Diyarbakır

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Demirtaş: "General Elections Bear Historic Opportunity"

NEWROZ 2011

Demirtaş: "General Elections Bear Historic Opportunity"

Hundreds of thousands of people came together in Istanbul and Diyarbakır for this year's Newroz celebrations. The Kurdish politicians had clear messages for the government. They urged for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question and for a democratic constitution.

21 March 2011 Nilay Vardar

Acquittal on "Multilingual Municipality Services" in Diyarbakır

Acquittal on "Multilingual Municipality Services" in Diyarbakır

The trial regarding the Sur Municipality's decision for "Multilingual Municipality Services" resulted in the acquittal of Sur District Mayor Demirbaş, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Baydemir and 19 members of the municipality council.

4 February 2011 Emir Çelik

Judicial Front Runners: Special Authority Courts in Diyarbakır

Judicial Front Runners: Special Authority Courts in Diyarbakır

Three Special Authority High Criminal Courts in Diyarbakır occupy the top three places regarding the number of files decided throughout the past year in Turkey. These courts try important cases such as the KCK trial or the Hezbollah case. They handed prison sentences of several hundred years to Kurdish journalists.

21 January 2011 Erol Önderoğlu

No Decision on Release of "KCK" Defendants

No Decision on Release of "KCK" Defendants

The 16th hearing of the KCK trial against 151 defendants did not bring any new decisions. The request for a defence in Kurdish was dismissed once more. None of the 104 detained defendants was released. The trial was postponed to 18 January.

17 January 2011 Erol Önderoğlu

Static Procedures - Dynamic Protest

KCK TRIAL

Static Procedures - Dynamic Protest

The Diyarbakır 6th High Criminal Court held the 15th hearing of the KCK trial on 13 January. The court reiterated its decision against the defence of the 151 defendants in Kurdish. The request to release the 104 detained defendants was postponed to today.

14 January 2011 Erol Önderoğlu,Ertuğrul Kürkçü

Kurdish Journalists and Politicians Sentenced to 167 Years

Kurdish Journalists and Politicians Sentenced to 167 Years

Journalist Emine Demir is one of the Kurdish journalists sentenced by High Criminal Courts in the Kurdish-majority province of Diyarbakır. The courts decreed for prison terms of 167 years in total handed down to journalists of Kurdish papers and Kurdish politicians.

KCK Trial still Jammed on Defence in Kurdish

KCK Trial still Jammed on Defence in Kurdish

The defence lawyers of the defendants of the KCK trial in Diyarbakır applied to the superior court for the right to a defence in the mother tongue. More than three weeks of the beginning of the trial, procedures have not yet advanced beyond the reading of the indictment.

9 November 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Kurdish Speaking Defendants Silenced at Court

DIYARBAKIR KCK TRIAL

Kurdish Speaking Defendants Silenced at Court

In the third week of the "KCK trial", procedures reached the presentation of the defence. 152 defendants are tried for their alleged affiliation with the Democratic Confederation of Kurdistan. When the defendants spoke Kurdish, the microphone was switched off.

5 November 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

The Never-Ending Story of the KCK Indictment

The Never-Ending Story of the KCK Indictment

The reading of the indictment related to the KCK trial in Diyarbakır has still not been finished. The court dismissed the defence lawyers' requests for shortening the process. 152 defendants stand accused for an alleged affiliation to the KCK organization.

26 October 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Detentions in KCK Trial Violate "Principle of Innocence"

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Detentions in KCK Trial Violate "Principle of Innocence"

The delegation of the International Federation of Human Rights criticised the way the KCK case is tried against a total of 152 defendants. The organization demanded the release of the 104 detained defendants and said that their detention was against the presumption of innocence.

25 October 2010 Berivan Tapan

Defence Lawyers Disapprove of Police Presence

KCK TRIAL

Defence Lawyers Disapprove of Police Presence

Tensions arouse in the third hearing of the KCK trial in Diyarbakır. The defence lawyers criticized the presence of plain-clothes police officers in the courtroom and the installation of a police cordon between the defendants and their lawyers.

21 October 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Defendants Request Permission for Kurdish Defence

KCK TRIAL

Defendants Request Permission for Kurdish Defence

151 defendants, mostly Kurdish politicians and rights defenders, were taken to court for the first time on 18 October, after some of them were detained for 552 days. Many people gathered in front of the court house to protest against the trial.

18 October 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Women's Shelters - Room for Improvement

Women's Shelters - Room for Improvement

Yılmaz from KA-MER explains the incident in Malatya, where a young woman was kidnapped from the women's shelter by her family: "This was not a first. Insufficiency related to funding and staff create problems in terms of security and shelter conditions".

7 September 2010 Burçin Belge

Call from Diyarbakir: Ceasefire an Opportunity for Dialogue

KURDISH QUESTION

Call from Diyarbakir: Ceasefire an Opportunity for Dialogue

145 NGOs from Diyarbakir assessed the PKK's decision for a ceasefire as a "huge opportunity to find a peaceful solution for the Kurdish question". They called for an end of military operations and not to exclude any of the involved sections.

19 August 2010 Burçin Belge

Imprisoned Juveniles Punished and Transferred after Protest

Imprisoned Juveniles Punished and Transferred after Protest

The Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses declared that the cells of the juveniles who protested against conditions of detention were closed. A criminal investigation was launched into the juveniles involved. Then, they were all transferred to different institutions.

8 July 2010 Semra Pelek

98 NGOs Call for End of Violence - PKK Refuse Unilateral Ceasefire

KURDISH QUESTION

98 NGOs Call for End of Violence - PKK Refuse Unilateral Ceasefire

98 NGOs from Diyabakır call for an end of the military operations. They urge the PKK to stop their actions and demand the Parliament to prepare the legal grounds for a solution of the Kurdish question. The PKK waits for concrete steps before they will act accordingly.

29 June 2010 Tolga Korkut,Erhan Üstündağ

6 Children Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Jail

CHILDREN CONVICTED UNDER ANTI-TERROR LAW

6 Children Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Jail

Six children received a 7.5-year prison sentence each under charges of "membership of an illegal organization and spreading its propaganda". The decision was based on police statements only. Lawyer Güngör criticized the conviction.

1 April 2010 Semra Pelek

Rojda: Imprisonment for Performing Kurdish Song

Rojda: Imprisonment for Performing Kurdish Song

Kurdish artist Rojda received a one year and eight month prison sentence under charges of "propaganda for an illegal organization". The verdict is based on the song "Heval Kamurano" Rojda performed on a festival in Diyarbakır last year.

29 March 2010 Bawer Çakır

Kurdish Journalist Faces 525-Year Prison Sentence

Kurdish Journalist Faces 525-Year Prison Sentence

The Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court Prosecutor demanded a 105-fold prison sentence for Vedat Kurşun, former chief editor of Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper, under charges of "spreading propaganda for a terror organization".

23 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Five Years Imprisonment for 14-Year-Old

Five Years Imprisonment for 14-Year-Old

14-year-old C.E. received a five years prison sentence of a court in Diyarbakır on the grounds of membership of an illegal organization. Lawyer Akbaş criticized: "C.E. was not even aware of his possibility to be punished. The photographs do not prove his guilt".

12 February 2010 Burçin Belge

More than 50 Percent of Women Work off the Record

More than 50 Percent of Women Work off the Record

Women's unemployment was discussed at the "EU Accession Process and Women's Employment" conference held in Diyarbakır. A crucial reason for the high women's unemployment rate in the south-east of Turkey is illiteracy. 66 percent of employed women work off the record.

10 February 2010 Burçin Belge

Kurdish Politicians Kept in Detention

ARREST WAVE AGAINST BDP

Kurdish Politicians Kept in Detention

23 people of a total of 35 taken into custody on 24 December are kept in detention, among them 7 mayors, İHD Deputy Chairman Muharem Erbey and Democratic Society Congress spokesman Hatip Dicle.

28 December 2009 Tolga Korkut

Murder File Returned to its Origin after 18 Years

VEDAT AYDIN MURDER

Murder File Returned to its Origin after 18 Years

The Malatya Public Prosecutor's Office decided to close the investigation into the murder case of Vedat Aydın because of "lack of jurisdiction". After 18 years the file has been returned to Diyarbakır now "where the incident started".

17 September 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

"At Least Some Diyarbakır Soil for Aram Tigran"

"At Least Some Diyarbakır Soil for Aram Tigran"

Because the Turkish Ministry of the Interior did not permit his funeral in Diyarbakır, musician Tigran was buried in Brussels.

13 August 2009 Tolga Korkut

Explosion in Diyarbakır Province Kills 9 Soldiers

Kurdish Question

Explosion in Diyarbakır Province Kills 9 Soldiers

An explosion near Lice, Diyarbakır, killed nine soldiers in a military vehicle at 6.30 am this morning.

29 April 2009 Emine Özcan

Kurds See Local Elections as Referendum

Kurds See Local Elections as Referendum

Altun of the Socialist Labour Movement spoke with bianet about her impressions at the Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakır. She said, “Most people are expecting peace.”

24 March 2009 Emine Özcan

Diyarbakır Police Prevents Release of Children

Diyarbakır Police Prevents Release of Children

Two children arrested for “membership in an illegal organisation” after taking part in protests during PM Erdoğan’s visit are being tried in detention. Rights activists came to watch the trials.

26 February 2009 Erhan Üstündağ

A Diyarbakir “Outing”: “What are Gays Doing at Newroz?”

A group of gay and lesbian Kurds in Diyarbakir decided that this year’s Newroz would not only be a call for political freedom, but also an honest declaration of their sexual identity.

25 March 2008 Murat Özpamuk

Newroz: “Our Message is Peace!”

As preparations for a big Newroz celebration in Diyarbakir are nearing their end, some say “we have to go for peace.” However, others fear trouble and will stay away.

20 March 2008 Emine Özcan

You Don’t Like Kurdish? How About Chinese or Japanese?

You Don’t Like Kurdish? How About Chinese or Japanese?

Local authorities in Diyarbakir have found a creative means of criticising the ban on Kurdish: They have added Chinese to their repertoire and are awaiting reactions…

6 March 2008 Erhan Üstündağ

Deadly Blast in Diyarbakir Kills 5, Wounds 67

Deadly Blast in Diyarbakir Kills 5, Wounds 67

The explosion of a car in Diyarbakir Thursday evening causes the lives of 5, including school children. 67 people reported wounded, 3 of whom seriously.

4 January 2008 Emine Özcan

Administrative Court Does Not Try Multilingualism

The case against the multilingual Sur municipality in Diyarbakir was dropped by an administrative court.

3 December 2007 Erhan Üstündağ

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