B4-0515, 0526, 0530, 0534, 0540, 0548, 0553, 0555, and 0567/94

Resolution on the trial of Turkish Members of Kurdish origin of the Turkish Grand National Assembly

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to its resolutions of 10 March, 20 April and 29 September 1994 on the arrest and trial of Turkish MPs of Kurdish origin in Turkey,

B.whereas Turkey is a member of the Council of Europe and has signed and ratified the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR),

C.whereas the eight MPs were arrested, imprisoned and convicted as a consequence of performing their parliamentary duties, representing an act of intimidation against all members of parliament and a flagrant breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR),

D.whereas on 8 December 1994 the State Security Court altered the charges, but nevertheless sentenced Mrs Leyla Zana, Mr Hatip Dicle, Mr Ahmet Turk, Mr Orhan Dogan and Mr Selim Sadak to 15 years' imprisonment, Mr Yurtdas to seven years and six months' imprisonment, and Mr Sakik and Mr Alinak to three years and six months' imprisonment,

E.whereas Mrs Leyla Zana is suffering from a serious illness, and whereas her continued imprisonment, in insanitary conditions and with no medical care, is a major factor in the deterioration of her health and may be regarded as unacceptable treatment within the meaning of the ECHR,

F.noting with alarm that a prison sentence of four years and a fine of 200 million Turkish lira has been imposed on Mehdi Zana, apparently in connection with testimony given to the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights in 1992, concerning human rights issues in south-eastern Turkey,

G.concerned that the chairmen of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (which is subsidized from the Union's budget) and the Turkish Human Rights Association, who supported the MPs and condemned their trial, have been summoned to appear before the same court on 19 December 1994, charged with involvement in separatist activities,

H.whereas the number of persons arrested and imprisoned in Turkey for expressing their political beliefs and support for trade unions is continually increasing,

I.whereas the bomb attacks on the opposition newspaper 'Özgür Ülke' killed three people and wounded several others and have made critical reporting extremely dangerous,

J.whereas, as a result of the arbitrary dismissal of the Turkish MPs of Kurdish origin of the DEP, entire regions of south-eastern Turkey are no longer represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly; whereas the Assembly is therefore no longer representative of the whole country,

1.Condemns the fact that the parliamentary immunity of the victims of this political trial was withdrawn on the grounds of their opinions;

2.Condemns all the aspects of the trial, the verdict handed down against the eight members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the outlawing of their party, the DEP, as a persistent violation of the principles of Turkey's representative and pluralist democracy and of fundamental human rights;

3.Expresses its solidarity with the convicted MPs and calls for the verdict to be quashed, for the sentences handed down to be rescinded, for the MPs to be released and restored to their duties and for the decision to dissolve their party to be revoked;

4.Is horrified by the fact that Mr Faik Candan, one of the lawyers defending the Kurdish MPs and who disappeared on 3 December 1994, has been found dead in Ankara, his body riddled with bullets;

5.Resolves to maintain the suspension of the EU - Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee until Turkey takes note of Parliament's demands; believes, however, that unofficial contacts with Turkish parliamentarians with democratic views should be continued;

6.Decides to submit to the Council a call for the immediate suspension of the talks on the establishment of a customs union between Turkey and the EU and, therefore, the postponement of the meeting scheduled for 19 December 1994;

7.Points out that the agreement on customs union with Turkey is subject to the assent procedure;

8.Calls on the Council of Europe to urge Turkey to embark on a process of dialogue in order to seek a democratic solution to the legitimate aspirations of its 15 million citizens of Kurdish origin, thereby removing a source of tension and conflict which is threatening peace and stability in the countries of the region and in Western Europe;

9.Calls on the Member States not to deport Kurdish refugees who have fled from Turkey;

10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the Turkish Government, the Council of Europe, the UN Secretary-General and the Secretariat of the OSCE.