Kurdistan

Sun, 03. Sep 2006
A probe yesterday was launched against a local gendarmerie chief who danced
with Kurdish songs in a student camp in Diyarbakir.

Elazig's Gezin gendarmerie chief Azim Basol faces a probe for attending a
summer camp for economically disadvantaged children organized by the
Diyarbakir Greater Municipality and dancing halay (a local dance) with
Kurdish songs together with Mayor Osman Baydemir.

ANF-KONGRA GEL (People’s Congress of Kurdistan) Presidency condemns the
bomb attacks that killed 3 people in the turistic region of Turkey.

The written statement of Kongra Gel indicated that, “Koma Komalen Kurdistan
(KKK, Confederalism of Kurdistan, Kongra Gel is the Assembly) made a peace
declaration declared on 23 August 2006 and they supported this. They also
indicated that they were in search of solution without violence for the

Sat, 12. Aug 2006
Pro-Kurdish Ozgur Gundem daily reopenes with the same court decision who
last week ruled the newspaper's closure under the new anti-terror law. Daily
to appear on stands tomorrow but Turkey's media remains under threat unless
restrictive articles removed.

The Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court that on August 4 ruled for a 15-day

Sat, 12. Aug 2006
Human Rights Association applies to Ministry of Environment and Forestry as
nothing is done to stop spreading forest fire in southeast Bingol province.
IHD Bingol Branch Secretary Lawyer Ishakogulu says suspicions focus on state
forces starting the fire.

Human Rights Association (IHD) Bingol Branch Secretary lawyer Cevat
Ishakogulu has said that a forest fire that started in the province four

Wed, 09. Aug 2006
CGD Chair Abakay, IHD Istanbul Chair Sener and DTP Deputy Chair Kaplan
condemn 15 day closure of Ulkede Ozgur Gündem daily under recent amendments
made to Anti-Terror Law. Daily executive warns they will take the issue to
Europe if persecution continues.

A Turkish Court has for the first time used relevant articles in the
country's newly amended Anti-Terror Law (TMY) to close down the pro-Kurdish

Thu, 20. Jul 2006
Turkish officials signaled yesterday they are prepared to send the army into
northern Iraq if U.S. and Iraqi forces do not take steps to combat Turkish
Kurdish guerrillas there — a move that could put Turkey on a collision
course with the United States.

Turkey is facing increasing domestic pressure to act after 15 soldiers,
police and guards were killed fighting the guerrillas in southeastern Turkey

Thu, 20. Jul 2006
TurkishDailyNews-Twenty four women who call themselves peace mothers were
found guilty of voicing separatist propaganda by the Diyarbakýr 4th Criminal
Court on Tuesday and each was sentenced to serve 10 months in prison.

The women, aged between 40 and 75, had chained themselves to each other to
block traffic in Diyarbakýr and had called for a general amnesty and an end

Wed, 19. Jul 2006
Acting on allegations supported by photographs that Iranian PKK militant
Emani was executed by security forces after being captured alive, 23
organizations file formal criminal complaint demanding an investigation into
the death.
Acting on claims supported by photographical evidence that an alleged PKK
militant of Iranian origin identified as Abbas Emani was killed by security

Turkish women organizations support signature campaign for Iranian Melek
Ghorbany who was sentenced last month to be "publicly stoned to death" and
will gather at Iranian consulate in Istanbul this Saturday to read out press
statement.
Turkish women organizations have joined in the growing international
campaign for Iranian woman prisoner Melek Ghorbany who was sentenced by a
court in her country last month to be publicly stoned to death according to

Wed, 19. Jul 2006
European Court of Human Rights agrees to hear application made to stop
Southeast Ilusu Dam which will flood historical town of Hasankeyf and
hundreds of archeological sites while displacing tens of thousands of people
at heart of ancient Mesopotamia.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has accepted to hear the
application made by the Volunteers of Hasankeyf group consisting of