B4-0111, 0142, 0145 and 0154/94

Resolution on the trial of members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly

The European Parliament,

-recalling its resolution of 9 March 1994 on the arrest of Kurdish Members of Parliament in Turkey,

A.whereas on 3 August 1994 the trial started of six Kurdish Members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, belonging to the DEP Party (Party of Democracy),

B.whereas on 17 June 1994 Ankara Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the DEP Party, which has 13 members in the National Assembly, in addition to the six members already in detention,

C.whereas the six Members of Parliament, Mr Ahmet Türk, Mrs Leyla Zana, Mr Orhan Dogan, Mr Sirri Sakik, Mr Hatip Dicle and Mr Mahmut Alinak, are being accused of separatism and support for the terrorist organization PKK; whereas these accusations are based on Article 125 of the Penal Code, for which the death sentence is mandatory,

D.whereas the main accusation against these Members of Parliament is their defence of the interests of the Kurdish people in Turkey by public statements in the media and by contacts with representatives of international institutions, including the European Parliament and the Council of Europe,

E.whereas the Constitutional Court decided, on 1 June 1994, the 'closure' of the DEP as a party, outlawing by this decision the DEP and its Members of Parliament from that date,

F.disturbed at the obstacles recently put in the way of transporting aid workers and aid materials to the people of Iraq by the Turkish authorities in violation of Resolution No. 688 of the United Nations' Security Council,

1.Denounces the whole trial against the six DEP members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the outlawing of the DEP Party as an attack on pluralist democracy in this country, and requests the immediate release of these Members of Parliament;

2.Insists that this trial should be seen to be absolutely fair and therefore urges the Turkish authorities to allow international observers to be present, including some appointed by the EU;

3.Resolves to freeze the EU/Turkey joint parliamentary committee pending the outcome of the trial;

4.Welcomes the initiative in the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 4 December 1993 to hold supplementary elections and calls on the government to guarantee free and democratic elections;

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.