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EUTCC: Leading Kurdish Politicians and
Journalists Detained in Belgium
5.3.2010
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March
5, 2010
EUTCC Press Release: For
immediate release
Leading Kurdish Politicians and Journalists Detained
in Belgium
It is with deep concern that the EUTCC received the
news that the Belgian federal police have detained
25 people for suspected links to the PKK along with
ROJ-TV journalists. ROJ-TV represents an educational
tool for millions of Kurds and is regarded as an
important site for those seeking a political
solution to the unsolved situation for Kurds in
Turkey, which is why Turkish authorities make
continuously efforts to close it down.
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This is the first time that the
Belgian police take action against the Kurdistan
National Congress (KNK) which is regarded as a
distinct political institution. Approximately 300
police have detained prominent Kurdish politicians
among them the President of the Kurdish People's
Congress (Kongra Gel), Remzi Kartal,www.ekurd.netthe
well known Kurdish politician Zubeyir Aydar, Vice
President of the KNK, Adem Uzun, and Faruk Doru
member of the KNK. Several of the detained
individuals have the legal status of refugees
granted under the Geneva Convention. “These
politicians have been working constructively in the
search for a peaceful settlement based on justice
and respect for everyone’s rights inside Turkey. For
their diplomatic efforts they should be honoured not
incarcerated “(MESOP/Peace in Kurdistan 4.3.2010).
So far 1500 Kurdish politicians have been arrested
by the AKP in Turkey this year. The police rally
against Kurdish politicians and journalists in
Belgium and other European countries like France and
Italy seem to have been encouraged by the AKP
operations in Turkey. These actions seem to be the
European way of showing to Turkey that they are
doing something concrete against terrorism. They are
therefore to be regarded more as political
operations than judicial.
The EUTCC strongly urge Belgium authorities to
immediately release the Kurdish politicians and ROJ-TV
journalists and allow them to continue their
political and civic work for peace.
Kariane Westrheim, Chair of EUTCC, Norway
Michel Gunter, Secretary General EUTCC, USA
Hans Branscheidt, Board of Directors EUTCC, Germany
For further information: Kariane Westrheim,
Menneskerettighetenes plass 1 - 5007 Bergen, Norway.
Copyright, respective
author or news agency, EUTCC
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