[<akin at kurdish.org>] Human Rights Activist Gunned Down in Turkey

[ozgurluk at xs4all.nl]

Assassination attempt against 
Turkey's leading human rights activist

Turkey- Democracy at gunpoint

Akin Birdal, President of Turkey's Human Rights Association was
attacked today, 12 May 1998, by two armed men in his office in
Ankara. He is reported to have been seriously injured and received six
bullets, two to his chest, to his body and currently being kept under
intensive care in a hospital in Ankara.  We categorically condemn this
attack.

Akin Birdal has been a long standing human rights advocate in
Turkey. He was particularly active on promoting the Kurdish rights in
Turkey. Turkish state has recently portrait Mr Birdal as the Turkish
State's enemy.  Turkish officials claimed that Akin Birdal, a
respected human rights activist, was working for the Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK). Turkey accused him of "putting Turkey in difficult
position abroad".

Birdal participated at several international platforms on Turkey and
Kurdish question and particularly assisted individual cases to the
European Court of Human Rigths.

It is clear that Turkish authorities deliberately prepared the ground
for an attack against him. The assassins of Birdal are appointed by
the state to carry out their jobs. The assassins of Birdal are the
Susurluk forces.  Turkish sate is clearly determined to repress any
democratic opposition to its policy of extermination on the Kurdish
question.

Turkey's allies, the West, must see this reality and put a stop to
this regime of oppression.

Democracy has always been in gun point in Turkey. Progressive forces
have sacrificed numerous activists in the name of democracy and human
rights.  Kurdish issue is the heart of democracy and human rights
problems in Turkey. The Kurdish people and their friends will not stop
their struggle for freedom and democracy.

We demand from the international community to act immediately. Silence
has always meant the approval of Turkey's state policy.

Business as usual in Turkey

* 14 May - "flag incident" final day of HADEP hearing
* Saturday Mothers are under attack
* Pro-Kurdish daily Ulkede Gundem faces closure

Appeal hearing of 30 HADEP (People's Democracy Party) leaders
including President Murat Bozlak, on the flag incident will be held at
the Supreme Court in Ankara on 14 May 1998. The HADEP leaders,
sentenced for six years in jail for "aiding and abetting" Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) on 5 June 1997, were arrested after a youth had
torn down the Turkish flag during the HADEP Congress in June 1996. The
youth who allegedly tore down the Turkish flag was sentenced to 22 and
half years.

The appeal hearing on 14 May 1998 will be the final day of the HADEP
trial.  If the Supreme Court approves the decision taken by the Ankara
State Security Court then all 30 HADEP members will start serving
their sentences and the party will face closure. Previously three
pro-Kurdish political parties, the People's Labour Party (HEP), the
Freedom and Democracy Party (OZDEP) and the Democracy Party (DEP) were
banned in Turkey.

HADEP President Murat Bozlak and Deputy President Hikmet Fidan who
were sentenced to six and a half years under the Article 169 of the
Turkish Penal Code, will be banned indefinitely from carrying out
political activity under Article 31 of the Turkish Penal Code
(TPC). 28 other HADEP executive members who were sentenced to four and
a half years, will also be banned from carrying out political activity
for three years.

Saturday Mothers attacked on the eve of Mother's Day

Saturday Mothers (Mother's of the Disappeared) were attacked by police
during their 155th-week sit-down protest in Galatasaray, in Istanbul
on 9 May 1998.

"The Mother's of the Disappeared" who have been protesting against
disappearances under police custody and demanding information about
their relatives, were told last Saturday that there will be no
156th-week to their protest.

Pervin Buldan, member of Saturday Mothers Organising Committee and
wife of Savas Buldan, a Kurdish businessman who was abducted and a few
days later found dead, said that the protest of the mothers will
continue and that they urge women all over the world to give them
their maximum support.

Nimet Tanrikulu, member of the executive committee of the Human Rights
Association, Tomris Ozden, Birgul Kutan, Hanim Tosun, Ali Ocak, Fatma
Morsumbul, Emine Duman, Aynur Kocak, Kiymet Tosun and Kiymet Cengiz
were taken into custody during the police attack last Saturday.

Ulkede Gundem closed down for 10 days

Pro-Kurdish daily Ulkede Gundem was closed down on 10 May 1998 for ten
days by order of Istanbul State Security Court. According to
journalists working at the newspaper the court order was served on
late on 9 May demanding that the newspaper cease publication for 10
days. The reason given for the closure, according to the court order,
is an article written by Hatip Dicle, an ex-DEP MP who is currently
serving a 15 years sentence in Ankara Prison. His article was found to
be in violation of Article 312 of Turkish Penal Code.

Newspaper officials claimed that further closure orders will follow
and subsequently the Turkish authorities will ban the newspaper.

The Turkish authorities had closed down four (4) pro-Kurdish daily
newspapers in the past five years.


Kurdistan Informatie Centrum Nederland
Postbus 58092 1040 HB Amsterdam
tel: 020-681 01 01  fax: 020-488 82 82

----
American Kurdish Information Network (AKIN)
2623 Connecticut Avenue NW #1
Washington, DC 20008-1522

Tel: (202) 483-6444
Fax: (202) 483-6476
E-mail: akin at kurdish.org
Home Page: http://www.kurdistan.org

-- 
Press Agency Ozgurluk
For justice, democracy and human rights in Turkey and Kurdistan!
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