PES General Secretary Philip Cordery stated that; “the Turkish authorities must ensure a fair trial and respect the fundamental freedoms of its citizens. In this case, more than ever, we reiterate our solidarity to those who make every effort to bring positive change to Turkey by democratic and peaceful means. The human rights implications of the current policies need to be at the forefront of any judicial proceeding. Only with a holistic approach and a political and inclusive process can the Kurdish issue find a resolution. The policies of the current government are simply not sustainable”.
‘Turkey’s current policies unsustainable - it is crucial to ensure fair trials’ says PES General Secretary
17/10/2011
The Party of European Socialists (PES) voiced its concern on the latest actions taken by the Turkish authorities targeting the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK). Since April 2009, the security forces have arrested more than 1,500 suspects on the grounds of alleged membership to the organisation. A recent trial names 151 suspects, including elected politicians, trade unionists and representatives of social movements in favour of reforms for freedom of expression and minority rights. Among them there are members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the PES member party.
