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AP/
STRASBOURG
Europe's top human rights court said Wednesday it
will deliver a final verdict in the case of
imprisoned leader
of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
Abdullah Ocalan later this month.
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human
Rights will rule on an appeal by Ocalan's lawyers,
court spokesman Roderick Liddel said. Ocalan wants a
ruling by the court's lower chamber overturned after
it maintained his detention was neither illegal nor
inhumane, despite finding his Turkish trial was not
fair.
"We want the European Court of Human Rights to grant
Ocalan the right to a new trial and also change
other
parts of the earlier verdict," said Kerim Yildiz,
one of Ocalan's lawyers.
"However, we're worried that (Turkey) may refuse
that, even if he's unequivocally granted a new
trial. Or they
can try him at Imrali prison, which wouldn't be a
fair trial because the public has no access there,"
the London-
based lawyer said in a telephone interview.
The European court's rulings are binding on all 46
members of the Council of Europe, the continent's
top human
rights watchdog.
The case has been problematic for the Turkish
government, which wants to live up to European human
rights
standards while dealing with Kurdish issue.
The case is being watched closely by the European
Union, which is to open membership negotiations with
Turkey in October.
Ocalan took his human rights case to Strasbourg in
1999 after he was tried, convicted and sentenced to
death.
The sentence was commuted to life in prison in 2002
when Turkey abolished capital punishment.
AP
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