ANKARA - Turkey - Four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies were released from prison on Wednesday.
Four former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak were released from Ankara prison at 6.13 p.m.
GUL: WE RESPECT COURT`S DECISION
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said that they respected the judicial decision to release former deputies of outlawed DEP.
Replying to questions of reporters at the ministry, Gul said that the court`s decision had proven that there was a functioning and reliable jurisprudence in Turkey.
Noting that also the reform process which the government had been conducting with determination affected the court`s decision, Gul said they hoped that all those developments would not be misunderstood but evaluated well. ``Being a citizen of a powerful and strong Turkey is the source of honor and confidence for everybody. So we respect the court`s decision.``
Gul said that he was sure after this decision that there would be no need for several people to judge Turkish jurisprudence.
Noting that one of the most important consequences of the decision was that it would allow easier approval of the report on Turkey that the Council of Europe would debate on June 21, Gul said that Turkey was under Council of Europe`s monitoring process, recalling that the decision of the State Security Court on former deputies of outlawed DEP had prevented the Council of Europe to close monitoring procedure for Turkey.
``What I want to mention is that it is a court decision. We respect it. However, what it really shows is that there is a reliable and functioning jurisprudence in Turkey,`` Gul said and added that it could make decision alone on even most disputatious issues,`` he said.
UNITED STATES WELCOMES RELEASE OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
WASHINGTON - The United States has said it welcomed decision to release four former DEP deputies.
An official from the U.S. State Department told the A.A correspondent on Wednesday that they welcomed the Turkish court`s decision to release four former DEP deputies.
This decision meant another signal which proves that the reform process that has been underway in Turkey for a few years has deepened, and we will expect this case to give its final result at the Turkish courts, the U.S. official said.
KRETSCHMER: ``RELEASE OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES IS POSITIVE STEP``
Hans Jorg Kretschmer, the head of the European Commission Representation to Turkey, has said that release of former DEP deputies from prison was a positive step and he believed EU institutions would take this judicial decision into consideration.
Speaking to reporters during a reception hosted on Wednesday at the British Embassy in Ankara, Kretschmer said he could not make a further analysis as the release was a newly-made decision. ``However, we have been expecting it for a long time.``
Asked whether the decision to free former DEP deputies would affect opening of accession talks with Turkey, Kretschmer said it was a very important development and he was sure that EU institutions would take it into consideration.
WESTMACOTT WELCOMES RELEASE OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
ANKARA - British Ambassador to Turkey Peter Westmacott said that they welcomed release of four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Selim Sadak and Hatip Dicle.
Replying to questions of journalists, Westmacott said that Turkey had taken an important step in its European Union (EU) process by making a decision to release four former DEP deputies from prison a day after beginning of broadcast in mother tongues.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT WELCOMES DECISION TO FREE FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
BRUSSELS - European Parliament President Pat Cox welcomed on Wednesday Turkish Court of Appeal`s decision to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
Releasing a press statement, Cox warmly welcomed today`s decision to release four former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Selim Sadak and Hatip Dicle.
Cox, in his statement, acknowledge the decision as a very positive development in the reform process that had been underway in Turkey for some time now.
``The European Parliament has been pressing to secure Leyla Zana`s release since she was imprisoned and so I am very pleased that the Turkish judicial authorities have finally taken the decision to release her and the others today,`` Cox said.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION WELCOMES DECISION TO RELEASE FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
BRUSSELS - The European Commission welcomed on Wednesday Turkish Supreme Court of Appeal`s decision to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
A statement of the Commission said, ``the Commission welcomes the decision of the Turkish Court of Cassation to release Leyla Zana and the three other former DEP members of Parliament, pending the final verdict.``
``Along with the European Court on Human Rights, the Commission always considered that Ms. Zana and her companions had not enjoyed a fair trial and therefore systematically brought up this issue with its Turkish counterparts as well as in its Regular Reports on Turkey, asking for the release of the four detainees,`` the statement noted.
The statement reflected European Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen`s pleasure with the decision of the Turkish court.
``Today`s decision is a sign that the implementation of political reforms, which Turkey has been introducing in the past two years, is gaining ground. The Commission trusts that the future sessions of the trial of Ms. Zana and her colleagues will be conducted in accordance with the basic provisions on fair trial and that the verdict of any future trial will reflect these principles,`` the statement added.
COE SECRETARY GENERAL WELCOMES DECISION TO RELEASE FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
PARIS - Council of Europe (COE) Secretary General Walter Schwimmer said on Wednesday that COE welcomed the decision of Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
Schwimmer, who is expected to pay a two-day working visit to Turkish capital Ankara, told A.A correspondent prior to his visit that decision of Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals to release four former DEP deputies were in line with the goal of human rights and democracy reforms of the government and parliament.
That decision of the Turkish court would contribute to positive human rights and democracy image of Turkey, Schwimmer stated.
Schwimmer added that Turkey would determinedly continue its reforms in human rights and democracy.
COE Secretary General Schwimmer, who will go to Ankara this evening, will meet with Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Turkish parliamentarians who are members of the COE Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA).
Schwimmer, who is expected to return to Strasbourg on Friday, will fly to Turkey again to attend the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit to be held in Istanbul between June 14 and 16.
Meanwhile, COE officials say that the decision of the Turkish court will have significant contribution to adoption of the report on lifting the supervision process on Turkey.
COE officials note that the report expected to be voted in COEPA general assembly was delayed to the general assembly meeting to be held at the end of July since Turkish State Security Court (DGM) did not reverse the imprisonment sentence against four former DEP deputies in its verdict in April.
In COEPA general assembly in April, majority of European parliamentarians had stated that the general assembly would not adopt the report if DEP deputies were not released.
Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals decided earlier in the day to release for former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak.
Former DEP deputies have served 10 years of their 15-year sentence.
(BRC-AÖ) 09.06.2004
ANKARA - Turkey - Four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies were released from prison on Wednesday.
Four former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak were released from Ankara prison at 6.13 p.m.
GUL: WE RESPECT COURT`S DECISION
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said that they respected the judicial decision to release former deputies of outlawed DEP.
Replying to questions of reporters at the ministry, Gul said that the court`s decision had proven that there was a functioning and reliable jurisprudence in Turkey.
Noting that also the reform process which the government had been conducting with determination affected the court`s decision, Gul said they hoped that all those developments would not be misunderstood but evaluated well. ``Being a citizen of a powerful and strong Turkey is the source of honor and confidence for everybody. So we respect the court`s decision.``
Gul said that he was sure after this decision that there would be no need for several people to judge Turkish jurisprudence.
Noting that one of the most important consequences of the decision was that it would allow easier approval of the report on Turkey that the Council of Europe would debate on June 21, Gul said that Turkey was under Council of Europe`s monitoring process, recalling that the decision of the State Security Court on former deputies of outlawed DEP had prevented the Council of Europe to close monitoring procedure for Turkey.
``What I want to mention is that it is a court decision. We respect it. However, what it really shows is that there is a reliable and functioning jurisprudence in Turkey,`` Gul said and added that it could make decision alone on even most disputatious issues,`` he said.
UNITED STATES WELCOMES RELEASE OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
WASHINGTON - The United States has said it welcomed decision to release four former DEP deputies.
An official from the U.S. State Department told the A.A correspondent on Wednesday that they welcomed the Turkish court`s decision to release four former DEP deputies.
This decision meant another signal which proves that the reform process that has been underway in Turkey for a few years has deepened, and we will expect this case to give its final result at the Turkish courts, the U.S. official said.
KRETSCHMER: ``RELEASE OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES IS POSITIVE STEP``
Hans Jorg Kretschmer, the head of the European Commission Representation to Turkey, has said that release of former DEP deputies from prison was a positive step and he believed EU institutions would take this judicial decision into consideration.
Speaking to reporters during a reception hosted on Wednesday at the British Embassy in Ankara, Kretschmer said he could not make a further analysis as the release was a newly-made decision. ``However, we have been expecting it for a long time.``
Asked whether the decision to free former DEP deputies would affect opening of accession talks with Turkey, Kretschmer said it was a very important development and he was sure that EU institutions would take it into consideration.
WESTMACOTT WELCOMES RELEASE OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
ANKARA - British Ambassador to Turkey Peter Westmacott said that they welcomed release of four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Selim Sadak and Hatip Dicle.
Replying to questions of journalists, Westmacott said that Turkey had taken an important step in its European Union (EU) process by making a decision to release four former DEP deputies from prison a day after beginning of broadcast in mother tongues.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT WELCOMES DECISION TO FREE FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
BRUSSELS - European Parliament President Pat Cox welcomed on Wednesday Turkish Court of Appeal`s decision to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
Releasing a press statement, Cox warmly welcomed today`s decision to release four former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Selim Sadak and Hatip Dicle.
Cox, in his statement, acknowledge the decision as a very positive development in the reform process that had been underway in Turkey for some time now.
``The European Parliament has been pressing to secure Leyla Zana`s release since she was imprisoned and so I am very pleased that the Turkish judicial authorities have finally taken the decision to release her and the others today,`` Cox said.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION WELCOMES DECISION TO RELEASE FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
BRUSSELS - The European Commission welcomed on Wednesday Turkish Supreme Court of Appeal`s decision to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
A statement of the Commission said, ``the Commission welcomes the decision of the Turkish Court of Cassation to release Leyla Zana and the three other former DEP members of Parliament, pending the final verdict.``
``Along with the European Court on Human Rights, the Commission always considered that Ms. Zana and her companions had not enjoyed a fair trial and therefore systematically brought up this issue with its Turkish counterparts as well as in its Regular Reports on Turkey, asking for the release of the four detainees,`` the statement noted.
The statement reflected European Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen`s pleasure with the decision of the Turkish court.
``Today`s decision is a sign that the implementation of political reforms, which Turkey has been introducing in the past two years, is gaining ground. The Commission trusts that the future sessions of the trial of Ms. Zana and her colleagues will be conducted in accordance with the basic provisions on fair trial and that the verdict of any future trial will reflect these principles,`` the statement added.
COE SECRETARY GENERAL WELCOMES DECISION TO RELEASE FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
PARIS - Council of Europe (COE) Secretary General Walter Schwimmer said on Wednesday that COE welcomed the decision of Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
Schwimmer, who is expected to pay a two-day working visit to Turkish capital Ankara, told A.A correspondent prior to his visit that decision of Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals to release four former DEP deputies were in line with the goal of human rights and democracy reforms of the government and parliament.
That decision of the Turkish court would contribute to positive human rights and democracy image of Turkey, Schwimmer stated.
Schwimmer added that Turkey would determinedly continue its reforms in human rights and democracy.
COE Secretary General Schwimmer, who will go to Ankara this evening, will meet with Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Turkish parliamentarians who are members of the COE Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA).
Schwimmer, who is expected to return to Strasbourg on Friday, will fly to Turkey again to attend the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit to be held in Istanbul between June 14 and 16.
Meanwhile, COE officials say that the decision of the Turkish court will have significant contribution to adoption of the report on lifting the supervision process on Turkey.
COE officials note that the report expected to be voted in COEPA general assembly was delayed to the general assembly meeting to be held at the end of July since Turkish State Security Court (DGM) did not reverse the imprisonment sentence against four former DEP deputies in its verdict in April.
In COEPA general assembly in April, majority of European parliamentarians had stated that the general assembly would not adopt the report if DEP deputies were not released.
Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals decided earlier in the day to release for former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak.
Former DEP deputies have served 10 years of their 15-year sentence.
(BRC-AÖ) 09.06.2004