leaders who have carried out
peaceful activities in Turkish universities.

Without being too late, please send your telegrams/telexes/faxes/airmail
letters in English or your own language:

- expressing your deep concern for these student leaders unfairly sentenced
to imprisonment by the State Security Court, which is not independent.

- condemning the interference of the police officers during the trial.

- pointing out that any statement taken under torture shall not constitute
evidence before a court.

- calling for the ouverturning of the convictions against these students
leaders.

- urging that these students should be immediately released.

Please send your massagges immediately!

TO TURKISH AUTHORITIES

Minister of Justice :
Mr. Sevket Kazan                ( salutation : Dear Minister )
Adalet Bakanligi
Bakanliklar Ankara, Turkey
Fax: 90-312- 417 3954

Minister of Interior
Ms. Meral Aksener 	( salutation : Dear Minister )
Icisleri Bakanligi
Bakanliklar Ankara Turkey
Fax: 90- 312- 417 2390

Prime Minister
Mr. Necmettin Erbakan 	( salutation : Dear Prime Minister )
Basbakanlik
Bakanliklar Ankara, Turkey
Fax: 90-312-417 04 76

In addition please send copies of your letters to:

Address: Mesrutiyet Cad. Hatay Sk. 6/27 Kizilay-Ankara/TURKEY
Tel-Fax: 90-312-419 27 74
e-mail: ihd-ank at info-ist.comlink.de, ne02-k at servis2.net.tr

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