Subject: TURKEY/TRIAL BY AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA
Topic: voa
From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)
 
DATE=4/17/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-177135
TITLE=TURKEY/TRIAL
BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  FOUR HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVISTS IN TURKEY'S MAINLY KURDISH 
SOUTHEAST REGION HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM JAIL.  BUT AS AMBERIN 
ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, THEIR TRIAL WILL CONTINUE ON CHARGES 
THEY COLLABORATED WITH THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR 
P-K-K..

TEXT:  A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION IN 
THE SOUTHEASTERN CITY OF DIYARBAKIR WHERE THE TRIAL IS TAKING 
PLACE CONFIRMED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS RELEASED FOUR OF THE 
SEVEN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS INDICTED ON CHARGES OF SPREADING 
SEPARATIST PROPAGANDA ON BEHALF OF THE P-K-K.  THE SPOKESMAN, 
UMIT ERKOL, ADDED THAT THE CHARGES AGAINST THEM HAD  NOT  BEEN 
DROPPED AND THAT THEIR TRIAL WOULD CONTINUE ALONG WITH THAT OF 
ANOTHER ACTIVIST WHO WAS NEVER ARRESTED, HUSEYIN YILDIZ.

MR ERKOL SAID THAT TWO OTHER ACTIVISTS, WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE RUN 
SINCE THE STATE SECURITY COURT ORDERED THEIR ARREST LAST YEAR, 
WOULD CONTINUE TO BE TRIED IN ABSENTIA.  HE ADDED THAT ORDERS TO 
DETAIN THE PAIR WERE  NOT  REVOKED DURING A HEARING MONDAY. 

THE SPECIAL SECURITY COURT WHICH DEALS WITH CASES COVERED BY 
TURKEY'S CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-TERROR LAW IS SEEKING UPTO 20 YEARS 
FOR THE ACTIVISTS FOR HAVING PUBLISHED BOOKLETS WHICH LIST HUMAN 
RIGHTS VIOLATION THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE MAINLY KURDISH 
SOUTHEAST REGION SINCE THE START OF THE P-K-K'S 11-YEAR WAR FOR 
AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE.

SCORES OF OBSERVERS FROM INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS WERE 
ON HAND FOR THE HEARING, IN A SIGN OF MOUNTING WESTERN CONCERN 
ABOUT TURKEY'S POOR HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD.

MR ERKOL SAYS THE DECISION TO RELEASE THE FOUR LAWYERS IS AN 
ENCOURAGING SIGN THAT WESTERN PRESSURE IS BEGINNING TO HAVE AN 
EFFECT.

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SAYS IT WILL VOTE DOWN A CRUCIAL FREE 
TRADE AGREEMENT WHEN IT MEETS IN SEPTEMBER IF TURKEY DOES  NOT  
MOVE TO END HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND IF IT DOES  NOT  RELEASE FIVE
KURDISH OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IMPRISONED FOR THEIR ALLEGED 
LINKS WITH THE P-K-K.

TURKEY'S RECENT INCURSION INTO NORTHERN IRAQ HAS PROVOKED FURTHER
PROTESTS FROM ITS EUROPEAN ALLIES AMID REPORTS OF CIVILIAN 
CASUALTIES DURING THE OFFENSIVE AGAINST P-K-K GUERRILLAS.

THE UNITED STATES HAS JOINED EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS IN ASKING 
TURKEY TO PULL OUT AN ESTIMATED 32-THOUSAND TROOPS DEPLOYED IN 
THE REGION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  TURKEY SAYS IT CAN DO SO ONLY 
WHEN THEIR JOB IS DONE.  (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/MH/JWH

17-Apr-95 10:39 AM EDT (1439 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America