Prosecution And Arrest Of Kurdish Politicians

EDM number 261 in 2012-13, proposed by Hywel Williams on 26/06/2012.
Categorised under the topics of Eastern Europe and Middle East.

That this House notes with profound concern the escalating prosecutions of elected Kurdish politicians in Turkey, the recent heavy sentences of 10 and 14 years passed on Leyla Zana and Aysel Tugluk, as well as the latest wave of arrrests in Van District, which includes two mayors from the Peace and Democracy Party; expresses alarm that these arrests and detentions are part of the continuing Kurdistan Communities Union investigations which amount to an attempt by the Turkish government to eradicate the Kurds as an effective political force; is gravely concerned that the state detention facilities to which parliamentarians and other prisoners are sent are overcrowded, in poor condition and are the object of repeated allegations of human rights violations and prisoner abuse; and calls on the Government to make representations to Turkey to stop its persecution of Kurdish parliamentarians and move towards the restarting of negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish conflict which is the real root of the problem.

This motion has been signed by a total of 27 MPs.