The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights
(ELDH) notes with the greatest concern the news that the Turkish
Constitutional Court has been asked by the General Prosecutor to ban the DTP
(Demokratik Toplum Partisi - Party of the Democratic Society).
The banning of political parties and the imprisonment of their political
leaders has a long tradition in Turkey. Very often, in contradiction with
democratic rights, the constitutional pretext has been claimed to be the
safeguard of the integrity of the Turkish state.
However, ELDH doubts whether the banning of political parties has really
served the integrity of the Turkish state and the welfare of the people who
live in Turkey, or if result has not been even fiercer conflict and more
violence. And even greater doubt is justified if the integrity of the
Turkish State is always of higher value then the Turkish democracy. If the
present Turkish Constitution allows the Court to ban political parties and
to imprison politicians just for their exercise of their freedom of
expression, this demonstrates that the Turkish Constitution is in urgent
need of amendment.
If DTP is banned this will demonstrate that the tradition of banning
political parties and imprisonment of their political leaders and members
continues. Military force and prohibition of political actions will cause
social problems which will complicate the solution of the question for years
and cause hatred between Kurdish and Turkish peoples which will take a long
time to overcome.
Instead of following a policy to suppress any pro Kurdish political
movements, rights and freedoms to improve the democratic struggle of the
Kurdish people should be provided and conditions for democratic solution of
the Kurdish problem should be introduced.
- ELDH will observe this case with high attention.
- ELDH demands also that the European Union, their bodies and their member
states do the same in order to decide which might be an adequate political
reaction.
- ELDH asks all lawyers in Europe to support its initiative, by signing this
declaration.
(estella24@tiscali.co.uk, January 4, 2007)
http://www.info-turk.be/
(ELDH) notes with the greatest concern the news that the Turkish
Constitutional Court has been asked by the General Prosecutor to ban the DTP
(Demokratik Toplum Partisi - Party of the Democratic Society).
The banning of political parties and the imprisonment of their political
leaders has a long tradition in Turkey. Very often, in contradiction with
democratic rights, the constitutional pretext has been claimed to be the
safeguard of the integrity of the Turkish state.
However, ELDH doubts whether the banning of political parties has really
served the integrity of the Turkish state and the welfare of the people who
live in Turkey, or if result has not been even fiercer conflict and more
violence. And even greater doubt is justified if the integrity of the
Turkish State is always of higher value then the Turkish democracy. If the
present Turkish Constitution allows the Court to ban political parties and
to imprison politicians just for their exercise of their freedom of
expression, this demonstrates that the Turkish Constitution is in urgent
need of amendment.
If DTP is banned this will demonstrate that the tradition of banning
political parties and imprisonment of their political leaders and members
continues. Military force and prohibition of political actions will cause
social problems which will complicate the solution of the question for years
and cause hatred between Kurdish and Turkish peoples which will take a long
time to overcome.
Instead of following a policy to suppress any pro Kurdish political
movements, rights and freedoms to improve the democratic struggle of the
Kurdish people should be provided and conditions for democratic solution of
the Kurdish problem should be introduced.
- ELDH will observe this case with high attention.
- ELDH demands also that the European Union, their bodies and their member
states do the same in order to decide which might be an adequate political
reaction.
- ELDH asks all lawyers in Europe to support its initiative, by signing this
declaration.
(estella24@tiscali.co.uk, January 4, 2007)
http://www.info-turk.be/
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