Turkey: Yurtcu criticizes/IHD closed

[IG-H at TRILOS.han.de]

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                                                       Hannover, 16.08.97.

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                    Yurtcu criticizes new press amnesty law
                                       
     * IHD Deputy Chairman Sakar said the move by the parliament was not
       an progressive step, but instead was a 'cover-up'
       
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   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - Journalist Isik Yurtcu, who is currently serving the third
   year of his almost 16-year jail sentence in the northwestern province
   of Tekirdag, said he was not pleased by the parliamentary approval of
   an amnesty for press members, saying the law was "not enough," the
   Anatolia news agency reported.
   
   Parliament earlier approved the bill issuing "partial amnesty" for
   press members currently serving prison sentences.
   
   The bill grants conditional amnesty for only newspaper editors who
   have been charged or convicted of publishing material containing
   criminal elements, by releasing them from jail and suspending their
   sentence for three years.
   
   "It is not enough to suspend the charges and sentences [against
   journalists]. The essential thing here is the release of all those who
   were jailed because they expressed their own opinions. Expression
   should not be considered a crime. We want serious efforts undertaken
   to resolve this issue. We must save ourselves from the disgrace of
   regarding expression a "crime" in a country which is trying to
   democratize itself. There should be amendments in the Anti-Terrorism
   Law and the Turkish Penal Law," Yurtcu said.
   
   Yurtcu, the former editor of the banned pro-Kurdish daily, Ozgur
   Gundem, said his release was supported by various journalists'
   associations both at home and abroad. Speaking on the imprisonment of
   journalists, Yurtcu said: "This is a problem for all journalists."
   
   The objections against the new press amnesty law did not only come
   from Yurtcu. The deputy chairman of the Human Rights Organization
   (IHD), Mahmut Sakar, also said the bill was not a positive step toward
   "freedom of expression." He said it was rather the product of an
   approach attempting to restrict the freedom of expression.
   
   Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Sakar said the move by
   Parliament was not an progressive step, but instead, was a "cover-up."
   He also said he was suspicious of earlier statements by the government
   that they intended to remove the Emergency Rule from the country's
   eastern and southeastern regions.
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                       Trial begins in IHD closure case
                                       
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   Turkish Daily News
   
   Ankara - An Istanbul court began on Friday to hear the case against
   the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD). Prosecutors
   are asking the court to order the IHD to cease its activities.
   
   Ercan Kanar, the head of the IHD's Istanbul branch, said that the
   association has been defending human rights without regard to race,
   language, religion, or gender. He denied that the IHD did anything
   contrary to human rights.
   
   Prosecutors contend the IHD encouraged enmity among the population and
   incited hatred by discriminating on the basis of race, region,
   language and religion. The IHD leaders face sentences of one to three
   years in prison.

- -- 
Press-Agency Ozgurluk: http://www.ozgurluk.org
The struggle for human right, freedom, justice and democracy in Turkey
and Kurdistan
Mailinglistinfo: petidomo at ozgurluk.xs4all.nl

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