Letter to G. Papandreou for the intervention of the Greek Presidency in order to secure the release of Leyla Zana.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Anna KARAMANOU Member of the European Parliament President of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Dear Minister,

As the Greek Presidency progresses, its character is emerging and the mark it will leave on the European path after its completion is being shaped. The international context is such that it provides numerous opportunities to highlight current issues. However, I believe that, especially for a Presidency of Greece, it is of particular importance to bring to the forefront issues that may have been pending for a long time, but remain relevant and remind us that the struggle for human rights must be continuous and uninterrupted.

This case falls into the second category, that of Leyla Zana, the first Kurdish-origin female member of the Turkish Parliament, who was elected in 1991. Allow me to remind you of the facts.

From the very beginning of her parliamentary career, Leyla Zana made it clear that she was determined to defend human rights and to seek a peaceful, democratic resolution to the differences between the Turkish government and the Kurds of Turkey. Specifically, during her oath-taking ceremony in the Turkish Parliament, she swore the oath in Turkish – as required by law – but then added in Kurdish the phrase, “I will fight so that the Kurdish and Turkish peoples can live together in a democratic environment,” violating the strict ban on the use of the Kurdish language in education, the media, and daily communication.

The reactions from the extremist nationalists were fierce. However, for three years, Leyla Zana’s parliamentary immunity prevented the authorities from arresting her. On May 17, 1993, she was invited to Washington to speak before the U.S. Congressional Committee on the Helsinki Agreement concerning the treatment of Kurds in Turkey. The Turkish government labeled her speech as “treasonous” and used it as a basis to condemn her. The countdown began when Leyla, along with three other Kurdish MPs – Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak – joined the newly founded Democracy Party. The Party was banned by the authorities, who on March 2, 1994, lifted the parliamentary immunity of Leyla Zana and her colleagues. Nine months later, Leyla and her colleagues were sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Ankara State Security Court on charges of treason.

The reaction of the international community was dramatic. In 1995, the European Parliament awarded her the Sakharov Prize for the Defence of Human Rights. As is well known, she has been honored with many international awards for her contribution to the defense of human rights, but it has not been possible for her to receive them while imprisoned. It is also of particular importance that the European Court of Human Rights ruled, in July 2001, that Leyla Zana’s trial was “unfair.” This fact renewed the hopes of her supporters, especially given the Turkish government’s determination to proceed with reforms to strengthen its candidacy for European Union membership.

Indeed, in August 2002, the Turkish government introduced a series of reforms, including granting Turkish citizens the right to request a review of cases deemed unfair by the European Court of Human Rights. Unfortunately, however, this new legislation excluded cases like that of Leyla, as it stipulated that its provisions would not have retrospective effect.

The intransigence of the Turkish authorities was also evident during my recent visit to Turkey, when, as the head of a delegation from the European Parliament, I made efforts to arrange a meeting with Leyla Zana in prison. However, this was not possible, as we did not obtain the necessary permission from the Turkish Ministry of Justice.

Dear Minister,

Addressing your repeatedly confirmed sensitivity to cases of blatant human rights violations, I would like to kindly ask you, as the President of the European Council, to take the initiative, within the framework of the Greek Presidency, to renew pressure on the Turkish side for the release of Leyla Zana. It would be of particular significance if she were to receive, during the Greek Presidency of the European Union, the Sakharov Prize awarded to her by the European Parliament.

With deep respect,

Anna Karamanou