Wave of Arrests Against HAK-PAR Members
in Diyarbakir / Turkey

At around midnight on June 12th 2002 numerous members of the pro-Kurdish "Party for Rights and freedom" (HAK-PAR) were arrested in Diyarbakir in the south east of Turkey. According to information from HAK-PAR's party headquarters in Ankara amongst those arrested were the party's deputy leader Bayram BOZYEL, founding member Ümit TEKTAS, leading members of the regional HAK-PAR in Diyarbakir Mehmet Eren and Kemal Aras, party members Sait Bozyel, Pasa Akdogan, Suphi Ekinci, Ramazan Eren, Naci Eren, Haydar Karaaslan, Haydar Karaaslan, Zana Budak, Sergir Budak Ömer Baylav and Ms. Evin Sitki, plus a further 16 as yet unnamed persons.

Such a wave of repression and arbitrariness against HAK-PAR is a blatant violation of Article 9 (Freedom of thought, conscience and religion), Article 10 (Freedom of expression), Article 11 (Freedom of assembly and association) and Article 14 (Prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights, a convention which has also been ratified by Turkey.

This action against HAK-PAR members and officials unfortunately again puts into doubt Turkey's credibility and seriousness about becoming a member of the EU.

We call on the government in Ankara to immediately release those arrested and to put into practice human rights which conform to European norms.

We call on the EU Commission, the commissioner responsible for EU enlargement Dr. Günter Verheugen, the EU government and members of the EU parliament to put pressure on Turkey to end its anti-democratic and anti-European repressive measures, and to demand the release of those arrested.

Background on HAK-PAR

After a 3-year preparatory period, the Party for Rights and Freedom (HAK-PAR) was founded on February 11th 2002 in Ankara. According to its manifesto, it aims to establish a modern and constitutional Turkey in which its democracy and constitution comply with EU standards, and where rights and freedom are guaranteed. A public consensus is to besought on the issues of multi-culturalism and multi-lingualism,.
existing conflict represents a threat to civil peace and leads to violations of rights and freedom. The Party therefore has the resolution of the Kurdish question as a central issue in its manifesto aim of establishing democracy in Turkey.

The Party places particular value on a new culture of party political activity. Accordingly the Party leadership is limited to a 3 year period. The Party considers itself to be a pluralistic, collective and democratic people's party which aims to work as transparently as possible..

The Party's head is Abdulmelik Firat, a well-known Kurd and a former, long-serving member of the Turkish parliament. (Source: Press Statement on Foundation of Party, 14.02.02)

Management Committee of IMK e.V. Bonn, 13th June 2002
i. A. Abubekir Saydam
Office Head)

International Association for
Human Rights of the Kurds
IMK e V.
P.O. Box: 20 07 38
D. 53 137 Bonn

Phone: +49 - 228-36 28 02
Fax: +49 - 228-36 32 97
e-mail: IMK-Bonn@t-online.de