Droits de l'Homme / Human Rights

900 prisonniers politiques kurdes mènent une grève de la faim illimitée

Genève, le 29 mars 2012

Depuis le 15 février 2012, 400 prisonniers politiques kurdes ont entamé une grève de la faim illimitée. Ils ont été rejoints, le 8 mars 2012, par 500 autres. Il s'agit de: élus (parlementaires1, Maires et Conseillers municipaux notamment), défenseurs des droits de l'homme, avocats, journalistes, syndicalistes, membres et dirigeants du Parti pour la paix et la démocratie (pro-kurde). Il font parties de 9'000 (neuf mille) Kurdes, emprisonnés depuis 2009 par le gouvernement turc avec des accusations fallacieuses et sans aucun respect d'un procès équitable.
 
Leurs revendications

L’arrêt des arrestations massives et des opérations militaires;
 
La libération d’Abdullah Öcalan (leader du PKK emprisonné sur l’île d’Imrali depuis 1999 en isolement total) et de tous les prisonniers politiques;
 
La reconnaissance officiel des droits collectifs du peuple kurde dans la constitution, notamment la reconnaissance de l’identité kurde et le droit à l’enseignement kurde.
 
Actions de soutien en Turquie et en Europe

Depuis le 1er mars 2012, des milliers de proches et sympathisants des prisonniers politiques Kurdes ont entamé à leur tour une grève de la faim illimitée dans de nombreuses villes de Turquie et d'Europe.
 
Une vingtaine de députés européens ont déjà annoncé leur soutien à la grève de la faim et des pétitions de solidarité circulent sur le net*.
 
Grévistes dans un état critique

Selon les informations à notre disposition, l'état de santé de nombreux grévistes s'est fortement dégradé et est très préoccupant, étant donné que certains d'entre eux sont au 45ème jour (en Turquie) de leur grève alors que d'autres au 30ème jour (en Europe, à Strasbourg notamment).
 
Ce que vous pouvez faire

Vous pouvez exprimer votre solidarité avec les grévistes et leurs revendications en envoyant une lettre au Secrétaire Général du Conseil de l’Europe. Nous vous envoyons une lettre type (pièce jointe) que vous pouvez la signer, ou écrire vous-même une lettre, et l’envoyer par e-mail, poste ou par fax à l'adresse ci-dessous.
 
Nous vous remercions vivement de votre soutien.

http://www.assmp.org/spip.php?article697

Court releases prisoner Karadag for severe health issues

An Istanbul high criminal court has ruled for the release of Yasemin Karadağ, who has been imprisoned as a member of the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) for the last seven months, and suffers from severe renal impairment and hypertension.

Karadağ, 42, was previously in jail for 12 years, during which time she lost one kidney, according to reports. In the last hearing of her case on Feb. 28, the court ruled for Karadağ to remain under arrest despite her demand that she be released due to severe health issues.

Karadağ was already being treated at a hospital. Yesterday the court demanded Istanbul’s Forensic Medicine Deapartment’s report regarding Karadağ’s state of health, and she was released after the court gave its decision. Karadağ’s next hearing will be held on Jan. 12. (Doğan News Agency, March 30, 2012)

Inhuman treatment of ill women prisoner Yasemin Karadag

Arbitrary behaviour towards political prisoners, including prevention of medical treatment of ill prisoners continues. One of the most dramatic cases is the inhuman treatment of Yasemin Karadağ (42) who has one kidney which lost 85% of its functions.

On 11 January 2012 woman political prisoner Yasemin Karadağ who has cardiac and kidney conditions was denied medical treatment after the female commander prevented the doctor’s examination by saying “They are terrorists”.

Prisoner Karadağ who has difficulty in walking because of her disease was beaten by soldiers who acted on orders by a woman commander of the prison. Karadağ, dragged along on the ground while being taken from the vehicle to the examination room, was brought back to the prison without getting examined because of the woman commander who told the doctor that Karadağ was one of the terrorists in the prison.

The provocation by the prison’s commander met the protest of the political prisoners in Karadağ’s ward who wrote a complaint petition against the woman commander named Çiğdem (surname hidden by the prison’s administration).

Karadağ was previously attacked by the commissioned officer Öner Ağırman on 12 September 2011, who punched her after Karadağ asked him to leave the examination room.

On 28 February 2012, Çağlayan (İstanbul) Heavy Penal Court No. 16 adjudicated to wait the report of Forensic Medicine Institute and prolonged the pre-trial detention period of the defendant and adjourned the hearing to 12 June 2012.

Karadag is under detention on charges of “being a member of an illegal organisation Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front -Devrimci Halk Kurtuluş Parti/Cephesi (DHKP/C)” under Article 314 of TPC.

New information concerning the situation of jailed Kurdish children in Sincan prison

Jürgen KLUTE
German Member of the European Parliament, GUE/NGL Group
Coordinator of the European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group

Today I received new, disturbing information regarding the situation of the Kurdish children who have been recently transferred from Pozanti Juvenile Prison (in Adana) to Sincan Prison (in Ankara). According to this new information, the children are still being subjected to mistreatment, harassment and violations of their fundamental rights. On 17th of March, members of pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Law Commission met six of those children in Sincan Prison. The children told BDP members that they were again subjected to beating, insults, harassment and mistreatment by the wardens. The children told also that they were closed in cells for two days after their arrival to Sincan Prison, and that a child inmate’s finger was broken after a clash with the wardens: he was not taken to the infirmary. The wardens of Sincan Prison threatened to put them in wards with ordinary prisoners too, which mean they will be surely abused and mistreated again. The prison’s prosecutor apparently ordered them to withdraw their criminal complaints about sexual abuse occurred in Pozanti prison. We also learnt that the children were given only one blanket and that they could not sleep because the cold at night.
 
As European United Left - Nordic Green Left Group (GUE/NGL) in the European Parliament, we reiterate our strong condemnation and protest of the continuing inhuman and cruel treatment against Kurdish children by prison staff. We call once again on Turkish authorities and more especially on Turkish Justice Minister to immediately take all appropriate measures to prevent these outrageous events, and to provide children better conditions. It is necessary to protect them from any kind of harassment and abuse. We call Turkey to respect and fully implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights, signed by that country.
 
I underline that these Kurdish children are jailed under the very controversial Anti-Terror Law and that they should be released immediately. We urge Turkey to deeply review the Anti-Terror Law and to bring Turkish legislation in line with international human rights standards.
 
I assure that we'll continue to follow and monitor the situation of these Anti-Terror Law victim Kurdish children. I have asked to the European Commission and other European political institutions to take all the necessary actions vis-à-vis of Turkey in order to protect the Kurdish children. Brussels, 21st of March, 2012

NGO Initiative: Millions Want Justice

Dozens of political parties, trade unions and other organizations are taking a joint effort for the removal of Special Authority Courts and the Anti-Terror Law, called the "Anti-Society Law" by the initiative. The group of organizations claims to take a stance against the use of this law and the courts by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as a means to abolish democratic rights.

Organizations like the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the Turkey Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK) or the Human Rights Association (İHD) and many others are part of the initiative.

"Millions Want Justice" is the name of the initiative. The joint declaration was introduced by KESK President Laim Özgen on Friday (16 March).

"With 13,000 political detainees were are taking the world's lead"

Özgen summarized that more than 100 journalists are currently being detained as well as 6,400 members and executives of the BDP, elected deputies, dozens of trade union executives and 600 students.

He pointed out that Turkey was taking the international lead with a total of 13,000 political detainees and that one third of all people detained on terror charges world-wide were incarcerated in Turkish prisons. "We are also the world leader in the number of detained journalists, lawyers and students", Özgen said.

"We do not want to give statements, we want express ourselves"

Özgen said the AKP created a "special legal system, an extraordinary legal order" when they renewed the Anti-Terror Law in 2006 and replaced the State Security Courts with Special Authority Courts. That way, the political power transformed the system into a tool of oppression against all sections of opposition, Özgen criticized.

"We do not want to give statements [at court], we want to express ourselves".

"We want to have a say, we want actions, organization and press freedom".

"We do not want the oppressive order of the AKP shown in the name of 'democracy'; we want our democratic rights and freedoms".

"We want the Anti-Society (Terror!) Law that constitutes a huge obstruction before democratic rights to be removed. We want Special Authority Courts that disguise the DGM mentality to be removed", Özgen demanded on behalf of the "Millions Want Justice" Initiative.

Participating Institutions:

Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK), Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), Turkey Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Writers Union of Turkey (TYS), Platform for Solidarity with Detained Journalists (TGDP), Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD), PEN Turkey, Journalist Friends of Ahment (Şık) and Nedim (Şener) (ANGA), Humanr Rights Association (İHD), Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Labourer Movement Party (EHP), Party for Equality and Democracy (EDP), Labour Party (EMEP), Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Community Centres Organization, Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP), Labourers' Socialist Party (SP), Leverage, Partisan, Cinder, Social Freedom Party-Initiative (TÖP-G), Social Future Party Initiative, Socialist Unity Movement (SBH), Association of Teachers, Liberal Lawyers Association, Lawyers Foundation, Federation of Kangal Associations, Initiative for Solidarity with Detained Students. ((BIA, Nilay VARDAR, 19 March 2012)

IHD 2011 Prison Report - Summary of Rights Violations

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch released the "2011 Report on Prisons in Eastern and South-Eastern Anatolia". The report revealed a total of 1,453 rights violations registered for prisons in the region in 2011.

Furthermore, the İHD Adana Branch, the Adana Medical Chamber and the Adana representation of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) said in a joint statement that they received complaints of children in the Pozantı M Type Prison and also in other prisons about systematic "ill-treatment, torture and abuse".

In an announcement related to the İHD report, İHD Diyarbakır Branch Secretary Raci Bilici claimed that even though state organizations had been informed on the experienced rights violations no steps were taken. Consequently, all institutions and the Ministry of Justice in particular were responsible for the rights violations, Bilici said.

13 people died in prison

The report draws special attention to sick detainees and convicts. Four inmates died in prison because their diseases progressed quickly in the conditions at prison, namely Gülay Çetin in the Antalya Prison, Şehmus Yalçın in the Midyat Prison, Latif Bodur in the Adana Kürkçüler Prison and Mehmet Aras in the Erzurum Prison.

A total of 13 people died in prisons in Eastern and South-Eastern Anatolian in 2011 as the result of illnesses or registered as "suicides".

The İHD revealed that according to regional records, 256 diseased people are currently in prison, 106 of whom are in a severe condition. The association called for urgent measures to be taken.

Other rights violations apart from the right to life and health mentioned by the İHD are constant transfers to different provinces, solitary confinement and isolation as well as disciplinary penalties or restrictions of the right to communication.

Moreover, the İHD noted that 599 people were transferred from regional prisons to prisons in remote provinces. This resulted in a further restriction for the prisoners because visits by family members were made difficult, the İHD underlined.

According to the data of the İHD, 147 people applied to the association in 2011 on the grounds of torture in prison. Furthermore, disciplinary penalties obstructed 38 prisoners from seeing their families and lawyers. 96 people were deprived from their right to information and communication for certain periods of time.

The İHD announced that an increased number of operations throughout the past three years rendered life in prison more difficult due to the high prison occupancy rate.

"Children must be released immediately"

The press release issued in Adana drew attention to similar rights violations and particularly emphasized that the entire number of investigations requests related to children in prison submitted to the Ministry of Justice had been rejected.

It was said that the ill-treatment and torture of children started during the period of custody.

"The children are being exposed to insult, humiliation and beating right from the beginning when they were taken into custody. Some children were threatened to be killed and others were photographed after they had been given weapons to hold in their hands".

The announcement also mentioned reports by people who directly experienced rights violations:

"I went to the Ceyhan Prison to visit my son. They wanted to put him together in a cell with ordinary convicts. When he objected they beat him. His body was full of bruises when I saw him".

The Adana-based human rights and medical organizations also referred to the incidents of rape and abuse at the Pozantı M Type Prison for Children and Juveniles:

"The children remain alone with their traumata because of the isolation caused by putting them into single cells in the Sincan Prison. Right now, these children need intense social and psychological support".

"In addition, the families of all these children are in poor economic conditions. They live in Adana or Mersin. The possibility to visit the children has even been further reduced. For these reasons, the children have to be released immediately and treatment must be started as soon as possible". (BIA, 15 March 2012)

TIHV: 963 arrested, 168 jailed in February

According to the rights violations report of February by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) 963 have been taken into custody and 168 have been jailed in a month. The report underlined the arrests of children and the isolation of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The closure of institutions such as Dilek Serin Education Support Home, Dersim Alevi Acedemy of Belief and Culture in Dersim and Orhan Doğan Education Support Home in Batman as well as the suspension of broadcast of Roj TV and two related websites are also cited in the report.

As for rights violations in prisons, apart from the prevention of lawyers’ meeting with Öcalan, the destruction of a dissertation by a prisoner in the Bayburt M Type Prison for it suggested an alternative economic structure to the state and the harassment of ten prisoners in the Amasya E Type Prison for they sang Kurdish songs are mentioned in the report.

Finally the arrests of journalists, including that of DİHA reporter Gülsen Aslan, as well as the child arrests are pointed out. (DİHA, 14 March 2012)

Report on jailed children's ill-treatment in Pozanti Prison

Here is the conclusions of the full text report on human rights violations, torture and sexual abuse against jailed children in Pozanti M Type Juvenile prison in Adana, compiled by Bunyamin Tamris:

Despite the Justice Ministry and other relevant authorities including Public Prosecution office and Administratives of Prison have been notified in June last year by the Human Rights Association (IHD) and by Parliament’s Human Rights Commission about the allegations of children with a report prepared by IHD and the children’s handwritten letters none of the required proceedings have been carried out.

The State, the Ministry of Justice and the authorities of Pozanti Prison have the primary responsibility as turning a blind eye to the allegations. Public authorities haven’t handled the matter properly until the events hit the headlines following the public statements to the press made by the children themselves.

Pozantı Public Prosecution office has not concluded neither the criminal investigation into the claims nor any administrative investigation into prison authorities and the children accused. Parliament’s Human Rights Commission typed a report about the capacity and the situation of prisons for children and juveniles and noted that the physical structure of the Pozanti Prison was not suitable for juveniles and that it should be closed. However this report also has been ignored by the Ministry of Justice and authorities. The state and government are responsible for the incidents because of the negligence of the authorities who are responsible for providing appropriate imprisonment conditions in conformity with the international law and related conventions that the state ratified encourages the officers of the prisons and security forces to continue torturing or degrading and inhuman treatment.

It has been revealed by the reports of the deputies and human rights associations that 80 per cent of the children in prison are charged under the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) and all of the abused child prisoners were Kurdish. The Kurdish children experience a great trauma both inside and outside the prison because of the lack of solution in Kurdish issue. They are often subject to unjust practices and attacks of security forces on the streets during the demonstrations. The trauma of these children becomes more serious when they are detained and put in prison where they are subject to inhuman and cruel treatment and sexual and psychological abuses. Therefore this problem remains as a result of the lacking peaceful solution in the Kurdish problem, not a sole matter related to jailed children themselves but linked to Kurdish issue.

Another interesting development reported on 7 March that journalists Ali Buluş, Hamdullah Keser and Özlem Ağuş from Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Adana office who first exposed the child sexual abuse incidents in Pozantı Prison have been arrested in an operation carried out on 6 March within the scope of the KCK (Union of Kurdistan Communities) operation. The arrests of the journalists have raised the worries and questions about the torture and sexual abuses in Pozanti Prison. .

Nevertheless the legal arrangements on stone throwing (anti-terror law victim) children issue, the law enacted in 2010 which was criticized by lawyers and human rights activists for being consisted of provisions that could be used against children and proposed the amendment couldn’t solve the problem. According to the IHD reports almost all of 21 people who benefited from this law in Mersin were again taken into custody and arrested for various allegations as the jailed children told of that they were forced to confession under custody.

There is an immediate need for a permanent and long-term solution to settle the matter of TMK victim children as attention drawn also in the European Parliament (EU) 2011 Progress Report to the wide margin of interpretation and application allowed by the Anti-Terror Law and the Criminal Code. The report noted that EP is concerned regarding continuing reports of torture and ill-treatment in police stations and in prisons, the excessive use of force by police officers during demonstrations and the lack of progress in bringing State officials to justice for alleged human rights abuses and urged Turkey to review the Anti-Terror Law and Turkish Penal Code as a matter of priority and to comply rigorously with its international human rights obligations by amending its relevant legislation.

According to the report European Parliament is alarmed by the high number of juvenile prisoners, amounting to 2500, in the age group between 12-18 years. The report also criticized that judicial procedures have still not been sufficiently improved in efficiency and norms to ensure the right to a fair and expeditious trial. As also noted in the EP's 2011 Progress Report Turkey shall review the compatibility of Turkish legislation with international agreements which Turkey has ratified, such as the European Convention on Human Rights etc. It is also mentioned in the report that Turkey should give international observers access to its prisons.

The number of juvenile prisons in Turkey also gives us the idea that children were held in prisons for adults. There are three juvenile prisons whereas more than 2,000 children are jailed in Turkey. According to the experts from human rights associations the imprisonment conditions in Sincan Prison in Ankara don’t promise a better and healthier environment to children and for their physical and psychological rehabilitation and treatment as they will be held in one-person wards, which is not an appropriate environment. The transfer of kids makes almost impossible for their families to go and visit children if we consider financial difficulties and the life conditions that the families live in. The real solution is to transfer these children to suitable places where they will be close to their families and where they will be observed by the psychologists and psychiatrists and all necessary measures to be taken to promote their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration.

Furthermore thousands of children are held in prisons should be provided with all kinds of opportunities, including psychological and physical assistance for development of the children and their reintegration with society. Therefore the environment and structure of prisons for children should be changed into schools in order to reintroduce them to society and promote children's assuming a constructive role in society.

In addition it is understood that the matter of sexual and psychological abuse and harassment against jailed children is not only the problem of Pozanti Prison alone, the Human Rights Associations' executives were noting that they received similar applications from other prisons in the region as well. The same sensibility and interest on the subject should be displayed towards the problems of all jailed children in all prisons. The situation and problems of all jailed children who are held in prisons as victims of the state’s fight against terror should be monitored carefully by unbiased and independent experts.

Turkey as a country that ratified UN Convention on Rights of Child , European Convention on Human Rights and recently UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) on 27 September 2011 needs to step up efforts to fulfil the obligations and implement the provisions stemming from the Conventions and Agreements. As stated in the UN Convention on Rights of Child Turkey has responsibilities and obligations to ensure necessary conditions for child to live with in health, self-respect and dignity. The articles 19, 34, 37 and 39 of the UN Convention on Rights of Child have clear statements on the issues regarding violence, torture, abuse, degrading and inhuman treatment against child and rehabilitation of child who is victim of rights violations. As stated in the articles 37 and 39 of UN Convention on Rights of Child, State parties should ensure;

- That no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age;

- To take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of: any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.

Lastly, Turkey has to review Turkish legislation on child and human rights and proceedings of the prisons and ensure fully alignment of Turkish legislation with the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on Rights of Child without further delay. (ANF, March 15, 2012)

"Manisa youths" win 16-year legal battle on torture

Sixteen young people who were questioned for 11 days after being detained in Manisa province in 1995 have finally won a 16-year-old legal battle that started when they filed charges against police officers accusing them of torture and abuse.

The Council of State last week approved a lower court’s ruling which ordered the Interior Ministry to pay compensation to the 16 people, popularly known as the “Manisa youths” in Turkey, for the torture and physical abuse they had to endure.

Sixteen students were detained by the Manisa Police Department on Dec. 26, 1995, on charges of having sprayed the slogan “No to paid education” on a train wagon. The young people were questioned for 11 consecutive days at the central police station and not allowed to see their families during that time. Subsequently, they were arrested on charges of “illegal graffiti, handing out illegal leaflets, throwing Molotov cocktails and membership in a clandestine organization.” On March 14, 2007, they were acquitted by a Manisa court of illegal graffiti and on Oct. 28, 2000, they were acquitted of all the other charges leveled by the İzmir State Security Court on the grounds that their testimony was extracted under torture.

Following their complaints as victims, the 10 police officers who had conducted the investigation were brought to justice on charges of torture. In 2003, a high court approved a lower court ruling that gave jail sentences to between five and 10 years to the police officers, including a chief superintendent.

Members of the Manisa group spent between two-and-a-half months to two years and three months behind bars. The first battle in their legal war was won at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which ordered Turkey to pay 13,800 euros to each of the 16 victims. Following the ECtHR victory, the torture victims filed charges against the interior minister. Last week, the Council of State upheld a lower court ruling that compelled the Interior Ministry to pay compensation payments between TL 10,000 and TL 25,000 to the victims.

Aşkın Yeğin, one of the young people who were tortured in the “Manisa youths” case, said: “What really mattered to us were the convictions given to the police officers. However, our battle is not nearly over. We still have ongoing trials as to our unjust detention and subsequent arrest. We don’t want future generations to go through this trauma.” (TODAY’S ZAMAN, March 12, 2012)

ECtHR questions Turkey on death of father and son

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has questioned Turkey on the 2004 shooting of a father and his 12-year-old son by police, demanding to know whether shooting at the father and son was really necessarily as a last resort, seeking Turkey’s defense statement in a trial which is now being heard by the European court.

Ahmet Kaymaz, a Kurdish truck driver, and his 12-year-old son, Uğur, were fatally shot by police outside their home in southeastern Mardin province in November 2004. During a police interrogation, the four police officers said they returned fire in self-defense during a counterterrorism operation targeting terrorists from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the region. But forensic evidence showed Uğur and Ahmet Kaymaz were shot repeatedly in the back at close range.

A criminal case was launched against four police officers at the Mardin High Criminal Court. The trial was later moved to Eskişehir over security concerns. However, all four were acquitted as the Eskişehir High Criminal Court ruled that the police officers had acted in self-defense. Later, the 1st Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals unanimously upheld this ruling. Shortly after the end of the appeals process at the high court, lawyers representing the Kaymaz family petitioned the ECtHR. The court has sent Turkey a number of questions regarding the death of the father and son and the trial of the officers who shot them that followed.

In addition to questioning whether shooting the Kaymaz family members was really necessary, the court has asked for the files on every single officer and their trials from Turkey. The nine-page query has already reached the Turkish capital. Turkey is expected to present a defense statement responding to the questions over the next several days.

The questions directed by the European court inquire as to whether the right to life, guaranteed under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, was violated, and whether, as guaranteed by Article 2 of the convention, disproportionate force was used in the case of the father and son. Under Article 2, security forces can use violent methods to capture individuals only “in defense of any person from unlawful violence; in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent escape of a person lawfully detained; and in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection.” The court also demands to know whether the shooting was the last resort, or if “less radical” methods could have been employed to stop the suspects. (TODAY’S ZAMAN, March 12, 2012)

New Prosecutor Demands 15-Year Sentence for Students

22-year-old students Ferhat Tüzer, Berna Yılmaz and Utku Aykar are again facing up to 15 years in jail each in the context of the trial based on their demand for "free education". They are charged with "membership of an illegal organization".

Tüzer and Yılmaz stand trial on the grounds of a banner reading "We want free education and we will get it" posted during a speech of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Romani meeting in Istanbul on 14 March 2010. Aykar is on trial because he distributed related leaflets.

The three students were taken into custody immediately and arrested by the Istanbul Special Authority 10th High Criminal Court. They stand accused of "membership of an illegal organization" according to Article 5 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) on the grounds of their alleged membership in the Party and Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of the Turkish People (DHKP-C) and supposed propaganda for the organization.

After 19 months in detention, Tüzer and Yılmaz were released pending trial on 6 October 2011.

The former prosecutor of the case Kasım İlimlioğlu plead for the release and acquittal of the students at the hearing on 24 May 2011. He evaluated the incident within the scope of freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Constitution.

İlimoğlu furthermore claimed that the Constitution also mentioned the possibility of peaceful meetings and demonstrations without arms without prior permission.

The new prosecutor Adem Özcan referred to allegations of "membership in an illegal organization" and demanded prison sentenced of between 7.5 and 15 years for the three students in his final speech presented at the Thursday hearing (8 March).

Özcan reasoned his view on the basis of information obtained by the Police Directorate related to a "campaign of the DHKP/C terrorist organization to be launched on 30 September 2009 called 'America, get out of here; this is our homeland - Dev Genç'. Subsections of the organization will initiate a campaign with the demand to lift education fees and provide education free of charge".

"It was understood from the evidence obtained by the end of the prosecution that the defendants attended more than one activities organized by the People's Front and Youth Federation as sub-structures of the DHKP/C (...); they attended these illegal demonstrations upon the directives and calls made via press and publication outlets publishing the agenda of the DHKP/C organization; in this aspect the defendants committed the offence of being a member of an armed organization considering the demonstrations as a whole", the prosecutor claimed.

Lawyer Taylan Tanay emphasized that both prosecutors presented different speeches based on the same occasions and the same evidence.

"Prosecutor İlimlioğlu said that the legal actions the students participated in were a constitutional right whereas Prosecutor Özcan reached the conclusion of the offence of membership in an illegal organization by reason of the same actions. First these actions were assessed as a 'democratic right' and now they are deemed 'terrorist activities'".

"According to the evaluation of Prosecutor Özcan, all actions joined by journalists, students, union members, workers or HES opponents can be seen within the scope of 'terror crimes' and the whole society can be defined as 'terrorists'", Tanay criticized.

The lawyer indicated that the new plea was politically motivated.

Court President Aytekin Özanlı postponed the case to 31 May 2012 to allow time for the preparation of the defence.

Prosecutor İlimoğlu was one of the special authority prosecutors in charge of the Ergenekon trial in Istanbul. He had accused the other prosecutors handling the Ergenkon investigation of "behaving in contrary to human rights". On 20 June 2011, İlimoğlu was deprived of his special authority upon the Summer Decree of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) and appointed to the Büyükçekmece (Istanbul) Prosecution. (BIA, Ayça SÖYLEMEZ, 9 March 2012)

RedHack to Publish "Policeleaks"

The hackers group RedHack announced to publish the information seized from the databases of POLNET (Police Net) and the Ankara Police Directorate on a platform comparable to Wikileaks. The hackers group had seized data related to informants, complaints and other correspondence and published the first part of the information they got from the hacked databases on the internet on 27 February.

According to the Radikal daily, both the Turkish and the English RedHack sites were closed down by three different court decisions. However, RedHack is apparently going to publish all the information seized from the police databases with a system established via the "blogspot" site.

RedHack had hacked the website of the Ankara Police Directorate and published denunciating e-mails. On Tuesday (6 March), the group released police registration numbers, e-mail addresses and passwords of hundreds of senior police officers on some websites.

Moreover, RedHack announced to decipher the names of people with gun licences, the sort of weapon and details about these persons' IDs.

RedHack plan to establish a system like "Wikileaks" that, according to their definition, "does not put its users on risk. People working on any level for the state or private companies can easily share information and notify existing injustices".

Also hackers who are acting upon the philosophy of RedHack will share information they seized from databases they hacked themselves on this site.

"We are the third side"

RedHack explain their aims as follows: "We are the third side in the discrepancy between existing political conditions and the sovereigns. In other words, we are the party of the oppressed and exploited".

After the publishing of police information, access to the RedHack site was banned by a court decision within 24 hours.

In addition, General Police Director Mehmet Kılıçlar warned 245,000 police officers about using the internet.

In the meantime, the RedHack site was temporarily accessible under http://www.red-hack.org/.

If RedHack establishes a system via blogspot, also this site might become the subject of closure. Access to blogspot was denied before.

The Public Chief Prosecution of Diyarbakır decided to lift the access ban to the blog publishing service blogspot.com (Blogger) on 15 March 2011. Access to the site and millions of blogs published by the Google sub-service was suspended two weeks earlier upon a complaint of the Turkish Satellite Television provider Digitürk. (BIA, 8 March 2012)

Transfer of kids to another jail not a solution, say association

Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and human rights associations have stated that the transfer of abused children from the Pozantı Prison to the Ankara Juvenile Closed Prison is not a solution. Indeed the associations pointed out that Ankara Juvenile prison has been the target of a number of criticism in recent times.

Human Rights Association (İHD) Secretary Emrah Şeyhanlıoğlu noted that the transfer was not a move that would benefit the children as their families will not be able to visit them in Ankara because of the long distance. Şeyhanlıoğlu said that the few number of juvenile prisons in Turkey meant that children were held in prisons for adult. “There are three juvenile prisons whereas more than 2,000 children are jailed in Turkey.” The association of lawyers also pointed out that clearly jailing kids is not the solution to teen agers difficulties.

ÇHD Ankara Branch President Murat Yılmaz also underlined that changing places was not a solution. “The real solution is to transfer these children to suitable places where psychologists will ensure the protection from any kind of abuse. The state is responsible for the [sexual abuse] incidents. Because the state ignores them these incidents increase,” said Yılmaz. (ANF, 4 March 2012)

Juvenile prison abuse just ‘tip of the iceberg’

Parliament’s Human Rights Commission had twice notified the Justice Ministry about complaints of mistreatment and sexual abuse in a juvenile prison in Adana but no serious action was taken until some of the victims were recently released and held a press conference, according to a CHP report.

Three Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies visited the prison this week and penned a report suggesting the allegations concerning Pozantı Prison were “only the tip of the iceberg.” They called for immediate dismissal of the then-warden and his deputy.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin cautioned the CHP team not to go to the prison on grounds the inmates were linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and their allegations were a fabrication, one of the deputies, Veli Ağbaba, told the Hürriyet Daily News. “The allegations are horrible.

It’s obvious the Justice Ministry was seven months late. When we visited the prison the [Justice Ministry] inspectors were just arriving for an investigation. An independent body is needed to probe the incident,” Ağbaba said.

Seven boys, aged between 13 and 17 and jailed for taking part in pro-PKK demonstrations, first spoke of the alleged abuses in handwritten notes they sent to the Mersin branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) in June 2011. They claimed to have been beaten with pipes and hanged from basketball hoops by prison officials and to have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of older boys. It emerged later that some of them had recounted the sexual abuse as something that had happened to fellow inmates.

No action for seven months

The IHD reported the letters to Parliament’s Human Rights Commission, which in turn passed them to the Justice Ministry. When the ministry failed to respond, the commission sent a second notification. However, it is now being alleged the ministry failed to take action for seven months.

Ergin announced Feb. 29 he had dispatched three inspectors to look into the allegations.

The CHP report said 25 of the 218 children in the prison had complained of violence, abuse and rape, while questioning a strict military-like disciplinary system in the wards. The report placed the blame on the warden and his deputy and urged for their immediate dismissal.

“They were promoted [to other prisons], almost as a prize. They must be investigated,” it said. A local prosecutor confirmed two inmates were on trial for rape but described the incident as “isolated,” the report said, adding the current administrators of the prison had denied the claims. (Hürriyet Daily News, March 2, 2012)

16 blessés dans l'explosion d'une bombe près d'un car de police

L'explosion d'une bombe jeudi au passage d'un car de police dans le centre-ville d'Istanbul a fait 16 blessés dont 15 policiers, ont affirmé les autorités turques qui n'ont pas évoqué des pistes concernant les auteurs de l'attentat.

L'explosion a eu lieu dans le quartier de Sütlüce, près d'un immeuble abritant le siège régional du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste) au pouvoir en Turquie, a constaté un photographe de l'AFP.

"Il ressort qu'il s'agissait d'une bombe contrôlée à distance qui a explosé au passage d'un véhicule de service transportant 21 policiers", a déclaré le chef de la police d'Istanbul, Hüseyin Capkin, cité par l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan a indiqué que la déflagration avait blessé 15 policiers et un civil.

"Les criminels qui ont commis cette attaque n'atteindront jamais leur objectif. Ils ne parviendront jamais à ébranler la stabilité, l'unité et la fraternité dans ce pays, a affirmé M. Erdogan, qui s'exprimait lors d'une conférence à Ankara.

Il n'a pas donné de piste sur les possibles auteurs de l'attentat, se contentant de "maudire" des "terroristes".

Un précédent bilan faisait état de 10 blessés, aucun n'étant dans un état critique.

Le gouverneur d'Istanbul Hüseyin Avni Mutlu a précisé que la bombe comprenait de l'explosif de type plastic, a rapporté Anatolie.

Selon des sources policières citées par la chaîne NTV, la bombe était disposée sur une moto et a explosé à 09H00 (07H00GMT).

Selon des témoins l'explosion a été très violente, endommageant gravement le côté droit du véhicule des policiers et deux voitures de particuliers, et causant un mouvement de panique. (AFP, 1 mars 2012)

29,366 rights violations in region in 2011

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch declared a regional rights violations report for the year 2011 yesterday.
According to the report, 29,366 rights violations occurred in the region representing a peak from the previous year’s 23,520 violations. It has been emphasized in the report that a notable increase took place in gunfights, civilian deaths and arrests compared to previous years as well as a rise of over 100% in torture and inhuman treatment.

“Unfortunately 2011 has been a year of intense war instead of a year of peace and solution for the Kurdish issue,” said İHD Diyarbakır Secretary Raci Bilici who noted that the rights violations in 2011 reminded of the 1990s and that the country almost became ‘a concentration camp’ with the arrests of politicians, journalists, lawyers, academics, students, unionists and human rights advocates.

Bilici stated that torture and inhuman treatment both under custody and on the streets increased greatly and added, “The AKP [Justice and Development Party] and justice keep silent towards police torture and brutality on the streets but adopt a ruthless attitude towards those who attempt to exhibit torture.”

The report noted the high rate of rights violations in prisons and the indifference of the Ministry of Justice as well as drawing attention to the isolation of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the hunger strikes in and outside the prisons to protest Öcalan’s isolation. “The policy of isolation must immediately be ended,” said Bilici.

The violations of women’s right to life, the state’s insufficient support to earthquake victims in Van and the issue of mass graves and unsolved murders were also mentioned in the report
which listed the rights violations as:

* 149 security forces killed, 295 injured in gunfights
* 169 PKK members killed, 6 injured in gunfights
* 129 civilians killed, 259 injured in unsolved murders, extrajudicial killings and gunfights
* 6 killed, 49 injured due to landmines and explosives
* 45 killed, 4 injured due to official neglect or mistake
* 1917 jailed *6306 taken into custody
*1555 cases of torture and inhuman treatment
*1421 rights violations in prisons
*932 injured due to police intervention in demonstrations
*4496 asylum seekers and immigrants taken into custody
*4 villages burnt and evacuated
* Claims of 111 mass graves where 1699 people are buried
(DIHA, March 2, 2012)

Students Face 25 Years in Jail - Evidence: Posters

Ankara University students Özgür Alkan and Bahadır Söylemez are facing imprisonment of up to 25 years. Evidence shown against them include posters and banners they carried at a meeting organized by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) on 13 March 2011. The second hearing of the case was held before the Ankara 12th High Criminal Court on Thursday (1 March).

The prosecutor announced to present his final plea in the coming hearing due to a recent amendment related to the core of the trial. Thereupon, the judge postponed the hearing to 24 May.

bianet talked to defendant Özgür Alkan. He said, "This trial is an indicator for how much freedom of expression is being restricted in this country. Not even [indictments about] murderers seek prison sentences as high as sought for my friend and me".

What happened?

At a demonstration organized by the TTB on 13 March in Ankara, students Alkan and Söylemez carried a poster that showed the pictures of three revolutionists who were executed in the course of the military coup on 12 September 1980. The banner featured the slogan "Executions don't intimidate us - Ethem Çoşkun, Seyit Konuk, Necati Vardar; the warriors of 13 March are alive; Leninists are fighting".

The indictment put forward that the students posted a banner reading "Those who fell in Kızıldere are alive in our fight - Revolutionary Students Union" at another demonstration on 30 March. According to the indictment, the event was allegedly held to commemorate Mahir Çayan, murdered leader of the Turkey's People's Liberation Party-Front (THKP-C). The students were taken into police custody during a crackdown on their hall of residence and arrested on 4 May.

Items found in their rooms in the course of the search and classified as "evidence of crime" include going to the March Culture, Arts and Thoughts Association; being the founder of the association; possession of that association's magazine; the book "War and Peace" by Tolstoy; post cards of Deniz Gezmiş; books of Mahir Çayan or a photo calendar or Deniz Gezmiş. (BIA, Serhat KORKMAZ, 2 March 2012)

Pression sur les médias / Pressure on the Media

Assyrian Cultural Award for Ragıp Zarakolu

Imprisoned writer and publisher Ragıp Zarakolu will receive the Assyrian Cultural Award. "He always took his place right next to minorities and the oppressed. Giving him this award is the least we can do", said the head of the Assyrian Culture Centre Baryawno.

Zarakolu has been detained since 1 November 2011 in the scope of the trial regarding the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK).

The Assyrian Culture Centre is based in Stockholm/Sweden. Last year's award went to Abdullah Demirbaş, mayor of the Sur Municipality (Diyarbakır) for his efforts related to the development of the Syriac language and culture.

George Baryawno, President of the Assyrian Culture Centre, emphasized that Zarakolu was known as an advocator for human and minority rights in Turkey and Europe. Baryawno pointed out that Zarakolu did not make any concession on his way and his struggle despite all pressure and threats.

The publisher paid the price for his stance with being jailed, Baryawno continued and reasoned their choice to reward him as follows:

"He always took his place right next to minorities and the oppressed. The least we could do was giving him this award".

Zarakolu is going to receive the prize money of 5,000 Swedish Kronor (approx. TL 1,500) and a plaque written in Syriac, English and Turkish. Both the money and the plaque will be given to Zarakolu by a Swedish parliamentarian who is going to visit him in prison next month.

Zarakolu has received several awards for his efforts regarding human and minority rights. He is a candidate for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. (BIA, 29 March 2012)

Freed journalist Ahmet Şık spoke at the European Parliament

Journalist Ahmet Şık sharply criticized Turkey’s anti-terrorism laws and the religious Fethullah Gülen community while addressing the Liberal Democrat Group in the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday, only 16 days after his release from prison.

“Many a journalist who assumed a critical stance toward the AKP [Justice and Development Party] and the Gülen community, the government’s invisible partner, [or] attempted to maintain a dissident outlook toward their policies either lost their job or had to keep quiet through auto-censure,” journalist Şık told his audience at the European Parliament.

Other journalists
Şık cited the names of Ruşen Çakır, Nuray Mert, Çiğdem Anad and Mehmet Altan as some of the journalists who were fired after slight criticisms, and went further to elaborate on the elusive nature of the Gülen community. “The Gülen community is a phantom. They are everywhere but nowhere. They are the cause of fear in society because they control the police,” he said.

An explanation is warranted as to why the Gülen community is so eager to organize within the police and the military, Şık said, adding that he had also been targeted by the community because he asked such questions. “This system has to distort everything, as it has been enslaved by its own lies. It distorts the past. It distorts the present. It distorts the future,” Şık said, paraphrasing a 1978 article by former activist and late Czech President Vaclav Havel.

The Gülen community is both avenging the past and trying to destroy its political opponents by organizing within the judiciary and the police, according to Şık. “The Anti-Terrorism Law [depicts] everyone who is a dissident or exhibits unfavorable behavior as a ‘terrorist,’ through a mentality that is based on protecting not the interests of citizens but of the state. The State Security Courts, which were allegedly abolished, have changed only in name. The legal but lawless order of the past still rules the day under the [guise] of specially authorized prosecutors and courts,” he said.

The ongoing Ergenekon probe and other related trials are also nothing but a farce intended to prosecute individuals and institutions targeted by the Gülen community, according to Şık. Şık also rebuffed claims that journalists jailed in Turkey are not under arrest for their professional activities, and said the prosecutors and judges who questioned them primarily asked about their journalistic activities and sources. (Hürriyet Daily News, March 29, 2012)

EP President Schulz concerned over situation of journalists in Turkey

The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz today met the Turkish journalist Ahmet Şik in Brussels.  At the opening of the plenary session in Brussels, President Schulz referred to the case of Ahmet Şik and stated:
 
"Our Parliament has repeatedly expressed concern with regard to the issue of pre-trial detention, and specifically with regard to Mr Şik's case.
 
We will continue our ongoing observation."
 
In his bilateral meeting, President Schulz stated:
 
"I am deeply concerned about the regression in Turkey's democratisation process. I appreciated Ahmet Şik message that the European Parliament played an important role in his release. I also listened to Ahmet Şik who described the justice system Turkey as neither 'impartial nor independent'.
 
I promised to meet Ahmet Şik during my official visit to Turkey at the end of May. The European Parliament will follow closely the upcoming trials of Ahmet Şik and other people facing similar trials in Turkey."
 
Background on Ahmet Şik
 
Ahmet Şik is a Turkish journalist, who after more than one year in prison, detained under the country's anti-terror law, has just been released alongside his colleague Nedim Şener. However, the journalists are still facing trial. If convicted in June, they could face up to 15 years in prison.
 
Ahmet Şik who was in Brussels at the invitation of the ALDE group.
 
The European Parliament defends the fundamental value of freedom of expression and the independence of the media be it in the EU or in candidate countries for EU membership. (Europarl.President.Press@europarl.europa.eu, 28 March 2012)

MEP Klute criticized the closure of the daily Özgür Gündem

Member of the European Parliament (European United Left - Nordic Green Left Group / GUE/NGL) and Coordinator of the European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group Jürgen Klute has made the following statement on the closure of Kurdish daily newspaper "Özgür Gündem" by a Turkish Court:
 
"We have been informed that a Turkish Court banned Kurdish daily newspaper "Özgür Gündem" for a month, due to allegations that it spreads "terrorist propaganda". Turkish police also raided the newspaper's Istanbul headquarters on 24th March 2012 and seized the newspaper's Sunday edition.
 
The daily "Özgür Gündem" -which closely monitors and reports on Kurdish issue- has been the target of restrictions and attacks from the Turkish state since its foundation in 1992. The daily started again its activities in 2011 after 17 years of closure, countless court cases, and disproportionate financial fines. During the 90's, 76 people amongst its journalists and distributors have been murdered and many others arrested.
 
According to Turkish human rights lawyers, 109 journalists from Özgür Gündem, Dicle News Agency, Firat News Agency and Azadiya Welat are currently imprisoned within the very controversial Turkish Anti-Terror Law.
 
I strongly condemn the Turkish Court's decision to ban "Özgür Gündem", which is one of the voice of Kurdish people in Turkey. Suspension of newspapers and imprisonment of journalists are the result of unacceptable and disproportionate policies of Turkish government which must be ended as urgent matter. The Turkish Court's ban is also contrary to the European Court of Human Rights' decision of 20th October 2009 regarding the suspension of newspapers in Turkey for alleged "terrorist propaganda", which -inter alia- ruled that Turkey violated provisions on press freedom, in several occasions.
 
I call on Turkish authorities to respect the decisions of European Court of Human Rights, to ensure the reopening of "Özgür Gündem", to respect fundamental freedoms and human rights, and to bring its legislation in line with European standards for a more democratic and pluralistic Turkey. (stefano.squarcina@europarl.europa.eu, 27th of March 2012)

PIC: Turkey Must Immediately Lift the Ban on Özgür Gündem

The pro-Kurdish daily newspaper, Özgür Gündem, has been banned from publishing for one month by Turkish courts for spreading ‘terrorist propaganda’. Peace in Kurdistan views this action by the Turkish courts as an aggressive move conceived only facilitate the government’s own campaign of misinformation regarding the Kurdish question, and we call for the immediate lifting of the ban.
 
The court action comes immediately in the wake of a Saturday raid on the daily’s premises, with documents and copies of the next edition of the paper confiscated by police. Once again, Turkey’s highly controversial Anti-Terror Law (TMY) is being employed on an ever-widening scale to justify the ongoing crackdown on the free of expression by the Kurdish people. It follows just days after the violent suppression of Newroz festivities and the ensuing criminalisation of Kurdish cultural expression which has seen at least 500 people arrested. Tragically one member of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Haci Zengin, was killed after a gas bomb was thrown at his head by riot police.
 
Under such intense political and social pressure, newspapers such as Özgür Gündem act as an important platform for the expression of an alternative voice regarding the conflict against Kurds in Turkey. In the absence of a critical media, the Turkish government remains unaccountable to public opinion and can continue arresting Kurdish people in their hundreds without challenge. We can here note that eleven Özgür Gündem journalists are presently behind bars for alleged links to the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), and in total, 109 publishers and journalists from Dicle News Agency, Firat News Agency, Azadiya Welat and Özgür Gündem are currently detained; around half of those are yet to be formally indicted or have their first hearing in court. Özgür Gündem itself only began publishing again last April following a 17-year ban.
 
The Editor-in-Chief of the paper, Eren Keskin, has been quoted in Hurriyet as saying the ban was part of the government’s ‘new strategy’ and ‘proves there is an intention to cut off communication among Kurds.’ Peace in Kurdistan endorses her observation. Indeed, the indictment and eventual suspension of Kurdish language broadcaster Roj TV by the Danish High Court and satellite provider Eutelsat respectively, came as a direct result of pressure from the highest echelons of the Turkish state. This action once again demonstrates Turkey’s ruthlessness in its attempts to suppress Kurdish political opinion and seriously calls into question the state’s democratic credibility. By such measures, it appears little has changed in Turkey from the Kurdish perspective.
 
Peace in Kurdistan  Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question
Email: estella24@tiscali.co.uk   Www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.wordpress.com <http://Www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.wordpress.com/>

Patrons: Lord Avebury, Lord Rea, Lord Dholakia, Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, Jean Lambert MEP, Alyn Smith MEP, Bairbre de Brún MEP, Jeremy Corbyn MP,  Hywel Williams MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP, John Austin, Gareth Peirce, Julie Christie, Noam Chomsky, John Berger, Edward Albee, Margaret Owen OBE, Mark Thomas

Atılım Newspaper Seized 3 Times in 1 Month

This year's fifth issue of the weekly Atılım ('Progress') newspaper dated 24 March 2012 was confiscated.

The Adana 7th High Criminal Court based the seizure on news and photographs of the issue that was published under the headline "Newroz, rebellion, freedom". The weekly is alleged of having spread "propaganda for an illegal organization".

The second and third 2012 issues of the Atılım newspaper dated 3 and 10 March had previously been confiscated by reason of alleged "propaganda for the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) and "encouragement to armed action and procedures".

According to the AtilimHaber.org website, the distribution of the newspaper has been obstructed by the police before.

The daily Özgür Gündem ('Free Agenda') newspaper was handed a one-month publication ban for its 24 March issue on the grounds of "propaganda for an illegal organization". Copies of that day's and the subsequent day's issue were confiscated. (BIA, 28 March 2012)

La télévision kurde, un enjeu stratégique majeur dans le conflit kurdo-turc

par  Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne

Tout gouvernement totalitaire veut maitriser l’information et, pour ce faire, RT Erdogan, chef d’un gouvernement de plus en plus liberticide, a fini par convoquer les patrons de presse pour leur signifier les risques qu’ils encouraient s’ils enfreignaient ses ordres. La pression sur les journalistes se fait plus massive : plus de cent journalistes, dont une vingtaine de chefs de rédaction et patrons de presse, sont aujourd’hui sous les verrous, parmi lesquels l’éditeur Ragip Zarakolu, connu pour ses publications sur la question kurde et le génocide arménien,, et détenu depuis le 28 octobre 2011. Le procureur a requis contre lui une peine de 10 ans d’emprisonnement. On ne peut oublier non plus la cinquantaine de journalistes assassinés depuis 1990. On ne peut oublier Hrant Dink, rédacteur en chef du journal Agos, assassiné en janvier 2007, ou Kasim Ciftci, propriétaire du journal "Hakkari Province Voice" tué en septembre de la même année.

La mise sous tutelle de l’information passe aussi par le verrouillage des réseaux sociaux. C’est ainsi que la direction générale des télécommunications de Turquie a banni 138 mots de l’Internet en avril 2011, causant ainsi la fermeture, selon le quotidien Hürriyet, de dizaines de milliers de sites internet turcs. Après avoir interdit l’accès à YouTube pendant de longs mois, c’est le tour des blogs de la plate-forme Blogger à laquelle les internautes de Turquie ne peuvent plus accéder.

Enfin, dernière nouvelle, le journal kurde Özgür Gündem vient d’être suspendu par la 14ème Chambre de la Cour d’Assises d’Istanbul pour avoir publié la déclaration commune du parti kurde BDP et du DTK (Congrès pour la Société démocratique) : "la voie à emprunter pour la résolution pacifique du problème kurde". Özgür Gündem - sa devise étant, c’est tout un symbole, "aucune vérité ne restera dans l’obscurité"- avait déjà payé un lourd tribut avec l’assassinat, entre le 30 mai 1992 et le 14 avril 1994, de huit correspondants et dix-neuf distributeurs, des enfants pour la plupart. Il avait été de nouveau autorisé à paraître en avril 2011 après avoir été interdit pendant 17 ans.

C’est dans ce contexte qu’il faut situer la guerre sans merci que les gouvernements totalitaires, kémalistes hier, islamistes aujourd’hui, ont mené et mènent toujours contre l’insaisissable télévision kurde en exil, vue et écoutée dans 68 pays. "Le seul moyen, pour 40 millions de Kurdes, d’obtenir une information libre et non censurée sur les actualités au Kurdistan" écrit Joël Dutto, conseiller municipal de Marseille, au retour d’une mission d’élus locaux au Kurdistan de Turquie.

Qui pourra arrêter la voix des Kurdes ?

L’histoire de la télévision kurde en exil est répétitive : créée en 1994, MED TV est empêchée de diffusion en 1999. MEDIA TV prend la suite avant qu’elle ne subisse le même traitement en 2004 et qu’elle ne soit remplacée par ROJ TV qui est, comme les autres, poursuivie pour ses liens supposés avec le PKK. Dès le 20 avril 2005, le Conseil danois de Radio et de Télévision avait pourtant débouté la Turquie de sa plainte et estimé que les programmes la chaine de télévision kurde émettant depuis Copenhague "rapportaient de façon normale des informations relatives à des combats entre les guérilleros kurdes et militaires turcs et qu’ils ne contenaient pas des incitations à la haine". La pression est devenue intolérable quand, en avril 2009, la Turquie a brandi la menace de son veto à la nomination du Premier Ministre danois Anders Fogh Rasmussen au poste de secrétaire général de l’OTAN. Les Etats-Unis ont alors vivement exhorté le Danemark à fermer cette chaîne de télévision kurde qui émet depuis son territoire et qui rend fou de rage le Premier ministre turc. Les Kurdes ont donc servi de monnaie d’échange et un deuxième procès a débuté le 15 août 2011. Mais, nouveau rebondissement le 10 janvier 2012, quand la Cour danoise ne condamne ROJ TV qu’à une simple amende, sans fermeture de la station, au grand dam de la Turquie. "C’est une décision complètement irresponsable, prise en dépit du bon sens" s’est écrié le ministre turc des Affaires européennes, Egemen Bagis.

Eutelsat interdit ROJ TV mais accepte STERK TV et NUÇE TV

Eutelsat s’est donc chargé de lui fermer l’espace satellitaire le 19 janvier dernier au motif qu’il ne voulait pas "être en situation de se rendre complice d’une activité terroriste". Mais qui peut croire une fable pareille ?

Eutelsat est le premier opérateur européen, une flotte de 28 satellites offrant un espace à 4 000 chaines TV (dont Al Jazeera par exemple) et 1 100 stations radios, diffusant en 45 langues couvrant 150 pays d’Europe, d’Afrique, d’Amérique et d’Asie, avec une audience de 204 millions de foyers. On peut donc s’étonner que ce géant, dont le chiffre d’affaires dépasse le milliard d’euros, se mêle de cette affaire alors que l’arrêt de la Cour de Copenhague ne lui en faisait pas obligation. On s’en étonne moins quand on sait que le siège d’Eutelsat est à Paris et que le gouvernement français avait, le 6 octobre 2011, promis aux autorités d’Ankara une collaboration active dans la lutte contre les Kurdes qualifiés de "terroristes".

Pour autant, les affaires sont les affaires et l’espace satellitaire d’Eutelsat s’ouvre à nouveau, non pas à une mais à deux nouvelles chaines de la résistance kurde qui sont les copies conformes des chaines qui les ont précédées. Leurs programmes présenteront aux couleurs du Kurdistan l’actualité en Turquie et dans le monde, avec des reportages et des tables rondes ayant trait à des événements culturels mais aussi politiques et à leurs conséquences au Kurdistan, au Moyen-Orient et à l’international. Leurs émissions seront en langues kurdes (kurmancî et sorani) et turque.

STERK TV ("l’étoile") a commencé à diffuser dès le 6 février dernier et NUÇE TV ("les nouvelles") le 4 de ce mois de mars.

Micro-trottoir

Un micro-trottoir, sans être un sondage exhaustif, nous laisse à penser que les Kurdes gardent ce lien très fort qu’ils ont depuis MED TV avec "leur télé", surtout quand elle leur parle du pays. Plus de la moitié des personnes interrogées regardaient ROJ TV plus de deux heures par jour et leur fidélité sera la même, disent-elles, tant pour STERK TV, que pour NUÇE TV. Aucune préférence, à cet instant, ne se dégage pour l’une ou l’autre, considérées toutes les deux comme la suite de ROJ TV dont les ex-journalistes se trouvent notamment à NUÇE TV. Les reportages sur la situation au pays et les débats politiques semblent devoir les passionner au premier chef et les deux chaines leur donnent satisfaction. Si la qualité des images semble être appréciée sur les deux chaines, la musique de STERK TV est préférée à celle de NUÇE TV. La nouveauté viendra peut-être de NUÇE TV qui met en place un nouveau format. Son slogan, "le temps de la vérité", est tout un programme. (André Métayer,  26 mars 2012)

Le quotidien kurde Özgür Gündem a été suspendu par une cour pénale

La 14e cour pénale d’Istanbul a ordonné la suspension du journal pour « propagande d’une organisation terroriste », pour les articles et les photos publiés sur les pages 1, 8, 9, 10 et 11 de son édition du samedi.

Le journal avait publié la déclaration commune du principal parti kurde BDP et du Congres pour la société démocratique (DTK), une plateforme d'associations et mouvements kurde, sous  le titre « La solution et l’interlocuteur sont clairs », indiquant la voie à emprunter pour la résolution pacifique du problème kurde.

La police a perquisitionné samedi soir l’imprimerie Gün et a saisi tous les exemplaires du dernier numéro du journal.

Il avait reparu 17 ans après…

Apres avoir été interdit en 1994, le journal Özgür Gündem avait de nouveau vu le jour en avril 2011, soit 17 ans plus tard.  Entre  le 30 mai 1992 et le 14 avril 1994, huit correspondants et dix-neuf distributeurs de ce journal ont été assassinés par les forces de l’Etat.

Le journal Özgür Ülke a remplacé Özgür Gündem avec le slogan « Aucune vérité ne restera dans l’obscurité ».  Dans la nuit du 2 au 3 décembre 1994, trois explosions ont visé deux bureaux du journal à Istanbul et un à Ankara, faisant un mort et 23 blessés parmi les travailleurs. Quinze jours plus tard, le journal a révélé un document « confidentiel » signé par Tansu Ciller, la première et la seule femme à exercer la charge de Premier ministre dans son pays entre 1993 et 1996

Plus de 70 travailleurs de la presse kurde tués

Depuis le premier journal de cette tradition, plus de 50 journaux quotidiens et hebdomadaires sont sortis, défiant toutes les autorités répressives. Au moins 76 travailleurs de la presse kurde dont plus de 30 correspondants ont été tués depuis 1990 en Turquie, tandis que des dizaines de journaux ont été fermés des centaines de reprises et des locaux ont été détruits par des bombes sur ordre des autorités.

100 journalistes en prison

Aujourd’hui, la Turquie reste toujours la plus grande prison du monde pour les journalistes. Selon la Plateforme de soutien aux journalistes emprisonnés (TGDP), 100 journalistes dont 20 rédacteurs en chef et directeurs dont derrière les barreaux. Au moins 72 d’entre eux sont des kurdes, parmi eux 30 journalistes de DIHA dont trois anciens correspondants, 16 du seul quotidien en langue kurde Azadiya Welat, dont quatre anciens rédacteurs en chef et un directeur de publication, 11 du journal Özgür Gündem et deux de l’agence de presse Firat, selon un décompte de l’ActuKurde à partir de la liste publié par la Plateforme. (Blog de Maxime Azadi avec ActuKurde, 25 Mars 2012)

104 Journalists and 35 Distributors in Prison

104 journalists are still being detained in Turkish prisons after the Istanbul 16th High Criminal Court released journalists Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık and Odat TV writers Coşkun Musluk and Sait Çakır pending trial on 12 March.

104 journalists and 35 newspaper distributors/media employees were initially arrested under allegations of "membership in an armed illegal organization". Later on they were charged with "committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organization without being a member of the organization" and/or "willingly and knowingly assisting an illegal organization and being part of its hierarchic structure". Some journalists are being tried under allegations of founding an armed or unarmed illegal organization, related instigation and administration or membership of that organization. A number of journalists have been convicted.

Journalists were labelled as "terrorists" by additional charges stemming from following up certain news and incidents, writing a book, government-critical journalism or working for a Kurdish media outlet.

Only six journalists are facing trial directly on the grounds of the news, articles and books they wrote.

The journalists are being detained in the scope of the following trials: 67 journalists are being prosecuted in the contest of the trials related to the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK), the armed outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Kurdish Workers Party - Democratic Patriotic Youth (DYG); five in the scope of the clandestine Ergenekon organization charged with the attempt to topple the government; six in the context of the Oda TV trial; eight in relation with the Party and Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of the Turkish People (DHKP-C); five in the scope of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) and four with regard to the Revolutionary Headquarters trial.

25 of the detained journalists are convicted, 29 are facing on-going trials and 50 journalists are still waiting for their indictments to be announced.

Out of a total of 104 journalists, 30 are current or former employees of the Dicle News Agency (DİHA), 14 of the Azadiya Welat newspaper, 12 of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, two of the Evrensel daily, three of the Özgür Halk magazine and two of the Democratic Modernity magazine.

Which journalists are allegedly connected to which trials?

Six journalists are facing allegations that are directly related to their news and writings: Azadiya Welat newspaper editors-in-chief Vedat Kurşun, Ruken Ergün and Ozan Kılınç; DİHA Batman representative Erdoğan Altan; Diyarbakır representative Kadri Kaya and Aram Publishing concessionaire and Hawar newspaper executive Bedir Adanır.

Ergenekon/Defendants: Hikmet Çiçek (Ulusal Kanal ('National Channel') general publications director), Mehmet Deniz Yıldırım (Aydınlık Magazine general publications director), Mehmet Haberal (Kanal B concessionaire), Mustafa Balbay (Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist), Tuncay Özkan (owner of Kanal Biz TV).

OdaTV/Defendants: Barış Pehlivan (OdaTV internet site general publications director), Barış Terkoğlu (OdaTV internet site news director), Müyesser Uğur Yıldız (OdaTV writer), Soner Yalçın (OdaTV concessionaire), Prof Yalçın Küçük (OdaTV writer).

OdaTV/waiting for indictment: Turan Özlü (Ulusal Kanal general publications director)

Revolutionary Headquarters/Convicts: Mehmet Yeşiltepe (Devrimci Hareket ('Revolutionary Movement') writer - 8 years, 9 months)

Revolutionary Headquarters /Defendants: Hakan Soytemiz (Red/Enternasyonel writer) and Osman Baha Okar (Bilim ve Gelecek ('Science and Future') editor).

Revolutionary Headquarters /without indictment: Mehmet Güneş (Türkiye Gerçeği ('Truth of Turkey') magazine writer).

KCK - PKK - DYG/Convicts: Abdülcabbar Karabeğ (Azadiya Welat Mersin representative - 7 years, 1 months), Ali Konar (Azadiya Welat Elazığ representative - 7 years, 6 months), Bayram Parlak (Gündem Mersin representative - 6 years, 3 months), Faysal Tunç (DİHA Şırnak reporter - 12 years, 6 months), Ferhat Çiftçi (Azadiya Welat Gaziantep representative - 22 years, 8 months), Hamit Dılbahar (Azadiya Welat writer), Kenan Karavil (Radyo Dünya Director - 6 years, 3 months), Mehmet Karaaslan (DİHA Mersin reporter - 6 years, 3 months), M. Ferid Demirel (DİHA reporter - 6 years, 3 months), Murat İlhan (Azadiya Welat Diyarbakır reporter - 6 years, 3 months), Nuri Yeşil (Azadiya Welat Tunceli representative - 1 year, 7 months, Ömer Faruk Çalışkan (Özgür Halk magazine editor-in-chief - 6 years, 3 months), Rohat Ekmekçi (GÜN TV radio presenter - 4 years, 2 months), Sevcan Atak (Özgür Halk magazine editor - 7 years, 6 months), Seyithan Akyüz (Azadiya Welat Adana representative - 10 years, 6 months), Şahabettin Demir (DİHA Van reporter - 4 years).

KCK - PKK - DYG/Defendants: Ahmet Akyol (DİHA Adana reporter), Ahmet Birsin (Gün TV general manager), Hamdiye Çiftçi (DİHA Hakkâri reporter), Sebahattin Sürmeli (Özgür Halk magazine editor).

KCK - PKK - DYG/without indictment: Abdullah Çetin (DİHA Siirt reporter), Abdülmenaf Düzenci (Yüksekova Gündem News site concessionaire), Aydın Yıldız (DİHA Mersin reporter), Ayşe Oyman (Özgür Gündem editor), Aziz Tekin (Azadiya Welat Mardin representative), Cengiz Kapmaz (Özgür Gündem writer), Çağdaş Kaplan (DİHA reporter), Çağdaş Ulus (Vatan newspaper reporter), Davut Uçar (Etik News Agency manager), Dilek Demirel (Özgür Gündem former editor), Ertuş Bozkurt (Fırat Distribution employee, reporter), Fatma Koçak (DİHA editor-in-chief), Feyyaz Deniz (DİHA Ankara reporter), Gülsen Aslan DİHA reporter), Hasan Özgüneş (Azadiya Welat writer), Hüseyin Deniz (Evrensel reporter), İsmail Yıldız (DİHA former employee, Dersim newspaper editor-in-chief), Kazım Şeker (Özgür Gündem editor), Kenan Kırkaya (DİHA Ankara representative), Mazlum Özdemir (DİHA Diyarbakır reporter), Mazlum Sezer (DİHA former reporter), Mehmet Emin Yıldırım (Azadiya Welat general publications director), Murat Aydın (DİHA reporter), Murat Çiftçi (DİHA reporter), Müge Tuzcu (former Evrensel reporter), Nahide Ermiş (Demokratik Modernite publication board member), Nevin Erdemir (Özgür Gündem editor), Nilgün Yıldız (DİHA Mardin reporter), Nurettin Fırat (Özgür Gündem writer), Oktay Candemir (DİHA former reporter), Ömer Çelik (DİHA reporter), Ömer Çiftçi (Demokratik Modernite concessionaire), Özlem Ağuş (DİHA reporter), Ragıp Zarakolu (owner of Belge Publishing, Özgür Gündem writer), Ramazan Pekgöz (DİHA Diyarbakır editor), Sadık Topaloğlu (DİHA reporter), Semiha Alankuş (DİHA Diyarbakır editor), Sibel Güler (Özgür Gündem former editor), Sinan Aygül (DİHA Bitlis reporter), Songül Karatagna (Özgür Gündem writer), Sultan Şaman (Heviya Jine editor), Tayyip Temel (Azadiya Welat former general publications director), Turabi Kişin (Özgür Gündem former editor), Yüksel Genç (Özgür Gündem writer), Zeynep Kuray (Birgün reporter), Ziya Çiçekçi (Özgür Gündem concessionaire, editor-in-chief), Zuhal Tekiner (DİHA concessionaire).

DHKP-C/Convict: Mustafa Gök (Emek ve Adalet ('Labour and Justice') magazine Ankara representative).

DHKP-C/Defendants: Bahar Kurt (Tavır ('Attitude') magazine owner), Cihan Gün (Yürüyüş magazine reporter), Fatih Özgür Aydın (Mühendislik, Mimarlık ve Planlamada + İvme Dergisi ('Engineeering, Architecture and Planning+Acceleration Journal') editor-in-chief), Halit Güdenoğlu (Kamu Emekçileri ('Public Employees') magazine owner), Kaan Ünsal (Yürüyüş magazine reporter), Musa Kurt (Kamu Emekçileri magazine editor-in-chief), Naciye Yavuz (Yürüyüş magazine reporter).

MLKP/Convicts: Erdal Süsem (Eylül Hapishane ('September Prison') magazine editor - life sentence) and Hatice Duman (Atılım Magazine owner and editor-in-chief - life sentence).

MLKP/Defendants: Sedat Şenoğlu (Atılım newspaper publications co-ordinator), Bayram Namaz (Atılım magazine writer), Füsun Erdoğan (Özgür Radyo general publications co-ordinator).

Odak ('Focus') magazine editor-in-chief Erol Zavar was handed down a life sentence in the scope of the 'Direniş Hareketi' (Resistance Movement') trial. Mezitli FM general publications director Mikdat Algül stands trial on the grounds of his alleged affiliation to an illegal organization. The name of the organization has not been mentioned though. Özgür Gündem editor Serdar Engin received a prison sentence of 9 months in September 2011 in the context of the "Esteemed Öcalan" trial based on Article 215 of the Turkish Criminal Law (praising crime and a criminal).

35 distributors behind bars

16 out of a total of 35 newspaper distributors are from the Azadiya Welat newspaper, eleven from the Fırat Distribution Company, one from DİHA, four from Özgür Halk magazine and three from the Demokratik Modernite magazine. Nine of the distributors have been convicted, nine are still on trial and 13 of them are still waiting for their indictments to be disclosed. The situation of four of the detained distributors it is not clear for the time being.

This is the related list of distributors and media employees:

KCK-PKK-DYG/Convicts: Ali Bilen (Özgür Halk distributor - years, 8 months), Ali Çat (Fırat Distribution - Azadiya Welat Mersin distributor - 7 years, 1 month), Cengiz Doğan (Fırat Distribution - Azadiya Welat Nusaybin employee - 3 years, 7 months), Dilşah Ercan (Azadiya Welat Mersin distributor - 8 years, 9 months), Dindare Temirhan (Özgür Halk magazine Mardin employee - 2 years, 6 months), İhsan Sinmiş (Azadiya Welat distributor - 6 years, 3 months), Mikail Çağrıcı (Azadiya Welat Adana distributor, life sentence), Selim Kahraman (Azadiya Welat Adana distributor - 14 years, 3 months), Sibel Mustafaoğlu (Fırat Distribution Gaziantep employee - 21 years, 6 months).

KCK-PKK-DYG/Defendants: Ali Ertuğrul (Azadiya Welat Şırnak distributor), Hakan İraz (Günlük distributor), Nazdar Ecevit (Azadiya Welat Şırnak distributor), Ramazan Dinç (Özgür Halk Diyarbakır employee), Salman Akpınar (Fırat Distribution employee), Savaş Aslan (Azadiya Welat Adana distributor), Serdar Ay (Fırat Distribution Diyarbakır distributor), Ufuk Demir (Fırat Distribution Iğdır former employee), Zahide Parim (Fırat Distribution Iğdır former employee).

KCK-PKK-DYG/without indictment: Abdülbesir Yapıcı (Azadiya Welat employee), Cihat Ablay (Demokratik Modernite employee), Çiğdem Aslan (Fırat Distribution distributor), Haydar Tekin (Fırat Distribution former employee), İrfan Bilgiç (Fırat Distribution former employee), Mahmut Tutal (Azadiya Welat employee), Pervin Yerlikaya (DİHA Istanbul employee), Saffet Orman (Demokratik Modernite Van employee), Selahattin Aslan (Demokratik Modernite employee), Şafak Çelen (Azadiya Welat employee), Şahin Baydağı (Azadiya Welat Kızıltepe former distributor) Şeyhmus Fidan (Fırat Distribution Istanbul employee), Veysi Arancak (Fırat Distribution Istanbul employee). (BIA, Emel GÜLCAN, 19 March 2012)

Lourdes peines requises contre Zarakolu et Ersanli

Un procureur turc a réclamé de lourdes peines de prison contre deux intellectuels de renom qui seront jugés dans le cadre d'une vaste enquête dans les milieux soupçonnés de collusion avec les rebelles kurdes, a rapporté lundi l'agence de presse officielle Anatolie.

L'acte d'accusation préparé par le procureur aux pouvoirs spéciaux Adnan Cimen réclame 10 ans d'emprisonnement pour "soutien à une organisation terroriste" à l'encontre de Ragip Zarakolu, écrivain et éditeur, et 15 ans pour la constitutionnaliste Büsra Ersanli, accusée d'être "la responsable d'une organisation terroriste", selon l'agence.

Ces deux personnalités ont été arrêtées et écrouées en novembre, ce qui a provoqué des protestations en Turquie et à l'étranger.

L'acte d'accusation doit être validé d'ici 15 jours par un tribunal, avant le début du procès.

Au total 193 suspects, dont 147 sont incarcérés, seront jugés.

Plusieurs opérations d'envergure ont été menées cette dernière année à travers la Turquie dans le cadre d'une offensive judiciaire visant le KCK (Union des communautés kurdes).

Le KCK, une organisation clandestine, est soupçonnée d'être la branche politique du mouvement armé PKK (Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan), en lutte depuis 1984 contre le pouvoir central.

Les autorités accusent le KCK de vouloir remplacer les institutions officielles dans l'est et le sud-est anatoliens et de favoriser une insurrection dans ces régions.

Selon les autorités turques, le KCK souhaite se substituer à l'Etat turc dans les collectivités locales des provinces à majorité kurde en créant une structure administrative parallèle aux institutions officielles.

Depuis 2009, 700 personnes, selon le gouvernement, et 3.500 selon les milieux kurdes, ont été incarcérées pour collusion avec le KCK. (AFP, 19 mars 2012)


Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener menacés sur Twitter

Reporters sans frontières fait part de sa profonde préoccupation quant à l’évocation d’un projet d’attentat visant les journalistes d’investigation Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener, libérés le 12 mars 2012.

« Sans céder à la psychose, ces menaces doivent être prises au sérieux. L’origine du tweet en question reste pour l’instant inconnue, mais elle mérite de faire l’objet d’investigations approfondies. Nous demandons aux autorités turques d’ouvrir une enquête au plus vite et de faire toute la lumière sur cette affaire. »

Dans la nuit du 16 au 17 mars 2012, un message a été publié sur Twitter par l’utilisateur « Faiz Düsmani » (« Ennemi de l’intérêt ») : « Attention, attention. Je mets en garde le gouvernement, que ceux qui peuvent l’en informer le fassent. Ergenekon planifie un attentat à l’encontre d’Ahmet Sik et de Nedim Sener. [L’organisation] va les massacrer et en accuser la communauté [religieuse de Fethullah Gülen]. »

Joint au téléphone par Reporters sans frontières, Ahmet Sik a déclaré qu’il prenait cette menace au sérieux et qu’il en accusait « les milieux responsables du complot » qui lui a valu d’être incarcéré pendant un an et accusé de complicité de terrorisme. « Ils veulent que je me taise. Ils seront responsables de la moindre chose qui m’arrivera », a-t-il précisé. Le journaliste estime queles propos qu’il a tenus le soir de sa libération devant la prison de Silivri ont dérangé ceux qui cherchent maintenant à le faire taire. Une nouvelle enquête judiciaire vient d’ailleurs d’être ouverte contre lui à ce sujet, par le procureur de la République d’Istanbul Muammer Akkas.

Plusieurs journalistes ont reçu des menaces de mort au cours des dernières années, émanant notamment des milieux ultranationalistes. Malgré plusieurs procès fleuves, tous les commanditaires et complices de l’assassinat du journaliste turc-arménien Hrant Dink, en janvier 2007, n’ont pas été identifiés.

Ahmet Sik, qui se consacre à sa famille depuis sa libération, reprendra dans les prochains jours sa collaboration avec le site habervesaire.com, exploité par les étudiants de la faculté de communication de l’Université de Bilgi (Istanbul). Après une brève période de repos, Nedim Sener va commencer à travailler pour le quotidien Posta (Courrier).

La 12e audience du procès OdaTV, dans lequel comparaissent les deux journalistes, se tiendra le 18 juin 2012. Le propriétaire du site, Soner Yalçin, le professeur Yalçin Küçük, le directeur de la publication, Baris Pehlivan, le directeur de l’information, Baris Terkoglu, et le chroniqueur Müyesser Ugur devront attendre cette date pour espérer bénéficier à leur tour d’une libération conditionnelle. (RSF, Johann Bihr, 19 mars 2012)

Journalist Şık faces probe over accusations against police, judges

Journalist Ahmet Şık who has been recently released pending trial in a coup plot case faces charges over his statements to the press after leaving prison accusing police offşvers, judges and prosecutors involved in his case of conspiring against him, the Sabah daily reported on Monday.
Şık is among four journalists who were jailed pending trial in the OdaTV case launched as part of a probe into Ergenekon, a clandestine criminal network accused of plotting to overthrow the government. Thirteen suspects are facing charges of involvement in the media wing of Ergenekon. Şık and three other journalists implicated in the case were released at the 11th hearing of the OdaTV trial at the İstanbul 16th High Criminal Court last week.

An angry Şık directed strong criticism against his trial as he was leaving the Silivri Prison last Monday and said the judges, prosecutors and police officers involved in his case will also be jailed. “There are five people jailed in only my case. Some 100 journalists are still in prison. The issue of freedom of expression is not just the problem of journalists. There are some 600 students [in prison]. We will go ahead with our struggle. The judges, prosecutors, police officers who plotted and implemented this conspiracy will enter this prison. Those community-linked, gang-linked people will enter here. Justice will arrive when they enter here,” he told reporters. By “community” remarks, Şık was referring to members of the faith-based Gülen movement, whom he accuses of being behind the case against him. The Gülen movement is a group of volunteers engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue inspired by the ideas of Fethullah Gülen, whose teachings promote mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures. The group strongly denies Şık's accusations.

Sabah said the İstanbul Specially Authorized Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into Şık's remarks on charges of threatening judges and prosecutors and to point them as a target for terrorist organizations. Prosecutor Muammer Aktaş has reportedly requested video footage of Şık's remarks from the İstanbul Police Department as part of his investigation. The journalist is expected to testify in the probe in the days ahead.

In OdaTV case, Şık is accused of being a member of a terrorist organization, inciting hatred and animosity among the public, obtaining documents related to state security, being in possession of confidential documents and violating the privacy of others. (TODAYSZAMAN.COM, 19 March 2012)

Action Ragip Zarakolu au stand de la Turquie du salon du livre de Paris

A l'occasion du salon du livre de Paris, porte de Versailles du 16 au 19 mars 2012, la FRA Nor Seround (association de jeunes luttant contre le négationnisme) dénonce la promotion d'un criminel de génocide par le stand de la Turquie. En effet, parmi les livres présentés dans l'espace dédié au ministère de la culture et du tourisme de Turquie, figurait un ouvrage glorifiant Djemal Pacha, qui est l'un des commanditaires du génocide des Arméniens de 1915.

Le dimanche 18 mars à 16h, à l’intérieur du salon du livre de Paris, le Nor Seround a protesté devant le stand officiel de la Turquie, contre cette incursion négationniste supplémentaire faite par le gouvernement d’Ankara en direction de la France, ainsi que pour dénoncer le traitement général réservé aux écrivains et aux éditeurs en Turquie.

Les militants ont clamé des slogans tels que « Libérez les écrivains ! Libérez Zarakolu ! », dans un stand du gouvernement turc, recouvert par les jeunes protestataires de pancartes à l'effigie de Ragip Zarakolu, cet éditeur d'ouvrages sur la question kurde et le génocide des Arméniens, actuellement incarcéré dans une prison de haute sécurité pour ses écrits.  Les passants du salon du livre, interpelés par cette soudaine agitation, se sont approchés de l’action pour se joindre à la protestation pacifique par leurs applaudissements et en reprenant les slogans pour la liberté d’expression en Turquie. En moins de 15 minutes, ce mouvement de sympathie a atteint plus de 100 personnes.

L’immense stand à la gloire du gouvernement turc au sein du salon du livre est une provocation d'autant plus intolérable, qu'il y a selon les derniers rapports de l'organisation  PEN International (ONG de défense des écrivains), près de 100 écrivains emprisonnés en Turquie. Ces derniers mois, la situation de tous ceux qui osent s’exprimer dans le pays s’est dramatiquement aggravée selon toutes les organisations de défense des droits de l’homme. Les arrestations arbitraires basées sur des motifs politiques se sont multipliées ces dernières semaines. Il y a actuellement dans les prisons turques, 106 journalistes, 40 syndicalistes, 38 avocats, 500 étudiants, 18 maires et 8 députés.

La présence d’un stand tenu par les représentants officiels des autorités turques est incompatible avec un évènement dédié au savoir et à l’écriture, qui sont deux notions en contradiction fondamentale avec la politique de répression menée par le gouvernement Erdogan. Comme l’année dernière, lors de la distribution massive, à ce même stand officiel de la Turquie, d’un ouvrage négationniste à l’encontre du génocide des Arméniens, les militants du Nor Seround ont décidé de porter la contestation pacifiquement mais sans concession vis-à-vis d’un Etat turc qui mène une véritable propagande sur le territoire de la République française. (Contact CCAF <contact@ccaf.info>, 19 mars 2012)

PEN official, publisher slam Turkey on scribes

The vice president of the prominent global writers’ association PEN International and the publisher for renowned British author Salman Rushdie have criticized the continued arrest of intellectuals and journalists in Turkey.

“We were led to believe that the AKP’s [Justice and Development Party] accession to power would trigger a change and transformation in Turkey and that democracy would develop, but the picture has turned upside down,” PEN International Vice President Eugene Schoulgin, who is currently writing his new novel in Turkey, recently told the Hürriyet Daily News.

William Nygaard, Rushdie’s publisher, also lent his weight to the protest.

Schoulgin said people were labeled terrorists because of their thoughts and that individuals who were fighting for a brighter future in Turkey, such as human rights activist and author Ragıp Zarakolu and Professor Büşra Ersanlı, kept landing in jail.

“By contrast, [the authorities] are freeing those who incinerated people alive in the Sivas Massacre, and Hrant Dink’s murderers are freely roaming about. What sort of a contradiction is that?” Schoulgin said.

Schoulgin also criticized European Union Minister Egemen Bağış.

“Minister Bağış had said there were no journalists jailed in Turkey due to their occupational [activities], and that those in prison were rapists and bank robbers. Following these comments, [the authorities] released journalists Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık after [they had spent] a year [behind bars]. Should we then draw this conclusion: Those who are currently held in prison are rapists and robbers? These are tragic comments,” he said. (Hürriyet Daily News, Vercihan Ziflioğlu)

Joint Struggle for Release of Journalists Must be Continued

At the Symposium on Freedom of Thought and Expression from 12 to 12, writers, publishers and lawyers discussed the situation of arrested and laid-off journalists and what should be done about it.

The symposium was organized in co-operation of PEN Turkey, the Writers Union of Turkey, the Professional Association of Translators and the Publishers Association of Turkey and held at the Turkey Journalists Association (TGC) in Istanbul on Thursday (15 March).

Lawyer İlkiz: Detainees' whole life is under investigation

Lawyer Fikret İlkiz highlighted legal aspects of freedom of expression. He drew attention to absurd trials related to freedom of expression from the military coups on 12 March 1971 and 12 September 1980 till today.

İlkiz pointed to the fact that journalists and writers today are not only being taken to account by reason of their writings but in the context of their whole past life. "If we want to establish a free future, we have to stand up against this and protect these people", he said.

Kazan: Judiciary is the warrant for freedom of expression

Lawyer Turgut Kazan mentioned laws and the system of special authority courts as factors for restrictions to freedom of expression. "Even if laws were corrected and special authority courts would be abolished, there would still be no progress as long as there are no protection mechanisms", Kazan argued.

"The judiciary in Turkey should be aware of being the warrant for freedom of expression. When interpreting the law the judiciary should know that the related file is not only a piece of paper. Otherwise, amendments of the law are meaningless".

Kazan very much appreciated the recent release of four journalists of the Oda tV trial and emphasized that the struggle had to be continued until all detainees would have been released.

Publisher Sökmen: We did not print 'The Imam's Army'

Müge Gürsoy Sökmen from the Metis Publishing Company reminded that at different times in the past publishing houses jointly protested against oppressions applied to books. However, they were not able to do the same for the book "The Imam's Army" written by journalist Ahmet Şık.

"We were told that printing this book was going to be deemed as 'aiding and abetting a terrorist organization'. People are ready to be prosecuted for something they actually did but it is not that easy for something you have not done. 30 years after the coup d'état this situation reminded us that once more we entered an environment of fear where books are accounted for as weapons".

Writer Mater: A year of mass arrest and a year of struggle

Nadire Mater, Project Advisor of the Independent Communication Network (BİA), emphasized that 104 journalists and 35 newspaper distributors were currently behind bars in Turkey. She pointed out that 75 percent of these journalists were from Kurdish media outlets.

Mater quoted government officials and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in particular as saying about detained journalists, "They are not journalists, they are burglars and rapists". She said that the year 2011 was the year of mass arrests for journalists. Nevertheless, it was also the "year of struggle" with the contribution of the Friends of Ahmet and Nedim (ANGA) especially. She underlined that this struggle had to be carried on.

Journalist Mavioğlu:"It must be a joint struggle"

Journalist Ertuğrul Mavioğlu said that he had been kept busy all his life with trials opened against him on the grounds of the news and books he wrote. He was continuously facing efforts to intimidate him. "It is easier to resist as long as we know it and we have to resist".

Cumhuriyet newspaper writer Zeynep Oral argued that no attention had been paid to journalist Mustafa Balbay or Kurdish journalists before Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık were arrested. In this context Oral underscored the importance of a joint struggle.

Freedom to Detained Journalists and Writers

The organizing journalists and publishers organizations called for the release of the detained journalists and writers and the abolishment of anti-democratic laws.

The final declaration of the Symposium on Freedom of Thought and Expression from 12 to 12 criticized the arrests of writers and journalists in the scope of alleged relations to terror. The signatories of the declaration demanded their immediate release.

"Turkey is at a point today where the existence of democracy has to be discussed. Writers and journalists with a critical attitude are said to be affiliated with terror or being made jobless. Academic autonomy is on the verge of being eradicated. Most basic human rights and particularly the right to life are being contravened or ignored unpunished".

"We, the undersigned organizations of writers, translators, critics and publishers, demand to end arrests that became a tool of intimidation in Turkey. We demand the immediate release of arrested writers and journalists; the abolishment of all anti-democratic laws and applications such as Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Law (denigration of 'Turkishness') and the Anti-Terror Law; we demand fair trials without arrest for writers, journalists and academics by brining the Turkish Criminal Law and the Press Law in line with the European Convention on Human Rights".

"There is no freedom of thought in a country without freedom of expression".

Signatories

Professional Association of Science and Literature Authors (BESAM), Professional Association of Translators (ÇEV-BİR), Professional Association of Literature and Science Authors (EDİSAM), Kurdish Writers Association (KYD), Association of Screen Writers and Translators (OYÇED), PEN Turkey, Turkish Centre of the Association of International Theatre Critics (TEB), Turkey Authors Association (TED), Turkey Publishers Association (TYB) and Turkey Writers Union (TYS). (BIA, Nilay VARDAR, 16 March 2012)

Quatre journalistes libérés, le combat continue pour tous les autres

Reporters sans frontières accueille avec une grande joie la remise en liberté conditionnelle des journalistes d’investigation Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener, ainsi que des chroniqueurs d’OdaTV, Muhammet Sait Cakir et Coskun Musluk. Ces libérations ne doivent cependant pas masquer le prolongement de la détention d’une centaine de professionnels des médias.

« Nos pensées vont bien évidemment à ces journalistes et à leurs proches, qui voient enfin se terminer un cauchemar absurde de plus d’un an. Ils ne sont cependant pas encore acquittés, et les autres protagonistes du procès OdaTV restent en détention, tout comme plusieurs dizaines d’autres journalistes dans différentes affaires », a rappelé Reporters sans frontières

« De par leur notoriété, l’arrestation d’Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener a contribué à rappeler au monde la difficulté d’exercer la profession de journaliste en Turquie. Mais en aucun cas la mobilisation ne doit faiblir suite à leur libération. Le flou et le caractère répressif de la Loi antiterroriste et d’une vingtaine d’articles du Code pénal, le recours systématique à la détention préventive, sont plus que jamais des problèmes actuels. La situation s’est même considérablement aggravée au cours de ces derniers mois. Nous appelons une nouvelle fois la justice et les autorités à prouver leur bonne volonté par des libérations massives et des réformes de fond », a déclaré l’organisation.

Le 12 mars 2012, à l’issue de la onzième audience du procès OdaTV, la 16e chambre de la cour d’Assises d’Istanbul a ordonné la libération conditionnelle des quatre journalistes, emprisonnés depuis le 6 mars 2011. Contre l’avis du procureur, le président du tribunal, Mehmet Ekinci, a fait valoir la longue période déjà passée en détention et la possibilité d’un allègement des charges.

Les journalistes ont été remis en liberté vers 22 heures à la prison de haute sécurité de Silivri (nord d’Istanbul). Ils ont été accueillis à leur sortie par leurs proches, le correspondant de Reporters sans frontières Erol Önderoglu, ainsi que des représentants d’autres organisations et médias turcs.

« Un jour, ceux qui ont fomenté ce complot, les policiers, procureurs et juges qui l’ont mis en oeuvre, seront à leur tour incarcérés dans cette prison, a déclaré Ahmet Sik. (…) Que tout le monde sache que de toutes ces pressions et persécutions, sortira un avenir où nous continuerons de combattre et d’espérer. » « Vous ne pouvez pas emprisonner la réalité, a ajouté Nedim Sener. (…) Mon premier article sera consacré à Hrant Dink, et je vais vous surprendre. »

Prochaine audience le 18 juin

Contrairement à leurs collègues, le propriétaire du site OdaTV, Soner Yalçin, le professeur Yalçin Küçük, le directeur de la publication Baris Pehlivan, le directeur de l’information Baris Terkoglu et le chroniqueur Müyesser Ugur sont maintenus en détention. La prochaine audience du procès se tiendra le 18 juin 2012.

Le coordinateur de l’information Dogan Yurdakul, qui avait été remis en liberté conditionnelle le 22 février dernier pour des raisons de santé, n’a pas assisté à la dernière audience, tout comme les accusés Mümtaz Idil et Iklim Ayfer Kaleli. Les fichiers informatiques saisis sur les ordinateurs du siège d’OdaTV à Istanbul ont été envoyés au Conseil scientifique de recherche TÜBITAK pour analyse. Plusieurs rapports d’expertise indépendante avaient conclu que ces fichiers avaient été introduits sur les ordinateurs par des virus.

Dans sa déposition à l’audience, l’avocat d’Ahmet Sik, Me Fikret Ilkiz, avait à nouveau souligné la faiblesse du dossier d’accusation et dénoncé des pratiques judiciaires contraires aux principes de la CEDH et du Conseil de l’Europe. « Nous avons attendu un an pour connaître vos accusations. Maintenant c’est à notre tour d’accuser. Les éléments invoqués contre mon client sont pratiquement les mêmes à ce jour que lors de son arrestation, le 3 mars 2011. Mon client n’a été interrogé et accusé que sur la base de ses relations, de ses sources d’informations et de sa vie privée, et ce en tant que journaliste. Comment expliquez-vous qu’il puisse déstabiliser le régime par le biais de son livre ? Celui-ci a été publié avec le soutien de plusieurs journalistes bien après les élections. A-t-il eu un effet si terrible sur l’AKP ? »

Nouvelles arrestations de journalistes

Non seulement des dizaines de journalistes se trouvent toujours en détention provisoire, mais de nouvelles arrestations continuent de se produire chaque mois, visant notamment la presse pro-kurde. Lors d’une conférence de presse organisée le 12 mars 2012 à Diyarbakir (Sud-Est), l’agence DIHA (Dicle Haber Ajansi) a rappelé que 27 de ses collaborateurs étaient actuellement emprisonnés.

Après la correspondante de DIHA Gülsen Aslan, incarcérée le 21 février 2012 à Batman (Sud-Est), la reporter Özlem Agus a ainsi été placée en détention le 9 mars à la prison Karatas d’Adana (Sud).

De nombreux autres professionnels des médias sont régulièrement interpellés. Zeynep Kuris, correspondante de DIHA à Mersin (Sud), a été interpellée le 14 février puis remise en liberté trois jours plus tard. Le 16 février, Ismet Mikailogullari a été lui aussi libéré après trois jours de garde à vue à Diyarbakir. Ali Bulus, reporter de Mersin interpellé avec Özlem Agus, a également été remis en liberté. Il avait retrouvé la liberté le 26 décembre 2011 après sept ans et demi d’emprisonnement pour « appartenance au PKK ». (RSF, Johann Bihr, 15 mars 2012)

DIHA speaks out against repression of journalists

DIHA News Agency has been the first to give the news of the Roboski massacre as well as Pozantı prison.

Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Editor Abdurrahman Gök said in a press conference that arrests and repression targeting DİHA have recently increased as another Kurdish press employee from the Kurdish Azadiya Welat daily was taken into custody in Adana a couple of days ago in the context of the endless KCK (Kuridstan Communities Union) operation.

“DİHA has been the first to give the news of the Roboski massacre as well as Pozantı prison. This is probably why our reporters have been taken into custody and arrested,” said Gök noting that DİHA has been facing repression since its establishment because of its loyalty to truth.

Gök criticized the prime minister’s claim that journalists are not arrested because of their professional activities and suggested he read the indictment against DİHA reporter Hamdiye Çiftçi, which openly accuses Çiftçi because of her journalistic activities.

Gök also pointed out that the arrest of Özlem Ağuş who revealed the sexual abuse incidents in Pozantı prison was the most recent example of the pressure against the news agency.

“The Anti-Terror Law (TMK) and the change in the Press Code aim to eliminate the freedom of press by means of justice in Turkey. We invite the human rights associations, the Professional bodies and the public to be sensitive about the policies of oppression and arrest against the dissident press in general and against our agency in particular,” noted Gök.

Here is a list of jailed DİHA reporters and employees:

Kadri Kaya: Diyarbakır Representative, arrested on April 19, 2011.
Erdoğan Altan: Batman reporter, arrested on April 19, 2011.
Feyyaz Demir: Ankara reporter, arrested on June 6, 2011.
Aydın Yıldız: Mersin reporter, arrested on October 4, 2011.
Abdullah Çetin: Kurtalan reporter, arrested on December 16, 2011.
Zuhal Tekiner: Licensee, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Ramazan Pekgöz: Editor, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Mazlum Özdemir: Editor, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Ertuş Bozkurt: Editor, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Kenan Kırkaya: Ankara representative, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Fatma Koçak: Editor-in-chief, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Semiha Alankuş: Editor, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Sadık Topaloğlu: Urfa reporter, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Çağdaş Kaplan: İstanbul reporter, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Ömer Çelik: İstanbul reporter, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Pervin Yerlikaya: Accountant, arrested on December 24, 2011.
Nilgün Yıldız: Mardin reporter, arrested on December 24,
Şahabettin Demir: Van reporter.
Faysal Tunç: Şırnak reporter. Charged o six years and three months on the allegation of helping the illegal organization without being its member.
Hamdiye Çiftçi: Hakkari reporter, arrested on June 14, 2010.
Mehmet Karaaslan: Mersin reporter, arrested on April 21, 2007.
Sinan Aygül: Bitlis reporter, arrested on January 23, 2011.
Murat Aydın: Muş reporter, arrested on October 22, 2011.
Murat Çiftçi: Ankara reporter, arrested on January 30, 2012.
Gülsen Aslan: Batman reporter, arrested on February 21, 2012.
Özlem Ağuş: Adana reporter, arrested on March 9, 2012.

Deux journalistes turcs ont disparus en Syrie

Deux journalistes turcs ont disparu en Syrie, a annoncé mercredi le journal Milat, qui a demandé l'aide du gouvernement turc pour les retrouver.

Le journal a déclaré dans un bref communiqué qu'il était sans nouvelles depuis cinq jours de son journaliste Adem Özköse et du caméraman Hamit Coskun, qui voyageait avec lui.

Les deux hommes ont appelé le journal le 9 mars et indiqué qu'ils se trouvaient dans la ville d'Idleb, dans le nord-ouest de la Syrie, qui a depuis été reprise par l'armée syrienne, précise le communiqué.

La prise d'Idleb, un des bastion de la rébellion qui défie le régime du président Bachar al-Assad depuis un an, est intervenue après l'assaut de l'armée syrienne sur le quartier de Baba Amr à Homs, dans le centre du pays, au cours duquel des centaines de personnes ont péri, selon des militants d'opposition.

"Nous attendons une déclaration urgente des autorités syriennes", affirme Milat, un quotidien national d'information créé en octobre 2011, de centre-droit.

Le journaliste et le caméraman sont entrés en Syrie il y a une semaine pour réaliser un documentaire sur la situation dans ce pays, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères, Ahmet Davutoglu, a affirmé devant des journalistes que son ministère faisait des "efforts incessants" pour retrouver les journalistes disparus.

"La situation humanitaire se détériore en Syrie", a-t-il ajouté. "Nous appelons nos concitoyens à faire extrêmement attention concernant leurs déplacements en Syrie, tout particulièrement après les développements des derniers jours en Syrie."  (AFP, 14 mars 2012)

Journalists freed after 375 days behind bars

In a hearing in the ongoing Oda TV case an Istanbul court has decided to release four of the 13 suspects under arrest, including journalists Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener who have been jailed for 375 days.

Journalists Şık and Şener, as well as columnists Sait Çakır and Coşkun Musluk were released late Monday. Şener and Şık were arrested in March 2011, accused of having connections with Ergenekon, a network alleged to have plotted political chaos, paving the way for a coup. The two journalists were charged in the completed indictments against them with aiding and abetting the alleged Ergenekon terrorist group.

During yesterday’s hearing, both journalists testified before the court, saying that what they had been doing was pure journalism.

Friends, family and supporters of the two gathered in front of the Çağlayan courthouse yesterday following the decision to celebrate.

Ahmet Şık noted that all prisoners of thought must be released for the realization of the freedom of expression in Turkey. “There are 100 journalists, 600 college students, more than 6000 KCK [Union of Kurdistan Communities] prisoners in jail. They have to be released too,” said Şık. 

Akın Atalay, attorney for Ahmet Şık, said the decision to arrest his client was meaningless and the court’s decision was a good sign for the future of the freedom of thought in Turkey.

The case has sparked international concern about freedom of expression in Turkey. The suspects faced a possible 15- year prison term, but the case faced strong criticism on several occasions from the European Union and Reporters without Borders.

Meanwhile, the two other released suspects, Coşkun Musluk and Sait Çakır, have recently been placed next to those of the isolation cells of columnist and Republican People’s Party Deputy Mustafa Balbay and journalist Tuncay Özkan, respectively.

Both Balbay and Özkan have also been in prison on charges of participating in an alleged plot to overthrow the government, and were kept in isolated cells for one year. The next hearing in the Oda TV case is scheduled for June 18. (Hürriyet Daily News-DIHA, March 12, 2012)

La Turquie est toujours parmi les "ennemis de l'Internet"

La polémique a été intense, sur plusieurs projets tentant d’encadrer le Net, allant d’une liste outrancière de mots clés interdits à un système de filtrage centralisé optionnel. Les net-citoyens, toujours sous pression, se sont mobilisés contre la mise en place d’une censure masquée du Web.

Le filtrage continue

Au 10 février 2012, le site engelliweb.com a recensé 15 596 sites suspendus par les autorités turques, suite à une décision de justice ou à l’initiative de la Haute Instance de la Télécommunication (TIB), c’est-à-dire près du double par rapport à l’année passée (lire le chapitre Turquie du rapport 2011 sur les Ennemis d’Internet). La grande majorité concerne les sites de jeux, des sites pornographiques et à contenus pédophiles ou des sites qui violent les droits de retransmission.

Cependant, une quinzaine de sites d’information jugés pro-kurdes ont été interdits sur décision de justice en 2011, tels Firat News, Gundem-online et Welat.org. Parmi les sujets tabous et donc censurés : Atatürk et la question des minorités, notamment kurde. Le filtrage de la plate-forme Blogger a été levé le 14 mars 2011, après deux semaines de blocage et de fortes mobilisations en ligne et hors ligne.

Polémiques sur l’encadrement du Net

La polémique autour de la loi 5651, qui régule Internet, est quelque peu retombée. L’essentiel des débats sur la question a porté sur le filtrage optionnel et une liste de mots-clés interdits.

La TIB a fait parvenir, en avril 2011, aux hébergeurs et fournisseurs d’accès à Internet, une liste de 138 mots-clés à bannir des noms de domaine turcs, au nom de la lutte contre la pornographie. Cette liste, qui frisait déjà le ridicule, en comprenant des mots comme “jupe” (etek), “belle-sœur” (baldiz) ou “animaux” (hayvan), posait de sérieux problèmes pour l’accès à l’information sur Internet : l’interdiction des mots “free” et “pic” aurait ainsi radié du Net turc de nombreuses références aux libertés ou à des images d’actualité. Lorsque les médias ont commencé à couvrir cette affaire, la TIB a déclaré que cette liste de mots n’était apparue qu’à titre indicatif, dans une correspondance avec les acteurs chargés de la censure. Pour le moment, il semblerait qu’il n’y ait pas eu de suite quant à cette liste.

Le nouveau système de filtrage centralisé “pour un Internet sûr”, mis en place par le Conseil de la Communication et de l’Information Technologiques (BTK), le 22 novembre dernier, a lui aussi suscité de fortes réactions dans le pays et à l’international. Son application, initialement prévue pour le 22 août 2011, a été repoussée de trois mois pour consultation publique. Le projet initial prévoyait l’installation obligatoire par les internautes d’un logiciel de filtrage sur leur ordinateur, afin de les protéger, en particulier les mineurs, contre tout contenu “choquant”. Il a été modifié. L’installation n’est plus obligatoire. Le système de quatre forfaits a également été réduit à deux, les forfaits “famille” et “enfant”. Les sites pornographiques, comme les autres portails “suspects”, étaient auparavant bloqués sur décision de justice. Ils seront désormais automatiquement filtrés pour les internautes ayant souscrit le forfait, selon une procédure encore peu claire que Reporters sans frontières a demandé aux autorités de préciser. Début décembre 2011, seuls 22 000 internautes, sur un total de 11,5 millions, avaient demandé à bénéficier de l’un de ces forfaits.

Le Conseil d’Etat a été saisi, le 4 novembre dernier, pour demander la suppression du dispositif, qui, s’il est facultatif, n’en reste pas moins liberticide. Des tests réalisés par Reporters sans frontières ont montré que certains sites étaient abusivement bloqués, comme le site de l’évolutionniste Richard Dawkins ou celui de Yasam Radyo (“Radio Vie”, qui diffuse des programmes culturels sur les minorités). Le forfait enfant ne donne pas accès à Youtube ou Facebook. Le réseau social n’est d’ailleurs accessible avec le forfait famille que si l’internaute en fait la demande. La solution du filtrage est inadaptée et menace la liberté d’expression en ligne, comme l’a récemment affirmé la Cour de Justice de l’Union Européenne, notamment en raison des risques de surblocage. C’est aux familles de choisir ce que leurs enfants peuvent consulter ou non.

Un point sur les poursuites contre des contributeurs de sites Internet
Le journaliste en ligne Baris Yarkadas, poursuivi pour "offense à la personne" par Nur Birgen, présidente de la section d’expertise de la médecine légale, a été relaxé en septembre 2011. Il n’est pas pour autant sorti d’affaire, un député lui demande des dommages et intérêts pour l’avoir offensé pendant un débat télévisé.

Halil Savda, responsable du site des pacifistes et objecteurs de conscience Savaskarsitlari.org, a été condamné, fin février 2012, à cinq mois de prison pour avoir critiqué le service militaire.

Un écrivain du site Eksisozluk (Eksi Sözlük, dictionnaire amère), est jugé pour "atteinte aux valeurs religieuses’" pour avoir écrit, le 10 août 2011, un article intitulé "Stupidité de la religion". Le procès intenté contre l’experte de la Médecine légale et présidente de la Fondation des droits de l’homme turque, Sebnem Korur Fincanci et le rédacteur en chef du site Taraf.com.tr ("Camps") Adnan Demir, continuera le 10 avril prochain.

Le journaliste Serdar Tuncer a porté plainte contre un utilisateur de Twitter et ses 200 000 abonnés. Il reproche au propriétaire du compte satirique @allah (cc) et à ses lecteurs de se moquer de l’Islam et des religions et d’humilier les croyants.

La mobilisation en ligne continue, les pressions internationales portent leurs fruits
Des manifestations contre le filtrage se sont déroulées le 15 mai 2011 dans 31 villes turques. Plusieurs sites ayant soutenu les manifestations anti-censure ont été victimes de cyberattaques. L’ampleur de la mobilisation, ainsi que les réactions de l’OSCE et de l’Union européenne, ont contraint les autorités à faire des concessions (voir ci-dessus).

Parmi les initiatives en ligne les plus marquantes : le site "Touche pas à mon Internet" a sensibilisé les internautes sur les risques du système de filtrage. Le site Senin Yüzünden ("A cause de toi") a invité les net-citoyens à poster des photos avec les yeux bandés. (RSF, Johann Bihr, March 12, 2012)

Une nouvelle arrestation: 106 journalistes en prison

Communiqué de la Plate-forme de soutien aux journalistes emprisonnés (Tutuklu Gazetecilerle Dayanışma Platformu – TGDP):

« Le 6 mars 2012, Özlem Agus, de l'agence DIHA, a été arrêté dans le cadre de l' « opération KCK » en application de la loi « anti-terroriste » (Terörle Mücadele Yasası, TMY). Le 9 mars, la Cour spéciale a décidé son incarcération, sous le chef de « propagande pour une organisation terroriste ».

« Ce journaliste avait attiré l'attention sur les agressions sexuelles dans la prison pour enfants de Pozantı (département d'Adana). Son reportage ayant provoqué de fortes réactions dans le public, le ministère de la Justice avait dû prendre des mesures et l'Etat était placé sous la défensive. Il est possible que ce soit la vraie raison de l'arrestation d'Özlem Agus.

« Au cours d'une allocution prononcée lors de la réunion des responsables départementaux du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP), le premier ministre R.T. Erdogan, évoquant la liste de 105 journalistes emprisonnés dressée par la Plateforme de soutien aux journalistes emprisonnés (TGDP), a réaffirmé qu'il n'y a pas de journalistes en prison.

« Une nouvelle fois, la réalité de la détention de journalistes en Turquie a été niée. Et deux jours après que ces propos aient été tenus, un journaliste a été arrêté, portant leur nombre à 106, confirmant la gravité des errements dans le domaine de la liberté de presse, et des libertés d'opinion et d'expression.

« Nous ne nous livrons pas à ce que le premier ministre appelle la « propagande noire » (kara propaganda). Nous ne faisons qu'attirer l'attention de l'opinion publique turque et mondiale et l'informer sur la réalité des emprisonnements de journalistes. C'est pour nous, journalistes, un devoir professionnel car nous nous devons d'être sensibles aux questions des libertés fondamentales (presse, opinion, expression).

« Le premier ministre prétend que sur les 105 personnes de notre liste, six seulement détiennent une carte de presse, et qu'ils n'ont pas été arrêtés en raison de leur activité professionnelle. Nous devons d'ailleurs préciser qu'il n'appartient pas à la Direction générale de la presse et de l'information (qui dépend du premier ministre) et encore moins au premier ministre de déterminer qui est ou non journaliste. Il n'y a qu'un seul critère pour cela ; ce sont les organisations professionnelles qui déclarent l'appartenance de tel ou tel au journalisme.

« Au cours de la même allocution, le premier ministre a prétendu que dans la liste des 105 journalistes internés, six noms seraient imaginaires, et que quatre de ces personnes auraient été libérés. Le lendemain, nous avons téléphoné au ministère de la Justice et nous avons demandé des informations sur ces noms. On nous a répondu que « ces noms nous seraient donnés s'il n'y a pas d'obstacle technique »... mais nous n'avons toujours pas obtenu de réponse. Antérieurement, [suite à une de nos requêtes] le Ministère avait prétendu que Abdulcebbat Karabag, correspondant du journal Azadiya Welat à Mersin, ne se trouverait pas en prison et que d'ailleurs il s'agirait d'une fausse identité. Nous avons relevé que le nom de Karabag avait été transcrit par erreur en « Karabeg », nous avons corrigé et averti le ministère. Mais nous attendons toujours la réponse.

« Les progrès dans le domaine dans libertés de presse, d'opinion et d'expression
passent par la libération des journalistes emprisonnés, par l'abolition de la loi dite « combat pour la société » (Toplumla Mücadele Yasası - TMY)qui n'est que le nouveau nom de la « loi anti-terroriste » (Terörle Mücadele Yasası – TMY), ainsi que par l'abolition des « Tribunaux spéciaux » (Özel Yetkili Mahkemeleri) qui ne sont que la réédition des Tribunaux d'exception (Sıkıyönetim Mahkemeleri) et des Cours de sûreté de l'Etat (Devlet Güvenlik Mahkemeleri – DGM). »

Contact : Necati ABAY, porte-parole de la TGDP,
GSM: 00 90 (0)535 929 75 86
Blog:http://tutuklugazeteciler.blogspot.com

Journalists Union of Turkey (TYS) head Ipekçi on hunger strike

Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) chairman Ercan İpekçi began an indefinite hunger strike March 9 outside the Anatolia news agency offices to protest what he described as union-busting efforts by the agency’s administration.

“Pressure against our members to resign from the union should be ended. Our members who resigned from the union under pressure [from the agency’s administration] should have the chance to regain their union membership. There is bullying and oppression, I have no other option other than a hunger strike to draw attention to this. I will continue my action until our demands are recognized,” İpekçi said as he began his protest.

About 400 TGS members working at Anatolia news agency demanded an extraordinary convention to discuss the chairmanship last month. However, İpekçi said the signatures for the convention were forcibly collected by the agency’s general director, Kemal Öztürk.

Öztürk, a former media adviser to PM Erdoğan, was appointed to the state-run Anatolia news agency’s general directory in August 2011. After Öztürk came to his post, about 100 agency staff retired.The agency’s administration allegedly forced the staff to resign from the TGS last month, while about 200 journalists reportedly resigned from the union last week. İpekçi, who also used to work for the agency, said there was a “dictatorship of those who were appointed and who were elected in the agency.” (Hürriyet Daily News, March 10, 2012)

EFJ Concerns over Turkish News Agency's Anti-union Tactics

Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has hit out at the management of state-run Anatolian Agency after reports of severe management pressure on members of the Turkish Union of Journalists (TGS), which has driven the union's President to threaten a hunger strike.

Ercan Ipekci, President of the EFJ affiliate in Turkey, has announced plans to go on hunger strike in front of the General Directorate of the state-run Anatolian Agency from 12:00 today (Friday March 9). He says the move is in protest against the way in which union members have been put under pressure by the government-assigned management of the news agency to resign their membership of the TGS.

It is understood that the union President has been singled out by management as a target in a campaign of intimidation intended to undermine support for the union. Ercan Ipekci has been a leading figure in the campaign challenging the imprisonment of more than 100 journalists in Turkey. This has resulted in him and his union being targeted by the Turkish authorities, as proven by a recent speech by the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

"There have been many reports of the tactics used by the state and employers in Turkey to intimidate union members and obstruct the ability of trade unions to represent their members. This case has the stink of yet another example of the intolerable pressure under which trade unionists in Turkey have to operate," said EFJ President Arne König. "It is deeply concerning that people feel that they have to go to such extreme measures in order to stand up for their principles."

Attempts to introduce collective bargaining at the Sabah newspaper were undermined in 2009 when pressure was put on trade union members to resign their membership. A similar case happened in Olay Medya last year.

A report published by the International Trade Union Congress in February found that "legal protection from acts of interference [in Turkey] is weak and sanctions for anti-union discrimination are not dissuasive. The state and the employers make use of various anti-union practices that have weakened trade unions' negotiating rights."

As the trials of journalists in the so-called OdaTV case are set to resume next Monday, 12 March, the EFJ protests against the intimidation of TGS members, fully supports the union's President and member of the EFJ Steering Committee, Ercan Ikpeci, and calls on the European authorities to remind the Turkish government that press freedom and free trade unionism are essential values of democracy.
The EFJ is the European group of the International Federation of Journalists. It represents over 260,000 journalists in 30 countries.

For more information contact the EFJ at +32 2 235.2200

Prosecutor demands life for Sociologist Pınar Selek

A prosecutor who is spearheading an investigation into a deadly explosion at İstanbul’s Spice Bazaar in 1998 demanded life imprisonment for sociologist and author Pınar Selek at Wednesday’s hearing in İstanbul.

The long-running legal case against sociologist Selek is going through yet another retrial after a higher court revoked last year’s acquittal -- her third in the case. Prosecutor Mehmet Ali Uysal on Wednesday said Selek should be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. Selek, who now lives in Germany, has been accused of aiding and abetting Kurdish terrorists who allegedly planted a bomb in İstanbul’s 17th-century spice bazaar that caused the explosion. The next hearing is scheduled to take place on Aug. 1.

Two-and-a-half years after the incident, in 2000, Selek was acquitted by the İstanbul 12th High Criminal Court due to lack of evidence. Police reports said the explosion had been caused by a gas leak. However, at the Interior Ministry’s request, a legal expert who was assigned to the investigation drafted a report claiming that the explosion was the result of a bomb, with the case being reopened in 2001. In 2005, the prosecutors sought life for Selek, but the İstanbul 12th Criminal Court ruled against the demand since the cause of the explosion had not been determined. However, the 9th Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals on March 10, 2009, reversed the judgment of the İstanbul 12th High Criminal Court. The prosecutor’s office of the Supreme Court of Appeals, in turn, objected to the 9th Chamber’s reversal on May 4, 2009. (TODAY’S ZAMAN, 7 March 2012)

DIHA journalists who exposed child abuse in prison detained

The raid, on Tuesday, of Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Adana office rises disturbing questions once again about freedom of the press and the rights of journalists to do their work without fearing to be intimidated or detained. It was DIHA Adana journalists in fact who first exposed the child sexual abuse incidents in Pozantı Prison.

DİHA journalist Ali Buluş who was released on 26 December 2011 from Ermenek prison was taken into custody again on Tuesday along with Özlem Ağuş who has been detained for the third time in a month.

The total number of arrests in the raids carried out today at DİHA, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Democratic Culture Association, Association for Research and Development of the Kurdish Language (KURDİ-DER), Mesopotamian Cultural Centre (MKM) and a great number of houses in Adana has risen to 50, and include Fırat Distribution employee Ferit Köylüoğlu, BDP and association executives.

Oppression against DİHA has been continuing since its establishment on 4 April, 2002. A great number of DİHA reporters were among the 36 journalists arrested on 20 December 2011 in an operation carried out simultaneously in Van, Diyarbakır, Istanbul, Ankara, Urfa, Adana, Mersin and İzmir. Ali Buluş who was taken into custody today was released from prison just three weeks ago. Özlem Ağuş was taken into custody and released twice in the month of February. DİHA Batman office was raided on February 4 and reporter Gülsen Aslan was jailed on the allegation of being involved in KCK (Union of Kurdistan Communities) activities. On February 13 DİHA Diyarbakır reporter İsmet Mikailoğulları was taken into custody in an operation that counted more than 200 arrests. (ANF, 7 March 2012)

Singer charged Ebedin Usanmaz to 1 year and 3 months

The local singer Ebedin Usanmaz who joined a peace celebration to sing songs in Kurdish, Turkish and Arabic on October 19, 2009 has been punished with 1 year and 3 months prison charge. “I am just an artist, I just made music. That a singer can be punished in the 21st century for singing songs in his mother tongue is shameful,” said Usanmaz.

The celebration organized in the Istanbul District of Bağcılar in the neighborhood of Demirkapı was part of the peace celebrations after a Democratic Solution and Peace Group came from Qandil and Mahmur Camps with the call of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

After the celebration, the 13th Bakırköy High Criminal Court opened a case against Ebedin Usanmaz and punished him with 1 year 6 months imprisonment. The sentence was reduced by three months because of the good will showed by the singer.

Usanmaz also had to testify at the police station in yet another investigation against him involving his musical participation in an election event organized by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in Çorlu in 2011. (DIHA, March 7, 2012)

RSF: Un an en prison pour rien!

Un an jour pour jour après leur arrestation, Reporters sans frontières exige à nouveau à la remise en liberté immédiate des deux journalistes d’investigation Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener, et de leurs co-accusés d’OdaTV. L’organisation se joint aux appels à manifester aujourd’hui à Istanbul, à l’initiative de la plateforme « Liberté aux journalistes » (GÖP), des « Amis d’Ahmet et de Nedim » et des « Amis de Mustafa Balbay et Tuncay Özkan », pour exiger la libération des journalistes emprisonnés.

« Un an de détention pour Ahmet Sik et Nedim Sener, un an à l’isolement pour Mustafa Balbay et Tuncay Özkan ! Et combien d’années, pour d’autres professionnels de la presse incarcérés depuis plus longtemps encore ? Il est grand temps que la criminalisation du journalisme cesse en Turquie, a déclaré Reporters sans frontières. Cela passe par des réformes législatives et un changement d’attitude de la part de l’appareil judiciaire. Mais le préalable est la fin du cauchemar que vivent les journalistes emprisonnés. »

Le procès d’Ahmet Sik, Nedim Sener et des huit correspondants d’OdaTV s’est ouvert le 22 novembre 2011 à Istanbul, en présence d’observateurs de nombreuses organisations turques et internationales de défense de la liberté de la presse, dont Reporters sans frontières. Audience après audience, la vacuité du dossier d’accusation n’est devenue que plus évidente, mais les demandes de libération provisoire ont systématiquement été refusées sans qu’aucune justification précise ne soit apportée.

Seul Dogan Yurdakul, directeur de l’information d’OdaTV âgé de 66 ans, a été remis en liberté le 22 février pour des raisons de santé. Il a déclaré se sentir à demi soulagé après une année difficile, mais que ce soulagement ne serait complet qu’une fois ses confrères libérés. La prochaine audience du procès se tiendra le 12 mars 2012.

Le parquet de Silivri (nord d’Istanbul) vient enfin d’annoncer la fin du maintien à l’isolement de Mustafa Balbay, journaliste de Cumhuriyet arrêté le 6 mars 2009, et de Tuncay Özkan, propriétaire de la chaîne Kanaltürk et président d’un parti politique, arrêté le 23 septembre 2008. Tous deux accusés d’« appartenance à l’organisation terroriste présumée ‘Ergenekon’ », ils étaient à l’isolement total depuis 369 jours à la prison de haute sécurité de Silivri. Ils partagent désormais leur cellule avec des journalistes accusés dans le procès OdaTV.

La Cour européenne des droits de l’homme (CEDH) a récemment adressé deux questions au gouvernement turc concernant le traitement de Tuncay Özkan. Les autorités ont jusqu’au 10 avril 2012 pour expliquer comment la durée de la détention provisoire du journaliste peut être compatible avec l’article 5 de la Convention européenne des droits de l’homme, qui prévoit un jugement dans un « délai raisonnable » et la possibilité d’un recours contradictoire.

Dans un dossier séparé, les avocats de l’éditeur et journaliste Ragip Zarakolu, emprisonné depuis plus de quatre mois, ont saisi la CEDH le 27 février 2012. Me Özcan Kiliç a précisé à Reporters sans frontières que son cabinet avait saisi la Cour pour violation des articles 3, 5, 10 et 13 de la Convention par les autorités : d’après lui, celles-ci ont exposé le journaliste à des conditions d’interrogations difficiles assimilables à de mauvais traitements, l’ont emprisonné sans justification plausible, ont porté atteinte à son droit à la liberté d’expression et l’ont privé de recourt efficace à la justice.

Aucun acte d’accusation formel n’a encore été présenté à Ragip Zarakolu, arrêté le 28 octobre 2011. Lors des premiers interrogatoires, le journaliste s’est vu reprocher d’avoir signé des chroniques pour le quotidien Özgür Gündem, d’avoir assisté à l’inauguration de l’Académie politique d’Istanbul, liée au parti légal pro-kurde BDP, et d’avoir « trop » voyagé à l’étranger, ce qui sous entendrait qu’il y a pris part à des activités de soutien à la rébellion armée du PKK (Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan). Le journaliste partage désormais sa cellule de la prison de haute sécurité de Kocaeli (sud d’Istanbul) avec son fils Deniz Zarakolu, incarcéré le 5 octobre 2011 dans le cadre de la même enquête, et avec d’autres détenus.

C’est dans la même prison que se trouvent la plupart des hommes, tels qu’Ömer Celik, Ramazan Pekgöz et Sadik Topaloglu, parmi les journalistes et employés de médias pro-kurdes arrêtés lors de la rafle du 20 décembre 2011. Les femmes, dont Zeynep Kurtay, Nahide Ermis et Semiha Alankus, sont quant à elles incarcérées dans la prison de Bakirköy (Istanbul). Après plus de deux mois passés en prison, tous attendent de savoir enfin de quoi ils sont accusés. (RSF, Johann Bihr, 3 mars 2012)

BIA Report: 104 Journalists and 30 Distributors in Prison

One hundred and four journalists and 30 distributors/members of the media were imprisoned as we entered the year 2012. In 2010, there were a total of 30 journalists in prison.

The year 2011 was a year of mass journalist arrests. The Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) were applied jointly in these arrests. All the arrested journalists were accused with having "connections with a terrorist organization," be it "armed or not." This led to a mentality that applied "politics" rather than "law," and did away with the right to a fair trial and the principle of legality in crime.

One hundred and four journalists and 30 distributors/members of the media were initially "arrested" for "membership in an armed group" through journalism. Some of them are on trial for "committing an offense on behalf of the group without being a member of that group," and/or "knowingly and willingly assisting a group although not being in the hierarchical structure of the group." Some are on trial for setting up an armed or unarmed group, motivating and directing it, and/or being a member of it. The court has delivered a judgment in some of these trials.

Journalists were presented as "terrorists" through supplemental claims such as following-up news, covering news, writing books, opposing the government through journalism, and working for the Kurdish media.

In the trials, only six journalists are directly being accused for and charged with their news reports, articles or books: Vedat Kurşun, Ruken Ergün and Ozan Kılınç, editors-in-chief of the Azadiya Welat newspaper, Erdoğan Altan, Batman representative of Dicle News Agency (DİHA), Diyarbakır representative Kadri Kaya, and Bedri Adanır, owner of the Aram Publishing and an executive of the Hawar newspaper.

Despite the fact that arrest is a precautionary measure and can be replaced with judiciary control provisions, criteria such as "danger of absconding,"  "destruction, concealment, alteration of evidence," "influencing the witnesses," and "intense and strong suspicion of crime" were applied as ordinary and routine practices. These served as grounds for the arrest of journalist and to keep them under arrest for months or even years.

All journalists except one, and all distributors are currently in prison for "connections with a terrorist organization" under the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) and Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Sixty-four of the 104 journalists and all 30 distributors are from the Kurdish media. (BIA, Emel GÜLCAN, 2 March 2012)

Full text: http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/136599-bia-media-monitoring-report-2011-full-text

"Access Ban to RedHack Site Unlawful"

The Ankara 6th Magistrate Criminal Court banned access to the kizilhack.org website, the Turkish site of the RedHack hackers group. The access ban was decreed on the same day the hackers group had forced access to servers of the Police Net (POLNET) and the Ankara Police Directorate. On 27 February, the court blocked access to the kizilhack.org website on the grounds of "administrative measures".

The court decision was based on catalogue crimes as mentioned in Law No. 5651, i.e. the Regulation of Publications on the Internet and Suppression of Crimes Committed by means of Such Publication.

Prof Yaman Akdeniz, lecturer at the Bilgi University School of Law, and Assoc. Prof Kerem Altıparmak, lecturer at the Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences, evaluated the court decision for bianet. According to the experts, hacking is not included in the scope of the corresponding catalogue crimes of Law No. 5651. Hence, they drew attention to the fact that the access ban was unlawful.

"This cannot be included in the list of catalogue crimes"

Prof Akdeniz explained that the related law defined eight catalogue crimes.

"The crimes included in the scope of the law are encouraging suicide, sexual abuse of children, supplying drugs that are dangerous for health, and facilitation of the abuse of drugs, offering or promoting prostitution, unauthorized online gambling and betting and crimes against Atatürk".

None of these crimes was constituted on the site on subject, Akdeniz remarked. Thus, access to the redhack/kizilhack.org website could not be denied on the grounds of Law No. 5651.

"Access bans to websites can be based on two different laws in Turkey. One is Law No. 5651; the other one is Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works (copyright). Since kizilhack.org did not violate either, the access ban is contrary to the law", Akdeniz underlined.

"What if somebody appealed and claimed that the decision lacked a basis?"

Also in the opinion of Assoc. Prof Altıparmak, the actions of redhack.org are not covered by the scope of the eight catalogue crimes as defined in Law No. 5651.

"Actions like hacking are not included in the list of catalogue crimes because the law is more related to moral issues. Other fields were not considered".

Altıparmak added, "They took a precautionary decision but normally criminal procedures should be opened in this case because this is actually a measure of protection".

"A trial will probably not be opened because they will not be able to find the people [behind RedHack]. If they found them and opened a trial, this protection measure would be part of it".

Altıparmak noted that it was unlikely that any of the above mentioned steps were going to be taken. Instead, the decision on administrative measures was going to remain that way, he assumed.

"However, I am very curious what they would say if somebody appealed the decision by claiming that the decision lacked a basis related to Law No. 5651", Altıparmak indicated.

"Access ban is not a solution"

The Turkish web address kizilhack.org is currently automatically redirected to the English redhack.org website.

Akdeniz emphasized that the application of access bans was not enough to solve the emerging problems. Similar problems came up when videos of the National Movement Party (MHP) showed [politician] Deniz Baykal, the academic reminded.

"This law is inadequate anyways. It is contrary to its actual purpose and it is being used with the aim to censor certain websites. On behalf of democratization, new forward looking solutions must be found".

"In the end an access ban does not bring the problems to an end but an announcement is made with the contrary effect - even more people will get to know that such a website exists". (BIA, Ekin KARACA, 2 March 2012)

Artists against repression: "We disapprove"

The Artists Initiative has launched a campaign named "We disapprove". The campaign of signature aims to express artists' concern with the ongoing repression of different sections of society, including artists. Ultimately, said actor Orhan Aydın, explaining the campaign in a public meeting in Istanbul, "We are worried with the future of this country " and added: "Universal values of enlightenment and the gains of our republic are being destroyed. Secular and scientific education is retrograding and takes on anachronistic characteristics. The quest of the young people for freedom and the working class's search for their rights is being threatened by police truncheons and imprisonment".

The meeting in Istanbul was attended by renowned Turkish artists such as musician Edip Akybayram, theatre and cinema actor Levent Kırca, actor Rutkay Aziz, writer and human rights activist Eşber Yağmurdereli, theatre and cinema actress Arsen Gürzap, writer Metin Uca or poet and author Ataol Behramoğlu.

Aydın also said that "Independent thinking has been put behind bars. Justice became the tool of injustice. The public's right to information has been seized. The artists' freedom of creativity is under the threat of censorship and auto-censorship to a level unmatched with any other period [in the past]".

Levent Kırca told the audience that "For a long time, people said 'nothing will happen' with regard to the government policies. Later on, they said 'it's too late'. Today is the right time".

Painter Mehmet Güleryüz emphasized "Together we have the power to speak up against the stumbling".

Reporting on the meeting Bianet quoted Eşber Yağmurdereli reminded that 150,000 people were currently incarcerated in Turkish prisons and drew attention to the fact that the number of prisoners was lower even in the period around the 12 September military coup in 1980. Arsen Gürzap claimed that artists did not bow their heads during the military coup d'états on 12 March 1972 and 12 September 1980 and that they were not going to do so now. (ANF, 2 March 2012)

Kurdish Question / Question kurde

15 femmes guérillas kurdes tuées par les forces de l'ordre

Quinze guérillas kurdes, des femmes, ont été tuées samedi dans des combats avec les forces de sécurité dans le sud-est de la Turquie, a annoncé le ministère turc de l'Intérieur.

Les heurts se sont produits dans une zone rurale de la province de Bitlis, un des théâtres de la rébellion armée du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), précise un communiqué, rapporté par l'agence de presse officielle Anatolie.

Un "gardien de village", force supplétive kurde armée par l'Etat turc contre le PKK, a été tué et trois autres blessés dans les combats, selon le document.

De source de sécurité locale dans le sud-est anatolien, zone peuplée majoritairement de Kurdes et champ d'action du PKK, on précise que le mouvement séparatiste kurde dispose d'unités entièrement constituées de femmes et c'est une telle formation qui a été décimée.

Sept policiers et six rebelles avaient été tués lors d'une vaste opération qui a duré trois jours et s'est achevée vendredi aux abords du mont Cudi (sud-est), proche de la frontière irakienne.

En moins d'une semaine, les combats ont ainsi coûté la vie à 29 personnes, 21 rebelles et huit membres des forces de sécurité, signe d'une recrudescence des violences avec l'arrivée du printemps.

Les membres du PKK, retranchés dans des caches situées en Turquie et dans le nord de l'Irak, frappées régulièrement par l'aviation turque, profitent de la fonte des neiges pour s'infiltrer d'Irak en Turquie afin d'y organiser des attaques.

C'est pendant cette période que les forces d'Ankara, l'armée et de plus en plus des unités spéciales de la police ces derniers temps, intensifient les opérations contre les rebelles.

La presse turque a rapporté ce derniers jours que le gouvernement du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste) avait décidé de changer son fusil d'épaule, cessant tout contact direct avec le PKK, dans un nouvel effort politique d'en terminer avec ce mouvement.

Le contact sera également rompu avec Abdullah Öcalan, le chef historique du PKK qui purge depuis 1999 une peine à vie dans une prison du nord-ouest de la Turquie d'où il dirige son mouvement par le biais de ses avocats qui lui rendent régulièrement visite.

Un politique d'ouverture pro-kurde de l'AKP lancée en 2009 a fait long feu, et a été très critiquée par ses détracteurs car elle impliquait des premières discussions directes avec la direction du PKK.

Le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, qui a préféré adopter un ton plus ferme à l'égard du PKK, multipliant les opérations armées et une offensive judicaire contre les ramifications du PKK, chercherait, selon le journal libéral Milliyet, à s'allier le président du Kurdistan irakien, Massoud Barzani, pour obtenir notamment un désarmement des rebelles retranchés dans la montagne irakienne. (AFP, 24 mars 2012)

Le PKK met en garde la Turquie contre une intervention en Syrie

Le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) a mis en garde vendredi la Turquie contre toute intervention armée en Syrie, pays qui abrite aussi comme la Turquie, l'Irak et l'Iran, une minorité kurde.

Murat Karayilan, le principal commandant du PKK, organisation considérée comme terroriste par Ankara et bon nombre de pays, a indiqué à l'agence de presse pro-kurde Firat, que son mouvement transformerait toutes les régions kurdes "en terrain de guerre" si l'armée turque entre en Syrie, pays voisin où un mouvement de révolte est réprimé par le sang par le régime.

"Qu'il soit bien clair: si l'Etat turc intervient contre notre peuple au Kurdistan occidental, tout le Kurdistan se transformera en un terrain de guerre", dit-il depuis le nord de l'Irak où le PKK dispose de bases arrière.

Pour le PKK et les Kurdes, le Kurdistan est le territoire qui couvre toute la région abritant des communautés kurdes réparties dans quatre pays (Turquie, Syrie, Iran, Irak).

Le Kurdistan occidental signifie le nord-est de la Syrie.

Karayilan accuse le gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc de se préparer à une "intervention" en Syrie, "encouragée par les puissances occidentales, en particulier les Etats-Unis et certains pays européens".

La Turquie a rompu avec son ex-allié syrien en raison de la répression de l'opposition. Elle s'oppose néanmoins à toute intervention étrangère contre son voisin.

Les pays amis de la Syrie se réuniront le 1er avril à Istanbul pour discuter des moyens de venir en aide à l'opposition syrienne et de mettre un terme à la violente répression exercée contre elle par le régime, qui a fait au moins 9.000 morts en un an, selon l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'Homme (OSDH). (AFP, 24 mars 2012)

6 policiers tués dans des heurts avec des guérillas kurdes

Six policiers et six guérillas kurdes ont été tués en deux jours d'intenses combats opposant les forces de l'ordre aux membres du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) dans le sud-est de la Turquie, a-t-on indiqué jeudi de source de sécurité locale.

Plusieurs milliers de soldats et de policiers participaient aux opérations soutenues par l'aviation turque (hélicoptères de combats et chasseurs) aux abords du mont Cudi, dans la province de Sirnak, proche de la frontière avec la Syrie, a-t-on précisé de même source.

Le ministre de l'Intérieur Idris Naim Sahin avait annoncé mercredi soir que cinq policiers avaient été tués dans les heurts survenus depuis mardi.

Mercredi, un sixième membre des forces spéciales de la police a été tué et six rebelles abattus dans l'offensive turque contre un nombre indéterminé de rebelles qui se cachent dans cette zone montagneuse, a-t-on précisé.

M. Sahin et de hauts responsables militaires se sont rendus sur les lieux des combats, les plus violents de cette année, qui se poursuivaient jeudi.

La police est de plus en plus impliquée dans la lutte contre les rebelles du PKK, alors qu'auparavant cette tâche revenait essentiellement à l'armée.  (AFP, 22 mars 2012)

EP-Kurds Friendship Group's Reaction to Newroz Repression

Today is the 21st of March, a day called Newroz, the ancient celebration which means the beginning of the New Year and spring. Peoples in Central Asia, Iran and especially Kurdistan are celebrating this day for centuries. As the oldest New Year celebration, Newroz also symbolizes rebirth, hope, prosperity and freedom. The Kurdish people -who have been oppressed throughout history- celebrate Newroz not only as a festival but also as a day of resistance against oppression and as a demonstration of its struggle for its own political identity, democratic rights, peace and freedom. As European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group, who always stand beside of Kurds and their struggle for freedom and peace, we greet Newroz. We support and welcome peaceful and democratic demands of Kurdish people for freedom and recognition of its legitimate rights.
 
We have been informed that this year pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) have planned to celebrate Newroz few days before 21st of March. However, earlier celebrations of Kurdish people have been banned by Turkish Government. Despite this ban, millions of Kurds across Turkey came together under the slogan, "Enough is enough, either freedom or freedom", but police forces brutally attacked Kurds with water cannons, tear gas and -in some cities- they opened fire with real bullets towards crowds where there were also BDP MPs, including awarded European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize Leyla Zana. We were shocked to be informed that, in Istanbul, BDP officer Haci Zengin has been killed by Turkish police during the Newroz rallies. Dozens of other Kurds were injured, including BDP MP Ahmet Turk, who has been hospitalized. Hundreds of Kurds have been arrested. This is unacceptable. We extend our sincere and deepest condolences to the family of Haci Zengin, to BDP as such and to the Kurdish people.
 
We call on Turkish Government to end the illegitimate and unjust repression against Kurdish people, to release all the democratically elected BDP members still illegally jailed, to restart direct negotiations with representatives of Kurdish people in order to reach a peaceful, negotiated and comprehensive political solution of the Kurdish issue. We underline that Turkey will never be a member of European Union unless it brings a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question, recognizes the legitimate rights of Kurds and respects fundamental human rights, including the freedom of expression. (stefano.squarcina@europarl.europa.eu, 21ts of March, 2012)

(*) The European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group is composed by several Members of the European Parliament from several EU Member States and from different political groups.

Police Violence Continued, Deputy Türk Attacked

Newroz, the beginning of the Iranian new year celebrated as a Kurdish tradition, was going to be celebrated on 20 March (Tuesday) in the south-eastern cities of Batman, Van, Mersin, Cizre in the province of Şırnak and Viranşehir in the province of Şanlıurfa. Those who went out to celebrate encountered massive police interventions facing tear gas, truncheons and water cannons. Kurdis Deputy Ahmet Türk was attacked by police in Batman.

One of the harshest interventions occurred in Mersin on the eastern tip of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mersin Governorship had actually issued permission for the celebrations on 20 March but the Ministry of the Interior decided to cancel all Newroz celebrations. Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Mersin Deputy Ertuğrul Kürkçü talked to bianet about the police's attitude during the intervention in Mersin.

Kürkçü: "We were beaten with fists and shields"

Kürkçü said that a notice on the celebrations on 20 March was given out before the Ministry of the Interior decided to cancel the events. The notice was valid until the circular of the ministry was issued. Hence, thousands of people had prepared themselves to make a move in accordance with the notice.

According to the politician, the groups were being dispersed by the police as soon as they started to march towards the celebration area in Mersin.

"The attack intensified more and more. The crowd I was in was beaten with truncheons; also tear gas was used. Liquefied gas came to my head. This is harmful. We were beaten with fists and shields too. That was the situation. There were hundreds of cartridge shells on the ground".

"The date has never been subject to debate until this year"

"The Mersin Governorship and Police Directorate seem to be completely crazy. They intervened against the people very harshly; they shot into the air. The administration of this city does not know what they did. They attack the people and make them pay for a political fear. It is impossible for us to retreat; we will be right next to the people wherever they go", Kürkçü emphasized.

He indicated that never before the date to celebrate Newroz on was subject to discussion. "As a matter of principle, the largest mass celebrations would be held on the Sunday closest to the actual date. This debate was created by the government".

"I don't know this kind of brotherhood"

While we were talking to Kürkçü on the phone, the police intended to take the people next to him into custody. The politician left the scene to talk to the police and handed his phone to Ramazan Kortar, a citizen of Mersin.

Kortar said, "We are Kurds, we are human beings, we are Muslims. Why are they tyrannizing and insulting us? They say we are brothers. I do not know such a brotherhood. They should become the brothers of somebody else. If we are brothers, we ought to have our flag and our party too. How can we be equal brothers otherwise?"

Subsequently, 23-year-old Baran Kader took the phone and said, "There was no need to do this. We wanted to celebrate our holiday. What about it? What is going to happen if the police do not throw tear gas at us? We were going to lit a fire and sing songs; we were not going to create trouble"

BDP Istanbul Deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Mersin Deputy Ertuğrul Kürkçü and Akdeniz District Mayor Fazıl Türk started a sit-down strike at the Tırmıl Area in Mersin.

Ahmet Türk attacked by police in Batman

In Batman, the police also intervened with tear gas against the people who were going to celebrate Newroz. A tear gas bomb was thrown to a bus of politicians with passengers Ahmet Türk, Mardin MP and Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Congress; Van Deputy Aysel Tuğluk; Diyarbakır MP Nursel Aydoğan; Feleknaz Uça; Fatma Kurtulan and Deputy Mayor Serhat Temel.

Politician Türk felt faint as the result of the tear gas. He was beaten by the police and taken to the Batman Dünya Hospital afterwards. He was discharged after having undergone medical treatment.

Nursel Aydoğan was on the bus together with Türk. She told bianet that Türk's face was swollen and bruised as a result of the beating.

According to Aydoğan, Türk suffered from heart problems due to the excessive use of gas. He was given oxygen and an intravenous solution and also the bruises in his face were treated.  (BIA, Işıl CİNMEN - Yüce Yöney, 21 March 2012)

Newroz célébré massivement par les Kurdes malgré l'intervention policière

Un million de kurdes célèbrent le 18 Mars la fête de Newroz, le jour de la renaissance et de la résistance, à Diyarbakir malgré les interdictions et mise en garde des autorités, affranchissant les barricades dressées par la police. Un responsable du parti kurde a été tué à Istanbul, lors d'un rassemblement à l’occasion du Newroz.

Les autorités turques ont interdit deux jours plus tôt toutes les célébrations organisées par le principal parti kurde BDP,  afin d’affaiblir la participation géante.

Quelques 130 rassemblements ont été organisés à travers le pays, entre le 18 et 25 février, pour accueillir la plus grande célébration du Newroz de tous les temps.

Aucune force ne pourra arrêter la marche du peuple, a déclaré le BDP, affirmant que l’interdiction du gouvernement n’est pas légitime.

Défiant les menaces et les interdictions des autorités, des centaines de milliers de personnes sont descendues dans les rues de Diyarbakir, chef-lieu du Kurdistan de Turquie, et d’Istanbul. Deux millions de  personnes étaient attendues dans ces deux villes.

Violents affrontements à Istanbul, un mort

A Istanbul, des affrontements ont été éclatés dans plusieurs quartiers entre les manifestants et les policiers qui sont intervenus violemment, faisant usage à de gaz lacrymogènes et de canons à aux.

Les tentatives des dizaines de milliers pour rejoindre la place de Kazlicesme où devait avoir lieu la célébration ont été violemment attaquées par des policiers.

Un responsable du parti kurde est décédé après avoir été touché par une grenade lacrymogène lancée par la police à Kazlicesme, a annoncé Gultan Kisanak, la co-présidente du BDP. Il s'agit de Haci Zengin, représentant BDP du quartier d'Arnavutkoy.

Plusieurs autres personnes ont été blessées dont deux grièvement et une députée BDP, Mulkiye Birtane, suite à la violence de la police, procédant également à des arrestations massives.

La répression anti-kurde et les interdictions absurdes du gouvernement pour qui la fête de Newroz ne pouvait avoir lieu que le 21 mars, sont à l’ origine de ces affrontements.

Toutes les barricades ont été affranchies

A Diyarbakir, des centaines de milliers de personnes ont réussi vers midi à arriver sur la place de Newroz, affranchissant toutes les barricades dressées par la police, suite à de violents affrontements.

« Le gouvernement a fait l’erreur de sa vie. Le peuple est sur la place de Newroz malgré les injustices, les obstacles et les violences », a dit  le député kurde Hasip Kaplan.

Après les discours prononcés sur la place, sans le système de son confisqué par les autorités, le BDP a appelé la foule a une marche de liberté.

Printemps kurde

Il s’agit d’une journée historique en Turquie et au Moyen-Orient.  La politique répressive et destructive du gouvernement turc a échoué face à la volonté du peuple kurde, un message fort au Monde entier qui reste sourd au printemps kurde.

Encouragé par le silence des pays occidentaux, le gouvernement turc mène une politique de répression sans précédente depuis notamment 2009, début du lancement de la nouvelle campagne d’arrestations dans le cadre de l’affaire KCK, accusée d’être la branche urbaine du PKK.

Plus de 6 500 membres actifs du BDP dont 31 maires sur 98 et six députés sur 36 sont actuellement en prison dans le cadre de cette affaire. Avec l’incarcération de 101 journalistes, la Turquie est également la plus grande prison du monde pour les journalistes. (Blog de Maxime Azadi avec ActuKurde)

Le PKK dit détenir 5 Turcs, demande un "échange de prisonniers"

Le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) retient 5 citoyens turcs et entend procéder à un "échange de prisonniers" dans le cadre d'un accord négocié avec les autorités de Turquie, a-t-il affirmé samedi dans un communiqué.

"Depuis quelque temps, nous avons entre nos mains un maire, un policier et trois soldats turcs. (...) Le PKK traite les prisonniers conformément à la Convention de Genève et ne les libérera pas sans accord officiel avec le gouvernement turc sur un échange de prisonniers", selon le communiqué de ce mouvement qui a des bases dans le nord de l'Irak.

"Le chef exécutif du PKK Murat Karayilan a clarifié cette question et dit que nous ne les libérerions pas s'il n'y avait pas de négociation sérieuse et d'échange", poursuit le communiqué du PKK, qui déplore que "le gouvernement turc n'a accompli aucun effort jusqu'ici pour les libérer".

Aucune information n'était disponible sur l'identité des 5 personnes retenues. Un porte-parole du mouvement a toutefois indiqué à l'AFP qu"'elles avaient été enlevées il y a moins d'un an lors de combats avec les forces turques dans le sud-est de la Turquie".

Le PKK avait indiqué en septembre dernier avoir "arrêté des personnes, dont des responsables militaires, un maire et 12 professeurs pour enquêter sur des crimes commis par eux contre des Kurdes en Turquie". (AFP, 17 mars 2012)

Newroz, nouvel an kurde, commence avec une grève de la faim
 
La célébration du nouvel an belge est clairement différente de celle  des Kurdes.

Les grévistes se plaignent des violations des droits de l’homme à l’intérieure et à l’extérieure des prisons turques, de l’utilisation d’armes chimiques par l’État Turc contre le peuple kurde et de l’emprisonnement des élus kurdes, des journalistes, des écrivains, des défenseurs des droits  de l’homme. Aussi à  Bruxelles,  une dizaine de kurdes ont pris part à cette ‘grève de la faim solidarité internationale’.
 
Chaque année, les festivités du Newroz provoquent de grandes tensions au Kurdistan de Turquie.  20% des Kurdes de Turquie fêtent le nouvel an, le début du printemps. Ils s’emparent de ce jour pour manifester massivement contre la répression de l’État Turc. Il règne une tension particulière dans l’air sur le Bosphore. Les autorités ont refusé la permission au Kurdes d’Istanbul de commencer à célébrer le nouvel an le 18 mars. A Amed (Diyarbakir), la plus grande ville kurde du nord du Kurdistan de Turquie, quatre vingt maires font grève de la faim depuis le 1 mars pour protester contre la chasse aux sorciers des autorités turques à l’égard des représentants kurdes et contre les conditions déplorables des prisons turques dans lesquelles les kurdes sont emprisonnées.
 
Comme le monde est aveuglé par le printemps Arabe, il ignore totalement la lutte des kurdes pour une vie démocratique au sein des frontières de la Turquie. Ou est-ce une coïncidence avec le printemps arabe que les autorités turques ont repris l’utilisation des armes chimiques contre le peuple sur la frontière d’Irak en disant que la cible visé n’était pas les nombreux civils mais le PKK.
 
Du fait que le monde est silencieux, la brutalité et les condamnations faites au peuple kurde par l’État Turc ne sont pas vues.
 
Kurdish Institute of Brussels
Rue Bonneelsstraat 16, 1210 Brussel/Bruxelles - België/Belgique
Tel: 0032/(0)2.230.34.02 - Fax: 0032/(0)2.231.00.97
www.kurdishinstitute.be - www.facebook.com/kibrussels

Newroz fires and celebrations started in Kurdish cities

Newroz fires have been lighted and celebrations have already started in most of the Kurdish cities. Thousands of people demand freedom for Öcalan while welcoming the Newroz of 2012.

Newroz celebrations in Bismil and other central districts of Diyarbakır, Hakkari and Mersin were started with the fires lighted by young Kurdish people. Celebrations are also joined by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) members.

Celebrations at Hakkari city center continue for two days and joined by thousands of people including BDP executives. In a speech in the area of historical Hakkari Madrasa, Mayor Fadıl Bedirhanoğlu said that celebrations of this year will be performed with the spirit of 90’s. The Kurds’ commitment to the struggle is getting stronger and stronger every day, underlined Bedirhanoğlu.

One other great Newroz fire was lighted in Bağlar district of Diyarbakır where BDP executives and a large number of people chanted slogans voicing their commitment to their Leader Abdullah Öcalan. In the area of celebration, BDP Diyarbakır Provincial Chair Zübeyde Zümrüt made a speech in which she warned that the deadlock in the Kurdish issue will remain unsolved unless Kurdistan Workers Party Leader Abdullah Öcalan is seen as the addressee of the problem.

Celebrations in Kayapınar and Sur districts were also joined by hundreds of people who came together, danced around and jumped over great Newroz fires. People were also accompanied by many BDP executives including Diyarbakır MP Emine Ayna who said the followings in the speech she made; “No power can challenge the resistance of the Kurdish people who will till 18 March in millions voice their demand for the freedom of Öcalan and Kurdistan in Newroz areas.”

The Newroz activities in Çilek neighborhood of Mersin were joined by thousands of people in front of BDP Office. The celebration was after a short while harshly intervened by police who without any warning assaulted the mass with tear gas and gas bombs. Some people were injured and felt faint during the police attack.(ANF, 16 March 2012)

The Kurdish community in Belgium starts a 3 day hunger strike

To the public opinion and press:

We, the Kurdish community living in Belgium are going to start a 3 day hunger strike on 16th of March till 18th of March 2012 in Brussels to support the indefinite-irreversible Hunger Strikes started in Turkey and Kurdistan since 15th of February by Kurdish Parliamentarians and the 15 Kurdish politicians in Strasbourg started on 1st of March 2012.

We have no news of our leader Mr. Abdullah Ocalan for since 7 months, he has been held since 15th of February 1999 in a lonely island by Turkey in complete isolation. This total isolation on him is a systematical torture. We are concerned for his life. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture  (CPT), which has the responsibility to care for his condition and to visit him regularly, does not fulfill its mission.

With our 3 day Solidarity Hunger Strike, we want to show our support for the demands of the indefinite-irreversible Hunger Strikers:

We call upon the public opinion, ngo`s, democratic associations to support us in our humanitary demands.
We ask you kindly to support us with your visits and press releases.

please contact: kongrakurdistan@gmail.com
for further information: http://kurdishfreedom.wordpress.com/

Conference in EP demands international recognition of Halabja genocide

International recognition of the Halabja genocide, material compensation for the victims and full investigation of the recent attacks against Kurds in Turkey were among the demands adopted in the final declaration of the international conference on the Halabja genocide and use of chemical weapons, which took place in Brussels on Thursday.

Following a day-long discussion in the European Parliament with more than fifteen speakers - politicians, academics and human rights workers from Europe, Kurdistan and Turkey - the participants adopted the following declaration:

"We, the speakers and participants of the conference on the 8th of March 2012 on remembering the Halabja genocide and the use of chemical weapons against Kurds, have decided on the following as our final declaration.

"Our conference was held on International Women’s Day (8th of March). All participants celebrated International Women’s Day and showed solidarity with the oppressed women and oppressed people of the world by expressing sympathy with the struggle for democracy and human rights across the globe.

"The participants of our conference - which consisted of human rights activists, politicians, victims of the Halabja and Roboski massacres and academics from Turkey, Kurdistan and Europe - discussed the genocide policies applied throughout history and presently to the Kurdish people as seen in the massacres of Roboski and Kazan Valley.

"Our conference recognized that the most well known of the genocides against the Kurdish people was the genocide carried out by Saddam’s regime in Halabja in 1988. However, it was also said that the Kurds are currently facing policies of genocide on a daily basis.

"Our conference has determined that the genocides suffered by the Kurdish people have derived from the denial and annihilation policies of the sovereign states under which the Kurds are living.

"Our conference has inferred that these genocides have at times been carried out with the direct or indirect support of European states by overriding their own democratic values; therefore, the approach of EU states and international organizations to the Kurdish question has been condemned. It has been called upon the EU states and international organizations to cease helping these states on grounds of historical and democratic norms.  

"Our conference is calling on international organizations to recognize officially the Halabja massacre as genocide and move to ensure that the undertakers of the Roboski massacre will be held responsible and brought to account for their actions.

"Our demands to the EU, international organizations and Iraqi authorities regarding Halabja:

1. We call upon the EU and UN to formally recognize these crimes as genocide.

2. To be against any policy that may lead to a repeat of such crimes against the Kurdish nation or any other nation.

3. We call upon the Iraqi government to materially compensate the victims and the Kurdish nation. At the same time the Iraqi government should ensure a minute silence for the remembrance of the Halabja genocide every year on the 16th of March.

4. The European Parliament needs to work on requesting the Iraqi government to provide an official apology to the Kurdish nation and undertake steps for such action.

5. The EU governments need to cooperate with the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government - who have already officially accepted Halabja as genocide - for international recognition of crimes against Kurds as genocide and through various policies to support the Kurdish identity in the neighboring countries where Kurds live.

6. We call upon the European Parliament to work for recognizing the 16th of March as an international day against chemical weapons and mass destruction

"Our demands to the EU and international organizations regarding Roboski:

"On the 28th of December 2011 between the hours of 21:30 and 22:30 Turkish Fighter Jets bombed a group of civilians in the village of Roboski, Sirnak, who were on their way back having earlier crossed the border into Iraq. As a result of this bombardment a total of 35 civilians, of which 17 were children, tragically lost their lives. One person was injured and two people escaped with no injuries. Although the massacre occurred 71 days ago the fact that the details of the massacre have not been fully disclosed shows that the state have played a part in this massacre. 

"At this present time we are no longer discussing the reality of the massacre, but rather, by who and why this massacre was carried out.

"As a result of this attack 35 people’s right to life was taken from them. This, without a doubt, carries this message: if you do not accept the denial and annihilation policies of the Turkish state you will be annihilated. 

"We demand that the Turkish state finds the people responsible for this massacre and demand that international organizations investigate the incident and make sure the people responsible are brought to justice.

"In accordance:

1. We demand that this attack is acknowledged as an extrajudicial killing and due to the numbers killed should be accepted as a mass killing.

2. That this is a continuation of the extrajudicial killings carried out under the name of “struggle against terror”.

3. That the insistence of force in the solution of the Kurdish question forms the basis of such dark acts of violence, and so the UN and EU should pressurize Turkey to adopt a more peaceful and democratic approach for the solution of the Kurdish question.

4. For national and international civil society organizations to show awareness by investigating further.

5. Finally, we call upon the human rights committees of the UN, EC and EU to send delegations to the region for full investigation." (AKnews, Roni Alasor and Lorin Sarkisian, March 11, 2012)

Conférence: Les événements récents en Syrie et la position des Kurdes

Le 12 mars 2012, À 13h30 – 16h30
Maison des Parlementaires
Salle de Congrès
Rue de Louvain, 21 – 1009 Bruxelles

Le 12 mars 2004, un massacre a été perpétré à Qamishlo, dans le Kurdistan de Syrie. 30 civils ont été tués dans ce massacre, 160 autres ont été blessés, des milliers de personnes ont été emprisonnées et les propriétés et commerces Kurdes ont été saccagés par les forces de l’ordre syriennes.

Huit ans ont passé après ce massacre et nous assistons encore aujourd’hui à des révoltes et des tueries en Syrie. Chaque jour, des dizaines de personnes sont tuées et les droits de libertés fondamentaux sont bafoués par les autorités.

Nous organisons un séminaire pour commémorer le massacre de Qamishlo et pour débattre sur la question de la démocratisation en Syrie.

Nous serions honorés de vous retrouver parmi nous à l’occasion de ce séminaire qui portera sur les thèmes suivants :

Modérateur : Piet De Bruyn, Senateur (N-VA),
- La Flandre et les Kurdes: Quel rôle peuvent jouer les Flamands pour une solution à la question kurde?
 
Dr. Xalit ISA, Membre de l`opposition Syrienne
- Le Moyen-Orient et la démocratie

Sheruan HASSAN, Membre du mouvement Kurde
- Les événements récents en Syrie et la position des Kurdes

Ludo De BRABANDER, journaliste, expert du Moyen-Orient
- Le danger de l’intervention militaire

Organisé par : Piet De Bruyn, Senator (N-VA), www.pietdebruyn.be
 
En collaboration avec le Congres national du Kurdistan www.kongrakurdistan.be
et l’Institut Kurde de Bruxelles, www.kurdishinstitute.be
 
Inscription : piet.debruyn@n-va.be

Kurds on indefinite hunger strike in Europe

More than 100 Kurds across Europe have joined 15 protestors on an indefinite hunger strike – and thousands more are expected to join them in solidarity.

Around 15 Kurdish politicians, writers and journalists began their hunger strike yesterday outside the European Council building in Strasbourg, France, where the European Parliament and European Court of Human Rights is also located.

The action has already spread as more than a hundred Kurds across different EU countries, have declared their support in joining the strike action over Kurdish Workers Party leader Abdulla Ocalan’s imprisonment and Turkey’s treatment of Kurds.

The 15 protestors belong to the Initiative for the Freedom for Ocalan, and are using St Maruice Church for their strike, which they describe as indefinite and irreversible until their demands are met.

One of the protestors, 65-year-old Arslan Akter, from Holland, told Firat News Agency: “I risk death and I will stay here until the end of the act.”

The protestors announced that they expect hundreds to join them in the coming weeks with alternate five-day hunger strike acts in groups. They also expected thousands to join them in Turkish and European cities.

The group are demanding the freedom and well-being of Ocalan, who was abducted by Turkish authorities and imprisoned in Imrali Prison, in the Marara Sea off Istanbul, Turkey.

Ocalan was sentenced to death for separatist activities in 1999 but his sentence was later commuted to life in prison. In 2005 the European Court of Justice ruled the case against Ocalan was unfair.

The protestors are calling on the European Council, the European Union and international agencies to take action against the pressures the Turkey puts on the Kurdish people.

More than 400 Kurdish political prisoners in Turkey and Europe have used hunger strikes in the last few weeks to make the same demands.

Around 8000 Kurdish political activists– including MPs, councilors, mayors and journalists – imprisoned in Turkey and Kurdistan are expected to show their support and join the strike.  (AKnews, Roni Alasor, March 3, 2012)

Conférence: L'adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE et la question kurde

Le 2 mars 2012, 13:30-16:30
Parlement flamand
1000 Bruxelles

Programme:

* Marc Hendrickx (MEP flamand, N-VA) et Derwich M. Ferho, président de l'Institut kurde à Bruxelles
* Prof. Dr Dirk Rochtus, Lessius d'Anvers: La Turquie, une solution fédérale à la question kurde?
* Dogan Özgüden, rédacteur en chef d'Info-Türk: Le rôle de l'armée dans l'Etat turc- Impact sur la question kurde»
* Ludo De Brabander, Vrede vzw: Contexte géostratégique de la Turquie
* Esat Canan, membre de la BDP: Constitution turque et la question kurde, les demandes du peuple kurde pour un statut juridique
* Karl Vanlouwe, sénateur (N-VA): Dans une commission vérité et réconciliation?
* Marc Hendrickx, Parlement flamand (N-VA): La Flandre et les Kurdes:? Quel rôle peuvent jouer le Parlement flamand?

Org: Marc Hendrickx, Parlement flamand (N-VA)

Intervention de Dogan Özgüden, rédacteur en chef Info-Türk:

Chers amis,

Tout d'abord je tiens à remercier à mes amis de l’Institut kurde de Bruxelles qui m'ont honoré en m'invitant à exposer mes points de vue sur le rôle de l’Armée dans l’état turc ainsi que son impact sur la question kurde.

Malheureusement à cause d’une crise de toux sèche, je ne souhaite pas perturber la conférence continuellement et je compte sur votre compréhension.

Franchement, je tiens également à vous faire un aveu: Je suis un peu épuisé de discuter la question du militarisme en Turquie depuis plus de 60 ans. Une vingtaine d’années en Turquie et depuis 40 ans dans plusieurs plates-formes européennes.

Le coup d’état militaire de 1971 était la raison de mon exil politique qui dure depuis quarante ans.

Neuf ans plus tard, en 1980, un autre coup d’état militaire, encore plus sauvage, a éradiqué tous les vestiges d’un fonctionnement parlementaire. Les pachas comme le général Kenan Evren m’a déchu de la nationalité turque tout comme des centaines de défenseurs des droits de l’homme en exile, turcs, kurdes, arméniens, assyriens, toutes les origines anatoliennes confondues.

Même avant mon exil, en tant que jeune journaliste en Turquie, j’avais déjà vécu un autre coup d’état militaire. Il y a 52 ans,  c’était les premier coup d’état militaire soutenu par les Etats-Unis qui a renversé un gouvernement élu sous prétexte d’établir un régime démocratique. Crime politiques : Les militaires ont pendu un premier ministre et deux ministres élus par le peuple.

Je vais aller encore plus loin, à une époque plus de 70 ans avant.  Les années 40…

Quand nous avons commencé à l’enseignement primaire dans les écoles kémalistes, on nous appris la suprématie de la nation turque et la religion islamique, et le rôle indiscutable de l’Armée turque dans la défense de cette suprématie non seulement contre les ennemis extérieurs comme Grecs, Bulgares, Russes, Georgiens, Arméniens, Arabes, Iraniens, mais également et surtout contre les ennemis intérieurs. D’abord les minorités ethniques et religieuses, Arméniens, Grecs, Kurdes, Assyriens, Juifs, puis les opposants de gauche.

La jeune république turque née des cendres des ruines de l’Empire ottoman, adoptant toute de suite les mêmes méthodes répressives que celles de l’Ittihad  Terakki, a lancé sa grande offensive contre le peuple kurde et toutes ces forces d’opposition.

Après la domination politique, économique et militaire des Etats-Unis sur le pays après la deuxième guerre mondiale et l’adhésion de la Tuirquie à l’OTAN,  l’Armée turque s’est chargée d’une autre mission: défendre les intérêts de Washington contre l’Union soviétique. Considérant toutes les minorités ethniques et religieuses ainsi que les opposants de gauche comme la cinquième colonne du bloc de l’Est, le terrorisme d’Etat exercé par les militaires est devenu plus brutal, plus destructif.

Même après un retour au régime parlementaire dans les années 80, l'armée turque a effectué le 28 février 1997 une autre intervention directe dans la politique.

Malgré un conflit d’intérêt au début entre les militaires et les dirigeants islamistes, s’est réalisé une alliance d’ennemis frères sur la même politique répressive.

Depuis lors, sous le nouveau régime militaro-islamiste, des milliers de dirigeants politiques, des centaines de journalistes et juristes ont passé le nouvel an derrière les barreaux simplement pour avoir revendiqué les droits et les libertés du peuple kurde ainsi que des minorités nationales et religieuses d'Anatolie.

Selon les derniers chiffres, le nombre des condamnés ou détenus pour terrorisme s'élève à 8.190.

Le carnage des paysans kurdes à la fin de l'année 2011 par l'aviation turque était le dernier exemple des atrocités commises par des forces étatiques. 

La constitution anti-démocratique prônant la supériorité et le monopole de la race et de la langue turques (Articles 3, 42 et 66), imposée en 1982 par la junte militaire, reste toujours en vigueur.

L'article 4 déclare que l'Article 3 ne pourra jamais être modifié, même la modification de cet article ne pourra jamais être proposée. 

En plus, un système électoral imposant un seuil national de 10% est toujours maintenu au détriment des partis politiques représentant des opinions différentes, notamment prokurde ou de gauche, afin que le parti islamiste reste au pouvoir avec une majorité absolue dans le Parlement malgré un score électoral inférieur à 50%.



Malgré la soi-disant "démilitarisation" du Conseil National de la Sûreté (MGK), les militaires continuent à dicter leurs choix militaristes  par les déclarations médiatisées du chef de l'Etat-major ou des commandants des forces terrestres, aériennes ou navales. 

Les militaires exercent leur contrôle sur la vie économique du pays par le biais de leur holding financier sui generis OYAK et d'une série d'industries de guerre.



Le code pénal turc, applaudi par l'Union Européenne, constitue toujours une menace sur la liberté de presse. Plus d’une cetaine de journalistes, majoritairement kurdes et de gauche, se trouvent toujours dans les prisons turques. Des centaines de personnes sont toujours jugées pour insulte à la nation turque, à l'Armée, au gouvernement ou aux forces de sécurité en raison de leurs critiques, en vertu de l'article 301 (l'ancien article 159) du CPT. 



La Loi Anti-terreur qui condamne toute expression contestataire comme un "délit de terrorisme" reste toujours en vigueur.
 
Toutes les initiatives pacifiques du mouvement national kurde en vue d'arriver à une solution pacifique sont systématiquement déclinées et les opérations militaires se poursuivent afin de satisfaire la voracité de l'Armée et de l'industrie de guerre.

Actuellement, de milliers de dirigeants ou bourgmestres kurdes sont jugès après avoir été scandaleusement arrêtés et menottés.

Malgré quelques réformes cosmétiques, les droits égaux ne sont toujours pas reconnus pour le peuple kurde ainsi que pour les minorités ethniques ou religieuses du pays, notamment  arméniennes, assyriennes, grecques et alévites.

Ankara ne montre aucune intention de reconnaître les injustices et atrocités commises dans l'histoire de la Turquie et poursuit une politique absolument négationniste. 



Encouragé d'une part par la soumission des gouvernements européens aux chantages d'Ankara, et d'autre part, par le fait que plusieurs dirigeants n'hésitent pas à marchander avec les missions diplomatiques et les organisations d'extrême droite turque pour obtenir quelques voix de plus dans les villes et quartiers habités par les ressortissants turcs, le régime turc s'ingère de plus en plus dans la vie sociale et politique des pays.

L’opération de conquête impériale des dirigeants d’Ankara se renforce  avec le soutien d’une campagne de propagande de grande envergure… Les films ou les séries de télévision sur  la Conquête d’Istanbul ou sur la splendeur de la dynastie ottomanne en sont de derniers exemples.

Dans ces conditions, peut-on attendre une véritable démilitarisation et démocratisation en Turquie et dans les communautés turques des grandes métropoles européens?

Comme nous avions répété maintes fois avec les amis kurdes, arméniens et assyriens, les conditions suivantes doivent absolument être remplies pour que la Turquie soit une véritable démocratie et pour qu’elle puisse adhérer à l'Union Européenne:

   

* Entière modification de la constitution actuelle imposée par les militaires; suppression des articles 3, 4, 42 et 66 prônant la supériorité et le monopole de la race et de la langue turques.
   
* Diminution du budget des dépenses militaires utilisé pour opprimer le peuple kurde et menacer les pays avoisinants.
   
* Modification radicale du système électoral imposant un seuil national de 10% au détriment des partis politiques représentant des opinions différentes, notamment pro-kurde ou de gauche.
   
* Une amnistie générale doit être déclarée pour tous les prisonniers ou inculpés politiques.
   
* Suppression de tous les articles anti-démocratiques du code pénal turc et de la loi anti-terreur et d'autres lois répressives.
   
* Arrêt des poursuites judiciaires contre des journalistes, écrivains, artistes, enseignants.
   
* Reconnaissance sans exception et sans restriction des droits fondamentaux du peuple kurde et des minorités assyrienne, arménienne et grecque.
   
* Reconnaissance du génocide commis au début du 20e siècle contre les Arméniens et les Assyriens.
   
* Arrêt de toute ingérence d'Ankara dans la vie politique et sociale des pays accueillant des ressortissants de Turquie.


Je souhaite que votre conférence fasse une contribution à la réalisation d’une Turquie  véritablement démocratique et non-militaire.

Quinze Kurdes entament une grève de la faim à Strasbourg

Quinze militants kurdes, dont cinq femmes, ont entamé jeudi à Strasbourg une grève de la faim "illimitée" pour demander la libération en Turquie du leader du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan et pour obtenir du Conseil de l'Europe qu'il lui rende visite en prison.

Quelque 150 manifestants étaient venus soutenir, lors d'un rassemblement devant le bâtiment du Conseil de l'Europe, les grévistes de la faim, qui avaient revêtu des chasubles blanches sur lesquelles on pouvait lire "Liberté pour Öcalan, statut pour le Kurdistan, grève de la faim illimitée".

Les activistes, venus de plusieurs pays d'Europe, demandent notamment que le Conseil de l'Europe envoie à Istanbul des experts de son Comité pour la prévention de la torture (CPT) pour y examiner les conditions de détention de M. Öcalan, lequel n'a reçu aucune visite depuis plus de sept mois.

"Je suis prêt à aller jusqu'à la mort", a affirmé à l'AFP l'un des participants au mouvement, Harun Yilmaz, 29 ans, qui vit à Paris. "Nous sommes inquiets pour la santé d'Öcalan", a-t-il ajouté.

Au printemps 2007, 18 militants kurdes avaient déjà observé une grève de la faim pendant 39 jours à Strasbourg. Ils avaient finalement obtenu que le CPT envoie une délégation auprès d'Abdullah Öcalan.

Ce mouvement est organisé en solidarité avec les "prisonniers politiques kurdes" qui ont entamé le mois dernier une grève de la faim en Turquie, a expliqué à l'AFP Fidan Dogan, du Centre d'information du Kurdistan à Paris.

Sept femmes, dont la députée Selma Irmak du parti pro-kurde BDP, observent notamment une grève de la faim depuis le 15 février à la prison de Diyarbakir (Turquie).

Abdullah Öcalan purge depuis 1999, en solitaire, une peine de prison à vie sur l'île-prison d'Imrali, au sud d'Istanbul. Condamné à mort le 29 juin 1999, Öcalan, surnommé "Apo", 62 ans, doit la vie au parlement turc qui a aboli la peine de mort en août 2002 dans le but de rapprocher le pays, candidat à l'Union européenne, des normes européennes. (AFP, 2 mars 2012)

Minorités / Minorities

Green light for retrial of Dink murder

A prosecutor has appealed the ruling in the Hrant Dink murder trial, arguing that the crime was an organized hit.

“The suspects acted as a cell in Trabzon with the same aims as the Ergenekon crime gang,” the prosecutor said in his 30-page appeal against the January court ruling, adding that the suspects should be punished for committing an organized act of crime.
 
Dink was the chief editor for weekly Agos, a newspaper published in Turkish and Armenian. He was shot dead in front of his office on Jan. 19, 2007, in Istanbul. Triggerman Ogün Samast was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the murder last year. Instigator Yasin Hayal was sentenced on Jan. 17 to aggravated life imprisonment, while former police informant and suspect Erhan Tuncel was released, prompting widespread anger.

In its ruling, the court argued that there was not enough evidence indicating the existence of an organization behind the crime despite lingering doubts.

“If the court accepts the existence of an organization behind the crime but lacks the evidence, it should have asked the prosecutor’s office for further investigation into the issue,” the prosecutor said in his appeal. (Hürriyet Daily News, March 30, 2012)

European Court accepts disabled Armenian journalist’s lawsuit against Turkey

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) accepted to examine the lawsuit against Turkey, which was filed by the physically challenged Armenian journalist Cevat Sinet, who lives in Turkey’s Batman (Sasun) Province.

On September 21, 2010, Sinet had applied to for a disability card, but he was denied.

“You are Armenian, it is written ‘Christian’ on your identity card. We cannot give you a disability card,” the Batman Social Service’s civil servant had told and subsequently insulted him.    

Next, Cevat Sinet applied to the Human Rights Union, and, with the latter’s assistance, a lawsuit was filed against the civil servant, but the prosecutor’s office ruled against the case.

And after unsuccessfully exhausting all of Turkey’s judicial instances to restore his rights, Sinet finally petitioned to ECHR.

“I applied to the ECHR [against Turkey] for insulting me, mocking my religion, and debasing me,” the Armenian journalist stated. (http://news.am/eng/news/99255.html , March 30, 2012)

New regulations on minority schools causing confusion in Turkey

New regulations that came into effect on March 20 regarding minority schools in Turkey are causing confusion among educators, who claim the latest changes don’t solve the problems faced by the children of foreign nationals.

“We have [read] the regulations from top to bottom. Frankly we, too, remain perplexed,” Istanbul deputy education director Nedat İlhan told the Hürriyet Daily News.

The regulations concerning private schools in Turkey and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne allow only for Turkish citizens to attend minority schools. A clause stipulating the children of Turkish citizens can attend only their own minority community’s schools was removed in the new regulations that appeared in the Official Gazette on March 20, however.

“The article was removed, but we are going to take a look at its infrastructure and whether it is applicable or not. Minorities in Turkey are classified under different titles in the Lausanne Treaty of 1923. As such, there is a critical question mark over here,” said İlhan, who is also in charge of affairs related to private schools in Istanbul, where all of Turkey’s minority schools are located.

Illegal immigrants

Some 15,000 Armenian citizens are currently residing in Turkey as illegal immigrants, according to the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s data. Their children cannot attend minority schools in Turkey both due to their illegal status and the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne. They were granted the status of “guest students” some two years ago, however, so they may now attend schools but cannot receive any diplomas or report cards.

“Even the children of ambassadors and officers from NATO-member Greece cannot receive diplomas from our schools with guest student status. The new regulations do not alleviate the problems concerning foreign nationals,” Yanni Demircioğlu, the headmaster of the historical Anatolian Greek Zoğrafyon High School in Istanbul, told the Daily News.

Some 70 “guest students” attend the Armenian and Anatolian Greek minority schools in Istanbul, although many illegal Armenian immigrants choose not to take advantage of the new “guest student” policy, as they prefer not to reveal their identities.

“Firstly, we are not a ‘private’ but a minority school. More importantly, special regulations have to be devised for each minority group. Different circumstances [apply to] Armenian and Anatolian Greek schools. These issues can only be set straight by provision of law,” Garo Paylan, a member of the Minority Schools Education Commission, told the Daily News.

“Minority schools have a quota problem. Let us assume for a moment that a Syriac or a Protestant Armenian wants to attend a minority school. Then what is going to happen? We need to figure out what will happen to converts and examine the population data regarding minorities in Turkey,” İlhan said.

İlhan said Turkey has diplomatic relations with Greece but not with Armenia, and Armenian immigrants come to Turkey illegally. The children of illegal Armenian immigrants will still not be able to attend school regardless of the changes in regulations.

Another minority school director who spoke to the Daily News on condition of anonymity said they were disappointed by the lack of progress on the matter despite all the talks held with the government. He also expressed his frustration that the new regulations did not abolish the requirement for minority schools to have a Turkish deputy assistant.

“We wanted to determine [the deputy assistants’] term of service ourselves, but we are back to where we were five years ago, it seems,” he said. (Hürriyet Daily News, Vercihan Ziflioğlu, March 22, 2012)
Nouvelle dispute entre l’Allemagne et la Turquie sur le Génocide Arménien?

La presse allemande s’inquiète d’un nouveau clash entre l’Allemagne et la Turquie au sujet du génocide des Arméniens. Aujourd’hui mardi 20 mars en présence de la chancelière Angela Merkel va s’ouvrir à Berlin l’exposition « Heimatweh » (mal du pays).

L’ambassadeur de Turquie en Allemagne, Huseyin Avni Karslioglu a accepté une invitation d’Erika Steinbach (CDU) Présidente de la Fédération des personnes déplacées.

L’exposition est ciblé sur les souffrances de 12 à 14 millions d’Allemands qui ont été expulsés après la Deuxième Guerre mondiale de leurs maisons. Mais elle évoque aussi le sort des Arméniens qui ont dû quitter pendant la Première Guerre mondiale l’Empire ottoman et qui ont été victime de massacres.

Un tableau dresse la liste des villes d’où les Arméniens ont été expulsés par les Turcs. Il est intitulé « génocide » et parle sans équivoque du génocide des Arméniens.

L’exposition « Heimatweh » est consacré au sort de 30 nations européennes qui ont été converties de force ou expulsées au cours du 20 ème siècle.

Circonstance « aggravante », un projet de loi pour la reconnaissance et la pénalisation du génocide des Arméniens est publié sur le site de la chancellerie allemande . Les internautes y sont appelés à exprimer leur choix entre différentes propositions. Celle sur le génocide arménien arrive dans le groupe de tête. Tout le monde peut voter ou envoyer un message. (Stéphane ©armenews.com,  20 mars 2012)

Police Officers Posed with Murderer Samast after Offence

Former Head of the Samsun Public Order Department, Yakup Kurtaran (left) together with Dink murderer Ogün Samast (middle) one day after the offence.

Ogün Samast, convicted murderer of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, was arrested on 20 January 2007, one day after he had shot the editor-in-chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper in bold daylight in front of his office in Istanbul. Samast was then taken to the Anti-Terror Branch of the Samsun (Black Sea coast) Police Directorate. The photographs taken there now leaked to the press.

Gendarmerie and police officers posed for a photograph taken together with Samast holding the Turkish flag. The picture and related video footage now leaked to the media.

It turned out that Yakup Kurtaran, then Head of the Samsun Public Order Department and on the left of the photograph, was promoted as Deputy Chief of the Malatya Police later on. According to the Radikal newspaper, Kurtaran was first appointed to Amasya and then to the traffic registration branch in Malatya.

After a short stay at the traffic registration branch, Kurtaran advanced quickly. He was promoted to 4th class superintendant and then to 2nd class superintendent before he became Deputy Chief of the Malatya Police this year.

When the photograph emerged within the police, Yakup Kurtaran and several police officers were deposed from office on 5 February 2007. Pursuant to the corresponding investigation, police inspectors recommended to punish Kurtaran with the discontinuation of his seniority-based pay for 16 months. Despite that proposal, Kurtaran was punished by a salary cut of one day only.

Kurtaran brought the decision before the Samsun 1st Administrative Court and effected the cancellation of the penalty. A prosecution of the police officer was not required.

Kurtaran was a 4th class superintendant when the picture was taken. He made his career from 4th to 2nd class superintendant and eventually Deputy Chief of the Malatya Police within five years.

Moreover it turned out that an investigation had been launched about the un-identified person(s) who gave these pictures to the press. The related file no. 2007/9251 was opened under charges of "violating the confidentiality of an investigation by publishing the photograph and camera footage in the media".

According to the report of the State Supervisory Council (DDK), this file is going to become time-barred on 21 May 2015. It was said that until this date, the document would permanently be on the agenda. In contrast to the report, procedures with regard to the Flag Trial were opened against two police officers only who were acquitted later on.

In the DDK report it was said that taking such a picture with holding the Turkish flag represented a marginal mindset. Yet, the report emphasized that the paradigms leading to this kind of understanding should be faced. It was also suggested to prosecute the responsible public officials. (BIA, 20 March 2012)

Diyarbakır's Sur Municipality offers courses for Armenian

The Sur District Municipality in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır has launched Armenian language courses for both its employees and other enthusiasts, building upon its earlier initiative to provide Kurdish courses.

“We want the same for those outside of us as what we want for ourselves. That is a must for democracy. If I want Kurds to have the right to education in their mother tounge, then I also want this for Armenians, Syriacs and other peoples, too,” said Sur District Mayor Abdullah Demirbaş. Some 40 people, including children and the elderly, are currently attending the Armenian language courses that are offered four days a week by Fikri Çalış, a volunteer teacher dispatched by the Armenian community in Istanbul.

“We provided Kurdish courses before. Now we [are offering] Armenian courses, and we are thinking about giving Syriac courses later on,” Mayor Demirbaş said.

The courses were jointly organized by the Diyarbakır Armenian Community Foundation and the Kurdish Language Research and Advancement Association (Kürdi – Der).

It would strengthen Turkey’s unity to receive education in different languages, Mayor Demirbaþ said, adding that they would continue providing multi–lingual municipal services.

The students are currently attending the courses at a room in a building owned by Kürdi - Der, according to reports. (Doğan News Agency, 16 March 2012)

ECHR Upheld Decision on Roma Book and Dictionaries

On 15 March, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upheld its verdict on the book entitled "Gypsies in Turkey" and ruled against a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights on "the right to respect for private and family life".

Mustafa Aksu, himself of Roma origin, alleged that three government-funded publications included remarks and expressions that reflected anti-Roma sentiment, i.e. the book "Gypsies in Turkey" by Prof Ali Rafet Özkan and two dictionaries of the Turkish Language Institution.

In June 2001, Aksu filed a petition on behalf of the Turkish Gypsy associations with the Ministry of Culture, complaining that a book it had published, entitled "The Gypsies of Turkey", contained passages that humiliated Gypsies, as it depicted them as involved in criminal activities.

Informed by the Ministry of Culture that, according to its publications advisory board, the book reflected scientific research, and that the author would not allow any amendments, Mr Aksu brought civil proceedings against the Ministry and the author of the book. He requested compensation and asked for the book to be confiscated and for its publication and distribution to be stopped.

When domestic remedies were exhausted, Aksu lodged two applications with the European Court of Human Rights in 2004, arguing that the book and dictionaries contained passages and definitions which were an insult to the Roma community. He relied on Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination).

In its Chamber judgment of 27 July 2010 taken by a 16 to one majority vote the Court held that there had been no violation of Article 14 taken in conjunction with Article 8.

"No discrimination on account of ethnic identity"

The ECHR found that the book was an academic study focusing on the history and socio-economic living conditions of the Roma people in Turkey with the passages at issue being examples of the biased portrayal of Roma in Turkish society.

The ECHR ruled that Aksu had not been discriminated against on account of his ethnic identity. Nor had the authorities failed to take the necessary steps to protect Aksu's private life.

As concerned the book, the Court found that the domestic courts' conclusions - that the book, based on scientific research, had neither been an insult to nor an attack on Roma identity - had been reasonable.

As concerned the dictionaries it would have been preferable to label the second meaning of the word "Gypsy" as "pejorative" or "insulting" rather than "methaphorical". However, this alone was insufficient for the Court to override the domestic courts' view on the case. (BIA, 16 March 2012)

Dink lawyers demand probe into MİT branches

Lawyers for the family of Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin who was shot dead by an ultra-nationalist teenager in broad daylight five years ago, have demanded that prosecutors investigate archives of the İstanbul and Trabzon branches of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) in order to understand how those agencies failed to prevent the murder.

“MİT’s responsibility has not been stressed so far even though it’s an institution that would naturally know about close threats to Hrant Dink’s life. But MİT was left out of the investigations,” the lawyers said in a press conference on Thursday.

The lawyers told prosecutors who are once more investigating the events preceding the murder of Dink that it is obvious that MİT’s Trabzon officials are not telling the truth when they say that they had not received any information related to plans to murder Dink, because even common people in Trabzon’s Pelitli -- a small town where Dink’s convicted murderer, Ogün Samast, is from -- knew about it.

“The information regarding plans to kill Dink was known by police and gendarmerie intelligence units; however, it is unconvincing that the biggest intelligence agency in the country, MİT, was unaware of the danger and the threat,” the lawyers also said, adding that it should be made clear how the police and gendarmerie failed to pass information about plans to kill Dink to MİT, despite laws requiring them to do so.

The lawyers said that Dink had clearly written in his column in Agos weekly on Jan. 12 in 2007 that he was threatened with what was called a “warning” by two MİT officials at the office of İstanbul’s Deputy Governor Ergun Güngör.

Lawyers of the Dink family also noted that, following Dink’s murder on Jan. 19, 2007, Dink’s widow, Rakel Dink, filed a criminal complaint against the two MİT officials on Feb. 12 and the deputy governor, who did not take any actions to protect Dink, despite their awareness of threats on Dink’s life.

In addition, the lawyers filed a criminal complaint at the 14th High Criminal Court of İstanbul on Feb. 8, 2010 calling for the prosecution of those three people and other MİT officials who neglected their duties and did not take preventive actions.

However, the court forwarded the complaint to the İstanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office, which forwarded it to the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office on the basis that it lacked jurisdiction over the issue. Then the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office asked for permission from the Prime Ministry on June 21, 2010 to investigate the MİT officials who had met with Dink in İstanbul, Özel Yılmaz and Handan Selçuk. The Prime Ministry granted permission on Jan. 21, 2011.

On Sept. 29, 2011, the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office ruled that the suspects had committed the crime but the statute of limitations would not allow an investigation into the matter.

“We objected to this ruling but the Sincan 1st High Criminal Court turned our objection down without any justification,” the lawyers stated. “There was a crime but it remained unpunished. With the ruling of the Sincan 1st High Criminal Court, domestic legal remedies were exhausted and therefore we will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights [ECtHR].”

At the press conference, Rakel Dink said the court’s final verdict in January fell short of justice.

The final verdict, which caused outrage in large parts of society, established that the suspects had no ties to a larger criminal network, but acted alone. On the other hand, the prosecution believes the killers are affiliated with the Ergenekon network, whose suspected members are currently standing trial on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

In February a report from the State Audit Institution (DDK), the presidency backed a probe into officials for their role in the Dink murder. The 650-page report stated that the DDK’s authority is limited in conducting such an investigation, and it should avoid influencing the judiciary, but it evaluated the situation in the face of the ECtHR ruling, which declared in September 2010 that Turkey failed to fulfill its duty to protect the life of Dink and included a reference to possible links between the 2007 murder of Dink and Ergenekon.

The lawyers indicated at the press conference that they will watch how Turkey implements the ECtHR ruling.(TODAY’S ZAMAN, 15 March 2012)

Armenian Patriarchate files suit for property return

The Armenian Patriarchate has filed a landmark suit in Ankara for the return of the historical Sansaryan School in the eastern province of Erzurum that was the site of the 1919 Erzurum Congress, an assembly by modern Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

“Some other foundations belong to [minority] communities, but the Sansaryan Foundation was granted to the patriarchate by philanthropist Mıgırdiç Sansaryan in the 1800s. The administration and management of the Sansaryan Foundation legally belongs to the patriarchate,” lawyer Ali Elbeyoğlu, who represents the Turkish-Armenian Patriarchate in court, told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday.

The patriarchate also demanded the return of other properties in the Central Anatolian province of Sivas formerly owned by the Sansaryan Foundation in the lawsuit it filed March 14.

“We are not going to content ourselves with the mere return of historical buildings. We are also going to demand compensation from the Foundations General Directorate for all material losses incurred by the patriarchate since 1936,” Elbeyoğlu said.

Upon the government’s request, Turkey’s minority groups in 1936 gave the government declarations detailing their real property. Over the years, however, many of these properties did not remain registered under the minority foundations’ names, and some were even sold to third parties.

Turkey’s Foundations General Directorate expropriated the Sansaryan Foundation citing the 1936 Declaration, according to Elbeyoğlu.

The Turkish-Armenian Patriarchate also filed another suit against the Foundations Directorate General in recent months demanding that the Sansaryan Shopping Center in Istanbul’s Eminönü district be returned to the patriarchate. However, the head of Turkey’s Foundations Directorate General has said it will not be returned despite a ruling by an Istanbul court to impose an interim injunction over the building.

“This runs counter to all international legal [norms] as well as the Treaty of Lausanne. The Patriarchate is still in possession of the title deed,” Elbeyoğlu said.

The Armenian community currently owns three small foundations across the whole of Anatolia. If the patriarchate wins its lawsuit, it will mark the first time that Turkey’s Armenian community has regained control of a foundation in Anatolia.

“If the Armenian community had not hesitated for various reasons, they could have filed this suit in 1936, as they are legally in the right. There is a case dated to 1936, and its files indicate that the patriarchate officially owns Sansaryan. Our research shows that the best-preserved archival documents are located at the Land Registry Cadastre,” Elbeyoğlu said.

Elbeyoğlu also dismissed suggestions indicating a link between the lawsuit and the Foundations Law that recently came into effect. The Turkish government enacted a measure that went into effect on Aug. 27, 2011, to return properties seized from minority foundations through the 1936 Declaration.

The Foundations Directorate General still classifies Sansaryan as a property left without a manager and whose ownership consequently passed onto the Foundation Directorate General, but for that definition to hold up in court, it would require there to be no citizens of Armenian descent in Turkey, according to Elbeyoğlu.

The Sansaryan Foundation was established by Mıgırdiç Sansaryan, a Russian-Armenian philanthropist. The police used the Sansaryan Shopping Center in Istanbul for a long period during which torture was widespread. (Hürriyet Daily News, March 15, 2012)

Sabro, the first Syriac newspaper published in Turkey

For the very first time in the Turkish Republic’s history a newspaper with a Syriac name has started to be published. The publication’s name is Sabro and will come out with the slogans of “We want our identity” and “We exist too.”

The new newspaper that will add to the existing magazines in Europe, RenyoHiro and Qenneshrin as well as the Swedish television channel Suroyo TV aims to “change the situation of invisibility, which the Syriac community has been suffering from,” according to Sabro’s director, Tuma Çelik who said “just like all other people the Syriacs just want to live, no less”.

According to Çelik, both the 90 years of repressive politics, which have obliged the Syriac community to migrate, and the assimilation have prompted the gradual disappearance of the Syriacs. Because of this, “Sabro is working to express the feelings inside the Syriac community as well as to inform the Syriacs, who live abroad about the Syriacs’ social matters and the problems” Çelik added.

The newspaper, which is prepared by 5 volunteers, will be published once a month although its forward aim is to come out one time a week. Besides, the newspaper will work through a payment system being delivered home by home.  (DİHA, 14 March 2012)

Génocide arménien: Sarkozy affirme qu'il ne se "résignera pas"

Nicolas Sarkozy a réaffirmé mercredi sa détermination à faire adopter en France loi punissant la négation du génocide des Arméniens en 1915 malgré la censure récente du Conseil constitutionnel, en décorant le dernier survivant du groupe de Résistants Manouchian.

"Malgré la décision du Conseil constitutionnel, je ne me résigne pas. La communauté arménienne, comme les autres, a le droit d'être protégée du négationnisme par la loi", a déclaré M. Sarkozy en remettant, devant des représentants de la communauté arménienne en France qu'il venait de recevoir, les insignes d'officier de la Légion d'honneur à Arsène Tchakarian, 95 ans.

"J'ai donc demandé au gouvernement de préparer un nouveau texte. Je peux vous assurer de ma volonté de le faire aboutir, je renouvelle cet engagement solennel devant vous", a répété le chef de l'Etat.

"A vous tous dont les familles ont été décimées par une extermination absolument planifiée, à vous tous qui ressentez aujourd'hui comme une menace le négationnisme obstiné érigé en politique d'Etat, je veux dire que la France est à vos côtés pour refuser, pour combattre et pour réprimer l'inacceptable", a également indiqué Nicolas Sarkozy.

En réponse, Arsène Tchakarian a remercié Nicolas Sarkozy pour avoir "par conviction et pour la justice fait progresser la cause arménienne". "Je vous adresse pour le futur tous mes voeux de réussite car, même si j'ai certains points de divergences, pas beaucoup mais enfin, je pense que vous êtes seul digne de représenter notre pays", a-t-il dit.

Le Parlement a adopté le 23 février une proposition de loi très controversée de la députée UMP Valérie Boyer qui prévoyait de punir d'un an de prison et de 45.000 euros d'amende la négation d'un génocide reconnu par la loi.

Ce texte, qualifié d'électoraliste par l'opposition et rejeté par certains élus de gauche comme de droite, était soutenu par Nicolas Sarkozy, qui l'avait promis en 2007 à la communauté arménienne, forte de 500.000 personnes.

Le génocide arménien est reconnu par une loi française de 2001. Mais le Conseil constitutionnel a rejeté la loi au motif portait "une atteinte inconstitutionnelle à l'exercice de la liberté d'expression".

Cette loi a suscité une vive polémique entre la France et la Turquie, qui n'a jamais reconnu le génocide arménien.

Le nouveau texte promis par M. Sarkozy ne pourra être présenté avant la reprise des travaux du Parlement après les législatives de juin.   (AFP, 7 mars 2012)

Politique intérieure/Interior Politics

Le Parlement adopte une réforme de l'éducation critiquée par les laïcs

Le Parlement turc a adopté vendredi à une large majorité une réforme du système éducatif présentée par le gouvernement islamo-conservateur et qui a été vivement critiquées par les tenants de la laïcité, accusant le pouvoir de vouloir islamiser la société turque.

Le texte a été adopté par 295 voix favorables contre 91 votes négatifs et un vote nul, dans un hémicycle dominé par le Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste) au pouvoir, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.

La réforme prévoit de réorganiser le cursus actuel d'enseignement obligatoire de huit ans d'affilée par trois cycles de quatre ans.

Désormais, un élève turc devra ainsi passer 12 ans au lieu de huit sur les bancs de l'école, mais il pourra choisir dès la fin du premier cycle un enseignement spécialisé, ce qui lui était impossible dans le précédent système.

L'AKP argumente que le nouveau système est plus en phase avec les besoins des entreprises et des familles car il permet d'orienter les enfants dès l'âge de dix ans vers des établissements d'enseignement professionnel.

Mais pour l'opposition et les milieux laïques, cette réforme a principalement pour but de rouvrir dès le cycle élémentaire l'accès à des écoles religieuses de formation d'imam, permettant aux familles conservatrices de retirer leurs enfants --et surtout leurs filles-- des écoles laïques.

Les discussions de ce projet de loi au Parlement ont été émaillées de bagarres à coups de poing et de pied entre députés de l'AKP et de l'opposition laïque du Parti populaire du peuple (CHP).

Et jeudi, la police a fait usage de canons à eau et de gaz lacrymogène pour disperser en plein centre d'Ankara une manifestation de plusieurs milliers de personnes qui dénonçaient le texte.

Depuis qu'il est arrivé au pouvoir en 2002, l'AKP a cherché à réformer le système éducatif, sans succès en raison du poids de l'armée, qui se proclame la gardienne de la laïcité. Mais les généraux ont perdu depuis leur influence politique.

"Cette loi restera dans l'histoire comme un pas important dans la réconciliation entre l'Etat et le peuple", a commenté le ministre de l'Education nationale Ömer Dinçer, cité par Anatolie. (AFP, 30 mars 2012)

Erdogan’s Turkey: A rule more ruthless (Financial Times)

His pictures and posters are these days almost as ubiquitous as those of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founding father of the modern Turkish nation. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has come to tower over the country’s political landscape. Elected last June for the third time since 2002 and with a still rising share of the vote, he is a prime minister preternaturally buoyed by the strength of his rapport with the Anatolian heartland.
 
In Mr Erdogan’s decade, Turkey has re-emerged as a regional power. Its economy has grown at near-Chinese speed, spreading wealth and healthcare, schools and roads, while a new breed of “Anatolian tiger” entrepreneurs has risen up against the incumbent handful of business conglomerates. The ruling Justice and Development party (AKP), refined from the debris of two banned Islamist parties into a Muslim version of Christian democracy, has sidelined the secular elites that had ruled as of right the republic created by Ataturk.
 
Erdogan devoted his first term to overdue political reform and strengthening civil and minority rights. He used his popularity to shove Turkey’s mighty generals offstage during a stormy second term. Now, he faces no rival to his power – and his tolerance of any challenge to it is shrinking.
 
Along with a gathering air of authoritarianism, many detect the first whiff of hubris. Prosecutions of journalists, violations of due process in cases against political foes and the ramming through of contentious legislation all attest to the trend. If the constitutional revolution started by the AKP – after decades of managed democracy by the army and the Kemalist establishment – is going backwards, it is a development that could have big implications for a country that has an increasing clout on the world stage.
 
While there is no single reason for the shift, Mr Erdogan’s fiery temperament is clearly a factor. Although some observers believe his outbursts are calculated, one Istanbul commentator says he has “eagerly embraced the solitude of power”. Hakan Altinay, chairman of the Open Society Foundation in Istanbul, a branch of George Soros’s advocacy organisation, says “the only feedback he’s interested in is acclaim and loyalty”. Even an AKP loyalist MP acknowledges the problem: “He listens but he thinks he knows everything already and that ‘whatever I decide, works’.”
 
The prime minister’s outmanoeuvring of the military – more than one in 10 generals are now behind bars for alleged plots against his government – has removed a check on executive power, however undemocratic. More damagingly, a paralysis in negotiations on accession to the European Union has shut down a formidable engine of democratic renewal.
 
Last year, Turkey leapfrogged Vladimir Putin’s Russia in the number of cases brought against it at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, its 159 cases outstripping Russia’s 121. In the absence of Brussels, Strasbourg has some leverage. This month, the journalists Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik, in pre-trial detention for more than a year for writings on the influence inside the Turkish state of the shadowy Islamist movement inspired by Fetullah Gulen, a US-based imam, were released – only days before the court was due to hear their complaint.
 
That still leaves 104 journalists in jail, 69 of them from the Kurdish minority and more than Iran (42) and China (27) combined. The old joke about committing journalism has real bite in Turkey, especially after Mr Erdogan himself, speaking last April in Strasbourg of all places, likened Mr Sik’s then unpublished book on the Gulenists to a bomb.
 
. . .
 
Critics, and even some sympathisers, say Mr Erdogan’s instinct is to polarise. “I have never seen Turkey as divided as this,” says a senior Turkish official who for decades has witnessed the hand-to-hand combat of Ankara politics, which admits of few shades of grey. “There’s no way you agree to disagree in this country,” says Mustafa Akyol, who with reservations remains an AKP supporter. “It’s tantamount to treason if you do.”
 
“Erdogan’s modus operandi is to pick fights,” says Sinan Ulgen, head of the liberal Edam think-tank in Istanbul. “It has served him well because it eliminates the middle ground – it’s the [George W.] Bush approach: you’re either with us or against us.” He adds: “Erdogan and the AKP displayed a clear sense of purpose in reducing the political influence of the army” but “failed to show the same dedication to building a stronger democracy. The quality of Turkish democracy today remains problematic due to an intolerance of dissent, the weakening of individual freedoms and lack of constraints on executive power.”
 
Some hardline Kemalists argue that the slide towards authoritarianism is the consequence of a secret AKP agenda to steer Turkey towards Islamist rule. That is a minority view, however, and one contradicted by Mr Erdogan’s public defence of Turkey’s secular system as a shield of state protecting all beliefs – including those of Islamists. At the same time, he partakes fully of a winner-takes-all political culture in which the AKP has resorted to the same methods its enemies used to try to deny it power.
 
It is well established, for example, that elements within the armed forces have serially plotted against the government. But equally, some of the accusations in the series of baroque conspiracies now under investigation appear likely to have been concocted. “[Erdogan’s] supporters would say none of this success would have been possible if he wasn’t authoritarian, while others would say he’s authoritarian but he is successful,” Open Society’s Mr Altinay complains.
 
Turkey’s political pass can in some ways be seen as a drama within a paradox. The drama is not the secularists’ spectre of creeping theocracy but that the opposition has proved unelectable, trapped in the past and reliant on generals and judges to win back what it keeps losing at the ballot box. The paradox is that Mr Erdogan and the AKP, although now lords of all they survey, behave as though they were still in opposition.
 
To be fair, the AKP itself came within a whisker of being banned by the constitutional court as recently as 2008, a year after it had electorally thrashed the opposition that filed the complaint. But the party now dismisses most criticism as sour grapes. “The opposition knows it can’t dent [Mr Erdogan’s] charisma, so keeps saying he’s authoritarian” says Huseyin Celik, AKP vice-chairman. “I am close to the prime minister and if I see him becoming authoritarian I will be the first to object,” he adds, recounting tales of arguments with the prime minister on issues from Iraq to education.
 
“Being in government is not the same as ruling,” says Mr Celik, who complains that when he was education minister in 2003-09 the courts blocked all attempts at curriculum reform. “These people saw themselves as the landlords of the state and the government as just its tenants.” As another Erdogan aide says: “That’s why we need the new constitution” now under discussion, “to codify the change in the political balance”. But while Turks of many persuasions may have cut the ruling party some slack before, after last year’s electoral landslide this argument no longer convinces many who see the government using the law as a battering ram against its opponents. “The government can no longer send the bill for what the police do to the ancient regime,” says Mr Altinay. “There is a vengefulness about all this that is a bit disquieting.”
 
. . .
 
Yet the AKP now finds that using the law for political ends can be a double-edged sword. When Mr Erdogan withdrew from daily politics recently to undergo two operations, a prosecutor assumed to be acting for his erstwhile Gulenist allies tried to open an investigation into Hakan Fidan, his handpicked chief of intelligence. This gambit electrified Turkey, causing one commentator to observe: “We are in the initial phases of an intricate power struggle.”
 
The Gulenists operate an admired and visible franchise of schools across Turkey and around the world, along with clusters of invisible power, in a strategy that critics say looks like a surreptitious attempt to capture Turkish institutions. They are well entrenched in the police, have footholds in the judiciary and seem now to have set their sights on the security services – tantamount to taking aim at Mr Erdogan himself.
 
Certainly the prime minister’s reaction was summary: firing three prosecutors and transferring 700 police officers. “There was good co-operation between the AKP and the Gulenists but at a certain point their demands became too much,” says one party insider. “They wanted to be not just in the police but other places as well, and somebody had to tell them to stop.”
 
Within days the prime minister used his parliamentary majority to change the law to protect his intelligence nominees – giving the lie to protestations that the government’s hands are tied when it comes to wider reform. Mr Celik now admits as much, insisting the government will now curb the discretionary powers of the judiciary. “We accept there are problems with the judiciary, that the special courts sometimes exceed their rights, and that [periods of] detention without trial are too long,” he says. “That is why we are preparing a new legal package.”
 
Whether this step forward compensates for several steps backwards is moot. The government consulted widely on a recent domestic violence bill, for example, yet is trying to shut out the opposition and ram through a contentious education reform, on which it has not even consulted a closely aligned think-tank that has been working on it for three years. The measure, likely to become law this week, would allow children to attend religious schools from the age of 10, down from the current 14.
 
In the larger game, what matters are Mr Erdogan’s intentions in drawing up a new constitution to replace the army-dictated charter of 1982. The question is whether he wants to use that opportunity to strengthen individual rights – and craft a settlement giving the Kurdish minority cultural and self-government gains – or to mould a new order in his own image, stepping up from the premiership to an executive presidency on the French model, thereby to claim a mantle to rival Ataturk’s.
 
Political prosecutions: Rights punctured by activist judges and long detentions

This month Turkish prosecutors asked for prison terms of between 7½ and 15 years for three students who unfurled a banner demanding free education at an event attended by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister. Two of them have already spent 18 months in pre-trial detention, before being released in October. In a separate case, another student, if found guilty, faces a term of 11 years for taking three eggs to an event attended by President Abdullah Gul.
 
The students demanding free education have been charged under Turkey’s broad anti-terrorism laws; the student with the eggs for resisting arrest and insulting the police.
 
Observers say these are merely extreme examples of a broader phenomenon – a justice system with relatively little concern for individual rights. A recent report by the Council of Europe, an intergovernmental body, argued that Turkish practice was shaped by an authoritarian past and in particular a brutal 1980 coup.
 
While Mr Erdogan promises judicial reforms, there are concerns that the rule of law is on shakier ground than a few years ago.
 
One issue is the activism of special courts focusing on terrorist offences. Even government supporters say such courts fail to filter cases brought by the police, handing down thousands of pages of indictments against hundreds of defendants, who are often detained for years awaiting trial.
 
Recently, an Istanbul prosecutor asked for 15-22 years for Busra Ersanli, an academic who works with the Kurdish BDP party, and 7-15 years for Ragip Zarakolu, a publisher previously jailed during military rule. Both are charged with involvement with a Kurdish terrorist organisation (which they deny) and both are at present in jail.
 
Other politically charged cases include the Ergenekon probe into an alleged conspiracy against the government, and the Sledgehammer case, in which scores of military officers have been detained for alleged coup plotting. This week, Ilker Basbug, a former army chief of staff, went on trial for alleged membership of a terrorist organisation. Next week, Kenan Evren, the leader of the 1980 coup, finally faces trial.
 
Many Turks argue that such judicial activism corrects past wrongs while guarding against present dangers. Others say the law is being used to intimidate political opponents, not only of the ruling Justice and Development party but, in particular, of the influential Islamist Gulenist movement, which is widely believed to have penetrated the justice system.
 
“Frankly speaking, I no longer write about the Gulen movement,” says a leading columnist. “It’s too risky.”

FT, 29/03/2012
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/387d2f6c-77f9-11e1-b437-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links/rss/world_europe/feed//product#axzz1qVRKT6eF
 
Academic Gerger warned: "Turkey reharsing for civil war"

In an interview to ANF, researcher and writer Haluk Gerger evaluated the Kurdish issue, the current situation in Syria and the foreign policy of the ruling party AKP.

Gerger pointed out to a “rehearsal for a civil war” openly exposed during Newroz celebrations in Turkey and warned; “Civil wars aren’t a game to play. Those who play with fire and people made up of fire will burn themselves as well.”

Researcher and writer Gerger also remarked that Turkey aimed to take an active part in a possible intervention in Syria and said that; “There is no other choice except its multiple dependences on imperialism. What matters for Turkey is to take advantage of the situation.

* Why did the AKP government banned Newroz celebrations this year? Which messages Newroz events have given to the Kurdish freedom struggle and the AKP government?

- Internal suppression operations have already come to a head and became widespread, institutional and permanent for a long time. What happened in Newroz has showed us what could be done beyond those practices. The revealing of systematical provocation and developments has given new clues as to the intended process of a “civil conflict” which will directly involve the whole of “civilian area” of Kurds. The manner towards Newroz celebrations has given the clues of a new attack oriented towards a destruction which exceeds military and police dimensions and consists of all factors of the social dimension. There can be no other explication for such an extensive, cold-blooded, courageous and obvious provocation, raining bans on the celebrations of people, responding the people with violence and turning the environment to a “civil war rehearsal”. The last several days have witnessed the practice of a “ground preparation” and “groundbreaking” operation which is understood to have been planned earlier.

*Are we entering into a new process when internal and civil conflicts will be exposed by means of state’s power and support? Are Kurds subjected to a choose between an expansive submission and a mass slaughter as a kind of an civil war?

- It is understood that even the most innocent and simple manifestations of Kurds will be responded with blood and fire henceforward. It is intended to impose the darkness of the past once again on Kurds who demand an honorable and fair peace as well as a legal, social and administrative status. Kurds are being criminalized when they express themselves, live their culture and language and even when they celebrate their day. In this way, the practice of “othering” extends to the dimension of a disaster, “illegalization” and then seeing them as an enemy. The next step will be to wage a war against them, and the current process if progressing to that point. This process aims to create a trauma and poisoning as well as a conflict environment in the social connections and relationships between Turks and Kurds. The legally marginalized, criminalized and humiliated Kurd image will capture the mind and heart of the Turkish society where the Kurds in western cities, in metropolitans in particular, will be suppressed and left out of breath. As to the Kurdish cities, social dynamics will be referred to the state force and sacrificed to institutionalized low density war. In my opinion, the current process is that dangerous.

The government has been playing the already known “good and bad cop” game once again but it has muddled up with the game. While the “good cop” was conducting negotiations, the “bad cop” was attacking. However, the cops eventually fell out with each other since they had to face different methods of different answerers. They therefore didn’t obtain the expected final result.

This process will inevitably lead to darkness, disaster, bloodshed, tear and death unless the government in the soonest time abandons this manner and embarks on a quest of an irreversible agreement and compromise. Civil wars aren’t a game to play, as the recent history has many evidences confirming this in the events of Rwanda and Bosnia. United Nations experts dealing with these matters state that civil wars dehumanize the most unexpected and mild segments of the society.

* Has the Turkey policy on Syria collapsed?

-This question should be answered in the concept of ‘Arab-Region Policy’ from a more general perspective. In the 80’s, Turkey started to play the role of U.S.’s trojan horse by reconstructing operational bases in Turkey within the scope of the U.S. Gulf strategy. As it is directly included in the American military region at present, the imperialism has already achieved what it intended. They wanted Turkey to serve for the west from inside by repairing and strengthening relations by means of using its historical ties with the region, its common culture heritage and the experiences it inherited from the Empire. As an American writer also says, Turkey could enter into places, hold talks with segments and suggest the proposals that the west couldn’t. It therefore needed a new mask which required establishing dialogue with Palestinians, Hezbollah and Hamas, opposing to Israel in Gaza, and criticizing Israel in the matter of Golan Hills. However, Turkey’s real role starts to manifest itself now in consideration of the provocation of Syria. This new role for sure consists of a military factor too, as witnessed in the issues of Libya and missile defense shield.

* How do you evaluate the developments in Syria where the process didn’t progress like that in Tunisia, Egypt or Libya? What was the difference in Syria? In which way is the Syrian regime evolving?

- First of all, it is certain that the Syrian regime has a supportive base inside it. Secondly, it is using the advantage of a savage and military pressure. Thirdly, Russia and Chine still continue to give support to Syria. Fourthly, the Iranian door could also be allowing it to breathe. However, the decline of the Baath regime is another truth.

The entire region is under an imperialist attack and siege. The project of re-designing the region was inherited by Obama who raised the project with new approaches. He is conducting it by fortifying with a “soft power” and a “collaborative support” like that of Turkey.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that Syria is a significant target as not only a primary element of the Arab world but also as a strategic part of Iran’s “security hinterland”. Reputable concepts like “democracy” and “human rights” go through the floor under the foot of Gulf’s feudal despotisms and rhetoric of “advanced democrat” Turkey.

* Pro-AKP analysts say that the Syrian regime will fall down in case of a rebellion by Kurds. They even claim that the problem could be solved if the Syrian Kurds are convinced or designed by means of Barzani. How would you evaluate these assertions?

- In my opinion, we can talk about two separate scenarios in respect to Turkey’s attitude towards Syrian and the Kurdish question.

The first scenario could be this; Turkey takes part in occupying forces by taking part in the war by itself and it can therefore have the right to speak about the formation of the new Syria. It can use this opportunity to collapsing the social ground of PKK’s leg in Syria and take the control of the Kurdish area under the new regime. In strategic respect, its military and political presence in Syria will in this way ensure a new important position to besiege all parts of Kurdistan, which means a practice area extending to South Kurdistan in case of a possible intervention in Iran in the future.

The second scenario could be this; Turkey actually doesn’t want a dangerous war which will carry risks in respect to the Kurdish issue and it can therefore achieve its goals by only holding a “buffer zone” by taking advantage of an opportunity. It can use this area as a station against Kurds and a means of pressure against the decayed BAAS regime. It can in this way force Syria to sever all ties with the PKK and hold the Kurdish presence in Syria in pledge. In other words, the Syria crisis won’t turn into a war or occupation and Turkey can hunt Kurds in this indistinct environment.

It would be a spate discussion to guess which of these scenarios would be practiced under which circumstances but the current process in Syria has many dangers and opportunities for both Kurds and Turkey. A part of the plan may come to light during the “Friends of Syria” meeting which will be held in Turkey on April 2nd.

* The government has recently put forward an interesting issue; to include Cyprus into Turkey’s borders and to make it a Turkey province. How do you evaluate this issue?

- This state policy is actually nothing new as Turkey has always considered Northern Cyprus as one of its own provinces. This “annexation” plan, which has reached the level of “dominion” today, is the origin and base of Turkey’s strategy. This plan has never been revoked, it has been practiced in various forms. The AKP is now once again launching this state policy.

*One other interesting development was lives in Somalia to which Turkey gives economic support. It opens schools there and brings Somalian students to Turkey. The Religious Affairs Administration performed celebration ceremonies but the Somalia press accused Turkey of exploiting their country. They questioned the real purpose of the Turkey’s supports and schools. Is Turkey performing new exploitation practices?

- The expression of “new exploitation practices” seem very exaggerative but we already know that states, governments and politicians don’t always act rationally. Running towards disasters with failures, mistakes, national hostilities and pride is the fate of certain forms. The history is full of sorrowful examples in this respect but no lessons are taken from these experiences. The unbalanced passion you have mentioned has a proper ground for Turkey as well.

The “greatness complex” turns into an “inferiority complex” in the remains of great empires. Satisfying this complex at a national level usually progresses by embarking on such foolish adventures, ungrounded strategies, bottomless wells and courageous ignorance. Therefore, each trying naturally ends up in disappointment. It is seen that the “Ottoman dream” can also appear in this form of.

On the other hand, the problem lies in the identity crisis of the Turkey’s society. Losing your identity not only leads to various complexes and imitation of other identities but also causes self-unconsciousness and presumption. We have faced numerous nonsenses such as “all languages and races derived from Turks” but all these imaginations are not worth considering. What Turkey should do is to free itself from its semi-colonized position. (ANF, 25 March 2012)

Political party for animal rights formed in Turkey

Turkey's first animal rights political party, the Animal Party, was established this week in an effort to bring the issue of the protection of animal's rights and welfare to the political table.

Speaking in an interview with the online news site Bianet last week, party member Neslihan Demir said the aim of the party was not just to promote love for animals but to remind those who view the world solely in terms of humans that we live together with animals and that they have rights, too.

Demir said that over the years many countries have taken steps to establish political parties to protect the welfare of animals and bring their rights onto the political agenda. “The Dutch political party ‘Party for the Animals' currently holds two seats in the Dutch parliament, but realistically we are not aiming to be represented in Parliament, however, we do hope to work together and have a say in the new constitution,” Demir said.

The Party for the Animals was established in Holland by Marianne Thieme in 2002 and currently holds two of the 150 seats in the country's House of Representatives and one of the 75 seats in the Senate.

Demir said the members of the new party are aware that they face an uphill battle with regard to convincing many of the need for such a party but noted that honoring the rights of animals has historically been viewed as important in Turkey.

“There are always those who are cynical and say ‘First look to protect the rights of humans, then animals.' However in the past it wasn't like this,” she said, adding that during the Ottoman era in Turkey there were laws and mandates relating to the protection of horses and donkeys used for pulling carts and carriages as well as efforts to care for birds, cats and dogs.

Demir said the group is against hunting, pet shops and the use of fireworks, which are not only dangerous for birds but also for other animals who become startled and disorientated by explosions. “In effect we want to end the perception that animals are goods and property to be abused and used as people please,” Demir said, adding that the group supported the work of Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Melda Onur, who has been pushing for the law to be changed on punishment for those who abuse animals.

Demir said in order to become a member of the party you don't have to have a pet living in your house or feel obliged to feed cats on the street or pet every dog you see. “All the Animal Party wants is for those who see mankind as the only living beings that matter to open their eyes and revise their perceptions,” she said.

The Animal Party's first meeting is to take place in the form of a conference on dogs on March 24. The conference will be addressing a number of topics, including dogs in urban environments, the place of dogs in history and dogs in Islam. The conference will take place at Şehir University and run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (TODAY'S ZAMAN, 16 March 2012)

Opposition parties seek to annul education draft

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said the controversial education bill might be put for debate in the General Assembly as soon as next week, as the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) asked the Speaker of Parliament to nullify the draft’s controversial approval at the Education Commission.

Senior members of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) met with Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek after March 11’s brawl and also insisted the commission vote was “null and void.” MHP group deputy chair Oktay Vural said the commission had to start the debate from the beginning, warning of even worse tensions in Parliament.

AKP deputy chair Mahir Ünal, however, insisted the bill’s approval in the commission was lawful. “The bill will be probably debated in the General Assembly next week,” he said.

However, the AKP’s Mustafa Elitaş said later the AKP might postpone the General Assembly by another week because the Parliament Speaker was evaluating the situation.

AKP rushed the bill through the Education Commission March 11 amid unprecedented fistfights that erupted after CHP lawmakers found themselves stuck at the door of the tiny room, which had been packed in advance with AKP deputies. Commission chairman Nabi Avcı took advantage of the chaos and hastily read out the remaining 20 articles of the draft, which were approved by AKP votes in half an hour.

The CHP discussed the issue yesterday at the party’s central administrative board and decided to ask the Parliamentary Speaker’s office to nullify the commission proceedings.

“If the Parliamentary Speaker has a bit of commitment to democracy, he will consider the commission meeting null and void. Otherwise, I don’t recognize him. I will not attend any meeting chaired by him,” CHP group deputy chair Muharrem İnce said.

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) group deputy chair Hasip Kaplan said his party also disapproved of the way the bill was approved at the commission. Brushing aside the opposition objections, AKP group deputy chairman Nurettin Canikli insisted the Parliamentary Speaker had no right to send the bill back to the commission.

Speaking after meeting with Çiçek, Canikli said: “The Parliamentary Speaker is evaluating the issue. But the Parliamentary Speaker has no authority [to return the bill]. A parliamentary commission’s decision can only be examined by the Constitutional Court.” (Hürriyet Daily News, March 12, 2012)

Bagarres à coups de poing et de pied à la commission de l'Education

Un projet éducatif du gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc fait l'objet de débats mouvementés au Parlement et ravive la controverse sur les intentions prêtées au pouvoir par les tenants de la laïcité d'islamiser la société turque.

Les députés examinent un texte du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste) au pouvoir, prévoyant de réorganiser l'éducation primaire et secondaire en remplaçant le cursus actuel de huit ans ininterrompus par trois cycles de quatre ans.

Les discussions ont été émaillées de bagarres à coups de poing et de pied à la commission de l'Education, où le texte a été voté dimanche. Un feu vert final en séance plénière, où l'AKP est nettement majoritaire, est encore nécessaire.

L'AKP argumente que le nouveau système permettra aux familles d'orienter leurs enfants dès l'âge de dix ans vers des établissements d'enseignement professionnel.

Mais pour l'opposition et les milieux laïques, cette réforme a principalement pour but de rouvrir dès le cycle élémentaire l'accès à des écoles religieuses de formation d'imam, permettant aux familles conservatrices de retirer leur enfants --et surtout leurs filles-- des écoles laïques.

Il s'agirait ainsi de revenir à un système éducatif proche de celui en vigueur jusqu'en 1997, qui permettait aux familles religieuses de sortir les enfants de l'éducation laïque après quelques années, dès l'âge de dix ans, pour les placer dans des lycées religieux.

Ce système avait été réformé en 1997 pour contrer la montée en puissance de l'islam politique.

Un peu plus tard dans l'année, l'armée menaçait d'intervenir, provoquant le départ précipité du gouvernement dirigé par l'islamiste Necmettin Erbakan --mentor politique de l'actuel Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Le taux de scolarisation (pour les premiers 8 ans) des filles en Turquie, un pays qui frappe à la porte de l'Union européenne, est de 65%, contre 34% avant 1997.

Depuis qu'il est arrivé au pouvoir en 2002, l'AKP a cherché à amender cette loi, sans succès en raison du poids de l'armée, gardienne de la laïcité. Mais les généraux ont perdu depuis leur influence politique.

Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, le chef du principal parti d'opposition CHP (Parti républicain du peuple), défenseur de la laïcité, a vivement réagi. "La majorité veut imposer son idéologie à l'ensemble de la Turquie", a-t-il dit, accusant le pouvoir d'autoritarisme.

La puissante organisation patronale pro-laïque turque Tüsiad a aussi dénoncé le projet, irritant le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lui-même issu d'une école religieuse.

"Je suis navré, la Tusiad, ce n'est pas ta volonté mas celle du peuple qui se réalisera", a-t-il martelé.

Son ministre de l'Enseignement Ömer Celik a nié toute "intervention idéologique", affirmant que la réforme vise à préparer les élèves à la vie professionnelle dans un pays où le chômage des jeunes dépasse 20% de la population active.

Mais il ne rassure pas du tout le corps enseignant.

"Le gouvernement ne veut pas prolonger la durée de l'enseignement obligatoire mais cherche à masquer son objectif pour former +une jeunesse religieuse+ répondant aux souhaits du Premier ministre", a affirmé Ünsal Yildiz, le président du syndicats d'enseignants Egitim-Sen.

Avec le système préconisé, "les garçons iront à l'Imam hatip (école religieuse) et les filles resteront à la maison", commente le syndicaliste pour qui le projet vise à "éroder" les fondements laïcs de l'enseignement national.

M. Erdogan a récemment créé la polémique en déclarant vouloir former "une jeunesse religieuse". "Est-ce que vous attendez du parti conservateur et démocrate AKP qu'il forme une génération d'athées ?" avait-il dit. (AFP, 12 mars 2012)

Erdogan rejette des rumeurs sur sa santé lui donnant 2 ans à vivre

Le Premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a rejeté mercredi des rumeurs sur sa santé après que Wikileaks eut publié un courrier électronique de la société américaine de renseignement Stratfor lui donnant une espérance de vie réduite à deux ans à cause d'un cancer du colon.

"Allah est seul maître de ce corps. Seul Allah et lui seul peut nous fixer une longévité", a dit M. Erdogan lors d'une réunion à Ankara de son Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste), au pouvoir.

Il a fustigé les "rumeurs" sur sa santé, évoquant une "impudence".

Selon un courrier de Stratfor volé par Wikileaks, qui date du 10 décembre 2011, la société privée de renseignement et d'analyse stratégique affirme, citant un ancien employé du Conseil turc de sécurité national (MGK) et ex-conseiller d'Erdogan, que ce dernier n'aurait plus que deux ans à vivre à cause d'un cancer.

Toujours selon ce mail, le chirurgien en chef du Premier ministre aurait confié à "un ancien camarade de classe" qu'Erdogan ne pourrait pas voyager pendant quelques mois, alors que le pronostic sur sa santé future ne serait pas très bon, impliquant, à terme, une espérance de vie de deux ans.

M. Erdogan, qui a fêté ses 58 ans il y a quelques jours, a subi deux opérations de l'intestin à Istanbul (26 novembre et 10 février) qui l'ont forcé à se reposer pendant plusieurs semaines et suscité des interrogations sur la nature réelle de sa maladie. Des images d'Erdogan vieilli et amaigri avaient alors frappé l'opinion.

Le mois dernier, le Premier ministre, un musulman pratiquant, a assuré dans un entretien télévisé qu'il ne souffrait pas du cancer, et que les chirurgiens avaient extrait des polypes de ses intestins.

Depuis la fin novembre, M. Erdogan n'a pas voyagé à l'étranger, comme il le faisait régulièrement avant cette opération. Il devrait reprendre ces visites dans les prochaines semaines.  (AFP, 7 mars 2012)

A deputy breaks record for longest speech in Parliament

A deputy from Turkey's main opposition party spoke for 12 hours at a commission that discussed the education reform today.
 
Engin Özkoç from the Republican People's Party (CHP) had said yesterday that he would speak for 12 hours at the commission if the bill that increased mandatory education from eight to 12 years with three tiers of four years each was not withdrawn to be debated in detail.
 
Özkoç stayed true to his word, speaking for 12 hours non-stop at the commission, save for restroom breaks. The CHP deputy began speaking at 3:15 p.m. yesterday and finished his speech today at around 3:15 a.m., broadcaster NTV reported on its website.
 
Özkoç did not have a speech prepared and read from booklets related to education that were prepared by nongovernmental organizations.
 
Commission chair Nabi Avcı from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) did not initially permit Özkoç to use the restroom when the deputy asked to do so but subsequently relented when Özkoç said he "would not be responsible for the consequences" if he was prevented from using the facilities.
 
Özkoç did not consume anything other than water and fruit juice in his 12-hour speech, during which other CHP deputies in the commission asked long questions to allow Özkoç to take breathers. An ambulance and paramedics were also kept in front of the commission building, reports said.
 
CHP deputy Muharrem İnce asked Avcı to adjourn the meeting when Özkoç was eight hours into his speech but Avcı said Özkoç had to finish his address before the meeting could be declared adjourned. Avcı reportedly refused to give a dinner break either.
 
Education Minister Ömer Dinçer joined the commission and listened to Özkoç for seven hours. Dinçer reportedly told Özkoç that he was “abusing his right to speak.”
 
The voice recorder in the commission chamber overheated after 11 hours and had to be turned off for 15 minutes to allow the device to cool off. (Hurriyet, March 6, 2012)

Un film sur la prise de Constantinople ravive le débat sur le néo-ottomanisme

Un film turc à grand spectacle qui glorifie la prise de Constantinople par les Ottomans ravive le débat sur la vision "néo-ottomane" qui est prêtée au régime islamiste modéré du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Les cinéphiles se pressent dans les salles pour voir "Fetih 1453" (Conquête 1453), qui dépeint la prise à l'empire byzantin, en 1453, de Constantinople, devenue ensuite Istanbul. Un épisode historique qui est source de fierté pour beaucoup de Turcs, à commencer par le réalisateur.

"En tant que producteur, je suis fier de notre histoire, de notre passé, comme tout le monde dans ce pays", a expliqué à la presse le réalisateur et producteur Faruk Aksoy.

"La conquête d'Istanbul est un événement majeur, pas seulement pour notre pays mais au niveau de l'histoire de l'humanité, un fait qui a terminé une époque et en a ouvert une autre", a-t-il ajouté.

Depuis son lancement le 16 février, à l'heure symbolique de 14H53, environ 2,5 millions de Turcs ont vu le film, selon les données officielles du Box Office Turkey, et le record d'audience pour une production locale pourrait être battu.

"Ce n'est pas le premier film sur la conquête d'Istanbul, mais c'est le premier fait en Turquie sur une telle dimension, avec un tel budget", 17 millions de dollars, explique à l'AFP l'attaché de presse du film, Filiz Ocal.

"Fetih 1453" prend un relief particulier dans la Turquie d'aujourd'hui, où la diplomatie du régime de M. Erdogan est souvent qualifiée de "néo-ottomane", avec l'ambition de restaurer l'influence de l'empire sur ses anciens territoires. Un terme récusé par le gouvernement d'Ankara.

"Avec son économie en plein essor et son influence politique, la Turquie est perçue comme un modèle au Proche-Orient", explique Mensur Akgun, professeur de relations internationales à l'université Kultur d'Istanbul.

"Et il n'est pas étonnant de constater que plus la Turquie devient forte, plus elle est prise en considération dans le monde", ajoute-t-il.

Dans ce regain d'influence, le cinéma joue un rôle, et surtout les séries télévisées turques, très populaires dans le monde arabe.

"On peut sans doute parler d'une démarche visant à exercer une influence culturelle dans la région", estime Akif Kirecci, de l'université Bilkent d'Ankara, à propos du film.

"Mais en même temps, les Turcs redécouvrent leur propre histoire", ajoute-t-il.

Selon la presse, M. Erdogan a vu le film, et l'a aimé.

Cette super-production de 160 minutes s'ouvre sur un "flashback" à Médine, où le prophète Mahomet promet la félicité à celui qui fera la conquête de Constantinople. Ce sort envieux est revenu au sultan ottoman Mehmet II.

Les critiques ont salué le film comme un "événement", en notant cependant qu'il ne respecte pas la vérité historique.

"C'est un événement au niveau de la qualité et de la technique, mais la réalité historique est sacrifiée aux préoccupations commerciales", estime Yilmaz Kurt, qui dirige la faculté d'histoire à l'université d'Ankara.

Les historiens critiquent notamment la scène où l'empereur byzantin fait sortir son armée des fortifications de la ville pour affronter les Ottomans.

"Il aurait été stupide pour une ville état en position de défense de faire sortir son armée et de livrer bataille. Et elle n'avait pas la force pour le faire..." dit-il à l'AFP.

"C'est un film qui reflète les choix du réalisateur. Un drame où l'amour n'est pas non plus absent", se défend Filiz Ocal.

D'autres commentateurs assassinent le film, l'accusant de s'inspirer des standards hollywoodiens, avec des scènes faciles du type "Gladiator" ou "Matrix".

Le réalisateur balaye ces critiques, inspirées selon lui par un "complexe d'infériorité".

"On n'a pas plagié seulement cinq ou six films, on en a plagié des centaines", ironise-t-il.

"Chaque film a son réalisateur. Et nous aussi. Ils ont des scénaristes, et on en a aussi. Ils ont leur propre musique, et nous aussi", dit-il. (AFP, Fulya OZERKAN, 1 mars 2012)

Jailed Kurdish deputy risks seat in parliament

Independent deputy Kemal Aktaş, elected from prison on the ticket of a bloc backed by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), risks losing his parliamentary seat after being handed down a two-year jail sentence for “disseminating terrorist propaganda.”

Parliament has not yet received a formal notification of the ruling, Parliament’s Secretary-General İrfan Neziroğlu told the Hürriyet Daily News. The sentence may strip Aktaş of his parliamentary seat as it makes him ineligible for deputyship. He would lose his seat as soon as the ruling is read out in the General Assembly.

“Parliament cannot afford such a development. The announcement of the ruling should have been postponed to the end of this Parliament’s term,” BDP deputy group chair Hasip Kaplan said yesterday.

He argued that there was no legal obstruction to Aktaş’s election at the time of the polls and that he could not now be tripped of his seat. Under Article 83 of the Constitution, the execution of sentences against parliamentary members is suspended until their deputyship comes to an end.

BDP-backed independent lawmaker Levent Tüzel also argued that the implementation of the ruling against Aktaş should be suspended until the end of the legislative term and urged Parliament to lift restrictions on free speech.

Aktaş was elected from prison as an independent from Van in last year’s elections. He is awaiting trial for involvement in the Kurdistan Communities’ Union (KCK), the alleged urban wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Due to a previous conviction, he is banned from being member of any political party until 2014.

A Diyarbakır court recently sentenced him for spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization, the PKK, over a speech he made at a 2006 Nevruz festival. The Appeals Court upheld the sentence. Even though Aktaş had gained judicial immunity as a parliamentary deputy, his trial continued because the charges pertained to “crimes against the state” which are exempt from parliamentarian privileges. The court has to send the ruling to Parliament via the Justice Ministry and then the Prime Minister’s Office.

In a separate development yesterday, squabbles erupted in Parliament after BDP deputy Altan Tan described the single-party rule in the early years of the Republic as a “Kemalist dictatorship.” Deputies of both the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) were infuriated. Tan refused to apologize, saying he did not insult any historic person but made a “political assessment” about the time. (Hürriyet Daily News, March 12, 2012)

Forces armées/Armed Forces

Peines sévères requises contre des militaires accusés de complot

Le ministère public a requis jeudi des peines de 15 à 20 ans de prison contre 365 militaires d'active ou à la retraite, dont d'anciens généraux, dans le cadre d'un procès pour complot contre le gouvernement islamo-conservateur, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Le procureur de la République Savas Kirbas a transmis jeudi aux juges du tribunal de Silivri, dans la banlieue d'Istanbul, ses conclusions sur les plans des accusés pour renverser le gouvernement du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP).

Puis il a réclamé entre 15 et 20 ans de prison contre les accusés, dans les rangs desquels figurent plusieurs anciens généraux d'armées et de corps d'armée, pour "tentative d'empêcher par la force l'action du gouvernement de la république", selon Anatolie.

Au prononcé de ces réquisitions, l'ex-général d'armée Cetin Dogan, accusé d'être le principal organisateur du complot, a quitté la salle d'audience, a ajouté l'agence.

Les prévenus de cette affaire, dont 250 sont en détention préventive, sont accusés d'avoir planifié en 2003, peu après l'arrivée de l'AKP au pouvoir, une série d'attentats pour semer le chaos et justifier un coup d'Etat contre le gouvernement.

Les inculpés prétendent que le plan incriminé était un scénario pédagogique parmi d'autres, décrivant une situation fictive de tension pour évaluer les meilleures façons d'y faire face. Ils mettent également en cause l'authenticité de certains documents présentés comme des preuves.

Ce procès, le plus retentissant d'une série d'enquêtes sur divers complots supposés, s'inscrit dans un conflit de pouvoir entre le gouvernement et l'armée, qui s'est proclamée la gardienne du principe de laïcité en vigueur en Turquie et a commis quatre coups d'Etat en 50 ans. (AFP, 29 mars 2012)


Facing e-coup charges, Basbug makes show of defiance in court

Turkey’s former Chief of Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ left the courtroom where a hearing of the ongoing “Internet Memorandum” case was being held yesterday.

Başbuğ reportedly said the trial was “frivolous” and left the courtroom after the court had him listen to a phone recording between Ergenekon suspects İbrahim Şahin and Fatma Cengiz, in which the two allegedly talk about him (Başbuğ).

The case continued following a break, however Başbuğ refused to answer questions directed by the chief judge.

“We had prepared several questions. However we are going to keep our right to ask direct questions since he (Başbuğ) said he will not speak,” prosecutor Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel said.

Başbuğ is charged with orchestrating propaganda efforts over the Internet to provoke political unrest in the country in accordance with the aims of the alleged Ergenekon gang.

Başbuğ dismissed the indictment brought against him as a farce, challenged the authority of the court to try him and refused to issue his defense plea in the case on the “Action Plan to Combat Reactionism.”

“The Supreme Council is where I ought to be tried. I faithfully served my country, nation, state and my armed forces throughout the 53 years I have been wearing the Turkish military’s uniform with honor and pride... Accept this speech not as a defense plea but as a [statement] elucidating why I will not issue my defense plea in accordance with my legal rights,” Başbuğ said yesterday in an Istanbul court.
Turkey’s former top general said he had never behaved unlawfully in his life and his allegiance to democracy was evident. Başbuğ also referred to the indictment against him as “a comedy of incompetence” during his five-minute defense.

“My sole worry is that my beautiful country and my beautiful people are drifting toward division and polarization due to various reasons, as many people of common sense have also pointed out,” he said.
Başbuğ stands accused of orchestrating propaganda efforts over the Internet to foment political unrest in the country in accordance with the aims of the alleged Ergenekon gang in the “Internet Memorandum” case, which had earlier been merged with the investigation into the “Action Plan to Combat Reactionism.”

“Are those who are accusing me [now] unaware that not a single Internet site was launched during my term of command, and that we also shut down existing ones? Are my accusers unaware that I would have unwaveringly ordered an investigation had I come across any criminal elements in the Internet Memorandum?” he said.

Başbuğ said it was unheard of anywhere in the world that a country’s chief of staff would both serve as the head of his country’s armed forces and as the leader of a terrorist organization.

“Unlike what some have thought and claimed, I endeavored with all my strength and laid down my entire material and moral being during my tenure as the army commander and the Chief of General Staff to eliminate the problem of terror that was brought down upon our country,” he said.

“I will not defend myself from now on, nor will I answer any questions,” Başbuğ concluded his remarks.
Ergenekon is an alleged ultranationalist gang accused of plotting to overthrow the government by causing chaos in society. (AA, March 28, 2012)

L'ex-chef de l'armée jugé pour tentative de coup d'Etat

Le procès de l'ancien chef d'état-major des armées turques Ilker Basbug, accusé d'avoir dirigé une organisation "terroriste" visant à renverser le gouvernement islamo-conservateur, s'est ouvert lundi près d'Istanbul, nouveau signe que l'armée n'est plus intouchable en Turquie.

Le général Basbug, 68 ans, qui a été à la tête des armées de 2008 à 2010, est l'officier de plus haut rang à être accusé de conspiration et de terrorisme, sur des centaines de personnes visées par la justice pour les mêmes raisons.

En détention préventive depuis le 6 janvier, il risque la prison à vie.

Il a comparu devant la cour de Silivri, dans la banlieue d'Istanbul, dans le cadre d'un procès en cours depuis 2008 pour divers complots présumés, celui d'une "organisation terroriste" baptisée Ergenekon et qui viserait, selon les procureurs, à déstabiliser puis renverser le gouvernement du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP, issu de la mouvance islamiste), au pouvoir depuis 2002.

On reproche plus précisément au général Basbug d'avoir chapeauté un groupe d'officiers qui auraient créé des sites internet pour diffuser une propagande antigouvernementale.

A l'ouverture de l'audience, son avocat a réclamé que l'ex-général soit jugé par la Cour suprême, comme il convient pour les hauts dirigeants de l'État, mais les juges ont rejeté cette demande, a écrit l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Mais Me Ilkay Sezer a indiqué aux journalistes devant la salle d'audience qu'il insisterait sur cette requête. "Je crois toujours que cette cour n'est pas habilitée à juger mon client", a-t-il dit, ajoutant que lorsqu'il sera appelé à la barre, son client "fera une défense historique".

Derrière l'avocat se trouvaient plusieurs dizaines de manifestants portant le drapeau national et des posters de Basbug.

L'ex-général a reçu une ovation de l'assistance constituée de proches de confrères jugés eux-aussi pour conspiration lorsqu'il est arrivé, en costume sombre, dans la salle, les remerciant d'un geste de la main.

Les magistrats ont ensuite procédé à une identification des suspects, dont le général Basbug, qui a répondu à la question sur son domicile actuel par "prison de Silivri, bloc de cellules n°5".

Les procureurs ont ensuite donné lecture d'un acte d'accusation fleuve, selon Anatolie.

L'armée turque, autrefois omnipotente, s'est longtemps posée en garante de la laïcité, et a par trois fois pris le pouvoir, en 1960, 1971 et 1980, et a forcé le départ du gouvernement islamiste en 1997, dirigé par Necmettin Erbakan, le mentor politique de l'actuel Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Mais elle a perdu son influence après des réformes engagées par l'AKP de M. Erdogan, qui jouit d'une forte popularité.

Lorsqu'il avait été arrêté, le 6 janvier, le général avait qualifié de "tragi-comiques" les accusations portées contre lui, affirmant que s'il l'avait voulu, il aurait pu renverser le gouvernement.

Un communiqué distribué à la presse par des proches d'officiers incarcérés, accuse la justice d'avoir "falsifié les faits et les preuves" et réclame l'abandon des poursuites pénales.

Certains milieux voient dans l'arrestation de M. Basbug et de dizaines d'autres militaires un indicateur important du processus démocratique en cours dans le pays. Mais l'opposition considère Ergenekon comme un dossier d'instruction sans fin, devenu l'instrument du gouvernement afin de ternir le prestige de l'armée et d'éliminer ses opposants au sein de cette puissante institution et de l'administration.

L'AKP a aussi fait adopter par référendum une révision constitutionnelle pour juger les anciens putschistes. Le dirigeant du coup d'Etat de septembre 1980, Kenan Evren, un ex-commandant en chef des armées âgé de 94 ans, et un autre membre de la junte de l'époque toujours en vie, doivent être jugés à Ankara à partir du 4 avril. (AFP, 26 mars 2012)

12 morts dans un accident d'hélicoptère turc en Afghanistan

Douze soldats turcs de la force de l'Otan en Afghanistan ont été tués lorsque leur hélicoptère s'est écrasé vendredi près de Kaboul, a annoncé l'armée turque dans un bref communiqué, un bilan qui est le plus lourd pour la Turquie dans ce pays.

Le document publié sur le site internet de l'état-major des armées souligne que l'appareil qui s'est écrasé à 10H25 (heures locales) est de type Sikorsky et qu'il faisait partie de la force armée de l'Otan en Afghanistan (Isaf). "La cause de l'incident sera déterminée après une enquête", souligne le texte.

La Turquie, le seul membre de l'Otan à la population très majoritairement musulmane, dispose actuellement d'environ 1.800 soldats en Afghanistan, déployés à Kaboul, dans la province voisine du Wardak et dans le nord, qui ne participent pas aux combats mais sont cantonnés à des missions de patrouille.

Ankara a prolongé d'un an en octobre dernier son Commandement régional de Kaboul (RCC) au sein de l'Isaf. En 2009, deux militaires turcs de l'Isaf, dont un colonel, avaient été tués dans un accident de la route en Afghanistan.

La Turquie refuse de combattre les insurgés islamistes en Afghanistan pour ne pas heurter ses coreligionnaires musulmans dans un pays avec lequel elle entretient des liens historiques étroits, et privilégie la formation, l'aide à la reconstruction et l'aide sanitaire. (Belga, 16 March 2012)


Turkish Navy adopts new high-sea strategy

Turkey’s Naval Forces aim to protect lanes of communication on the high seas to assure global maritime security and protect national interests under an austere defense budget as part of its new strategy, a top Turkish Navy commander has said.

“Our force planners use strategic decision-making, focusing on sophisticated, modular designs that allow us to move toward economy in our operations with fewer crew and lower fuel costs. The objective is to maintain and develop a credible naval force despite budget constraints,” Admiral E. Murat Bilgel, commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, said in an interview in the March issue of Proceedings, a monthly magazine published by the United States Naval Institute.

For these purposes, the Navy must be a versatile, well-trained, and well-equipped force that can be deployed at strategic distances, Bilgel said, adding that the force must be “fully interoperable with its military and nonmilitary counterparts while protecting sea lanes of communication and being prepared to support joint and combined land activities from the sea.”

To achieve these goals, the Navy will make the best use of Turkey’s shipbuilding and design capacity at domestic naval and private shipyards, research centers, and via the defense industry, the admiral said.

The top commander also gave information on the Navy’s future strategy. In the short term, the Navy will improve its situational awareness capabilities by adding corvettes and patrol boats to its fleet. Within a decade, the Turkish Naval Forces will focus on conducting operations other than war by building a reconfigurable landing platform with airlift capability, a combat-support ship, multifunctional frigates with unmanned and manned rotary-wing aircraft, as well as air-independent propulsion submarines.

The Navy aims to advance its limited-strike ability over the next 20 years through the acquisition of a multipurpose landing platform with organic short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft, air defense frigates and unmanned underwater vehicles.

The Turkish Navy is already planning to buy the design for its first landing platform dock (LPD) Three Turkish-led groups are currently vying for the contract that will be worth between $500 million and $1 billion.

Turkey is expected to spend more than $4 billion on defense procurement this year. In recent years it has focused on Navy programs. Multibillion-dollar naval programs have included the joint production of six modern submarines with Germany, as well as the largely local manufacture of eight corvettes.

“In line with [our] objectives, we will continue to sustain operational effectiveness and a deterrent posture through innovation, maintaining the strategy and technology interface, exploiting indigenous capacity, prioritizing projects and continuous manpower education and training,” Bilgel said.  (Hürriyet Daily News, March 12, 2012)

Raid aérien des forces turques au Kurdistan irakien

Des avions de chasse turcs ont mené un raid jeudi sur des zones frontalières avec le nord de l'Irak, ont indiqué vendredi les rebelles kurdes du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK).

"Le 8 mars, entre 18H00 (15H00 GMT) et 20H00 (17H00 GMT), des avions F-16 appartenant à l'armée d'occupation turque ont lancé un raid aérien" contre la zone de Jabal Mattine dans le nord de l'Irak, a indiqué le PKK dans un communiqué, sans plus de détails.

Aucun raid de ce type n'avait été signalé depuis environ un mois. Le nord de l'Irak est utilisé par le PKK comme base arrière pour ses opérations dans le sud-est de la Turquie, peuplé en majorité de Kurdes.

Les affrontements entre les forces armées turques et les rebelles du PKK ont augmenté d'intensité au cours des derniers mois.

En octobre, après la mort de 24 militaires dans une embuscade, la Turquie a lancé une grande offensive par air et sur terre contre les séparatistes kurdes dans le sud-est du pays ainsi que dans le nord de l'Irak.

En décembre, une frappe aérienne de l'armée turque près de la frontière avec l'Irak avait tué 34 contrebandiers, pris par erreur pour des rebelles séparatistes.   (AFP, 9 mars 2012)

Military court recognizes conscientious objection for the first time

A Turkish military court has taken the unprecedented decision to recognize the right to conscientious objection through a reference to a European court decision, CNNTürk reported today.

The ruling was the first time a Turkish court has ever stated something positive about conscientious objection, said Tayfun Çakır, the lawyer for conscientious objector Muhammed Serdar Delice, adding that the decision by a military court in Malatya "could set a precedent for the cases of all other conscientious objectors in Turkey."

Delice had deserted from the army in November due to "national and religious" reasons and subsequently declared his conscientious objection.
 
The court stated in its ruling on March 7 that they did not find it convincing that Delice had declared his conscientious objection "because he was a nationalist and a religious person." The court refused to acknowledge Delice's conscientious objection, saying he served in the army for five months and that he "deserted due to psychological and financial problems."
 
The court, however, stated that the right to conscientious objection should be taken into consideration with reference to a ruling of the European Court of Human Rights that evaluates conscientious objection within the realm of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.
 
The statement further said that the European court ruling could be implemented in domestic law under Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution, which covers the freedom of religion, conscience and thought.
 
Delice was arrested in November and was facing 10 months in prison for desertion, but the court decided to release Delice, considering "the time spent under arrest and the reinstitution of military discipline." (Hürriyet Daily News, March 9, 2012)

New energy in the struggle for conscientious objection in Turkey

Following the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Bayatyan v. Armenia in July 2011, and even more so the judgment in the case of Erçep v. Turkey from November 2011, some human rights and conscientious objection activists in Turkey pushed again for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection. A meeting was organised in Istanbul on 24 and 25 February 2012, to discuss and co-ordinate Turkish and international efforts for the right to conscientious objection in Turkey, and against the criminalisation of support for conscientious objectors and antimilitarists through the infamous article 318 Turkish Penal Code ("alienating the people from the military").

During the meeting, the relevance of the latest series of judgment of the European Court of Human Rights was discussed (see article below on the judgments), and while they were considered as highly relevant, the Turkish lawyers and activists present stressed that Turkish courts usually do not consider European Court judgments or international human rights law in their own judgments - their sentencing is based on Turkish law. Consequently, only a change of law can have a real impact on the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey.

Constitutional changes?

Following its victory in the parliamentary elections in June 2011, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan set up an all-party "Constitutional Reconciliation Commission" to draft a new constitution for Turkey, to replace the constitution written by the military after the 1980 coup d'etat, which has been amended many times since. The Commission is headed by Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek, who many consider a defender of the status quo.

According to a report in Today's Zaman from November 2011, the Commission set up three delegations to collect views from "outside parliament", one of which is responsible for contacts with civil society organisations. According to the report, the deadline for "collecting, sorting and reviewing suggestions was scheduled for the end of next April" 2012, but Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek urged any contributors to send in their suggestions by 31 December 2011.

Several human rights organisations did submit proposals including a constitutional recognition of the right to conscientious objection. However, it is doubtful that these suggestions will be taken up by the Constitutional Reconciliation Commission.

Draft conscientious objection law

The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) has submitted a draft law to recognise the right to conscientious objection to the Turkish parliament, and this draft is now in the parliamentary process, presently at the committee stage. Following the Bayatyan judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, there were also discussions with the Republican People’s Party (CHP) to draft a law on conscientious objection. However, due to internal disagreements, a draft was never produced.

With an absolute majority of the AK Party in parliament, progress is unlikely without a change in attitude within the AK Party itself.

The CO movement and the war in Kurdistan

During the meeting the diversity of the Turkish CO movement became clear. There are conscientious objectors for a variety of reasons, ranging from Jehovah's Witnesses (who cannot be considered part of the movement) to pacifist antimilitarist conscientious objectors, objectors for Islamic reasons (refusal to serve in a Laicist army), and Kurdish conscientious objectors, refusing to fight in the Turkish army and to take part in the oppression of Kurdish people.

In December 2009, the CO Platform for Peace was formed, mostly to work on the war in Kurdistan. Activists from the platform highlighted the daily grave human rights violation in Kurdistan, such as the mass imprisonment of minors together with adult prisoners following arrest at demonstrations. There are reports of widespread abuse of these imprisoned minors by other prisoners, ranging from beatings to sexual assault and rape. There are also reports of mass graves of PKK prisoners from the 1990s, such as a recently discovered mass grave near Mardin Dargeçit, where the remains of allegedly released prisoners have been found. The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey demanded the opening of 253 more mass graves, but there are serious concerns about the way the authorities open these mass graves. Another major concern are the "suspicious deaths (suicides)" of Kurdish conscripts, as there are serious doubts that these are really suicides, but rather that many of these conscripts were in fact killed by fellow Turkish soldiers.

During the meeting, it was discussed that the Turkish CO movement needs to have a clear position on the war in Kurdistan.

Press conference

On Monday, 27 February, a press conference took place to report on the main results of the meeting. During the press conference, the Turkish conscientious objectors and antimilitarists stressed "once again stress that the right to conscientious objection has to be a part of the new constitution and a law to implement it has to be adopted immediately."

On the war in Kurdistan, they stated: "For many years now Turkey suffers from a war related to the Kurdish question which has led to the death of more than 40 thousand people and many human rights violations as political killings, missing persons and torture. The only way out of this war is a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. We see militarism as the main obstacle for a free and peaceful coexistence and call everybody to resist against it."

The statement ended with the call on the Turkish authorities to release Halil Savda, and to repeal article 318 Turkish Penal Code.

After supporting statement by Amnesty International, War Resisters' International, and Connection e.V., a member of the CO Platform for Peace highlighted the issue of imprisoned minors and mass graves in Kurdistan. The press conference ended with the reading of the conscientious objection declaration of journalist Ismail Yıldız, who was arrested on 20 December 2011 as part of a government crack-down on the Kurdish Community Union (KCK). He had planned to declare his conscientious objection before his arrest, but was arrested before he had done so. He is presently still in pre-trial detention.

Sources: European Court of Human Rights: Press release: Chamber judgment Erçep v. Turkey, 22 November 2011, European Court of Human Rights: AFFAIRE ERÇEP c. TURQUIE, chamber judgement (French), 22 November 2011, Today's Zaman: Çiçek announces constitutional commission’s 15-point roadmap, 3 November 2011; Bianet.org: Alleged Sexual Abuse of Children in Pozantı Prison, 27 February 2012; Bianet.org: Allegedly 'Released' People Found in Mass Grave, 24 February 2012; Press statement of Turkish conscientious objectors and antimilitarists, 27 February 2012
(http://wri-irg.org/from-off.htm )

Deux ex-chefs de l'armée témoins au procès sur un coup d'Etat avorté

Deux anciens commandants en chef de l'armée turque devaient témoigner vendredi dans le procès sur une tentative avortée de coup d'Etat en 2003, ont rapporté les médias.

Les généraux Yasar Buyukanit et Ilker Basbug, ainsi que le commandant actuel de la Gendarmerie, le général Bekir Kalyoncu, sont cités comme témoins dans ce procès où sont jugés environ 200 militaires.

Ils sont accusés d'avoir prévu des attaques contre des mosquées et d'avoir cherché à provoquer des tensions en Grèce pour ouvrir la voie à un coup d'Etat militaire prévu pour 2003 mais qui n'a jamais eu lieu.

Le général Basbug, qui a été à la tête de l'armée de 2008 à 2010, est actuellement arrêté dans le cadre d'une autre affaire, accusé d'avoir tenté de mettre en place des sites de propagande anti-gouvernementale.

L'armée turque, la deuxième plus importante au sein de l'Otan, s'est longtemps posée en garante de la laïcité, et a par trois fois pris le pouvoir par coup d'Etat, en 1960, 1971 et 1980, et a forcé le départ du gouvernement islamiste en 1997.

Mais son influence a diminué avec l'arrivée au pouvoir du Parti pour la Justice et le Développement (AKP) du Premier ministre Recap Tayyip Erdogan en 2002.

Des dizaines d'officiers, actifs ou à la rentraite, ont été arrêtés ces dernières années, accusés de divers complots pour renverser le pouvoir.  (AFP, 2 mars 2012)

Affaires religieuses/Religious Affairs

Attacks on Alevi Cem House

The Pirsultan cem house in Yeşilkent (Avcılar/Istanbul) became subject to an attack of the municipality police once more. Many people were beaten.

The opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Avcılar Municipality laid the foundation stone for the cem house, a place of worship for the Alevi community, eight years ago. However, the building has not been finished still. Local resident Deniz Türkmenoğlu said that the opening ceremony of the cem house was held by CHP Mayor Mustafa Değirmenci but that not a single nail was hammered in afterwards.

This year, the local residents established an association to finish the construction of the cem house in co-operation with the municipality. Yet, they were told that the building was not going to serve as a cem house but as a culture centre.

The residents reminded the mayor that he promised them to build a cem house so that they would be able to practice their belief.

When they could not agree with the mayor, the local residents completed the building by their own means. They celebrated Ashurah and started to use the building as a place of worship. However, the municipality police tore down the cem house sign board on 18 January 2012 and demolished the building afterwards.

"They attacked again three days after they said we would find a solution"

The local residents started from scratch by their own means and with the support of various artists and other activities they managed to build a new gem house.

One week ago, the municipality police entered the house and smashed pictures hanging on the wall to the floor. Türkmenoğlu said that he had talked to the deputy mayor just three days before who had assured him that they were going to find a solution.

On Wednesday morning (28 March), the municipality police carried out another assault on the cem house. Türkmenoğlu stated that a team of one hundred people attacked the place and that everybody who came to the scene was beaten and exposed to tear gas. Three people on guard inside the cem house were apparently beaten heavily and obtained a medical report from hospital.

"CHP does not care about the matter"

Ali Kenanoğlu, President of the Hubyar Sultan Alevi Culture Association, attended the activities in the cem house and provided support from the very beginning. He claimed that both the Alevi institutions and the CHP were to blame in this process.

"The Alevi organizations do not give an adequate response to the CHP. If the CHP is involved, they protect them by saying 'let's take care of it silently'. Yet the municipality police threw the pictures of the sublime patron saints Hadji Bektash Veli and Pir Sultan Abdal on the floor"."

"The CHP criticized the Avcılar Mayor for a poster with a woman wearing a headscarf as part of his election campaign. The president apologized on his behalf. Now the same president is doing this to the Alevi and the CHP does not say anything about it. This is embarrassing. The deputies do not care about the matter".

CHP parliamentarian Süleyman Çelebi said that talks are still being continued.

CHP deputy Hüseyin Aygün announced via Twitter, "I protest the new attack on the cem house by the municipality. An attack on a place of worship is inacceptable". (BIA, Nilay VARDAR, 29 March 2012)

Liberté religieuse: la Turquie épinglée par une commission américaine

Une commission américaine a demandé mardi au département d'Etat d'inscrire la Turquie sur sa liste noire des pays violant la liberté religieuse, pointant le traitement réservé par cette république laïque à toutes les communautés religieuses, en particulier chrétiennes.

La commission américaine sur la liberté religieuse, un organe gouvernemental indépendant, demande pour la première fois l'inscription de la Turquie et du Tadjikistan sur "la liste des pays présentant des problèmes", dans le cadre de la publication de son rapport annuel sur la liberté religieuse dans le monde.

Le placement sur cette liste peut entraîner des sanctions économiques. Il revient au département d'Etat de décider qui ajouter sur cette liste et quelles sanctions appliquer.

Dans son rapport, la commission affirme que la Turquie impose "des restrictions de manière systématique et flagrante" à toutes les communautés religieuses en particulier les chrétiens, spécialement dans la république turque de Chypre-Nord.

La commission, qui n'est pas unanime (4 sur les 9 membres ne soutiennent pas cette thèse), soutient notamment que la Turquie interfère dans la gouvernance interne de l'Eglise orthodoxe grecque.

Huit pays figure sur la liste noire du département d'Etat: la Chine, l'Erythrée, l'Iran, la Birmanie, la Corée du Nord, l'Arabie saoudite, le Soudan et l'Ouzbekistan.

Comme l'année dernière, la commission a recommandé l'ajout de l'Egypte, l'Irak, le Nigeria, le Pakistan, le Turkménistan et le Vietnam. (AFP 20 mars 2012)

Protests and Clashes after Time-barring Sivas Trial

Students of the Istanbul University were attacked by a group called "the Muslim Youth" when they protested the closure by prescription of the trial related to the Sivas Massacre on 14 March.

The students had posted banners in front of the School of Law on the Beyazıt Campus (Istanbul) of the Istanbul University. The banners featured the slogan "You will be taken to account for Sivas". The "Muslim Youth" group attacked the students with clubs and wrote "Either a Muslim Turkey or nothing" over the banners.

The group entered the campus in the morning and created trouble at the "newspaper desk" installed by socialist students. A fight emerged and six students were injured and taken to hospital as a result.

The "Muslim Youth" group posted their own banners on the walls reading "Either a Muslim Turkey or nothing" and "informants of the system cannot be taken to account". They tore down banners of the students that were featuring the slogans "The youth will take the murderers and those acquitted to account" and "The ones who started the fire in Sivas are the founders of the AKP".

After the incident, riot force police teams entered the campus. They did not intervene against the "Muslim Youth" group but took four students into custody.

It was furthermore reported that private security staff tore down posters announcing a commemoration ceremony for the Sivas Massacre to be held on 16 March which was also going to be carried out in protest of applying the statute of limitation.

One of the students who was wounded in the clashes was reportedly taken to the police and subsequently brought to hospital with an ambulance.

Protest in Taksim

On 13 March, more than a thousand people gathered on Takism Square in Istanbul to protest the closure of procedures of the Sivas trial. Chanting the slogan "The light of Sivas will not go out" the protestors marched along Istiklal Avenue to the Galasaray Square. The demonstrators carried a banner reading "The AKP protects the murderers, we will not let you forget Sivas, we will not forgive, we will bring them to account".

Özge Ozan, spokesperson of the Community Centres organization, read out a joint press release on behalf of several political parties. Ozan emphasized that they were going to follow up those who were responsible for the Sivas massacre.

The demonstration was attended by representatives of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Turkey Communist Party (TKP), the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Labour Party (EMEP), Community Centres, Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK). (BIA, 16 March 2012 - Sources: Radikal newspaper, T24)

Sivas Massacre - Procedures Time-Barred

The Ankara 11th High Criminal Court decided to drop procedures of the Sivas Massacre trial in line with the prosecutor's demand to apply the statute of limitation. The final hearing of the trial related to the Sivas Massacre that left 35 people dead in 1993 was held on Tuesday (13 March).

The Sivas massacre in central Anatolia was an attack against Alevi intellectuals and artists. 35 people burned to death and two assailants died when the Madimak Hotel in Sivas was set on fire on 2 July 1993.

The trialswould have continued if the Sivas Massacre would have been accepted as a crime against humanity.

At the hearing on 6 December 2011, Prosecutor Hakan Yüksel put forward that after 15 years the statute of limitation had been reached for fugitive defendants Şevket Erdoğan, Köksal Koçak, İhsan Çakmak, Hakan Karaca, Yılmaz Bağ and Necmi Karaömeroğlu who stood accused of "participating in the attempt to change the constitutional order by force". With today's decision, any punishment of the defendants was rendered impossible.

Lawyers: Crime against humanity, statute of limitations cannot be applied

The plaintiff lawyers had demanded to handle the Sivas Massacre as a crime against humanity. Lawyer Şanal Saruhan stated that the statute of limitations could not be applied to the case in the scope of a crime against humanity.

Lawyer Mehdi Bektaş reiterated the same demand with regard to Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Lawyer Kazım Genç reminded verdicts given related to crimes against humanity and that it was a requirement of the jurisprudence to take these rulings into consideration.

Lawyer Süleyman Ateş introduced himself as the nephew of Sehergül Ateş who died at the Madımak hotel in the course of the massacre. He urged the court, "Dismiss the request for the statute of limitation for the sake of the relief of the heart of sensitive people who have lost a relative and have been waiting for justice for 19 years".

Outraged reactions outside the courthouse

Many people gathered in front of the courthouse upon the call of the Pır Sultan Culture and Solidarity Association. They were outraged about the court decision. Members of political parties, non-governmental organizations and trade unions carried photographs of the victims of the Sivas massacre and a banner reading "We did not make the massacre be forgotten and we will not forget". The group chanted slogans like "No to statute of limitation, we want justice" and "The light of Sivas will not go out". (BIA, 13 March 2012)

AKP Supports Statute of Limitation for Sivas Massacre

Deputies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) unanimously rejected to debate in parliament a draft bill related to the abolishment of the statute of limitations regarding the Sivas massacre.

The "Law Proposal about Amendments of the Turkish Criminal Law" (No. 141) was submitted by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu and Ankara MP Emine Ülker Tarhan. It is currently pending in the commission. It was expected to be discussed in parliament on Tuesday (6 March).

Tanrıkulu said in an interview with bianet that AKP deputies voted against the related debate. "How are the deputies who raised their hands today to obstruct the debate on the proposal going to explain this to the public conscience?" he questioned.

The law proposal was submitted to the Parliamentary Presidency on 8 December 2011. It envisions the abolishment of the statute of limitations for crimes of "violation of the right to life", "torture" and "sexual abuse of children".

Assembly President Cemil Çiçek announced in a statement made on Tuesday that the draft bill had been forwarded to the Human Rights Research Commission and the Justice Commission on 20 December.

Tanrıkulu pointed out that the proposal might remain in the commissions for a long period of time whereas the Sivas trial was in danger to be closed by prescription in the meantime. Therefore, he applied to have a preliminary debate about the proposal in parliament on Tuesday.

According to Article 37 of the Procedures of Parliament, a preliminary debate on a proposal pending in the commission can be requested.

"I made use of that right because if no initiative is being taken for the debate there is the danger that it will not be debated until the end of term and eventually will be shelved", Tanrıkulu explained.

"Our request was dismissed with the votes of the AKP deputies. Çiçek could have had the draft bill debated with priority in the advisory board of the assembly but he refrained from doing so", Tanrıkulu criticized.

"The proposal could have been debated today which would have sped up procedures and the draft could have been passed into law. This way, the law could have been applied to the Sivas trial as well and would have stopped it from becoming time-barred".

Tanrıkulu announced to reiterate his application. "After that, it depends on the will of the AKP deputies", he added.

"In the scope of crimes against humanity"

The Sivas massacre in central Anatolia was an attack against Alevi intellectuals and artists. 35 people burned to death and two assailants died when the Madimak Hotel in Sivas was set on fire on 2 July 1993. The last trial about the Sivas massacre might be closed by prescription on 13 March.

Six of the defendants on trial are still fugitive.

Plaintiff lawyer Şenal Sarıhan had previously told bianet that the defendants were litigated under Aritcle 146/3 of the Turkish Criminal Law (Subversion). Even though they might benefit from the statute of limitation according to domestic law, international law had to be considered since the offences laid in within the scope of "crimes against humanity".

Sarıhan reminded the fact that the six fugitive defendants got married in the meantime, had children and registered them at school. He added that it was incomprehensible that these people had not been arrested until today. (BIA, Ayça SÖYLEMEZ, 7 March 2012)

Opposition CHP strives to change image on religion

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said yesterday the party would work on changing the perception it was anti-religion, a perception he claimed was created by the ruling party as propaganda.

“For years, the AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party] and similar parties made efforts to spread the perception that CHP is ‘against religion’ and they carried out propaganda in Anatolia. But we will break this. The CHP respects the beliefs and values of all,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. Cementing his victory over intra-party opposition last week, Kılıçdaroğlu elaborated on his new roadmap in an interview with Radikal daily, recalling the headscarf issue in universities was resolved with the approval of CHP. He emphasized that CHP was not against religious beliefs.

In a heated debate, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan previously accused the CHP of being annoyed by the existence of the imam-hatip religious schools and suggested the main opposition aspired for “a less-religious generation.”

In further remarks on the issue after a visit to journalist Doğan Yurdakul, who will undergo minor heart surgery this week after his release from prison, Kılıçdaroğlu said the CHP “respects people’s beliefs, and we are against exploitation of religion for political gain. Sometimes the AKP mention this perception, and it saddens us. Such discourse is not suitable for the development of Turkish democracy.” Commenting on the Turkish army’s legal shield demand for soldiers against alleged crimes committed while “fighting against terrorism,” Kılıçdaroğlu said extending the prime minister’s authority over such investigations would “water down its purpose.”

The Turkish army has demanded a legal shield for soldiers against alleged crimes committed while “fighting against terrorism,” in a similar way afforded to the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) members, the daily Akşam reported.

The draft submitted to the PM’s Office by the General Staff proposed adding a provision to military or civil legislation that will require permission from the PM or the minister of defense before an investigation is launched against military personnel assigned to fight terrorism for their alleged crimes committed on duty.

The Turkish army’s request came after the AKP rushed a bill Feb. 17 in a bid to stave off a controversial probe into the MİT chief  and four other intelligence officials on charges MİT colluded with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). (Hürriyet Daily News, March 5, 2012)

Alevi citizens concerned with mark on their doors

An Alevi citizen in the estern city of Adıyaman shows the mark on his house’s door. DHA photo
The doors of a number of houses belonging to members of the Alevi community in the eastern province of Adıyaman were marked with crosses by unknown people, Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Hüseyin Aygün announced on his Facebook account yesterday.

Ramazan Sodan, the governor of Adıyaman, also confirmed the claims and said the doors of the home of some Alevi citizens in the province had also been marked with numbers and letters. Sodan said police are searching for those responsible for drawing the crosses.

“This district is a center for Alevis, and such incidents have never happened here before. Security forces are investigating it carefully,” Sodan said.

Residents of Adıyaman’s Karapınar district noticed the signs on the doors of Alevi community members, and informed the police, according to the reports. Mahmut Gürsu, the headman of the district, also confirmed that the signs appeared only on the doors of the homes of Alevis, not Sunni community members.

The same method was used to mark the houses of Alevis prior to the Maraş Massacre of 1978, in which 105 people were killed. (DHA, March 1, 2012)

Socio-économique / Socio-economic

KESK Protest under Tear Gas

Members of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Employees (KESK) came to Ankara on Wednesday (28 March) to demand the withdrawal of the so-called 4+4+4 Education Draft Bill and the Draft Law on Public Servants' Trade Unions.

The Ankara Governorship had denied permission for the organized protest actions one day earlier. Thereupon, the Ministry of the Interior and the General Police Directorate sent out a circular to the provinces to stop the busses that were going to set off to Ankara.

85 KESK members who came to Ankara from Adana on Tuesday evening were taken into police custody. Entry to the capital was denied to groups from Izmir, Aydın, Balıkesir, Manisa, Kocaeli, Bursa, Malatya, Batman, Urfa, Konya, Hatay, Zonguldak and Tokat.

The police tried to prevent KESK members from other provinces to enter the Kızılay district on Wednesday morning. About 2,000 people who came to the capital by bus from Istanbul and Diyarbakır were stuck at the central bus station for two hours because of the barricades put up by the police.

At around midday, the confederation members insisted on getting through to the protest march and the police intervened against them with tear gas and water cannons. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies Orhan Düzgün, Mehmet Şeker, Mevlüt Dudu and Selahattin Karaahmetoğlu came to the scene and talked to both the police and the protestors. The police intervention was stopped upon the arrival of the MPs but the tension was still rising high.

At the same time, KESK members in the Tandoğan district of Ankara were encountering a similar kind of police intervention. In the meantime, a group of confederation members gathered in Kızılay.

The police did not allow the three groups of protestors to converge. Subsequently, the KESK members started a sit-down protest in Mithatpaşa, on the Gazi Mustafa Kemal Boulevard and in Tandoğan.

KESK President Lami Özgen talked to the police about the permission for the two other groups to join them in Kızılay. He announced that they wanted to issue a press release at the Güven Park and that the three groups were going to disperse afterwards.

The event was framed by many riot police force teams. The protest was joined by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy Ertuğrul Kürkçü and CHP deputies Hüseyin Aygün, Veli Ağbaba and Süleyman Çelebi. Çelebi called the Minister of the Interior, İdris Naim Şahin, and forwarded the demands of the union confederation to him. Şahin replied that the Güven Park was close to the Building of the Prime Ministry and that this was not an" area for legal action".

Press statements were released by many groups that came from different provinces of Turkey and were not able to get through to the capital.

In a statement released by KESK at 17.30 hrs, it was announced that the 3,000 people on the Gazi Mustafa Kemal Boulevard would persevere at the Güven Park till Thursday morning (29 March). Food parcels were distributed to the activists. (BIA, Serhat KORKMAZ, 29 March 2012)

Women Stake Their Claims on International Women's Day

Thousands of women gathered on Sunday (11 March) in Kadıköy on the Asian side of Istanbul upon the call of the 8 March Women Platform for a Women's Day meeting. They raised their voices for an end of male violence against women, for making their invisible labour visible and for an end to custodies and arrests of women.

The protest march started from the Haydarpaşa Numune Hospital and went all the way to the meeting area in Kadıköy. The women carried banners and chanted slogans in Turkish and Kurdish. The songs "Rebellion" and "Possible/Impossible" written by the popular Turkish band Bandista especially for International Women's Day on 8 March were played.

"Women, come to the street for our liberation"

At the head of the demonstration, the women carried a banner featuring the slogan "For our Bodies, our Labour, our Identity - against the Male Ruling System - Long Live our Organized Struggle". The women chanted slogans such as "Our Labour, our Bodies, our Identities are our Own!", "Raise the voice of invisible labour", "No to Harassment and Rape in Custody", "Shout so that anyone can hear you, stop male violence", "Men go home to do the ironing", Women, come to the street for our liberation", "Don't protect the family but the women", "Don't be silent but shout, trans individuals do exist", "Don't be silent but shout, lesbians do exist", "We want a world without bosses and pimps" or "Men go home to prepare food".

"Stop the witch hunt"

Press releases were read out in Kurdish and Turkish. The women mentioned problems related to various areas of life like labour, male violence against women, the incidents at the Pozantı prison and also the Uludere Massacre or the persecution of Kurdish women.

They called for equal wages for equivalent work and pointed to the struggle for the improvement of working conditions and the reduction of working hours. The women also emphasized their struggle against male violence that was still continuing in a country where hundreds of women were killed by men each year. They touched upon the violence against children at the Pozantı Prison as well as the unsolved murders of the Uludere massacre.

The women voiced their objections against the new law on violence against women and protested rights violations against LBT (lesbian, bisexual and transsexual) women. They criticized control mechanisms regarding the women's body and sexuality. Furthermore, the women highlighted the invisibility and lack of security in women labour. They also stated that the arrests of Kurdish women had been turned into a witch hunt.

Eylem Çağdaş from the Istanbul LGBTT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transvestite and transsexual) Solidarity Association declared, "We came here today because we continue the rebellion of our sisters for the emancipation of women".

"A world without oppression of women and of LGBT individuals"

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Deputy Sebahat Tuncel said in her speech, "We are greeting all the women who created today on your behalf, all Clara Zetkins, Rosa Luxemburgs and Beritans". Tuncel claimed that all women of Turkey were affected by the war policies, Kurdish women as well as Turkish, Laz, Circassian and Armenian women. "The women of Turkey in this place raise their voices for peace together with the Kurdish women", Tuncel proclaimed.

Tuncel mentioned their objections against the new law on violence against women and emphasized that a solution could only be reached by providing social gender equality. "I want a world where women and LGBT individuals are not being oppressed and where the peoples are living together. Regards to all women who resist".

After the speeches, the women read out a letter of diseased prisoner Hediye Aksoy. The meeting was continued with performances of the Feminists music group, Kurdish singer Rojda and the Van Association of Solidarity and Support for Women Artists.

The meeting was attended by representatives and members of the Feminists, the Democratic Movement of Free Women (DÖKH), the Socialist Women Assemblies (SKM), the University Women Collective, the Resisters of Hey Textile and Kampana Leather, the Collective Labour Women Trade Union, the Women's Commission of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), the Women Labour Collective, the Anarchist Women, the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-Sen), the Revolutionary Workers' Party, the Workers Movement Party (EHP), the Labour Party (EMEP), High School Students Youth Hope and the Community Centres. Also district women assemblies and several women initiatives supported the meeting. (BIA, Çiçek TAHAOĞLU, 12 March 2012)

ADP prend 38% du turc TAV malgré les tensions Paris-Ankara

Aéroports de Paris (ADP) a annoncé lundi l'acquisition de 38% du premier opérateur turc d'aéroports TAV, qui gère notamment le grand aéroport Atatürk d'Istanbul, pour 874 millions de dollars (667 millions d'euros).

L'opération, pour laquelle ADP avait exprimé publiquement son intérêt le mois dernier, valorise la société turque à 2,3 milliards de dollars.

Elle intervient après des tensions entre Paris et Ankara autour du génocide arménien qui avaient fait craindre des représailles commerciales contre les entreprises françaises en Turquie.

Outre Atatürk-Istanbul, TAV gère plusieurs aéroports en Turquie, mais aussi en Géorgie, Tunisie, Macédoine, Lituanie et Arabie saoudite.

L'ensemble ADP-TAV comprendra 37 aéroports gérés directement ou indirectement et environ 180 millions de passagers accueillis par an, précisent les deux groupes dans un communiqué commun.

ADP cherche à se développer dans les grands aéroports internationaux de plus de 10 millions de passagers et situés dans les pays développés ou dans les quatre "BRIC" (Brésil, Russie, Inde et Chine). (AFP, 12 mars 2012)

Prevention of Violence against Women Draft Approved in Parliament

The "Draft Bill to Protect the Family and for the Prevention of Violence against Women" was approved by the General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament on Thursday (8 March).

The assembly dealt with the draft law in two sections. The first section contained measures such as seizing weapons or applying electronic tags or wrist bands for people who resorted to violence.

Also forced prison sentences for people with court injunctions about them were included in this section.

Furthermore, this section comprised the allocation of a place in a day-care centre for women who were exposed to violence and who have children. Another regulation concerned the change of the woman's ID and other documents in case the life of the protected person is in danger.

Amendment proposals

Some amendments were decided during the debate at the General Assembly.

One of the amendments allowed for following up of restraining orders by technical tools and equipment upon the decision of a judge.

However, this does not include interception of conversations, observation and recording. This measure will be restricted to determining the whereabouts of a person and to keeping up with it electronically.

The debate on the second part of the draft bill was finished quickly.

Observations and requests of deputies

The session was chaired by Mehmet Sağlam, Vice President of the parliament, and saw a number of speeches given by the deputies.

During the debate of the first section, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Batman Deputy Ayla Akat Ata pointed to the women's problem as a problem of human rights. She emphasized that a joint will had to be developed on the issue of violence against women.

Meral Akşener, Deputy Chairwoman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), expressed her wish for a Turkey without violence and harassment where men would not insult each other because of women.

Republican People's Party (CHP) Balıkesir Deputy Ayşe Nedret Akova mentioned figures related to the representation of women and said that Turkey still had a long way to go in this aspect.

During the second half of the debate, BDP Istanbul MP Sebahat Tuncel said this draft bill was important to be passed into law even though they did not agree with certain parts.

CHP Bursa Deputy Sena Kaleli stated that violence was not being perceived as a problem of one special area anymore and that it was being continued as state policies all over the world. Kaleli thanked Fatma Şahin, Minister of Family and Social Policies, for her good intentions and said that the Council of Ministers had not been able to protect the draft bill (in its original version).

Erdoğan Bayraktar, Minister of Environment and Urbanism, added that 84 women shelters in Turkey had the capacity to accommodate 1879 women in total. (BIA, 9 March 2012)

La Turquie expulse quatre féministes de Femen qui ont manifesté à Istanbul

La Turquie a expulsé vendredi quatre militantes du groupe féministe ukrainien Femen, qui ont été interpellées après avoir manifesté seins nus jeudi à Istanbul devant la basilique Sainte-Sophie, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Les quatre femmes, accompagnées de policiers, ont été transférées à l'aéroport international d'Istanbul où elles ont scandé "Freedom for Femen (liberté pour Femen)", selon l'agence.

Les militantes ont pris un avion pour Kiev, ajoute l'agence.

Les quatre militantes ont manifesté devant la basilique, aujourd'hui transformée en musée, à l'occasion de la Journée internationale de la femme, en brandissant des banderoles et scandant des slogans dénonçant les violences domestiques dont sont victimes les femmes en Turquie.

La police les a trainées par terre avant de les embarquer dans un véhicule.

Les militantes du groupe Femen multiplient les actions publiques en manifestant seins nus pour dénoncer la prostitution, le tourisme sexuel, les atteintes aux droits des femmes et les inégalités, en Ukraine et ailleurs dans le monde.  (AFP, 9 mars 2012)

Men Killed One Woman almost Every Day

According to the tally compiled by bianet, male perpetrators in Turkey killed 24 women in February; ten women were injured; ten women were raped; 16 women were sexually harassed. Most of the female victims were killed by their husbands.

According to data compiled by bianet based on news reported by local and nation-wide newspapers and news agencies, a total of 24 women were killed by men in February 2012. Ten women were wounded; ten women were raped. 16 women experienced sexual harassment.

One of the women who were killed in February in Turkey was a transsexual women murdered by her older brother.

Considering the regional distribution, most cases of male violence were reported for the Aegean region. As far as provinces are concerned, Istanbul took the lead.

Looking at the figures of January 2012 in comparison, twelve women, three children and three men were killed; 26 women and two children were injured; ten women were raped and 35 women were sexually harassed.

Murder

As reflected by the news, male culprits killed 24 women in 14 different provinces. One man committed suicide after the offence, one perpetrator attempted to kill himself and one surrendered to the police.

Most of the female victims in February were killed by their husbands. Eleven women were murdered by their husbands; three by men they had previously rejected; two by men they did not know; two by their older brothers; one by her father, one by her former husband, one by her husband she was married to in an imam wedding and one by her boy-friend.

Most of the murders were committed with knives. 13 women were stabbed to death; four were shot with a pump rifle; two with a hunting gun; three with a pistol and one woman was killed with an axe.

One of the killed women had previously obtained a restraining order for her husband. Another woman had complained about her murderer nine times before the offence.

Most of the women murders were reported for Ankara (5) followed by Aydın, Balıkesir, Istanbul (4), Kastamonu, Kayseri (2), Manisa, Maraş, Muğla, Niğde, Osmaniye, Urfa, Uşak and Van.

The perpetrators were between 24 and 87 years old; their victims were between 16 and 80 years of age.

Violence - Injury

Men in Turkey wounded ten women in eight different provinces in February 2012. Two incidents each were reported for Istanbul and Konya and one each in Bursa, Denizli, Izmir, Kocaeli, Muğla and Sakarya.

The majority of reported cases of violence involved the women's husbands. Four women were treated violently by their husbands; three by their boy-friends; one by her former husband; one by the family of her husband and one by a man she did not know.

Eight women were beaten; two were wounded with a knife. One of the women said that she had complained about her husband several times before. One of the male culprits had a restraining order.

One woman filed a complaint about her husband after he had treated her violently. One woman encountered violent behaviour on her way back from the police station after having filed a complaint. One man was arrested after he beat his wife.

The men who treated women violently in February 2012 were aged between 25 and 40; the women were between 21 and 37 years old.

Rape

Men raped ten women in five provinces in February. Three incidents each occurred in Istanbul and Ankara; two in Muğla and one each in Konya and Samsun.

Most of the reported cases of rape happened at the women's homes. Seven women were raped at home; three women were raped in houses they were confined in.

Three women were raped by their elder brothers; two by their friends; two by unidentified men; one by her father; one by her uncle; one by her husband she wanted to divorce.

The rapists were aged between 21 and 53 years old; the women were between 16 and 32 years of age.

Harassment

Men sexually harassed 16 women in four provinces in February. Most of the cases were reported for Istanbul and Izmir: Istanbul (5), Izmir (9), Aydın (1) and Bursa (1).

Most of the women were harassed on the street. 13 women experienced sexual harassment on the street; two on the phone and via the internet; one at home.

One woman was harassed by her father-in-law and the others by men they did not know.

Child abuse

Male culprits sexually and/or physically abused 17 children in eight provinces. Most of these cases were reported for Muğla and Antalya: Adana (2), Antalya (4), Bursa, Izmir, Kayseri, Konya, Manisa (3) and Muğla (4).

One child was treated violently by her father. 16 girls were exposed to sexual abuse. Five of the children were abused by family members; the other victims were abused by unknown perpetrators.

A total of 17 children were exposed to abuse in 13 reported cases. Five of these incidents happened at home; the remaining cases occurred on the street. One girl was forced to sex work; one girl was accommodated in a children's home after the incident.

One woman was arrested and imprisoned because she had allegedly abused 15 boys.

Regional distribution

72 cases of violence against women, murder, attempted murder, rape, harassment, injury and child abuse in 20 provinces were reported for the month of February. Most of the incidents that involved male violence against women were reported for the Aegean region.

Out of a total of 72 cases, 26 incidents were reported on the Aegean coast; nine in the Marmara region; 15 in Central Anatolia; eight in the Mediterranean region; two on the Black Sea coast; one in South-Eastern Anatolia; one in Eastern Anatolia.

The province with the majority of reported incidents was again Istanbul with 14 incidents of male violence against women. (BIA, Çiçek TAHAOĞLU, 6 March 2012)

Women's groups outraged by Cabinet's drastic changes to violence bill draft

Women's rights activists' excitement about a new draft law intended to address the issue of violence against women has died down as the Cabinet has eliminated important parts of the draft -- including its name -- which was prepared as a result of extraordinary efforts by activists and the related ministry.

“This is scandalous and unheard of,” said women's rights activist and researcher Pınar İlkkaracan. “How can they make so many changes to a draft law prepared by the ministry as a result of months of work? Are they kidding all of us?”

She was referring to the “Draft law to protect women and individual family members from violence” on which women's right groups worked tirelessly with Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Şahin, particularly since September last year.

Two hundred thirty-six women's groups from Şiddete Son Platformu -- the Platform to End Violence, in Turkey where almost every day five women are killed by men -- had prepared their own draft law at the beginning of the drafting process in 2011 and presented it to the ministry. In the meantime, the ministry prepared its own draft and said that they could work with women's right groups on the draft law prepared by the ministry.

Following various ups and downs in the process, they finally sat down together in Ankara in January to finish the job. Officials from the Women's Status General Directorate (KSGM) and other ministries were also involved in brainstorming sessions over days and weekends to address deficiencies in the draft law.

According to the women's groups, the ministry's latest draft had important deficiencies; however, Şahin and her team improved it “unbelievably” as a result of the hard work with activists, mainly from the platform. Finally, the draft law was presented at the end of January to the Council of Ministers, in line with procedures.

On the night of Feb. 24, the Council of Ministers sent the draft law to the parliamentary Commission for Equal Opportunities of Women and Men (KEFEK), also in line with the procedures, but unprecedented changes were made to it.

“This draft law is not the draft law that we agreed with the ministry on,” said Zelal Ayman, an activist from the Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways based in İstanbul.

“We don’t accept it. We can’t take this responsibility. This is not the bill we supported,” she added.

The platform is critical of the draft law on many fronts. The first criticism is in regards to the name change made to the draft law by the Council of Ministers, which called the bill “Draft law to protect family and prevent violence against women.”

Activist and lawyer Hülya Gülbahar said that it is obvious that the draft law in its current form aims to protect the family not women.

“The underlying message is that families should be protected; if families are going to break up, eyes can be closed in regards to violence against women,” she said.

The platform pointed out that women’s rights groups have always said when a woman faces violence, she tries to get out of her family, and in that process, it is not possible to protect both the woman and the family.

“This is the basic approach in the world. We said many times that nowhere in the world are laws against violence named like that,” the platform said in its Feb. 29 statement to KEFEK, which met on March 1 in Ankara with representatives from women’s rights groups to hear their comments on the draft bill.

The platform called on KEFEK members to act on their “historic responsibility” and rearrange the draft law without rushing in order to address the rights of female citizens and fulfill Turkey’s obligations under international agreements.

In May last year, Turkey became the first signatory of the treaty, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. It requires the signatories to criminalize the practices of forced marriage, female genital mutilation, forced abortion and sterilization, sexual harassment and stalking. It also stipulates that the parties to the convention should take the necessary legislative and other measures to combat honor killings, which usually refers to the killing of women by family members for “staining the family honor.”

According to a report by UN Women released in early July of last year, Turkey tops Europe and the US in the number of incidences of violence against women. Official statistics reveal that four out of 10 women in Turkey are beaten by their husbands. The platform highlights several points in regards to the required rearrangements:

Principal of equality: Concepts, such as, “equality of woman and man,” “de facto equality,” “gender equality in society” and “domestic violence,” which were removed from the draft law should be put back.

International human rights standards: It is crucial that the draft law pays attention to related international human rights documents. First of all those documents are the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which Turkey signed.

Protection: There are only 40 public women’s shelters in Turkey, and they are insufficient. For the draft law to be effective, it is vital that the number of shelters be increased in each province by at least adding one more in the initial phase; and the conditions in those shelters should be improved.

Implementation and inspection: “7/24 Intervention Coordination Centers” should undergo a name change to “Violence Monitoring and Prevention Centers;” these units should be established throughout Turkey and provide services to women who face violence under one roof. These centers are not going to be effective since the number of personnel anticipated for these centers was 5,577 but was reduced to 362 in the latest version of the draft.

Education and rights awareness: Education is important for raising awareness of the issues of equality of women and men, gender equality and women’s rights. As suggested in the previous draft law, those educational activities should be given to public officials as well as to women. Those educational activities are important in particular because the draft law gives too much power to law enforcement officials; for example, enabling them to use technological devices or wire tapping to surveil to determine if potential perpetrators of violence comply with the rules; the platform insisted that there should be a ruling from a judge for use of those tools but now law enforcement officials have authority to use them.

Right of notification: Those people who become aware of violence against individuals have the right to notify officials according to Law 4320 on the Protection of the Family, which was adopted in 1998. According to the latest version of the draft, only an individual who faces violence or the state has the authority to prevent or stop that violence. This should be changed.

Ironically, Şahin plans to have the law passed on March 8, the day women’s groups are planning to issue simultaneous press statements to protest the version of the draft law sent to KEFEK from the Council of Ministers. “She [Şahin] thinks that she is making a nice gesture, but this is actually kidding those who worked tirelessly on the draft law. We don’t care if it is passed on March 8 or 18. What we care about is that we want a good law,” said Gülsen Ülker from the Ankara Woman’s Solidarity Foundation before she went to attend the KEFEK meeting.

Ministry officials declined to comment on the latest changes to the draft law because “it is likely that the draft will be changed again.”

Ülker told Today’s Zaman after she came out of the KEFEK meeting that Şahin told them at the meeting the same day at the Justice Commission in Parliament on the draft, evaluations will be made of the draft law that was presented to the Cabinet, not the draft law changed by the Cabinet. Ülker said they do not know if the minister has the authority to say that.

“We will see,” Ülker said and added that they demanded at the KEFEK meeting that it should be the primary commission to make decisions on the draft law. As Today’s Zaman went to print, the meeting with women’s groups at the Justice Commission was continuing. (Cihan, YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN, March 2, 2012)

Relations turco-européennes / Turkey-Europe Relations

European Parliament approved the report on Turkey

The European Parliament (EP) has approved a report on Turkey penned by Dutch Christian Democrat Ria Oomen-Ruijten, which calls on Turkey to draft a new civilian constitution that promotes democracy and the rule of law and guarantees fundamental freedoms.

In the face of strong criticism both by Turkey and the European Commission, the EP omitted a controversial reference to the “secular integrity” of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and welcomed continued efforts to improve the civilian oversight of the military.

While strongly criticizing problems with press freedom, the EP expressed its satisfaction with the release of journalists Ahmet Şık, Nedim Şener, Muhammet Sait Çakır and Coşkun Musluk a year after they were jailed in connection with a coup investigation, hailing it “an important step in restoring respect for fundamental freedoms in Turkey.” The EP also “strongly condemned” attacks against Zaman offices in Europe by referring to the “European offices of Turkish newspapers” and called for a “coordinated investigation.”

One of the main points in the report is the ongoing process of drafting a new constitution. The EP has called the drafting process “a unique opportunity for true Constitutional reform promoting democracy, the rule of law, guarantees for fundamental rights and freedoms -- in particular freedom of expression and freedom of the media -- pluralism, inclusiveness, good governance, accountability and unity in Turkish society, in full compliance with the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights.” In an amendment agreed yesterday, the EP also called for the full recognition of all ethnic groups in Turkey, including “Kurds, Laz, Çerkes, Roma, Alevi, Syriacs, Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Jews and others.” The report also calls for the protection of mother-tongue language rights in the planned new civilian constitution.

On civilian-military relations, the EP maintained its principled position of full civilian control of the military by requesting the implementation of full judicial oversight over military expenditure and called for the gendarmerie and armed forces to be brought under civilian jurisdiction, with the gendarmerie to be brought under the scrutiny of the Ombudsman. In another controversial reference to the coup investigations, the EP report kept references to “allegations of the use of inconsistent evidence against the defendants in these cases” despite the position of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). ECtHR Turkish Judge Işıl Karakaş said recently the EP report’s conclusion reflects the political considerations of the European parliamentarians and noted that the ECtHR has concluded in two separate cases (partial admissibility decisions), in which the applicants complained of insufficient evidence for their detention, that there was in fact enough credible evidence for their detention.

The EP also criticized the judicial process to lift the immunity of Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Secular integrity confusing

At a press meeting after the report was approved, Oomen-Ruijten acknowledged that a reference to the “secular integrity of the armed forces” was confusing and that they had decided to take it out. She said all Turkish institutions are already secular and insisting on the reference would indicate otherwise. She said she was concerned that it would imply the military had no place for religious people within its ranks. In an interview with Cihan, she said she is a member of the secular Dutch parliament and the European Parliament but stressed that she is a Catholic.

Below is a summary of the main paragraphs in the report.

Constitution

The EP expresses its full support of the drafting process of a new civilian constitution for Turkey as a unique opportunity for true constitutional reform promoting democracy, the rule of law, guarantees for fundamental rights and freedoms -- in particular freedom of expression and freedom of the media -- pluralism, inclusiveness, good governance, accountability and unity in Turkish society in full compliance with the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights;

Calls on all political parties and actors concerned to support and take a positive, constructive approach to the negotiation process regarding the new constitution based on consensus and constructive compromise;

Stresses the need to continue the preparatory work in the drafting process and welcomes in this regard the decision to ensure equal representation to all political forces in the Constitutional Conciliation Committee as well as the pledge to base the drafting process on the broadest possible consultation of all segments of society in the framework of a process that genuinely engages Turkish civil society; and

Stresses that the new constitution should uphold the rights of all groups and individuals in Turkey, guarantee the separation of powers, ensure the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and secure full civilian oversight of the military and promote an inclusive concept of Turkish citizenship.

Military

The EP welcomes the continued efforts to improve the civilian oversight of the military, in particular the adoption of the Law on the Court of Accounts in December 2010 to ensure the civilian oversight of military expenditure;

Calls for the implementation of the full oversight of the court over the expenses of the military;

Calls for the gendarmerie and armed forces to be brought under civilian jurisdiction and for the gendarmerie to be brought under the scrutiny of the Ombudsman; and

Emphasizes the need to ensure the armed forces and their operational capability, given the importance of Turkey’s NATO membership.

Dink case

The EP expresses concern over the latest verdict rendered on the Hrant Dink case;

Stresses the utmost importance of a full investigation into the murder of Hrant Dink and of bringing all responsible persons to justice;

Underlines in this context a judgment by the ECtHR in 2010, which set forth that Turkey had failed to conduct effective investigations into the murder of Hrant Dink; and

Considers this trial to be a test of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Turkey.

Press freedom

The EP recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are at the heart of European values and that a truly democratic, free and pluralistic society requires true freedom of expression;

Recalls that the freedom of expression is applicable not only to information or ideas that are favorably received or regarded as inoffensive, but also, in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to those who offend, shock or disturb the state or any sector of the population;

Regrets that a number of laws, such as Articles 301 and 318, Article 220(6) in combination with Article 314(2) and Articles 285 and 288 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) as well as Articles 6 and 7(2) of the Anti-Terror Law continue to limit the freedom of expression;

Underlines that the abolition of legislation allowing for disproportionately high fines on the media -- leading in some cases to the closure of media outlets or to self-censorship of journalists and their editors -- and the reform of law 5651/2007 on the Internet, which limits freedom of expression, restricts citizens’ right to access information and allows website bans of disproportionate scope and duration are very urgent; and

Reiterates, therefore, its previous calls to finalize the review of the legal framework on freedom of expression and to bring it, without delay, in line with the ECHR and the case law of the ECtHR. (Zaman, SELÇUK GÜLTAŞLI, 29 March 2012)

BDP Leaders' letter to the European Parliament members

In the framework of the European Parliament debate (today) and vote (tomorrow) on the "2011 Progress Report on TURKEY / EU Enlargment", BDP co-presidents, Mrs Gultan Kisanak and Mr Selahattin Demirtas sent the following letter to all members of the EP, European Commission, EU Council of Ministers:

"Honorable members of the parliament, First of all, we would like to let you know that, we have written this letter for the purpose of to contribute to the debates regarding Turkey in European Parliament. As you know, Turkey has sophisticated and traumatic issues such as Kurdish Issue, debates on the constitution, from centralization to decentralization and of course the fundamental rights.

"It is very clear that all the concerned issues directly related each other. Up until today, collective and political problems which based on relations with the power and claimant people are evaluated at the heart of security oriented mentality by the governments in Turkey. We are sorry to say that, Turkey’s governments are continuing to pressures against the civil society including press, trade unions and opposite political parties and their supporters with the international actors’ indirect contribution. It is clear that, AKP Government’s unilateral and patronizing approach prevents dialogue and the negotiation process which the key method for the solution.

"According to our observations, international community has not deep knowledge or interest about Kurdish People’s sensitivities and demands. Besides, debates on Turkey are not focused on main principles and collective rights. Therefore, AKP Government doesn’t care to develop the freedom of expression, freedom of press, freedom of belief and freedom of organization. Contrary to the universal law principles, legal opposite organizations and newspapers should be banned by the inconsistent legislation. To be honest, none of the legislative amendments in EU harmonization process are reflected to democratization in Turkey.

"When you look at the statistics on human rights violations, social developments and number of the prisoners, you can easily see the Turkey’s sliding to a political chaos. In the circumstances, BDP aims for a democratic solution to the Kurdish Issue in Turkey. Unfortunately, our facilitative efforts were not considered by the AKP Government. According to the Anti- Terror Law and the Criminal Code in Turkey, all speeches about the Kurdish Identity are regarding as a crime of “supporting terrorism”. Therefore, more than 7000 members of our party including 6 parliamentarians, 16 current and 11 former mayors, hundreds of elected city council members are arrested. Besides at least 102 journalist are in prisons. Majority of them are arrested in reason of the Kurdish Issue. Actually, because of the ongoing police raids and countrywide arrestment operations, we are unable to inform you about the statistics and the exact number of the arrested politicians. We would like to underline the reality of the arrestments. None of our members are charged with being a part of violence. All of the arrested politicians were charged because of the speeches on Kurdish Issue. Nevertheless, BDP will insist for dialogue and comprehensive negotiations and ready for contribution to the new democratic constitution and the peaceful solution to the Kurdish Issue. Honorable members,

"Kurdish Issue is not only a domestic problem but also an international issue which inhold the human rights abuses, conflicts, peoples’ demands and political actors. It is clear that, Mr. Ocalan is a political actor and He is regarded as a political will by the Kurdish People in Turkey. This reality shouldn’t be ignored. We believe that, international community should play a key role for encouraging the sides to starting negotiations. Therefore, your positive contribution and constructive approach will be great opportunity for peace in Turkey." (stefano.squarcina@europarl.europa.eu, 28th of March 2012)

European report reveals great trauma among Kurdish children in Turkey

A new report on human rights violations, torture and sexual abuse against jailed Kurdish children in Turkey reveals that Kurdish children experience great trauma both inside and outside the prison because of permanent mistreatment and lack of solutions to the Kurdish issue.

The report released by the Group of the United Left in the European Parliament (GUE/NGL) provides significant information on the situation of children detained in Pozanti-Adana and Sincan-Ankara prisons, as well as on the problems of Kurdish children in Turkey in general.

According the report, based on findings of human rights associations and deputies, 80 percent of the 2,000 children in prisons are charged under anti-terror law, mainly for “throwing stones” and “participating to illegal demonstrations”.

They are often detained alongside adult prisoners, who mistreat the children with the complicity of the guards. The abuses include sexual and physical violence, rape, harassment and ill-treatment.

After the scandalous revelations in the media, 199 minors incarcerated in the Adana juvenile Closed Prison were transferred to Sincan Juvenile Closed prison in Ankara, but without any assurance that racism, discrimination and violence would end.

The European report also analyzes the problems of Kurdish children in Turkey in general, pointing out that they are often pushed to leave school after finishing their primary education, because “they could not cope with the insults of their teachers and school authorities about their language, identity, origin and personalities”.

These children, who are often very interested in the “Kurdish issue", participate in demonstrations and become confrontational with police and security forces.

The report cites Dr. Didem Gelegen, expert at İştar Women’s Solidarity Center, who defines the child-police relation: “Children see the police station and the police officers in their neighborhood as an object of fear and hate. Throwing [a] stone to a police station is the most attractive activity for children at all ages. The relations between the children and police officers in stations have turned into a “dirty violence game”.    

Some of the detained children said in interviews with human right workers that police see them as “enemies” and think that they will “sooner or later go to the mountain” [to join the guerrilla]. The children are kept waiting naked in the cold, they are beaten and tortured by police officers.

The report concludes that: “State, the Ministry of Justice and the authorities of Pozanti Prison have the primary responsibility as turning a blind eye to the allegations. Public authorities haven’t handled the matter properly until the events hit the headlines following the public statements to the press made by the children themselves.

"Turkey as a country that ratified the UN Convention on Rights of Child, European Convention on Human Rights and recently the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) on 27 September 2011 needs to step up efforts to fulfill the obligations and implement the provisions stemming from the conventions and agreements."

The report on children abuses in Turkey has been released by the Group of the United Left only two weeks before the final adoption of the critical Progress Report on Turkey for 2011 in the European Parliament. (AKnews, Lorin Sarkisian and Roni Alasor, 17 March 2012)

Füle's concern about use of chemical weapons by Turkish military

The European Commission has expressed its concern over the alleged use of illegal chemical weapons by Turkish military against Kurds in Turkey.  EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle confirmed that discussion between EU and Turkey has taken place, adding that the "commission will continue to monitor the issue".

According to a press release from the Member of the European Parliament Jürgen Klute, the European Commission expressed its concern about the alleged use of illegal chemical weapons by Turkish military.

Enlargement Commissioner Füle said the allegations were discussed between commission representatives and Turkish authorities. Turkey promised to investigate the cause of death of 36 Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters on October 24, 2011 and Füle stated that the "commission will continue to monitor the issue".

The death of 36 Kurdish rebels in Kazan Vadesi (a province of Hakkari) has caused controversial public debate since October 2011. Reports given by local residents and a survivor of the attack give reason to suspect that PKK fighters were killed by illegal chemical weapons. It was proved that Turkish military deployed banned chemical weapons back in 1999 and stored similar solid weapons in 2010.

Klute asked Füle to keep his promise: "For several months now, we have to observe that the Turkish-Kurdish conflict is locked in a process of renewed escalation. From my point of view, Prime Minister Erdogan is about to drive Turkey into further violence, trying to solve the Kurdish conflict at a military level.

"The suspicious cases of the 36 PKK rebels killed in Kazan Vadesi contribute to rising tensions in Turkish society. Suspicions about war crimes hamper the reconciliation of Turkish and Kurdish population. The European Commission must therefore insist on independent inquiries to be allowed by Turkish authorities without further delay.

"International experts must be invited and all relevant documents, including autopsy reports must be made available. Inquiries conducted behind closed doors only are useless. Transparency is a key factor for investigations to be credible," added Klute.
 
Helmut Scholz, substitute Member to European Parliament Committee for External Affairs said: "The left in Germany and Europe supports the accession of Turkey to the European Union. But it is clear from our point of view that the relations between EU and Turkey can only be deepened if state and society in Turkey manage to make real progress in terms of democracy, peace and human rights.

"Turkey ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. With this important step, Turkey has committed itself to international law and given a clear statement for the proscription of war crimes.

"In order to safeguard its credibility in the international community, I strongly recommend to the Turkish government to invite the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in order to refute all suspicions."
 
Further Members of European Parliament, having signed the question to the European Commission, are Cornelius de Jong (Netherlands), Katarina Nevedalova (Slovakia), Jean Lambert and Baroness Sarah Ludford (both United Kingdom). (AKnews, Roni Alasor, 17 March 2012)

Swoboda calls on Turkey to negotiate with PKK

Socialist group leader Hannes Swoboda called on Turkish authorities to start negotiations with the PKK again

In a press statement at the European Parliament, Socialist group leader Hannes Swoboda called on Turkish authorities to re-launch negotiations with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) to overcome the problem of the Kurdish people.

European Parliament Socialist group leader Hannes Swoboda underlined that the indispensability to the solution of the Kurdish issue and the problems in the areas of freedom of press and thought as well as human rights in Turkey should be approached earnestly.

Swoboda pointed out that the European Union should also take responsibility in respect to the relations with Turkey and noted that it is now indispensable to lead the way to a solution to the current main problems in Turkey, the Kurdish issue in particular.

One other press conference on Turkey’s problems was held by Co-President of the European Parliament for the Greens, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who said that; “Alarm bells are already ringing in Turkey in the context of freedom of expression, as observed in the case of arrest of numerous journalists.”

Remarking that basic human rights are violated in Turkey where-he said- a great number of thought prisoners, including over 100 journalists, are currently held under arrest, Cohn-Bendit reminded that he will bring Turkey’s file to the table during the EP’s session to be held in Brussels next week.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit also pointed out that the EU should now give up irritating Turkey and in this respect indicated that the EU played a negative role by blocking 23rd and 24th paragraphs of negotiation titles with Turkey. The mutual non-confidence between the EU and Turkey should now be replaced by trust, added Cohn-Bendit. (ANF, 13 March 2012)

EP asks Turkey more efforts to solve Kurdish issue

In the motion for a resolution to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and the Commission on the 2011 Progress Report on Turkey, Ria Oomen-Ruijten on behalf of the Committee on Foreign Affairs has called on Turkey to "to demonstrate resilience and intensify its efforts for a political solution to the Kurdish issue and asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly".

The commission "considers, in this context, the right to education in the native language as essential; calls on the Government of Turkey to step up its efforts to further promote socio-economic development in the South East; takes the view that the Constitutional reform provides a very useful framework to promote a democratic opening".

The commission "recalls that a political solution can only be built upon an open and truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, locally elected mayors and members of municipal councils, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial and other police operations; calls on the Government of Turkey to create the peaceful ground for political figures of Kurdish origin to have a free and pluralistic debate".

Finally the commission "underlines the importance of promoting the discussion of the Kurdish issue inside the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA".

The report will be discussed by the Plenary of the EP next 28th of March in Brussels, and finally adopted next Thursday 29th of March.

EUTCC notes with approval the draft report on Turkey

The EUTCC notes with approval the EU Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Resolution on the 2011 Progress Report on Turkey and hopes that it will contribute to Turkey solving its internal problems in a democratic and peaceful manner. The Resolution highlights the positive progresses and criticizes the shortcomings of the country, and further provides recommendations for improvements.  In particular, the Resolution condemn the recent arrests of Kurdish politicians and human-rights defenders in Turkey and calls for an immediate revision of the Anti-Terror Law (TMY) and the Criminal Code under which thousands of Kurdish politicians and activists have been accused of having connections with alleged terrorist organizations and arrested over the last two years. While praising Turkey’s constructive role in contributing to peace and stability in the Middle East, the Resolution also called for Turkey to promote socio-economic development in its Kurdish region and to insure rights of all Turkish citizens to education in their native language. (ANF-EUTCC, 11 March 2012)

Breaches of civil liberties in Turkey strongly criticised at the EP
 
Breaches of civil liberties in Turkey are strongly criticised in a Resolution drafted by Ria Oomen-Ruijten MEP and European Parliament Rapporteur on Turkey, which has been adopted today by the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET).

Ria Oomen-Ruijten MEP said: "The charges brought on the basis of the Anti-Terror Legislation against, amongst others, journalists and parliamentarians, are a violation of democracy and the rule of law in Turkey. The Anti-Terror Legislation is too broadly formulated and the disproportionately long pre-trial detention is a de-facto imprisonment without trial, which is not acceptable in a properly functioning democratic state."

"The negotiations have been going on for years and are currently in a phase where no immediate developments are foreseen. I therefore welcome the European Commission's new and positive agenda for relations between the EU and Turkey. We need new dynamics in order to keep the process credible," she continued.

"Turkey and the EU are interdependent. The EU profits from the booming Turkish economy. But Turkey and the EU can both profit by enhancing their cooperation in fields like foreign policy, energy, security and the fight against terrorism. Turkey has proved that it is able to play a positive role in a turbulent region," says Ria Oomen-Ruijten, who underlines the importance of injecting a fresh impetus to the negotiations.

Some attempts by some deputies in the European Parliament to add articles about Armenian genocide to the draft have failed. (EPP - AA, March 2, 2012)

Turquie-USA/ Turkey-USA

Le patron de la CIA évoque la crise syrienne avec le Premier ministre turc

Le patron de la CIA David Petraeus a évoqué mardi à Ankara des questions régionales, dont notamment la crise syrienne, avec le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a indiqué l'ambassade américaine en Turquie.

Lors de la rencontre à huis clos, qui ne figurait pas dans le programme quotidien de M. Erdogan distribué à la presse, les deux hommes ont discuté des "questions de sécurité régionales et d'intérêt mutuel", a souligné le porte-parole de l'ambassade T.J. Grubisha.

"Les deux parties prévoient une plus étroite coopération dans les mois à venir sur des sujets pressants", a souligné le responsable.

M. Petraeus a aussi rencontré le chef des services secrets turcs (MIT), Hakan Fidan, lors de sa visite en Turquie, a-t-il ajouté.

La visite du responsable américain en Turquie intervient à la veille de l'anniversaire de la révolte en Syrie, le 15 mars 2011.

Les Etats-Unis et la Turquie, alliés au sein de l'Otan, sont sur la même longueur d'onde sur la crise syrienne et ont demandé le départ du président Bechar al-Assad.

Ils mènent aussi une coopération contre les rebelles kurdes du PKK (séparatistes kurdes de Turquie) retranchés dans le nord de l'Irak.

La Turquie a rompu avec son ancien allié syrien du fait de la répression du mouvement de contestation.  (AFP, 13 mars 2012)

Des députés de l'opposition manifestent contre un radar de l'Otan

Une dizaine de parlementaires turcs d'opposition ont manifesté samedi près de Malatya, dans le sud-est du pays, sur le site où doit être installé un système de radar anti-missile de l'Otan, a annoncé l'agence de presse officielle Anatolie.

Portant des vestes frappées du slogan "non au bouclier anti-missile", dix députés du Parti républicain populaire (PRP), dont neuf femmes, ont escaladé la montagne où doit être installé le radar, selon Anatolie.

Les parlementaires étaient accompagnés par des habitants eux aussi opposés à cette installation.

"La base radar est contre la paix", a déclaré à la télévision la députée du PRP Emine Ülker Tarhan. "Nous sommes contre la guerre. Pour nous le bouclier (anti-missile) est un symbole de guerre."

Ankara a accepté l'année dernière l'installation près de Malatya d'un système de radar d'alerte anti-missile, s'attirant les foudres de l'Iran.

La Turquie, membre de l'Otan depuis 1952, a assuré à plusieurs reprises que ce système anti-missile n'est dirigé contre aucun pays en particulier.   (AFP, 10 mars 2012)

Turkey, US hold joint air drills in Konya

The Turkish and U nited States air forces began joint air exercises yesterday in Turkey’s central province of Konya, which will end on March 16, sources from the U.S. base at Spangdahlem, Germany said.

The drills, known as Anatolian Falcon 2012, are a bilateral initiative and do not involve other countries, the sources said. Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment.

A statement from the U.S. base this weekend said that 15 aircraft from the 480th Fighter Squadron and more than 250 support airmen had departed “for the weapons-training deployment geared to expanding and honing military interoperability between the U.S. and Turkish air forces.”

Bi-lateral training exercise

Anatolian Falcon 2012 is a bi-lateral training exercise involving air missions that include interdiction, attack, air superiority, defense suppression, airlift, air refueling and reconnaissance, it said.

“The 480th is excited to get on the road to fly with our NATO ally and strengthen the bonds that have been built during the last 60 years,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Murray, 480th FS commander.

“In addition, this is an excellent opportunity to exercise our military interoperability as we pursue together regional peace and stability.” (Hürriyet Daily News, March 6, 2012)

US soldiers arrive at radar site in Kürecik

A total of 50 U.S. soldiers have arrived at a new NATO radar defense site in the village of Kürecik in the eastern province of Malatya.

The soldiers are currently being housed in hotels, but will move to a 150-apartment residential complex that will be built for them near the radar site. The radar defense site is located in Kürecik, a town 64 kilometers from Malatya’s provincial center.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Malatya provincial head, Enver Kiraz, said the government was expected to announce the total number of U.S. soldiers that would be stationed at the site. “As local residents, it is our right to know the number of troops that will be stationed here.” He also said there were rumors circulating that three Israeli soldiers would be stationed at the radar site and would allegedly make key decisions there.

“Malatya’s security is in danger. We do not want this radar or U.S. troops here. It is not our job to protect Israel,” Kiraz said.

The opposition Felicity Party’s Malatya provincial head, Mehmet Asiltürk, also criticized the establishment of the radar site in Turkey, saying, “Turkey is being used to protect Israel.” Asiltürk said his party would investigate whether any Israeli soldiers would actually be stationed at the radar site. The site is currently being protected by the 2nd Military Command of the Turkish Army. (DHA, March 1, 2012)

Relations régionales / Regional Relations

La Turquie réduit de 20% ses achats de brut iranien

La compagnie pétrolière nationale turque, Tüpras, a annoncé vendredi avoir réduit de 20% ses approvisionnements de brut en provenance de l'Iran, un pays visé par des sanctions en raison de son programme nucléaire controversé.

"En fonction de la conjoncture, il a été décidé, après une évaluation, de réduire de 20% les achats de pétrole brut provenant d'Iran", affirme un communiqué de cette société.

Les Etats-Unis et l'Union européenne ont imposé des sanctions pétrolières contre l'Iran mais la Turquie, qui entretient de bons rapports avec la République islamique, avait fait valoir qu'elle ne se sentait pas liée par des sanctions prises unilatéralement ou en groupe, mais seulement par celles imposées par le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu.

Ankara était sous la pression des Américains de revoir ses achats de pétrole et de gaz d'Iran.

La décision turque intervient au terme d'une visite de deux jours à Téhéran du Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Auparavant M. Erdogan s'était entretenu à Séoul avec le président américain Barack Obama en marge d'un sommet sur le nucléaire.

Le ministre turc de l'Energie Taner Yildiz a pour sa part déclaré que son pays, qui importe un tiers de son approvisionnement en pétrole à son voisin iranien, cherchera à compenser cette réduction par l'achat de brut libyen, a précisé l'agence de presse Anatolie.

"Nous avons décidé de nous tourner vers la Libye (...) de ce fait notre approvisionnement de l'Iran va baisser un peu", a-t-il dit.

La Turquie importe son pétrole de différents pays, notamment de Russie et d'Azerbaïdjan, mais sa source d'approvisionnement la plus importante demeure l'Iran.

Les Etats-Unis ont annoncé la semaine dernière qu'ils allaient exempter onze pays, dont dix pays européens et le Japon, des nouvelles sanctions lancées contre l'Iran dans le cadre de la pression exercée sur le programme nucléaire controversé de Téhéran.

La Turquie, qui ne figure pas parmi ces pays, cherche à bénéficier de la même exemption. (AFP, 30 mars 2012)

Khamenei à Erdogan: L'Iran défendra le régime syrien

L'Iran défendra le régime de son allié régional la Syrie en raison de sa position anti-israélienne, a indiqué jeudi le guide suprême iranien l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei au Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"L'Iran défendra la Syrie en raison de son soutien à la résistance anti-sioniste", a indiqué M. Khamenei en recevant M. Erdogan dans la ville sainte de Machhad (nord), a indiqué la télévisions publique.

"Nous sommes fermement opposés à toute ingérence de forces étrangères dans les affaires internes de la Syrie (....) Des réformes qui ont commencé là bas doivent se poursuivre", a-t-il ajouté.

M. Khamenei a par ailleurs mis en garde contre toute initiative menée par les Etats-Unis pour résoudre le conflit en Syrie affirmant que l'Iran serait "fermement opposé" à un tel projet.

M. Erdogan, cité par la télévision, a indiqué que la région "faisait face à une situation très difficile que la Turquie espère voir réglée".

Alors que l'Iran a toujours affiché son soutien à Damas, la Turquie a rompu avec son voisin et ex-allié syrien en raison de la répression, par le régime, d'une révolte sans précédent.

Elle accueillera dimanche à Istanbul une réunion des pays "amis de la Syrie" pour discuter notamment des moyens permettant de venir en aide à l'opposition syrienne.

Selon l'ONU, plus de 9.000 personnes ont trouvé la mort dans les violences en Syrie depuis le début d'une révolte à la mi-mars 2011.
 M. Erdogan est arrivé mercredi en Iran pour une visite de deux jours pour des discussions notamment sur les ambitions nucléaires de Téhéran.

Jeudi, M. Erdogan a affirmé soutenir la position de l'Iran sur le nucléaire lors d'une rencontre avec le président iranien Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a rapporté le site de la présidence iranienne.

Le président Ahmadinejad a "salué la position claire et franche de la Turquie à propos de la question nucléaire iranienne", selon le site.

La Turquie s'est proposée pour accueillir les prochaines négociations nucléaires entre l'Iran et le groupe 5+1 (Etats-Unis, Russie, Chine, Grande-Bretagne, France et Allemagne) qui doivent reprendre le 13 avril, selon le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, Ali Akbar Salehi. (AFP, 29 mars 2012)

La Turquie qui a rompu avec la Syrie a fermé son ambassade à Damas

La Turquie a fermé lundi son ambassade à Damas, en raison d'une dégradation des conditions de sécurité en Syrie, a-t-on indiqué de source diplomatique turque. La fermeture de l'ambasade turque en Syrie est intervenue quelques heures après une rencontre à Seoul entre le président américain Barack Obama et le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan, qui sont convenus dimanche d'apporter une aide "non-militaire" aux rebelles syriens, dont des équipements de communication, a annoncé un responsable américain.

"Les activités de l'ambassade de Turquie ont été suspendues à partir de ce matin (lundi)", a précisé cette source sous couvert de l'anonymat, soulignant que l'ensemble du personnel diplomatique turc avait quitté la capitale syrienne.

Le consulat général de Turquie à Alep, la grande ville syrienne du nord du pays, proche de la frontière turque, restera en revanche ouvert, a-t-on ajouté de même source.

"La fermeture de notre ambassade est évidemment un fort message politique" au régime de Damas, a-t-on par ailleurs souligné de source proche du gouvernement turc.

Ankara suit ainsi l'exemple de plusieurs pays de l'UE (Italie, Espagne, France, Royaume-Uni, Pays-Bas) des Etats-Unis et des six monarchies arabes du Golfe.

Depuis plus d'un an, la Syrie est le théâtre d'une révolte sans précédent contre le président Bachar al-Assad qui la réprime dans le sang. Selon l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'Homme (OSDH), plus de 9.000 personnes ont péri dans les violences, attribuées par le régime à des groupes "terroristes" cherchant à déstabiliser le pays.

La Turquie a rompu avec son voisin et ex-allié syrien en raison de la répression et appelé au départ d'Assad.

D'autre part, les dirigeants des Frères musulmans syriens ont affirmé dimanche qu'ils sont prêts à partager le pouvoir  dans la perspective d'un renversement du régime de Bachar al-Assad.

"Nous voulons une Syrie démocratique, et nous n'avons pas pour but d'exercer seuls le pouvoir", a déclaré le numéro un du mouvement islamiste, Mohammad Riad Al Shakfa, à une semaine de la conférence internationale des "Amis de la Syrie", prévue le 1er avril à Istanbul. (AFP, 25 mars 2012)

La Turquie conseille à ses ressortissants de quitter la Syrie

Le ministère turc des Affaires étrangères à recommandé vendredi aux ressortissants turcs de quitter la Syrie, pays voisin, secoué depuis une année par une révolte contre le régime de Bachar al-Assad et une répression sanglante.

"Les développements en Syrie présentent de sérieux risques de sécurité pour nos citoyens. Nous leur conseillons vivement de rentrer" en Turquie, souligne un communiqué.

Le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan a en outre indiqué que son gouvernement islamo-conservateur, qui a rompu avec le régime syrien, son ancien allié, réfléchissait à rappeler éventuellement son ambassadeur en poste à Damas.

"Nous sommes en train d'évaluer toutes les options", a-t-il dit devant les journalistes.

Depuis le début le 15 mars 2011 de cette révolte, plus de 9.000 personnes, selon les ONG, ont péri dans la répression menée par les troupes du régime ou les combats entre soldats et militaires dissidents ayant fait le choix de s'armer.

270 Syriens, fuyant le conflit dans leur pays, sont arrivés dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi dans le sud de la Turquie, portant à 15.000 le nombre de personnes ayant traversé la frontière commune aux deux pays depuis mars 2011, a-t-on indiqué vendredi de source officielle turque.

Selon les autorités turques, l'offensive menée récemment par l'armée syrienne contre le bastion rebelle d'Idleb dans le nord-ouest explique la fuite de ces civils et le nombre croissant des arrivées en Turquie via la frontière commune avec la Syrie.  (AFP 16 mars 2012)

La Turquie redoute l'afflux de 500.000 réfugiés syriens sur son sol

La Turquie craint que jusqu'à 500.000 Syriens fuyant le conflit dans leur pays affluent en territoire turc, a affirmé jeudi le président du Croissant rouge turc, Ahmet Lütfi Akar.

"Nous nous attendons à ce que d'autres (Syriens) arrivent en Turquie par la province frontalière (turque) de Hatay. Il existe divers scénarios qui prévoient un chiffre pouvant aller jusqu'à 500.000" personnes, a-t-il dit, cité par l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Il a cependant reconnu qu'une telle situation serait "extrême" et de rappeler le cauchemar qu'avait été pour la Turquie les 500.000 réfugiés kurdes irakiens de la guerre du Golfe en 1991, fuyant les exactions du président de l'époque, Saddam Husseïn.

Un millier de Syriens, dont un général, fuyant le conflit dans leur pays, se sont réfugiés ces 24 dernières heures en Turquie, portant le nombre de Syriens hébergés à Hatay depuis le lancement, le 15 mars 2011, d'un mouvement de contestation anti-régime, à 14.700, a indiqué jeudi la diplomatie turque.  (AFP, 15 mars 2012)

La Turquie construit un nouveau camp de 20.000 places

La Turquie a entamé la construction d'un nouveau camp de réfugiés d'une capacité de 20.000 places près de la frontière syrienne pour pouvoir répondre si nécessaire à un nouvel afflux de Syriens fuyant les violences dans leur pays, a rapporté mercredi l'agence de presse Anatolie.

Les ouvriers ont commencé la pause des canalisations de ce camp de tentes, situé à Ceylanpinar, dans la province de Sanliurfa (sud-est), à environ 150 km de la ville syrienne d'Al-Hasakah (nord-est), affirme Anatolie.

"Notre gouvernement est très attentif sur cette question, nous somme en contact permanent avec Ankara, nous faisons des préparatifs pour faire face à toutes les possibilités", a déclaré à l'agence le gouverneur de Sanliurfa, Celalettin Güvenç.

La Turquie a fait face en juin 2011 à un afflux de réfugiés dans la province de Hatay (sud), proche de la province syrienne d'Idleb alors théâtre d'une intense répression des mouvements d'opposition, avec quelque 11.700 personnes trouvant refuge dans les camps de tentes érigés par le Croissant rouge turc.

Le nombre des réfugiés a ensuite décru à environ 8.000 personnes, de nombreuses familles décidant de retourner en Syrie passée la vague de violences.

Il est cependant reparti à la hausse ces derniers jours avec le lancement d'une vaste offensive de l'armée contre Idleb, qui s'est conclue par la prise de la ville. Mais les groupes de réfugiés syriens atteignant la Turquie sont plus petits, l'armée syrienne contrôlant désormais de larges portions de la frontière.

Au total 12.100 Syriens ont trouvé refuge depuis le début en mars 2011 de la révolte en Syrie, selon un dernier bilan officiel turc.

Un autre camp de réfugiés, composé cette fois de conteneurs, est également en cours de construction depuis l'hiver à Kilis (sud-est), sur la route menant à la grande ville syrienne de Halep (nord-ouest).  (AFP, 14 mars 2012)

Israël enjoint à ses ressortissants de ne pas se rendre en Turquie

Israël a enjoint mardi à ses ressortissants de ne pas se rendre en Turquie, de crainte d'attentats, selon le Bureau de lutte antiterroriste.

"Des agents terroristes ont l'intention de perpétrer des attentats contre des objectifs israéliens ou juifs en Turquie dans les jours qui viennent", a averti le bureau dans un communiqué.

"Nous recommandons donc d'éviter les visites en Turquie", précise le communiqué.

Le dernier avertissement du bureau de lutte antiterroriste israélien relatif à la Turquie remonte aux tensions entre les deux pays qui ont suivi l'abordage sanglant d'une flottille, par les commandos israéliens en mai 2010, au large de Gaza.

Le mois dernier, des diplomates israéliens ont été la cible d'attentats à New Delhi et à Tbilissi. L'épouse d'un diplomate a été blessée dans l'explosion de sa voiture dans la capitale indienne et quatre autres personnes blessées. Un engin explosif similaire a été désamorcé dans la capitale géorgienne.

Israël a attribué les deux attentats à l'Iran. Téhéran a démenti toute implication.  (AFP, 14 mars 2012)

Les événements de Syrie pourraient bouleverser la géopolitique

André Métayer

A l'occasion du débat, au conseil municipal de Rennes, (cf. article précédent) concernant un vœu de soutien aux élus kurdes injustement emprisonnés, Fabrice Marzin, conseiller municipal d'opposition centriste, membre du comité rennais de soutien à François Bayrou, a souhaité s'attarder quelques peu pour dire les convictions et les valeurs que défend l'Alliance Citoyenne (MoDem) sur les sujets de politique internationale, comme celui de la question kurde, dans un contexte où les intérêts économiques et stratégiques priment sur les droits des peuples.

"Il est difficile de faire entendre sa voix [pour le peuple kurde]. Les Etats-Unis comme les Etats européens ménagent souvent la susceptibilité de la Turquie, allié stratégique de l’Alliance atlantique dans une région instable et dont le sol contient la majeure partie des ressources pétrolières mondiales. La Turquie est aussi un partenaire commercial important pour la France, qui ambitionne de faire passer ses échanges avec la Turquie de 10 à 15 milliards d'euro entre 2009 et 2012. En échange, la France a accepté de signer des accords de coopération en matière de lutte contre le terrorisme ce qui peut paraître une bonne chose. Mais, on sait par ailleurs que toute forme d'opposition à la politique d'Ankara peut conduire ses auteurs à la prison au motif de participation ou de soutien à des organisations souvent qualifiées rapidement de "terroriste", même s’il s’agit souvent de simples expressions publiques dans des journaux, ou lors de manifestations utilisant la langue kurde"

Deux millions de Kurdes vivent en Syrie

Fabrice Marzin pense aussi à la Syrie, et les dramatiques événements qui s’y déroulent actuellement sont l’occasion pour lui de dire sa solidarité avec le peuple syrien dans son ensemble. Il note que les médias occidentaux ne s'intéressent pas à la contestation kurde de Syrie parce que le régime concentre sa répression sur Homs, sans doute, mais aussi parce que les Kurdes de Syrie veulent une autonomie démocratique et que, de ce point de vue, ne font absolument pas confiance au Conseil national syrien (CNS) soutenu par les Etats-Unis, les monarchies du Golfe, la France et la Turquie. Ils sont rejoints d’ailleurs sur cette position par les autres minorités chrétiennes ou druzes.

L’intangibilité des frontières pourrait être remise en cause

Fabrice Marzin poursuit :

"Cependant un événement pourrait bouleverser la géopolitique imaginée par les puissances européennes en 1920. Lors d’une réunion à Erbil le 19 février dernier sous l'égide du président Massoud Barzani – président du gouvernement autonome du Kurdistan irakien, les partis politiques kurdes d'Irak, d'Iran, de Syrie et de Turquie, ont clairement revendiqué le droit à l'autodétermination pour tous les Kurdes (40 millions de personnes à cheval sur 4 frontières). La solution et l'avenir pour le peuple kurde passe nécessairement par une solution vraiment fédérale dans le cadre des États existants à l’image de ce qui existe aujourd’hui en Irak avec la nouvelle constitution ou alors en dehors du principe de l’intangibilité des frontières si des solutions rapides ne sont pas mises en œuvre pour garantir véritablement les droits du peuple kurde".

Et de rappeler que le tracé de ces frontières date de 1920 et qu’en 1920, le traité de Sèvres prévoyait notamment la possible autonomie des provinces kurdes avec à terme la création d'un État kurde indépendant. Ce n’est qu’en 1923 que le traité de Lausanne revient sur cette possibilité suite à un accord entre Mustapha Kemal et les puissances européennes. (andre-metayer@orange.fr, 11 mars 2012)

Conférence – débat: La Syrie, étincelle d’un conflit mondial?

o La guerre en Syrie se résume-t-elle à un conflit entre un « gouvernement répressif » et une « opposition désarmée » ? Quelle est la nature de cette opposition ? Quelle est la qualité de notre information ?

o Les voisins de la Syrie, en particulier la Turquie, se comportent-ils en simples spectateurs de cette tragédie ?

o Comment interpréter le soutien affiché de la Russie au gouvernement syrien ? En s’opposant à l’internationalisation du conflit, la Russie protège-t-elle un allié ou songe-t-elle à sa propre survie ?
 
Salle Amazone
Rue du Méridien, 10
1210  Bruxelles
(métro Botanique)
Le 9 mars 2012 à 19h30
 
Les orateurs:

Bahar Kimyongür, écrivain,
dernier ouvrage : « Syriana , La conquête continue »

Ludo De Brabander : écrivain,
dernier ouvrage, avec Georges Spriet :  « Als de NAVO de passie preekt »..

Jean-Marie Chauvier, journaliste,
spécialiste des pays de l’Est de l’Europe.

Modérateur : Georges Berghezan, CSO

Organisée par le Comité de Surveillance de l’OTAN:  www.csotan.org

Débat: Guerres « humanitaires »: le scénario de la catastrophe

Invités :

Jean BRICMONT, auteur de « L’impérialisme humanitaire »

Michel COLLON, écrivain et journaliste indépendant

Bahar KIMYONGUR, historien, auteur de « Syriana, la conquête continue ».

12e Festival du Cinéma d’ATTAC au BOTANIQUE

10 MARS à 14h00

Rue Royale 236
1210 Bruxelles
Salle C


Turkey uneasy with mushrooming Iranian firms, fears clash with allies

The rapid increase of Iranian-funded foreign companies in Turkey at an unprecedented rate has raised alarm bells for Turkish authorities, who suspect some of these may be front companies set up to circumvent UN-sponsored sanctions.

Turkey is also concerned that some of the activities of Iranian companies may risk an unwanted confrontation between Ankara and its Western allies because of what is considered a violation of the US and EU-imposed unilateral sanctions, albeit not running afoul of UN Security Council resolutions.

“We are carefully watching the operations of these [Iranian-funded] foreign companies to see if they are in breach of Turkish law as well as international laws to which Turkey is a party,” one government official told Sunday’s Zaman. The official spoke under the customary condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue on the bilateral relations between the two countries. “We won’t allow any of these companies to jeopardize our national interests,” he added.

According to the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), foreign companies financed by Iran in 2011 totaled 590, an increase of 41 percent compared to the previous year. That puts Iran on the top of the chart of new foreign companies established in 2011 not only in nominal numbers but percentage-wise as well. As of Dec. 31, 2011, the number of companies funded by Iran totaled 2,140, with a quarter having launched operation in the last year alone.

TOBB also reported for January 2012 that Iran topped the list for a month with 63 new companies, all limited company types with the exception of one. This is not commensurate with the level of current trade volume Iran maintains with Turkey. As of last year, the trade volume recorded $16 billion, mostly from Iranian natural gas and oil proceeds. Turkey imports some 30 percent of its oil needs from Iran, or 200,000 barrels per day, which represents over 7 percent of Iranian oil exports. Iran also meets one-third of Turkey’s natural gas demand as well. In contrast, Germany, Turkey’s largest commercial partner with $37 billion in non-energy trade, had only 36 companies established in January 2012. “It is obvious that some of these companies were established to procure goods and merchandise for the Iranian economy in clear violation of the sanctions.

They use smugglers to get the merchandise across the border with Iran,” a former senior executive of a Turkish company that has a multi-million dollar investment in Iran said. The executive spoke to Sunday’s Zaman on the condition that his name be withheld, lest it harm the business interests of his Turkish company. “Many of our contacts in Iran used to tell us that they can get anything across for the right price without any screening by customs inspectors,” he noted, adding that in some cases sensitive equipment goes to Iraq first to eventually find its way to a destination in Iran.

According to the registry list for companies provided by the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), more than half of the Iranian-funded companies in Turkey -- 1,200 to be exact -- were located in İstanbul, the largest city in Turkey, as of 2011. This corresponds to 25 percent of all foreign companies stationed in İstanbul. İTO underlines that these Iranian companies are involved in business mostly in electricity, electronics, communications and construction. Analysts point out that some of these companies are probably connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which is the military and the economic backbone of the mullah regime. Considering that the sanctions target the interests of the Revolutionary Guard, which also handles foreign currency and the black market for goods, Turkey may run afoul with its Western allies if it does not curb the activities of Iranian-funded foreign companies in Turkey.

They also warned that Iranians use Turkish partners when setting up front companies to further complicate matters for Turkish authorities. The worry is that some of these serve as a conduit to finance rallies, for example, against the government’s decision to host a US radar installation as part of a NATO missile shield system. Others use schemes like charity events and fundraising drives -- using mostly the Palestinian cause laced with anti-Semitic rhetoric -- to mobilize people in Turkey. In recent months, Syria has also been thrown into the mix under the classic imperial appetite of the West to interfere in the Middle East.

The executive said Turkey, if unchecked, is on the way to replace the United Arab Emirates as a major hub to re-export goods to and from Iran. Dubai, home to a sizable Iranian community, continues to be a leading destination for Iran to acquire goods and merchandise. The crackdown on Iranian-affiliated businesses in the UAE has apparently forced Tehran to find alternative markets to meet its domestic demand.

On many occasions, the US has already warned privately that some of the business deals between Iran and Turkey have violated US laws prohibiting the sale or transfer of American technology to Iran. Turkey played along for fear that it might have violated the terms of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act as well as the 1996-dated Wassenaar Arrangement, an export control regime for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies. Some of these violations require the administration to report to the US Congress, which may lead to possible sanctions on entities and individuals involved. Ankara is afraid that it may eventually be shunned in the matter of acquiring or leasing high-tech US military hardware.

Iran is also using the Turkish banking and finance industry to complete financial transactions for trade deals. When strong Western sanctions kick in against Iran’s central bank, Iran wants to count on Turkish financial institutions in transactions with Iranian trading partners. Turkey’s state-owned Halkbank already handles payments for Iran’s oil sales. Turkish officials say transactions go through with the consent and knowledge of US authorities. This may have to come to an end, however, when the world’s biggest electronic bank clearing system, SWIFT, declares it will block the Iranian central bank from using its network to transfer funds. In December, the US forced the partly state-owned Dubai-based Noor Islamic Bank to stop channeling billions of dollars from Iranian oil sales through its accounts.

The US signaled this week that it would put pressure on Turkey as well. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that the administration has had “very intense and very blunt” conversations with India, China and Turkey. “We’ve been aggressively reaching out to and working with countries to assist them in being able to make such significant reductions [in the purchase of petroleum],” she said. “Both on their government side and on their business side, they are taking actions that go further and deeper than perhaps their public statements might lead you to believe,” Clinton said.

The Turkish government’s increased contacts with Iran in various fields have given ample opportunities for Iranians to penetrate into Turkey. For example, Recep Akdağ, the health minister, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the Field of Health during his visit to Iran on June 23-27, 2010. The agreement is currently on the agenda in Parliament. When the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee reviewed the agreement on Jan. 25, 2012, before approving it, members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) objected to two clauses in the MoU, which said in Article 2 and 3 that both countries may cooperate “in areas deemed necessary” in addition to health. CHP members Oktay Ekşi and Aytuğ Atıcı argued that the statement is very vague and gives a blank check to the government to commit Turkey on issues that might bring irreparable damage to the country.

“This was simply the tip of the iceberg,” Atıcı told Sunday’s Zaman, blaming the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for blatantly disregarding parliamentary oversight of international treaties. “What we asked was a legitimate question posed to the government. What is the aim of this vague sentence in the MoU? We were not given any satisfactory response from either AK Party deputies or the bureaucrats from the Foreign Ministry who were present at the commission’s deliberations,” he explained. “The sad part is that unlike other laws you cannot take international treaties to the Constitutional Court. Once it is adopted on the floor, it becomes binding on Turkey,” he added.

Take this MoU with Turkish Habertürk daily’s report last month that Iran was planning to send nurses trained in espionage to spy on Turkey, based on information sent to the Interior Ministry by an unidentified source, who claimed to be an Azeri Iranian. Though the Iranian Embassy in Ankara officially denied the story, the Turkish Interior Ministry has since begun investigating Iranians who have applied to work in Turkey. It has also asked the Foreign Ministry to aid in the investigation. It is no secret that Iran has trained secret networks of agents across the Gulf States and the Middle East to attack Western interests, including Turkey’s, and incite civil unrest in the event of a military strike against its nuclear program.  (todayszaman.com, ABDULLAH BOZKURT, 4 March 2012)


Chypre et la Grèce / Cyprus and Greece

"Amis de la Syrie": Chypre se plaint de ne pas être invitée par la Turquie

La ministre des Affaires étrangères de Chypre a estimé jeudi que le refus de la Turquie d'inviter son pays à participer à la réunion des "Amis de la Syrie" ce week-end à Istanbul représentait "un problème majeur pour l'Union européenne".

"Tous les Etats membres de l'Union ont été invités à la réunion d'Istanbul. Mais pas la République de Chypre. C'est un problème majeur pour nous. Et c'est un problème majeur pour l'Union européenne", a déclaré Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis dans un entretien publié jeudi par le quotidien belge Le Soir.

"Il n'est pas acceptable qu'un Etat candidat décide qui il veut inviter de l'Union européenne. La Turquie n'a pas le droit de traiter l'Union de cette manière!", a-t-elle ajouté.

Selon une source diplomatique européenne, des discussions sont en cours à ce sujet entre l'UE et la Turquie.

La République de Chypre n'est pas reconnue par Ankara, qui reconnaît en revanche la République turque de Chypre du nord (RTCN).

Cette question embarrasse fortement l'UE car Chypre doit en occuper la présidence tournante au second semestre 2012. Ankara a menacé de remettre en question ses relations avec les 27 lors de cette période si une solution n'était pas trouvée d'ici là. En boycottant notamment Chypre.

Mme Kozakou-Marcoullis estime que l'affaire de la réunion des Amis de la Syrie "concerne l'Union, pas un seul Etat membre". "Tout le monde était à Tunis" pour la première réunion des Amis de la Syrie, précise-t-elle. "Et Chypre est le pays le plus proche de la Syrie et de la région. Nous sommes à quelque 100 kilomètres de la Syrie et du Liban".

La réunion d'Istanbul doit réunir dimanche des dirigeants arabes, turcs et occidentaux pour débattre de la stratégie à suivre en Syrie, où les violences se poursuivent malgré l'annonce par l'ONU semaine que Damas a accepté un plan de l'émissaire international Kofi Annan préconisant notamment la cessation de toute forme de violence armée. (AFP, 29 mars 2012)

Cypriot Students Teach Minister Bağış a Lesson

The Initiative of Students from Northern Cyprus protested the statement of Minister for European Affairs Egemen Bağış that "Northern Cyprus could be connected to Turkey". The group of Northern Cypriot students who are studying in Turkey's capital Ankara issued a press release in protest of Chief Negotiator and Minister Bağış.

The students gathered on the centrally located Yüksel Avenue at six o'clock on Saturday evening (10 March). They walked towards Sakarya Avenue and carried banners featuring the slogans "Turkey, Greece and England, take your hands off and withdraw your language from Cyprus" and "Remember your place, Bağış, the sovereignty of Cyprus is held by the Cypriots".

Suphi Toprak read out the press release on behalf of the Initiative of Cypriot Students. Toprak announced that they were going to continue their struggle until Cyprus was free of all colonialists.

The student declared, "All dark forces of Turkey and rulers of the island have to know that Cypriot Turks will keep clear of these games. The co-ordinated struggle to be given by Cypriot Turks and Cypriot Greeks will lead to the cleaning of the island from all the imperialist forces, all occupants, from the armies of Turkey and Greece and from the UK bases".

At the end of the press release, the students shouted slogans like "We are not a servant, we are a colony", "Occupant Turkey, get out of Cyprus" and "Long live the brotherhood of Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian peoples",

Cypriot student Celal Özkızan said in an interview with bianet that Bağış's words were expressing the policies continued by the NATO member Turkey. "Cyprus is a colony of Turkey. We want Cyprus to be independent. Yet, we want this independence to be based on anti-imperialism and the brotherhood of the peoples", Özkızan said. (BIA, Serhat KORKMAZ, 12 March 2012)

Journalists and Politicians Outraged about Minister's Proposal on Cyprus

"It might be possible to connect Northern Cyprus to Turkey" - this is the gist of a statement of Egemen Bağış, Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator, that fuelled a wave of criticism among journalists and politicians in Northern Cyprus.

In a statement released during his visit to London on Sunday (5 March), Bağış expressed the aspiration to unite both constituent states under one roof.

Bağış announced that the Turkish Republic was going to support any solution that would be accepted by the two political leaders in Southern and Northern Cyprus and both communities. This included a unification of both parts as well as no unification or also the possibility of connecting Northern Cyprus to Turkey, Bağış said.

In an announcement on Monday (5 March), Bağış said, "To those who did not want to understand my words or who misunderstood I recommend to read them again very carefully".

The Afrika and Yeni Düzen newspapers voiced the harshest criticism on Bağış's suggestion. Also politicians, trade unions and universities expressed their dissent.

"Dangerous statement"

Şener Levent, General Publications Director of the Afrika newspaper, indicated that for the first time such a suggestion was voiced officially. Levent said that he found Bağış's statement dangerous.

In a statement made to bianet, Levent said that Turkish Cypriots never wanted to be connected to Turkey. "Turkish Cypriots most of all want a united and independent Cyprus. They do not want two independents states or to be connected to Turkey", he stated.

Hüseyin Yalyalı, Secretary General of the Turkish Journalists Association of Cyprus and the Press Workers Trade Union (Basın-Sen), remarked that the Turkish Republic would never be able to realize such an undertaking.

He pointed out that Turkey was not able to connect Northern Cyprus to the state because that would mean a breach of all international agreements. Yalyalı evaluated Bağış's announcement as an attack against Cypriot and Turkish politics.

Columnist Cenk Mutluyakalı from the Yeni Düzen newspaper wrote on Monday that Northern Cyprus was already made dependent on Turkey.

"The budget of Northern Cyprus is dependent and so are the economy as well as tourism and casinos. All hotels have changed owners one by one. The Central Bank, security forces and civil defence are dependent. Banks and universities were not enough, also private colleges and even prisons are dependent. Telephone, internet, air travel and very soon electricity, water and what' left... In particular and most of all money..."

Addressing Minister Bağış, Mutluyakalı added, "Gentlemen, you might connect The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) but you will have to try hard to connect Cyprus...".

"Turkey's good intentions are questioned"

The Chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Özkan Yorgancıoğlu, assessed Bağış's words in a written statement as 'unacceptable'.

As reported in the Afrika newspaper, Yorgancıoğlu pointed to the ongoing efforts to find a solution to the Cypriot question within the UN parameters, a process that was being supported by Turkey as well. In this context, he deemed Bağış's statement a reason to question Turkey's good intentions in the negotiations. According to the politician, a grave situation was created.

"Violation of the Treaty of Guarantee"

Didem Menteş of the Yeni Düzen newspaper gave voice to the concerns of Cypriot politicians, academics and business people in her column on Monday.

The experts emphasized that connecting Northern Cyprus to Turkey would be a violation of the Treaty of Guarantee between the Republic of Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and the UK that was promulgated in 1960.

* CTP Lefkosia Deputy Özdil Nami: "This is contrary to the Treaty of Guarantee from 1960".
* İzzet İzcan, Secretary General of the United Cyprus Party (BKP): "This threatens Cypriots and the world".
* Ertuğrul Hasipoğlu, General Secretary of the National Union Party (UBP): "Turkey has no such consideration and neither do we".
* Party for Democracy and Trust (DGP) Chairman Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu: "We want the KKTC to be an independent state".
* Tahir Gökçebel, Head of the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers' Union (KTOEÖS): "Showpiece politics reached the end".
* Turkish Public Workers' Union of Cyprus (Kamu-İş) President Sami Dilek: "It is impossible to connect to Turkey".
* Chamber of Industry Chairman Ali Çıralı: "An unfortunate comment".
* Vice Dean of the Eastern Mediterranean University Faculty of Law, Assoc. Prof Tufan Erhürman: "This option is an annexation and lacks legal grounds". (BIA, 06 March 2012)

La Turquie n'exclut pas d'annexer le nord de Chypre

La Turquie n'exclut pas d'annexer purement et simplement le nord de Chypre si aucun accord n'est trouvé entre Chypriotes grecs et turcs sur la réunification de l'île divisée depuis 1974, a déclaré le ministre turc des Affaires européennes, Egemen Bagis.

Le président de la République de Chypre, Dimitris Christofias, et Dervis Eroglu, dirigeant de la «République turque de Chypre du Nord» (KKTC), uniquement reconnue par Ankara, n'ont guère fait de progrès dans les négociations en vue de réunifier l'île et le gouvernement turc ne cache pas sa frustration devant le manque d'avancées.

Les Chypriotes turcs hostiles à l'annexion

Dans une interview accordée à Londres au journal chypriote turc Kibris, Egemen Bagis souligne que son pays soutiendra tout accord conclu entre les deux parties mais qu'en cas de désaccord sur une réunification, d'autres scénarios sont possibles. Il évoque ainsi «une réunification après accord entre les deux dirigeants (chypriotes), la création de deux Etats indépendants après arrangement entre ces deux dirigeants si aucun accord n'est trouvé sur la réunification, ou alors l'annexion de la KKTC par la Turquie».

De nombreux Chypriotes turcs sont hostiles à l'annexion. Ozkan Yorgancioglu, numéro un du CTP, principal parti d'opposition dans le nord de l'île, a déclaré à la chaîne de télévision turque NTV que cette idée était «inacceptable». (Reuters, 4 mars 2012)

Immigration / Migration

25.000 personnes manifestent contre Erdogan en Allemagne

Quelque 25.000 personnes se sont rassemblées samedi à Bochum (ouest) pour manifester contre le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan qui a annulé samedi une visite en Allemagne où devait lui être remis un prix de la tolérance, selon la police allemande.

Samedi soir, peu avant la cérémonie de remise des prix, les organisateurs du prix Steiger, qui récompense des personnalités s'étant engagées pour la tolérance et pour l'humanité, ont finalement décidé de ne pas lui décerner le prix, selon l'agence allemande dpa.

Ils ont justifié leur décision par le fait que le Premier ministre turc ne faisait finalement pas le déplacement en Allemagne, selon la même source.

Mais l'attribution de ce prix a suscité une vague de protestations depuis plusieurs jours en Allemagne. L'ancien chancelier Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005) devait tenir le panégyrique au cours d'une soirée qui doit récompenser aussi la reine Silvia de Suède ou encore le chanteur Lou Reed.

Les rassemblements et manifestations organisés par différentes communautés se sont toutes déroulées dans le calme, a précisé la police de Bochum.

Le plus gros contingent de manifestants revient à la communauté alévie d'Allemagne qui a défilé dans cette ville de l'ancien bassin minier de la Ruhr où vit une importante communauté turque, selon la même source.

Beaucoup de manifestants, venus parfois des pays voisins comme la France ou la Belgique, se sont massés dans le stade de football de Bochum, selon la chaîne régionale publique WDR.

Des représentants des communautés alévie, kurde et arménienne avaient appelé à différentes manifestations pour protester contre l'attribution du prix à M. Erdogan et dénoncer les atteintes aux droits de l'homme commises selon eux par Ankara.

Ils lui reprochent notamment d'oppresser les minorités en Turquie.

Mais Erdogan a annulé son déplacement en raison de la mort, la veille, de 12 soldats turcs dans le crash d'un hélicoptère en Afghanistan, selon les services du Premier ministre. (AFP, 17 mars 2012)

Un opposant kurde risque d’être renvoyé de la Suisse vers la Turquie

La « Maison Populaire de Genève » et la « Fédération des droits démocratique en Suisse - Genève » ont été alertées par l’information faisant état de l’arrestation et d'une éventuelle expulsion vers la Turquie d’un demandeur d’asile d’origine kurde - arménien.
 
Il s’agit de Monsieur Hidir ERDOGDU, né le 1er février 1983 à Dersim (Turquie), il vit en Argovie (Suisse) depuis 7 octobre 2008 (N° Dossier : 515 322).

 M. ERDOGDU a déposé une demande d’asile à Bâle (Suisse) le 7 octobre 2008. Par une décision du 13 septembre 2011, l’Office fédéral des migrations (ODM) a rejeté sa demande.

 M. ERDOGDU a formé un recours contre cette décision le 21 octobre 2011.

Ce matin, la police d'Argovie a arrêté M. ERDOGDU, à son domicile, pour l'extrader vers la Turquie. Selon les informations à notre disposition, il est détenu actuellement dans une prison dans ce canton. L’état physique et psychologique de M. ERDOGDU est critique ; ses proches et amis sont très inquiets.

 En 2004, un procès a été lancé contre M. ERDOGDU par le Tribunal de sûreté de l'Etat d'Erzurum en raison de son appartenance politique au TKP-ML (parti communiste de Turquie, marxiste-léniniste)  et en l'accusant d'avoir tenté de changer par la force l'ordre constitutionnel établi. Le tribunal a requis la perpétuité contre M. ERDOGDU. En parallèle, les autorités turques ont lancé un mandat d'arrêt via Interpol, contre lui.
 
Nous considérons que la situation de M. ERDOGDU correspond  pleinement aux critères déterminant l’obtention du statut de réfugié politique. Il convient de réexaminer attentivement son dossier.
 
Par conséquent, nous vous demandons instamment d’intervenir auprès des autorités compétentes suisses, afin d’empêcher l’extradition de M. ERDOGDU vers la Turquie où il risque d'être torturé et persécuté.
 
A toutes fins utiles, nous vous rappelons que l’Etat turc est bien connu pour pratiquer la torture à grande échelle, ce malgré les pressions internationales et les condamnations continues de la Cour Européenne des Droits de l’Homme. Amnesty International, l’Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture, Human Right Watch ont clairement et explicitement dénoncé la pratique systématique de la torture en Turquie.
 
 De plus, l’article 33 alinéa 1 de la Convention de 1951 (et son protocole de 1967) - dont l’application est universelle pour les Etats qui l’ont ratifiée et n’admet aucune réserve - stipule qu’« aucun des Etats contractants n’expulsera ou ne refoulera, de quelque manière que ce soit, un réfugié sur les frontières des territoires où sa vie ou sa liberté serait menacée en raison de sa race, de sa religion, de sa nationalité, de son appartenance à un certain groupe social ou de ses opinions politiques. » Il en est de même pour l’article 3 alinéa 1 de la Convention contre la torture et autres peines ou traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants (1984), dont la Suisse est signataire, qui dispose qu’« aucun Etat n’expulsera, ne refoulera, ni n’extradera une personne vers un autre Etat où il y a des motifs sérieux de croire qu’elle risque d’être soumise à la torture. »

Nous sommes persuadés que, comme nous, vous refuserez d’assumer la responsabilité du renvoi d’un ressortissant turc dans un Etat antidémocratique, violent et criminel.
 
Nous vous prions de bien vouloir écrire aux instances onusiennes et aux autorités suisses:

Office fédéral des migrations
Quellenweg 6
CH-3003 Berne-Wabern
T +41 31 325 11 11, F +41 31 325 93 79

http://www.ejpd.admin.ch/content

Département fédéral de justice et police
Service d’information
Palais fédéral ouest
CH-3003 Berne
T +41 31 322 21 11, F +41 31 322 40 82

http://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/fr/misc/conform.0005.html
 
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
urgent-action@ohchr.org

Assassinat d'un imam à Anderlecht: cette terreur-là, on la connaît bien

Bahar Kimyongür*

Quand on est belgo-turc, d'origine syrienne, de parents alaouites, antifasciste et témoin "privilégié" du terrorisme, devant la mort tragique de l'imam Abdellah Dahdouh dans un attentat à caractère confessionnel visant la mosquée chiite Rida à Anderlecht, on ne peut s'empêcher de penser à l'affaire Madimak qui, le même jour, a été classée par la justice turque.

Le 2 juillet 1993, à Sivas (centre de la Turquie), un hôtel accueillant des intellectuels de gauche venus célébrer un poète alevi du XVIe siècle dénommé Pir Sultan Abdal, fut incendié par une foule hystérique hurlant "Tremblez mécréants, l'armée de Mohammed arrive" et "Nous voulons la charia".

Il y eut 37 morts (dont trois des terroristes morts accidentellement) et une soixantaine de blessés. L'armée et la police laissa faire les lyncheurs qui, pendant plus de huit heures, se sont livrés à une orgie de violence digne des célébrations du Ku Klux Klan. Le conseiller communal de la ville Cafer Erçakmak excita la foule, appelant à "tuer tous les impies". Les pompiers "dépêchés" sur les lieux avec plus de six heures de retard tabassèrent certains survivants de l'incendie.

Cinq militants salafistes ont fait l'objet de poursuites mais ils ne seront jamais retrouvés. Désormais, ils ne risquent plus d'être inquiétés car hier, soit 18 ans après les faits, il y a eu prescription.

Dans la foulée, les forces progressistes et les organisations alévies de Turquie ont battu le pavé pour protester contre l'impunité flagrante dont bénéficient les tueurs, une impunité saluée, vous avez bien lu, saluée par le premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan par la formule "hayirli olsun".

Hier, à Ankara, les policiers ont tiré en l'air pour disperser la foule des démocrates turcs en colère en raison du classement de l'affaire de Madimak. A Sivas, les victimes emprisonnées dans la fumée et les flammes de leur hôtel, n'ont pas eu droit aux coups de semonce de la police...

Revenons à présent à l'attentat commis à la mosquée Rida de Bruxelles.

Puisque l'auteur de l'incendie criminel déclare avoir agi pour se venger du sang sunnite versé par les chiites en Syrie, il est peut-être temps de se pencher sur la responsabilité des chaînes qataries et saoudiennes de désinformation, respectivement Al Jazeera et Al Arabiya. On y trouve tous les clichés de la propagande djihadiste concernant les événements en Syrie. Quant aux médias internationaux tels que France 24, BBC ou CNN, leurs analyses de la situation syrienne à l'emporte-pièce et leur lecture confessionnelle des événements n'est certainement pas innocente. Les atrocités commises  par les groupes terroristes comme le Jounoud Al Cham (Les Soldats du Levant) à Homs, Tal Kalakh et Rastan qui, depuis le départ des troupes syriennes du Liban en 2005, se sont installés et renforcés à Tripoli, sont soigneusement dissimulées par "nos" médias. Ces attentats odieux commis au sabre et au couteau sont systématiquement mis sur le compte de l'armée syrienne et des milices du régime, les "chabbihas" et ce, sans la moindre vérification. Violemment anti-chiite et changeant régulièrement de nom, ce groupe qui noyaute le mouvement syrien de contestation mène le djihad non pas pour instaurer la démocratie et la liberté d'expression mais un califat sunnite.

Par ailleurs, avec une propagande qui assimile à tort le régime laïc de Bachar El-Assad à  un "pouvoir alaouite" et les alaouites aux chiites, qu'espère-t-on obtenir comme résultat sinon l'exacerbation des clivages confessionnels ? Combien de fois faudra-t-il encore répéter qu'il y a plus de différences entre alaouites et chiites qu'entre chiites et sunnites ?

Vous voulez arrêter le terrorisme ? Commencez par en finir avec vos mensonges à propos de la Syrie.

*Bahar Kimyongür, auteur de Syriana, la conquête continue, Ed. Investig'action et Couleur Livres, Bruxelles, 2011

Un mort dans l’incendie criminel d’une mosquée à Anderlecht

Une mosquée d’Anderlecht a été incendiée peu avant 19 heures à coups de jets de cocktail Molotov. Une personne est décédée. Des centaines de personnes sous le choc se sont rassemblées devant la mosquée.

La mosquée chiite RIDA a été incendiée peu avant 19 heures et a brûlé, rue du Docteur De Meersman à Anderlecht, confirme Marie Verbeke, porte-parole de la zone de police Midi.

Vers 18h30, un homme s’est introduit dans la mosquée qui accueillait ses fidèles. Il s’agirait d’un Salafi. L’homme est entré armé d’une hache, de cocktail Molotov ainsi que d’une jerricane d’essence. Il a d’abord cassé les fenêtres à l’aide de sa hache. Puis il a envoyé plusieurs cocktail Molotov à l’intérieur de la mosquée. Les fidèles l’ont immobilisé à l’intérieur en attendant l’intervention de la police.

L’iman de la mosquée âgé de 47 ans y a laissé la vie en essayant d’éteindre l’incendie. Vers 18h45, les pompiers avaient déjà sorti une victime légèrement intoxiquée, qui n’avait pas nécessité de soin. La seconde victime, l’imam, est décédée sur place et n’a été retrouvée que sur le coup de 19h30. C’est un témoin qui a vu le pyromane mettre le feu avec de l’essence et qui a immédiatement alerté les policiers. L’incendiaire a pu être interpellé. Des centaines de personnes sont rassemblées pacifiquement devant la mosquée. Ils sont sous le choc, beaucoup de gens sont en pleurs. La police est présente massivement.

Le bourgmestre d’Anderlecht a confirmé qu’une attaque s’est produite contre la mosquée chiite de sa commune. Il semblerait, a ajouté le maïeur, sous réserve des devoirs d’enquête, qu’un seul projectile ait été lancé à l’intérieur du bâtiment et que l’auteur présumé ait été intercepté. Le bourgmestre a confirmé que la victime est décédée par intoxication.

La vice-présidente de l’Exécutif des musulmans de Belgique, Isabelle Praile, qui est elle-même chiite, se déclare « consternée » par le drame. Elle met en cause des extrémistes salafistes. La mosquée chiite Rida a effectivement déjà fait l’objet de menaces salafistes, en 2007. « Le centre islamique Rida, qui est la plus importante mosquée chiite de Bruxelles, avait déjà dû être placée sous la protection de la police, voici quelques années », précise encore Isabelle Praile. « D’après ce que je sais, un des jeunes agresseurs – ils seraient au nombre de trois – aurait évoqué la situation en Syrie pour justifier l’incendie… Je ne peux que déplorer la propagande anti-chiite que véhiculent en Belgique certains Etats, comme le Bahreïn. Manifestement, cela a poussé quelques extrémistes à commettre l’irréparable. J’appelle la communauté chiite de Belgique au calme : il ne faut pas tomber dans le piège de cette provocation. »

Sur Twitter, Fadila Laanan s’est dite « scandalisée par cet attentat dans ma commune contre une Mosquée. Un homme est mort et c’est ignoble. Rien ne peut excuser un tel acte… »

La ministre de l’Intérieur, Joëlle Milquet, a fait savoir lundi soir que, « très choquée par les faits qui se sont produits » dans une mosquée d’Anderlecht où on a déploré un décès, elle condamnait ceux-ci « avec fermeté et indignation ».

Joëlle Milquet a également précisé via son cabinet qu’elle se rendait sur place. (Le Soir, Didier Haine, 12 mars 2012)

Note de Pierre Yves-Lambert:
http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/suffrage-universel/message/5435

[Isabelle-Soumaya Praile, vice-présidente de l'Exécutif des musulmans de Belgique, a réagi côté chiite, on peut lire ses propos dans l'article du Soir ci-dessous, après l'article paru dans La Libre Belgique (*) il y a cinq ans, à propos de menaces terroristes contre la même mosquée. On attend maintenant des condamnations fermes et sans ambiguïté de la part des leaders religieux sunnites de Belgique, les Jacob Mahi, les imams cousins Toujgani et d'autres encore. Le discours anti-chiite est très présent en Belgique comme ailleurs, la haine se propage notamment via facebook, la confusion est entretenue de part et d'autre autour de la situation syrienne, et ça n'aide certainement pas à calmer les esprits quand tant certains défenseurs du régime Assad que ses détracteurs évoquent un "axe chiite" Damas-Téhéran-Hezbollah et insistent en permanence sur le caractère alaouite du régime de Damas alors qu'il y a toujours eu des opposants alaouites aux Assad père et fils, et qu'ils ont été très durement réprimés aussi. Chez les Turcs , j'entends et je lis aussi des propos similaires avec, en plus, la confusion entre Alaouites, Alévis et chiites. Pour les salafistes, ces trois groupes ne sont carrément pas musulmans, ils sont assimilés à des apostats qui ne méritent que la mort. Encore une fois, c 'est aux leaders religieux sunnites qu'il revient de faire cesser cette vague de haine meurtrière, mais ça n'est pas évident quand on sait que beaucoup de mosquées marocaines de Belgique sont contrôlées par le pouvoir marocain, lui-même atteint de chiitophobie obsessionnelle (voir mon article Querelle Maroc-Iran sur fond de persécution des chiites marocains ), une obsession qui est relayée par les "diplomates" marocains en Belgique et par leurs laquais-relais politico-associatifs. Isabelle-Soumaya Praile évoque Bahrein, mais le roi de Jordanie tient lui aussi régulièrement des propos haineux anti-chiites, idem pour les autorités égyptiennes, anciennes, nouvelles et probables futures.] *http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/article/332435/tensions-irakiennes-jusqu-a-anderlecht.html

Probablement 160.000 clandestins arrivent en Grèce tous les ans

Probablement cent soixante mille clandestins arrivent en Grèce tous les ans, a déclaré lundi Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet sur France Info, en soulignant que Nicolas Sarkozy souhaitait promouvoir une réforme de l'espace Schengen.

"On sait qu'on a un problème à la frontière entre la Grèce et la Turquie. Les Grecs annoncent 55.000 clandestins qui passent tous les ans. C'est probablement plutôt 160.000", a souligné la porte-parole de Nicolas Sarkozy, selon laquelle il s'agit là d'"évaluations européennes".

Et ces clandestins se dirigent ensuite vers "les pays les plus attractifs, en matière d'aide sociale, de conditions de droit d'asile. Ils vont beaucoup en France".

Selon une source européenne à Bruxelles, 200 personnes franchissent chaque jour clandestinement la frontière entre la Turquie et la Grèce pour tenter ensuite de gagner les autres pays de l'UE (soit environ 73.000 par an, ndlr).

Selon Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, la France enregistre chaque année 57.000 demandeurs d'asile.

Face à cette situation, Nicolas Sarkozy, avec son "énergie", sa "crédibilité" et son "expérience" dans les questions européennes, veut promouvoir la réforme de l'espace Schengen.

"On est dans un moment particulier en Europe où les dirigeants européens se parlent beaucoup, où ils ont fait un très gros travail pour pouvoir faire face à la crise économique", a souligné "NKM".

"Ce moment en Europe peut être un moment de refondation (...) et Nicolas Sarkozy dit que la refondation passe aussi par une politique migratoire commune", a-t-elle ajouté.

Le président a déjà oeuvré en faveur d'une réforme de l'espace Schengen, lors de la présidence française de l'UE en 2008, où "il a introduit l'interdiction des régularisations massives", selon la porte-parole.

"On a commencé à la réformer (la politique migratoire). On va continuer. Nicolas Sarkozy propose d'y mettre toute sa crédibilité", a-t-elle poursuivi.

La porte-parole a déploré qu'en matière économique et européenne, les socialistes "s'abstiennent", "alors qu'on est dans l'urgence".

François Hollande "manifestement" n'est pas en mesure de "dialoguer" avec les autres dirigeants européens et ne dispose pas de "l'expérience nécessaire", a conclu l'ancienne ministre de l'Ecologie. (AFP, 12 mars 2012)

Immigration illégale: la Grèce, talon d'Achille de l'UE face à la Turquie

La Grèce est devenue le talon d'Achille de l'Union européenne dans le combat contre l'immigration clandestine à cause de son incapacité à contrôler les passages à ses frontières avec la Turquie, déplorent ses partenaires qui se penchent sur le sujet jeudi.

Les ministres de l'Interieur de l'UE vont consacrer l'essentiel d'une réunion à Bruxelles à tenter de trouver les moyens d'aider la Grèce et, dans le même temps, d'exercer des pressions pour contraindre Athènes à mettre en place des conditions d'accueil conformes aux normes européennes pour les demandeurs d'asile, ont indiqué mercredi des diplomates.

Le problème est sérieux. 200 personnes franchissent chaque jour clandestinement la frontière entre la Turquie et la Grèce pour tenter ensuite de gagner les autres pays de l'UE et ce chiffre risque d'augmenter au printemps si aucune mesure n'est prise, souligne une des sources européennes.

Les pays dit de la "deuxième ligne", qui sont les destinations des clandestins, ont décidé de prendre les choses en main.

Les ministres en charge de l'asile et des migrations de l'Autriche, de la Belgique, de la France, de l'Allemagne, des Pays-Bas, de la Suède et du Royaume-Uni se sont réunis jeudi à Bruxelles pour élaborer une série d'actions.

La Turquie peut tarir le flux des clandestins. Elle est devenue le pays de transit des candidats à l'immigration vers l'UE. Des vols à bas prix sont même organisés depuis les pays d'Afrique pour les acheminer en Turquie.

Cette situation est connue de tous les dirigeants européens, mais la volonté politique manque pour donner satisfaction aux demandes de la Turquie. Ankara a notamment bloqué un accord de réadmission, car les Européens rechignent à octroyer des facilités de visas aux ressortissants turcs, souligne une source européenne.

Cette demande turque sera discutée par les Vingt-Sept jeudi, précise un communiqué publié mercredi à l'issue de la réunion des "sept".

La porosité de la frontière entre la Grèce et la Turquie est l'affaire de tous les membres de l'UE, car elle est une des frontières extérieures de l'espace Schengen.

La gestion de cet espace sans passeports de la Finlande au Portugal et de la France à la Hongrie va d'ailleurs être reprise en main par les gouvernements.

Des mesures de sauvegarde, comme le rétablissement de contrôles aux frontières nationales des pays de l'Espace, pourront être prises en cas de pressions migratoires exceptionnelles.

Pour éviter de telles extrémités, des mécanismes d'alerte sont prévus et des actions pourront être exigées des pays à risque pour leur éviter d'être débordés.

Les Pays-Bas, qui bloquent les adhésions de la Roumanie et de la Bulgarie à Schengen, insistent eux sur la lutte contre la corruption.

Les discussions de jeudi avec Athènes vont également porter sur l'asile. La Grèce avait été sommée en janvier de mettre en place des conditions d'accueil conformes aux normes européennes pour les demandeurs d'asile.

La situation a été condamnée par la Cour Européenne de Justice et aucun demandeur d'asile entré par la Grèce ne peut être renvoyé dans ce pays.

Le secrétaire d'Etat allemand à l'Intérieur Ole Schröder avait dénoncé ce problème en janvier. "En 2011, 5.000 demandeurs d'asile venus par la Grèce ont été gardés en Allemagne. Ce pays (la Grèce, ndlr) doit assumer ses responsabilités et mettre en place un système d'asile", avait-il tonné.

"La Grèce n'a pas assez de capacité de rétention. Ce n'est pas un problème d'argent, mais la conséquence d'une incapacité des autorités grecques à identifier leurs besoins et à absorber les fonds européens", a expliqué un responsable européen sous couvert de l'anonymat.  (AFP, 7 mars 2012)

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