Subject: flash bulletin 011200
From: Internationale Initiative (info@freedom-for-ocalan.com)
Date: Fri Dec 01 2000 - 07:10:24 CST
International Initiative
Freedom for Ocalan - Peace in Kurdistan
P.O. Box 100511, D-50445 Koeln
Telephone: +49 221 130 15 59
Fax: +49 221 139 30 71
E-Mail: info@freedom-for-ocalan.com
Url: www.freedom-for-ocalan.com
FLASH BULLETIN 1. DECEMBER:
www.freedom-for-ocalan.com/bulletin
1. "Akin Birdal sues Gen. Cevik Bir", former Human Rights Association Chairman Akin Birdal sues former Chief of General Staff Gen. Cevik Bir, accusing Bir of launching a smear campaign against him.
2. "Constitutional Court chief justice hints at possibility of Kurdish TV", chief justice of the Constitutional Court Mustafa Bumin mentions that Kurdish TV broadcasting may be forthcoming following a review of the Constitution and further government and court deliberations.
3. "Their death is close", the wound that bleeds, covers all the surroundings. Death is coming closer every day. Prisoners inside, and their relatives outside step -step heading toward death.
4. "Step back on F-type prisons?", Showing around Sincan F-Type Prison?s cells to journalists, Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk stated that they would not open F-type (cell-type) prisons for the time being while asking for the political prisoners to stopp death fast actions.
5. "Albright´s contact for Turkey´s acession period to EU", as the US Administration emphasizes its support for Turkey's accession period, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is backing Turkey.
6. "Kurdish didn´t divide Iran" a speech delivered in the Kurdish language in the Iranian Parliament was for the first time broadcast live over state radio. Kurdish deputy Jelalizadeh, who made the speech, called for a cessation of repression against the Kurds.
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1. - Turkish Daily News - "Akin Birdal sues Gen. Cevik Bir":
Former Human Rights Association Chairman Akin Birdal sues former Chief of General Staff Gen. Cevik Bir, accusing Bir of launching a smear campaign against him
ANKARA
Former Human Rights Association (IHD) Chairman Akin Birdal has sued former Chief of General Staff Gen. Cevik Bir, accusing Bir of launching a smear campaign against him. A copy of the indictment was sent to the Turkish Daily News by Birdal's lawyer, Sedat Aslantas. It states that while Gen. Bir was Chief of General Staff, a "memo" was circulated detailing a "Powerful Action Plan" in which Birdal along with a number of respected journalists were to be implicated in a conspiracy linking them to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatist terrorist organization and its leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Birdal states that as a result of this "memo," which the General Staff maintains was an "internal staff exercise," he was subjected to numerous threats on his life. including one assassination attempt which left him fighting for his life after being shot seven times. The comments associating Birdal and others with the PKK were said to come from Semdin Sakik, the IHD's second-in-command, who at the time had been captured and was being interrogated.
Gen. Bir is consequently being accused by Birdal of breaking Article 283 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) by leaking to the press libelous material implicating Birdal in crimes that were never committed; of breaking Article 311/1-4 of the TCK because the allegations broadcast in the press and on television led to an actual assault on Birdal and were, therefore, incitement to commit a crime; of breaking Article 480/1 in that he used the press to publish lies about Birdal resulting in his personal rights being violated, constituting an insult; of breaking Article 240 in that Bir was technically a civil servant and was on duty at the time the crime was committed; and of breaking Article 285 in that he committed libel through statements he tried to attribute to Sakik and which he tried to get him to sign.
2. - Turkish Daily News - "Constitutional Court chief justice hints at possibility of Kurdish TV":
Chief justice of the Constitutional Court Mustafa Bumin mentions that Kurdish TV broadcasting may be forthcoming following a review of the Constitution and further government and court deliberations
ANKARA
Mustafa Bumin, chief justice of the Constitutional Court, said during the visit to him by Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi that new arrangements to enable Kurdish TV to be broadcast were currently being considered.
In response to a question on whether broadcasting in Kurdish would require an amendment to the Constitution or not, Bumin said: "The Constitution sees Turkish as the official language in a unitary state system. Therefore it is impossible to have it [Kurdish] as an official language of course. A new arrangement is being considered in order to let these people have a broadcasting facility of their own which will allow them to practice their own culture in their region. It is not yet possible to discuss the full scope of the measures being considered. It could be designed in such a way so as not to contradict the Constitution."
Stating that he did not wish to discuss the Kurdish TV issue any further Bumin said they would decide whether or not the issue contradicted the Constitution when it was proposed.
During Izgi's visit Bumin also mentioned that the close cooperation that existed between Parliament and the Constitutional Court today -- just as it had in the past -- would significantly contribute to jurisprudence. Bumin said that they would further enhance this cooperation.
Izgi said he was pleased to pay a courtesy visit following Bumin's visit to him several days earlier. Stating that the legislative body had always taken the decisions made by the Constitutional Court into account, Izgi expressed his views on the recent statements by Senkal Atasagun, undersecretary of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT): "Atasagun expressed his personal views ... I would not like to comment further on the issue."
The speaker was reminded by journalists that the Motherland Party (ANAP) and Democratic Left Party (DSP) were to submit a proposal to obstruct the closure of political parties and was asked to state his opinion as a Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy and Parliament speaker. Izgi said: "There is a hearing currently going on concerning the Virtue Party (FP) in the Constitutional Court. Therefore it would be inappropriate to comment on the issue at the moment." For his part Bumin gave the same reason for not commenting on the matter.
3. - Kurdish Observer - "Their death is close":
The wound that bleeds, covers all the surroundings. Death is coming closer every day. Prisoners inside, and their relatives outside step -step heading toward death.
ISTANBUL
Prisoners that are on hunger strike to protest single cell prisoners are heading toward death with their relatives because the public is not very sensitive. Some artists are opening their doors to the relatives of hunger strikers and complained that the public was not very sensitive.
Their number is now 132
Currently, 816 prisoners from 17 prisons are on hunger strike to protest the single cell prisons. 99 prisoners among them, converted their strike to "hunger strike until death" after 30th day. Then, 33 people more joined them on the 41st day. Thus, currently 133 prisoners are on the "hunger strike until death".
The Justice Ministry released a statement by saying, "We will continue establishing single cell prisons". The prisoners and detainees said, "Whatever the consequence is, we will continue our hunger strike." This situation reminds the drama that took place in 1996.
Support the families of prisoners
The hunger strike in 1996 resulted in 12 deaths and hundreds injures. Families said that when they did not see strong reaction from the public, they also went on hunger strike to support their kids. Currently, 20 relatives of the prisoners on the "hunger strike until death" in Istanbul, Ankara, Adana and Bursa. In many cities, "three days hunger strike for support" campaigns started. In Istanbul, four relatives who are on hunger strike for 17 days, are spending their days at the house of some artists.
Sukran Agdas, Senay Hanoglu, Gulsum Ada, and Fatma Sener, relatives of the prisoners who went on strike to support their children spent 10 days in actor Bilgesu Erenus's house, 4 days in theater actor Mahmut Gokgoz's house and lastly theater actor Mumtaz Sevinc opened his house to them. Yesterday, officials from Istanbul branch of HADEP (People's Democratic Party), IHD (Human Rights Association), DBP(Democracy and Peace Party), ODP(Freedom and Democracy Party) and EMEP(Labor Party) went to actor Mumtaz Sevinc's house to visit relatives of the prisoners.
Single cell will take prisoners to death
Sukran Agdas , the spokesperson for the protesters said, "I lost my child. I tried all the democratical paths for justice. They dragged me on the grounds from my hair and they broke my ribs. I do not understand politics. However, we will not let them to put our kids in the cells. Our children are sacrificing their bodies to prevent the cells and we will follow them. You will see slowly we will die in the cells and outside (The relatives). We will continue until they accept our demands. If they put nail in the prisoners' body in the wards that have 100 people, can you imagine what would they do to our kids in the cells when they are alone? We do not trust the government. Instead of waiting for our kids to die inside, we will to go death together. May be, one day our kids will come out of the jail or they will die inside but the single cell will remain for other prisoners. That is why we want to prevent this from now. In 1996, no one said anything until bodies came out of the prisons. Do they want this now? We may die, but the single cell prisons will be abolished."
Theater actor Mumtaz Sevinc said that as an artist he could not be silent to the single cell prisons and that was why he opened his door to the relatives of the prisoners. Sevinc called on the artists and the society to act before it was too late. Sevinc said that they might also join the hunger strike to raise public awareness.
In the meantime, Ankara Bar's Association Chairman Sadik Erdogan said, "Tens of prisoners from many prisoners are on hunger strike. A stubborn attitude is going on. We call on the officials to be sensitive on this matter and prevent prisoners from dyeing because of hunger strike."
4. - Kurdish Observer - "Step back on F-type prisons?:
Showing around Sincan F-Type Prison?s cells to journalists, Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk stated that they would not open F-type (cell-type) prisons for the time being while asking for the political prisoners to stopp death fast actions.
ANKARA / IZMIR
Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk asked for ending of hunger strikes and death fasts as soon as possible. Turk said, "At the moment opening F-type prisons is out of question. Nor any transfer to these prisons is possible."
Turk, after giving information about the properties of the cell-type prisons on a press conference, reminded that prisoners launched hunger strike in prisons and in some of the prisons there were death fast actions, and said that the number of prisoners in hunger strike was 385 and on death fast 100. He continued to say: "Most of the demands are of a political program. There is not any meaning and usefullnes of the actions. We are waiting for them to stop the hunger strikes and death fast actions as soon as possible. At present it is out of question to open F-type prisons. These prisons are just constructed yet they have no personnel. There is not any prisoner there. Nor there is any thought about transfering them to these prisons."
House arrest
Minister of Justice Turk spoke at the opening ceremony of "Seminar on Social Sanctions and Measures" organized by European Council and Justice Ministry. Stating that there had been any opportunity to carry out social sanctions and measures in law at the past, but the path to them would be opened with some of the projects on the stage of being over, Turk continued as follows: "Suspects, defendants or convicts may serve their sentences within the society in place of prisons. Of course this is not relevant for every criminals. Instead of penalties depriving of freedom, it may be that the convicts are educated or employed at the public institutions according to his legal position. Alt and sick convicts could serve their sentences at home. Women sentenced up to 6 months could serve their sentences at home, being controlled by electronic apparatus. At the center of criminal law there is human-being. The aim is to educate them and to regain them to the society, not to put them within 4 walls. The new Turkish Criminal Law is being prepared with the vision of this object. Social sanctions and measures will be carried out with this new law. These sanctions and measures will be more efficient than sentences depriving of freedom."
F-type Prison is the second punishment
Chairman of Izmir Lawyers Association Noyan Ozkan stated that prison problem is not only related to the certain period in Turkey, emphasizing that detainees and convicts had made total of 726 days hunger strikes within the last 20 years.
Ozkan, in a press conference, discussed the report on F-type prisons by the Association and the new situation in prisons. Mentioning that the death fast action by 102 detainees and convicts in 14 prisons passed its 40th day, said the following: "27 detainees and convicts have been killed and 265 of them have been seriously wounded due to violent attacks, some of them culminating to massacre within the last 5 years. The problems arising from lack of a democratic structure and rights violations is reduced to solely a security problem by governments. The Ministry of Justice states dangerous criminal would be put into F-type prisons. According to this view a journalist is a dangerous criminal for an article he wrote. Youths from Manisa who are declared to be members of an illegal organization for they have written slogans on the wall are dangerous criminals. The solution is not constructing prisons having intensive security measures. The government and the Justice Ministry, as always, address a wrong place for the solution. The approach to the detainees and convicts should be changed. The rights and responsibilities of the detainees and convicts should be arranged not by circulars but laws. The conditions of nutrition, health and cleanliness in the prisons should be improved. An independent prosecution office in charge of executions of the sentences should be formed."
5. - Macedonian Press Agency / Cumhurriyet - "Albright´s contact for Turkey´s acession period to EU":
As the US Administration emphasizes its support for Turkey's accession period, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is backing Turkey.
US State Department Speaker, Richard Boucher, said the US Administration is in contact with European countries for Turkey's full EU membership. He added, "We support Turkey's full EU membership and we always will.
Ms. Albright discussed this issue with both Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou in Vienna. She has also discussed Turkey's status and its accession period with other European Foreign Ministers."
6. - IRNA / Kurdish Observer - "Kurdish didn´t divide Iran":
A speech delivered in the Kurdish language in the Iranian Parliament was for the first time broadcast live over state radio. Kurdish deputy Jelalizadeh, who made the speech, called for a cessation of repression against the Kurds.
IRNA / NEWSCENTER
Kurdish deputies in the Iranian Parliament sharply criticized the government for failure to halt the repression against Sunni Kurds in east Kurdistan. Deputy Jelal Jelalizadeh from the capital of the state of Kurdistan, Sine (Sanandaj), gave a historic speech in the Parliament on Tuesday. In the 12-minutes speech, which was broadcast live over state radio, Jelalizadeh accused the government of carrying out murders in Kurdistan and of repressing the Sunni Kurds. Most of the 21 Kurdish deputies listening to the speech and President Mohammed Khatemi were pleased that the subject of the series of murders of Kurdish intellectuals in the region before Khatemi came to power had come onto the agenda. Some of the Iranian deputies who do not know Kurdish, on the other hand, showed reaction to the speech being delivered in this language.
In a statement made on Wednesday to Ozgur Politika, Kurdish deputy Jelalizadeh said he had been receiving phone calls from everywhere since the evening before and that people were congratulating him.
Jelalizadeh stressed that there was a campaign of "repression, serial murder, and banning of the faith" against Sunni Kurds. Jelalizadeh, who entered Parliament in elections six months ago, called for Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and President Mohammed Khatemi to stop the continuing repression and to solve the murders. He also denounced the destruction of the Sunni Feiz Mosque in the northwest city of Mashhad and called on the Tehran municipality to lift its ban against Sunni mosques in the city.
Eight million of Iran's 65-million population is of the Sunni faith. The great majority of the remainder are Shi'ites. The Sunnis, particularly the 2.5 million in the state of Kurdistan, are under great pressure from the state.
Meanwhile, on the same day that Jelalizadeh was criticizing the government, Davud Hasanzadegan, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Article 90 Commission, released a statement saying that they would investigate the serial murders in the country. Hasanzadegan said that the Parliamentary Foreign Relations and National Security Commissions had investigated the incidents thus far, but that this matter entered their own sphere of authority and that they would conduct investigations. The National Security Commission had listened to a number of victims' attorney and persons involved in a number of cases in the scope of their investigations. Hasanzadegan said that they would make announcements to the public next week about a portion of the files concerning the investigations after they receive the documents from the National Security Commission.
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