Legal Proceedings to Close HAK-PAR
General State Prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu has begun legal proceedings in the Constitutional Court to close down HAK-PAR (Party for Rights and Freedom) just 31 days after its founding. The party has been accused that their articles of association and their programs strive towards overthrowing the indivisibility of the state. The 14-page indictment claims they intend to amend constitutional articles on the indivisibility of the Turkish state and the nation and on the state’s official language. HAK-PAR are further accused of claiming that minorities exist in Turkey who are differentiated by their culture or language. They want to protect, develop and broaden non-Turkish languages and cultures and thereby to establish minorities. (Source: Radikal, 14.03.02)
 

State of Emergency Extended Again in North Kurdistan 
The Turkish parliament have extended to the end of July the states of emergency in four mainly Kurdish inhabited provinces in the southeast of the country. States of emergency in the provinces of Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sirnak and Tunceli have now been extended for the 45th time since 1987. The government and military justify this on the grounds that there are still several hundred fighters from the PKK located in the southeast of Turkey. (Source: dpa, 13.03.02)
 

Yes to Broadcasting in Kurdish But No Grounds for Jubilation
According to the news broadcaster NTV, the Turkish Cabinet will soon reach a resolution which will permit the transmission of programs in Kurdish, probably for half an hour per day, on one of the four state TV channels from “TRT” and the radio station “Voice of Turkey”. 
According to NTV’s report, the Turkish TV and Radio Authority RTÜK had proposed an amendment to the broadcasting law which would be in line with French legislation, whereby public broadcasters must transmit programs in the Corsican language on several days of the week. 
Prior to their decision the government had requested the country’s intelligence services to submit their opinion on whether broadcasts in Kurdish should be permitted. NTV also said that even the military and police authorities advised that programs in languages other than Turkish should only be permitted with “restrictions and controls”. 
Kurdish TV is categorized in the EU under the rubric “Cultural Rights for Minorities” and is seen as belonging to the Copenhagen Criteria which Turkey must fulfill prior to any entry negotiations. As the date draws nearer for the implementation of specific reforms in the so-called “timetable” – the deadline for the initial block of reforms was March 19th –internal political debate has become increasingly tense. 
A peak was reached in this debate in the recent appearance at a public event of the War Academy by the General Secretary of the Turkish National Security Council, General Tuncer Kilinc, who said that the EU would never be prepared to accept Turkey as a full member, that Turkey should focus on its own interests and not allow itself to be dictated to by Brussels and that it was time to consider other foreign policy options. There was an immediate statement that these comments only reflected the General’s personal opinion. However, they do reveal that there is a section within Turkey which see EU institutions as opponents rather than partners. 
Rhetoric from the ultra-nationalistic coalition party MHP has also intensified over the recent weeks, which has led to severe strain with the other two partners. The imminent cabinet decision is expected to diffuse this tension because the one side is hoping that it sends a positive signal to Brussels while the MHP believe that, after making this minimal compromise, they will be able to then block any further reforms. (Source: taz, 12.03.02)
 

AI Urgent Action: Risk of Torture and Ill-Treatment,
Ferhat Yorulmaz at Risk of “Disappearance”
While it is known that Ferhat Yorulmaz (18) was arrested on March 8 2002, the police deny holding him in custody. He is therefore at great risk of being tortured or of becoming a victim of a “disappearance”.
It is claimed that Ferhat Yorulmaz was arrested, along with other people, at around 1.00am in Bismil in the province of Diyarbakir by police in civilian clothing. The authorities have confirmed that the other people were being detained in the Anti-terror Section of Diyarbakir’s police headquarters. But they deny that Ferhat Yorulmaz is also being held there. 
His lawyers have requested information on his whereabouts from the state prosecutor in Diyarbakir, but without success. Ferhat Yorulmaz had apparently already been arrested by police a month ago but had been released under orders from the general state prosecutor. (Source: UA 71/02, ai-Index: EUR 44/018/2002, 11. März 2002 – sjh. This Urgent Action is limited to 22nd April 2002. The complete text is available under: www.kurden.de)

International Campaign for the Release of the Journalist Memik Horuz
An international campaign has commenced for Memik Horuz, editor of the Turkish newspaper Özgür Gelecek (Free Future). Horuz has been detained in Sincan prison in Istanbul since 18th June 2001. He had been initially accused of interviewing a guerilla leader. As soon as this charge had been dropped, he was then accused of being a member of an illegal organization. His case was to be heard again on March 18th. 
Memik Horuz, father of 2 children, has worked for Özgür Gelecek since 1993 and is one of 4 journalists from the Left who have been subjected in Turkey to persecution and threats He spent several years in prison during the 1980s. 
The international campaign for his release is being jointly organized by the International League of People's Struggle (ILPS), for whom Horuz is its deputy head, the People’s Right Watch-Belgium (PRW) and the International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL). It is being coordinated from Brussels. (Source: ILPS, 08.03.02; Further information available from: Dr. Anne Van Mackelenbergh (Campaign Coordinator), People's Rights Watch Belgium, Broederminstraat 42, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium, Email: prwatch@hotmail.com, Tel: 0032-486-219017)

Fogg Case Begins: Perincek Liable to 3 Years Imprisonment
The Istanbul chief state prosecutor has completed his investigation into the case of Karen Fogg and has begun proceedings against Dogu Perincek, leader of the Workers Party IP and chief columnist of the weekly publication Aydinlik. Perincek and one of the newspaper’s directors, Emcet Olcaytu, had published emails from the EU-commission’s Turkish representative, Karen Fogg, beginning a smear campaign against her. 
The offence is based on Article 525 of the Turkish Penal Code concerning the misuse of programs, data and other automated systems with the aim of injuring a third party. Both defendants are liable to prison sentences of up to 3 years plus a high financial penalty. (Source: TDN, 12.03.02)
 

Iraqi Provocation in Kurdistan
Iraqi troops near the borders of the free region of Kurdistan are persistently harassing citizens and perpetrating regular acts of violence against them. The newspaper Kurdistan News reported that Iraqi military units disrupt and ambush traffic between Iraqi areas and the Kurdistan region. 
They recently opened fire on a vehicle convoy carrying fuel near the town of Kifri. A few weeks ago Iraqi soldiers murdered the Kurd Fazil Amin in a similar ambush on the same road. (Source: Kurdistan Newsline No. 12 from 12.03.02, Kifri, 26.02.02)
 

Middle East Countries Critical of a US Military Strike Against Iraq 
In the run-up to the 10-day trip by US Vice President Dick Cheney, Jordanian King Abdullah and Turkish Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit have warned the USA against a military strike against Iraq. It would destabilize the region and weaken the economies of 2 of Washington’s closest allies.
Their comments represent a growing consensus amongst leaders in the region who are against a military strike. Turkey’s economy is particularly dependent on the region’s stability. Prime Minister Ecevit said recently in Turkish TV, “ One can not expect new investment in Turkey so long as the Iraq question is hanging over us like a nightmare”. 
King Adullah stated a military strike against Iraq would be catastrophic not only for Iraq but also for the whole region and would put at risk the security and stability of the region. 
Cheney will certainly hear similar opinions throughout his trip around the Arab states. 
Arab leaders fear a counter strike by Iraq and divisions along ethnic lines. Turkey fears a Kurdish state on its borders which would then have influence on Kurds in its own country. (Source: Washington Post, 11.03.02) 
 

Saddam Hussein Representative in Kirkuk
As a sign of nervousness within the Iraqi regime and as preparation against a possible US attack, Al-Douri, a high-ranking official in the Baath Party and Saddam Hussein’s representative, recently visited the town of Kirkuk to inspect the military and security situation there. He met with intelligence services and Party and military officials, including Mohammad Zamam Abdul Razzak, the Baath Party member responsible for Kirkuk, Mosul and Qais, as well as Abdul Razzak Al-Athami, the Iraqi governor of Kirkuk. According to sources from Kurdistan Newsline, Al-Douri instructed the officials to intensify their vigilance and readiness in the border regions to Kurdistan in the case of a possible strike against Iraq. 
The Iraqi intelligence service Mukhabarat also appealed to Arab clans living in Tikrit, Samara and Alam to move themselves closer to the regions of Kurdistan. A variety of incentives are being offered such as the supply of cost-free electricity, water and agricultural equipment. A well supported Iraqi project was recently completed to supply water to Arab settlements in the Kirkuk region. Villages with traditional Kurdish names have been renamed into Arabic. (Source: Kurdistan Newsline No. 12 from 12.03.02, Kirkuk, 27.02.02)
 

UN-Organization for Food and Agriculture FAO Calls for Long-Term Strategy on Water Supply in Middle East
Prior to World Water Day due to be held on 22.03.2002, the UN Organization for Food and Agriculture FAO in Tehran has called for a long-term strategy on water supply in the Middle East. FAO General Director Jacques Diouf said that 6% of the world’s population live in the region but have only one and a half percent of the world’s fresh water supply. Agricultural Ministers from nearly 30 countries will be taking part in the conference.
Diouf said that its aims were greater efficiency in water management, increasing water supply and increasing agricultural production. The FAO expressed its concern for the continued water shortages in Somalia and Afghanistan where 70-75% of the population were under nourished. Malnourishment had also increased in Iraq and the Palestinian regions. (Source: dpa, 13.03.02)
 

Russia Calls for Political Solution to Iraqi Issue 
Russia’s Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has called for a settlement of the Iraqi issue based on UN Security Council Resolutions. Without direct reference to the USA, he was critical of Washington’s hard-line on Iraq.
“Russia’s position is well known. We want a political settlement based on appropriate UN Security Council Resolutions founded on international law. We believe that all nations, particularly those members of the Council, should abide by the Resolutions of the UN’s highest committee“, stated Ivanov at a press conference. Military action would only worsen the situation. He further said, “ We believe that any martial scenario would complicate the situation and would make it more difficult to reach a settlement to the Iraqi issue”. He said that efforts must be made to convince Iraq that allowing entry to weapons inspectors could lead to a lifting of the sanctions imposed on the country in 1990 if the results of the inspection were positive. However, reports from Baghdad suggest that the inspectors would not be allowed in. (Source: Jordan Times, 13.03.02)
 

At Least Six Refugees Drowned Before Southern Italian Coast 
At least 6 refugees have drowned in a shipping tragedy before the southern Italian coast. According to the authorities, 2 helicopters from Italian Marines rescued 20 of the illegal immigrants. During the operation the rescue team discovered at least 6 bodies near the sinking boat. The survivors said that they were on their way from Turkey. Italian authorities believe, however, that the ship was sailing from Tunisia to Italy. At least 50 refugees died recently in a shipping disaster between Tunisia and Sicily. (Source: afp, 11.03.02)
 

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