AMNE5TY !NTEPNAT!

DNAL
PUBL!0 5TATEMENT
AI Index. EUR 44/0T5/20TT
T0 November 20TT
Turkey: K0K arrests deepen freedom of expression
concerns
0n T November an IsLanbu courL ordered Lhe deLenLon pendng Lra of 44 peope, as parL of
Lhe ongong prosecuLon of ndvduas for suspecLed membershp of Lhe KurdsLan
CommunLes Unon (KCK) an organzaLon nked Lo Lhe armed KurdsLan workers` ParLy
(PKK).
AmnesLy InLernaLona has wrLLen Lo Lhe auLhorLes expressng concern abouL Lhe arresLs.
Among Lhose deLaned are wrLer, pubsher and human rghLs defender Ragp Zarakou and
Professor Bra Ersan. The deLenLon of Lhese Lwo ndvduas rase parLcuar concerns snce
Lhe reason for Lher arresL appears Lo be soey due Lo speeches made Lo Lhe Peace and
Democracy ParLy (BDP) PoLcs Academy and Lher academc work
Ragp Zarakou, Professor Bra Ersan and Lhe oLher 42 peope arresLed are beng prosecuLed
for "membershp of a LerrorsL organzaLon, under fawed anL-Lerrorsm egsaLon. These are
Lhe aLesL n a seres of arresLs snce 2009 LargeLng Lhousands of ndvduas, many of Lhem
acLvsLs or offcas represenLng Lhe pro-Kurdsh, a recognsed poLca parLy n Turkey.
Hundreds reman n exLended pre-Lra deLenLon pendng Lhe ouLcome of Lhe Lras.
Records of Lher nLerrogaLon by prosecuLors show LhaL boLh Ragp Zarakou and Bra Ersan
were asked abouL Lher parLcpaLon wLh Lhe PoLcs Academy. Bra Ersan was aso asked
abouL noLes she made aL varous academc meeLngs she parLcpaLed n and Ragp Zarakou
regardng varous unpubshed manuscrpLs of whch he was Lhe wrLer or edLor.
Ragp Zarakou has been repeaLedy prosecuLed n Turkey n cases LhaL voaLed hs rghL Lo
freedom of expresson, ncudng under ArLce 30T of Lhe Pena Code for "dengraLng
Turkshness.
AmnesLy InLernaLona s concerned LhaL aLhough no concreLe evdence nkng Ragp Zarakou
or Bra Ersan Lo KCK or Lo any Lerrorsm reaLed offences was presenLed, Lhey were charged
and remanded n pre-Lra deLenLon.
AmnesLy InLernaLona has ong hed concerns regardng Turkey`s anL-Lerrorsm egsaLon and
Ls appcaLon. The defnLon of Lerrorsm n Lhs aw s overy broad, vague and acks Lhe eve
of ega cerLanLy requred by nLernaLona human rghLs aw. FundamenLay, L defnes
Lerrorsm by Ls poLca ams raLher Lhan Ls LacLcs.
T
Provsons crmnasng membershp of a
LerrorsL organzaLon have aso ed Lo abuses. Persons can be found guLy of membershp of a
LerrorsL organzaLon wLhouL beng a member of Lhe organzaLon f found Lo have commLLed a
crme 'n Lhe name of such an organzaLon`.
ProsecuLons broughL under anL-Lerrorsm egsaLon have frequenLy been based on secreL
wLness LesLmony LhaL cannoL be examned by defence awyers. AmnesLy InLernaLona s aso
1
For a detailed description of the definition of terrorism in Turkish law see Amnesty International,
Tur|ey: All cnilJren nove riqnrs: LnJ un[oir prosecurions o[ cnilJren unJer onri-rerrorism leqislorion
in Tur|ey, (Index: 44/011/2010), p13
concerned LhaL peope have been convcLed of Lerrorsm offences despLe a ack of reabe
evdence.
AmnesLy InLernaLona cas on Lhe Turksh auLhorLes Lo prevenL unfar prosecuLons under
anL-Lerrorsm egsaLon by brngng Lhe defnLon of Lerrorsm nLo ne wLh nLernaLona
sLandards and norms, noLaby Lhe prncpas of egaLy and ega cerLanLy.
The Turksh auLhorLes shoud conducL an urgenL revew of ongong prosecuLons broughL
under anL-Lerrorsm egsaLon and send gudance Lo |udges and prosecuLors regardng Lhe
appcaLon of nLernaLona human rghLs aw and sLandards n Lhs conLexL.
AmnesLy InLernaLona cas on Lhe Turksh auLhorLes Lo reease Ragp Zarakou, Bra Ersan
and oLher persons deLaned under anL-Lerrorsm egsaLon wLhouL deay f L cannoL presenL
credbe evdence nkng Lhem Lo acLs whose crmnzaLon does noL voaLe human rghLs aw.
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