Turkey accused of using terror laws to stifle Kurdish protests

Nov 1, 2010, 13:26 GMT

Istanbul - A leading human rights organisation Monday issued a report accusing the Turkish state of using anti-terror laws to clamp down on Kurdish protest and imprison non-violent demonstrators.

'When it comes to the Kurdish question, the courts in Turkey are all too quick to label political opposition as terrorism,' said Emma Sinclair-Webb, researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the 72-page report.

'In the name of countering terrorism, you have a broad clampdown on rights and freedoms.'

Turkish law allows judges to punish demonstrators as though they were members of a terrorist organization, leading to significantly longer jail sentences.

The HRW report, which reviewed 50 such cases, found numerous examples of non-violent Kurdish demonstrators who were jailed after they were ruled to be acting on behalf of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

In one case, an illiterate mother of six was sentenced to seven years in jail for holding up a banner that praised Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK's jailed leader.

In another case, a university student was sentenced to six years in prison for flashing a victory sign at one protest and then clapping his hands at another.

'The government should complete the task of reform by changing laws relating to adult demonstrators, to bring them fully into line with Turkey's human rights obligations,' Sinclair-Webb said.

'Throwing people in jail is no way to halt terrorism - or protest.'

The PKK is considered to be a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. In recent months, the group has had numerous clashes with security forces in Turkey's predominantly- Kurdish southeast.

Terrorism remains a significant concern for Turkey. On Sunday, a suicide bomber attacked a mobile police station in Istanbul's downtown Taksim Square, injuring 32. There has not been a claim of responsibility for the attack.

Read more about Kurds

Read more about Turkey Conflict