Stop the persecution of DTP in Turkey

May 5, 2009
PRESS RELEASE
Stop the persecution of DTP in Turkey

The Turkish state must immediately put an end to persecution of members of the pro-Kurdish party DTP. The EU, Sweden and the international community should be able to play a more active roll and put pressure on Turkey. That was one of the conclusions drawn last week at the Left Party’s conference in the EU Parliament on the situation in Turkey: “The Kurdish human rights situation – A lasting peace and democratic development?”

In the March 29 election, the Democratic Society Party, DTP, made major gains. They doubled the number of DTP mayors, from 50 to over 100. At the same time, fully 100 leading members of DTP have been detained by Turkish authorities for alleged connection to terrorism or “insulting Turkishness” (according to Article 301 of the Turkish constitution).

“It is obvious that the Turkish state is incapable of accepting the DTP’s electoral success. We will be pressuring Turkey to release all of the prisoners and stop the repression,” says Jens Holm, MEP, GUE/NGL and the Swedish Left Party.
In the major city of Diyarbakir in eastern Turkey, the DTP’s candidate, Osman Baydemir, was elected mayor. He now risks being sent to prison on terrorism charges as the result of a farcical judicial process that has been initiated against him.

“The charges against Osman Baydemir must be immediately withdrawn. If he, as a duly elected representative for one of Turkey’s largest cities, can be charged with terrorism, no-one is safe,” says Berivan Öngörur, the Swedish Left Party, candidate to the EU Parliament.

On July 1, Sweden assumes the Presidency of the EU. Amineh Kakabaveh, Member of the Swedish Parliament for the Left Party, feels this would be a fitting occasion for pushing for better conditions in Turkey.

“The Left Party and I will work to see that the Swedish government makes a point of taking up the situation for Kurds and other minorities,” she says.

More information:
Jens Holm, tel: +46 76 847 03 28
Berivan Öngörur, tel: +46 70 955 88 47
Amineh Kakabaveh, tel:  +46 76 130 12 36

 


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