Lawyers association ask the EU to take the PKK off its Terror List
Lawyers association ask the EU to take the PKK off its Terror List
The European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) has asked the European Union to take the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) off the EU Terror List.
The association states that "by putting the PKK on its Terrorist List – notwithstanding the political and cultural oppression against the Kurds, which has lasted for decades now, in spite of the expulsion from their villages, in spite of the torture and even killing which they had to endure – the EU ignores the right to resistance of the Kurds."
According to the association "thus even the results of the annual Progress Report of the European Commission on Turkey in which severe human rights violations are regularly denounced is ignored by the Council of the European Union."
But the lawyer association goes further adding that "putting PKK on the EU Terror-list is also a political mistake, because it interferes with efforts to find a political solution, and instead creates a justification for further proscription of pro Kurdish political parties."
Furthermore the association says that "The European Union has shown in the past, that by its accession criteria it is able to generate a positive influence on the political and legal development of Turkey. By taking the PKK off the Terrorist List an important impetus could be given to a political solution of the Kurdish question in Turkey."
The request made by the the supporters of the declaration (which can be found at Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) demand therefore: to take the PKK off the EU Terrorist List, to continue active support for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question and Kurdish civil society by the European Union, to end all expulsion of of Kurdish policital refugees to the pursuing state Turkey, to stop all restrictions of the right to asylum on the ground of membership in Kurdish organisations, to abolish the EU Terrorist List in general.
Up to now the appeal is supported by lawyers associations which represent lawyers from 18 European countries. In the appeal they also demand the abolition of the EU Terrorist List in general, in particular because it does not comply with the rule of law. In this context the lawyers refer to several judgements of the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg, which declared the listing on the Terrorist List as violation of European law. The lawyers demand that the European Union plays an active role in the efforts for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question. The European Union should support the Kurdish civil society. The expulsion of Kurdish political refugees to the pursuant state Turkey should be stopped.
In 2002, at the demand of the Turkish Government, the Workers Party of Kurdistan (PKK) was put on the European Union Terrorist List. This list is updated regularly. Acts of violence committed by the PKK in Turkey and abroad are given as a main reason for keeping it on the list.
In December 2009 the Party of the Democratic Society (DTP) was banned by the Turkish Constitutional Court. The DTP had struggled for the recognition of the Kurds as a nation and for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question. By banning the DTP, approximately 20 Million Kurds living in Turkey lost the chance to struggle for their rights and interests in a peaceful way.
The association states that "by putting the PKK on its Terrorist List – notwithstanding the political and cultural oppression against the Kurds, which has lasted for decades now, in spite of the expulsion from their villages, in spite of the torture and even killing which they had to endure – the EU ignores the right to resistance of the Kurds."
According to the association "thus even the results of the annual Progress Report of the European Commission on Turkey in which severe human rights violations are regularly denounced is ignored by the Council of the European Union."
But the lawyer association goes further adding that "putting PKK on the EU Terror-list is also a political mistake, because it interferes with efforts to find a political solution, and instead creates a justification for further proscription of pro Kurdish political parties."
Furthermore the association says that "The European Union has shown in the past, that by its accession criteria it is able to generate a positive influence on the political and legal development of Turkey. By taking the PKK off the Terrorist List an important impetus could be given to a political solution of the Kurdish question in Turkey."
The request made by the the supporters of the declaration (which can be found at Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) demand therefore: to take the PKK off the EU Terrorist List, to continue active support for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question and Kurdish civil society by the European Union, to end all expulsion of of Kurdish policital refugees to the pursuing state Turkey, to stop all restrictions of the right to asylum on the ground of membership in Kurdish organisations, to abolish the EU Terrorist List in general.
Up to now the appeal is supported by lawyers associations which represent lawyers from 18 European countries. In the appeal they also demand the abolition of the EU Terrorist List in general, in particular because it does not comply with the rule of law. In this context the lawyers refer to several judgements of the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg, which declared the listing on the Terrorist List as violation of European law. The lawyers demand that the European Union plays an active role in the efforts for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question. The European Union should support the Kurdish civil society. The expulsion of Kurdish political refugees to the pursuant state Turkey should be stopped.
In 2002, at the demand of the Turkish Government, the Workers Party of Kurdistan (PKK) was put on the European Union Terrorist List. This list is updated regularly. Acts of violence committed by the PKK in Turkey and abroad are given as a main reason for keeping it on the list.
In December 2009 the Party of the Democratic Society (DTP) was banned by the Turkish Constitutional Court. The DTP had struggled for the recognition of the Kurds as a nation and for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question. By banning the DTP, approximately 20 Million Kurds living in Turkey lost the chance to struggle for their rights and interests in a peaceful way.
