Turkey must address Kurdish question to join EU

5.34.48pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 23rd Apr 2004

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has condemned the confirmation by a state security court in Turkey of the 15-year sentence on Kurdish MP Leyla Zana and three of her colleagues.

She is also questioning the EU and British government about the recent EU classification of the Kurdistan People's Congress (KONGRA-GEL) as a terrorist organisation.

She said: "I am a strong supporter of Turkey's bid to join the EU as long as it meets European democratic and human rights standards. There have been big improvements in laws passed, but progress on the ground - such as freedom to use the Kurdish language - is frustratingly slow."

"Leyla Zana is a recipient of the European Parliament's Sakharov prize for freedom, Amnesty International considers the four 'prisoners of conscience' and the European Commission has called them political prisoners. Turkey must listen to this advice and stop persecuting Kurdish representatives for trying to uphold their Kurdish identity."

"The abolition of the notorious state security courts, which act simply as agents of the reactionary security services, is long overdue."

Baroness Ludford is also raising questions with the EU and British authorities as to the evidence on which KONGRA-GEL has been labelled a terrorist organisation:

"While I utterly condemn violence for political ends, it is important not to suppress legitimate channels for peaceful dialogue. Both Turkey and the Kurds must make efforts for a political rather than military solution for the Kurdish region."

Note

Leyla Zana spoke Kurdish in the Turkish parliament in 1991, but she was then accused and convicted of supporting terrorism and the paramilitary PKK. Her colleagues were similarly treated. The European Court of Human Rights (not an EU body) ruled the original trial was unfair, and a new trial was held. There can be an appeal to a higher court.

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