Kurdish deputy sentenced to jail time for 'terrorist' propaganda

GSherman: As far as I know, nobody has been arrested in Spain, Canada, United Kingdom or in any other democracy for only uttering words of support to al-qaeda, hamas or PKK. The security police in the countries may monitor them, but nobody has been put in prison for only saying words. That is the main difference between a democracy and a Mickey Mouse dictatorship country like Turkey. But you seem to be happy with living in a dictatorship.

roi, there are far more Turks than kurds therefore the kurds are a MINORITY. Why is that hard for you to understand? Also, you are outright lying about the number of kurds in this country. 20% of 70 million is 14 million, not 20 million. Why do you think you can just randomly increase their number by 6 million? And whether their number is 14 million or 20 million, how could there be more kurds than Turks in a few years in a country where the population is 70 million? Turkish people are going to stop reproducing all of a sudden? According to REAL statistics, the population of the will continue to have a Turkish majority so stop talking nonsense. Also, there are other minorites in close numbers to that of the kurds so you are lying about that. There are at last 12 million people who can trace there ancestry to the Caucasus. And if we counted the number of people who are descendant from the Laz, their number would likely go into the ten millions as well. This especially makes sense when you consider their influence in society. As somebody who can trace his ancestry to the Caucasus, I can tell you right now that in Turkiye, nobody ever gave us a problem if we speak our own language or Turkish.

Medic, what are you talking about? How many people have been arrested in those so call "free" countries you speak of for speaking in defense of al-quaeda or hamas. How is it different than speaking in defense of the PKK? Also, it's important to point out the hypocrites because some of the biggest anti-Turkish groups are host in those countries.

Ali Babacan, there is less language FREEDOM to speak Arabic in Israel and there is less langage FREEDOM to speak Spanish in the USA than there is language freedom to speak Kurdish in Turkiye. Like I said, nobody cares if kurds speak kurdish to one another at home or outside of state affairs. If you had ever been there, you would see that they are so illiterate in Turkish, kurdish members of the Turkish Armed Forces speak kurdish to eachother and nobody cares. In this age, you can still find people in the Southeast who are completely illiterate in Turkish. Would this be tolerated in israel and the united states? Never. I speak from personal experiece and I know for a fact that it would cause an outrage if somebody tried to speak spanish in the military in the USA or that there were parts of the country where people were allowed to be illiterate in english and only knew spanish.

There are 2 major identities in Turkey, Turks and Kurds, the number of other minorities in Turkey is way less than the Turks and Kurds. For God's sake, you have about 20 million Kurds in Turkey alone and you still consider it minority?. According to statistics, in the next few years there will even more Kurds than Turks in the state of Turkey. Please read my Canadian Example carefully, in Canada English Canadians do not deny the national rights of French Canadians just because there are other identities in Canada such as Natives, Italians, Greeks, Turks..... and thausands of other nationalities living in Canada. Just like Canada, Turkey is primarly made of Turks and Kurds. Thank you.

GeneralSherman: Whenever I or somebody else criticizes your beloved Turkey for something, you always ask them why we do not mention all other countries who behave the same way or worse than Turkey. This is a cheap and ridiculous way of debating! I know very well that Turkey behaves better than many other countries when it comes to individual freedom and human rights. But many countries, who share the same issues of minority rights with Turkey also behave a whole lot better than Turkey like Spain, Canada, United Kingdom and many more. It is a fact that Turkey has serious problems with its military, its police and its judiciary who abuse their authority every day against individuals, often against Kurds. No civilized country puts people in jail just because of words they say. Turkey is in many ways a wonderful country but its record on democratic and human rights stinks to high Heaven. Besides, the comments would become very long.

@all: the point is the whole contry will be sold to the west finace-elite! thats the endgame!!! but many here don't realize anthing !!!

@General Sherman 1) There is the question of language freedom and of state language. Of course there is language FREEDOM for Arabic in Israel and for Spanish in the US and you know that quite well. However, there is no language freedom for Kurdish in Turkey and that is intolerable. In a democratic society, any language can be learned, taught, and used for publication. 2) Even if the question is "state language" - what is the problem? Canada has two state languages, Belgium has two as well, Switzerland has four. Do you really want to tell us that Turks cannot do what Canadians, Swiss and Belgiums can do? 3) Then there is the definition of minority. International law makes a difference between immigrants and minorities. Minorities have more rights than immigrants, but Turkey simply ignores that. Kurds are not immigrants in Turkey, but Turks in Germany e.g. are. If Turkey wants rights for their immigrants in Europe, it should better start thinking about giving rights to their own minorities.

medic, saying the PKK didn't fire the first shot is like saying the Confederacy didn't fire the first shot. To say either is nonsense. Also, eve the PKK doesn't claim that women were raped by the Turkish military. This isn't israel, usa, or russia so get your facts straight instead of spreading pro-PKK propaganda. How does rape figure in when most of your campaign involves dropping bombs from thousands of feet in the air and firing at kurdish terrorists hiding in caves or on mountains. Furthermore, I don't hear you condeming the actual REAL cases of rape carried out by israeli soldier against palestinian women, russian soldiers against chechen women, or the rape of iraqi and vietnamese women by Amerian soldiers.

sayin tandoagan it is very obvious that Mark is one of those who does not understand the whole story. What ever you write he will insist on not understanting. becouse he is looking to the situation from one side from the side of the baby killers for the side of drug dealers (approved by USA) form the side of people who bomb innocend people. so how can you convince him he is the one who will drown in his own pool..

roi, no is telling anybody anybody they can't speak kurdish. What these terrorists want is to make there's the state language. Why is spanish not a state lanugage in the USA? Why is Tatar not a state language in Russia? Why is arabic not a state lanugage in israel? Why is Uighur not a state language in China? For some reason, the kurds think they are above these minorities.

To mark the illiterate, there were around 7.5-8.5 million Ottoman ethnic Turks at the time and they represented 50-67% of every part of east part of the empire. Of course, the armenians committed what they would consider themselves "genocide" on hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Turks and other Muslims but they choose to ignore this.

Attila, get real. No will ever take away land from the Turkish Republic. I know it causes great pain for your when you remember this but get it into your head that your opinion does not matter.

medic, so if a member of US Congress praised al-queada, would you defend his freedom of speech? That is no different from this.

There is evidence linking the PKK to drug smuggling in Europe that is strong enough to force these officials to reconsider their position concerning the group's connection to illegal drugs. Fuss, a report prepared by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) in 1992 linked the PKK to drugs and concluded that nearly 178 Kurdish organizations were suspected of illegal drug trade involvement. Second, INTERPOL's chief narcotics officer Iqbal Hussain Rizvi stated that the PKK was also heavily evolved in drug trafficking as a means to support the Kurdish revolt in Turkey. Rizvi further specified the routes for the Illegal drugs confirming that Kurdish areas were sites for heroin refining factories. Third, in 1994 Germany's Chief Prosecutor maintained that 80"/o of the drugs seized in Europe were linked to the PKK and that money acquired through illegal drug trafficking was used to purchase arms. Furthermore, the Italian police also acknowledged the existence of a PKK team conducting transportation of heroin to Italy and arms to Turkey. Fourth, admissions by some of the individuals arrested for drug dealing confirm the PKK role in this illicit money-producing business. For example, a Kurdish smuggler caught in 1991 admitted to transporting 300 kilograms of heroin for the PKK over a three-year period during the late 1980s. These incidents strongly indicate the PKK's Involvement in illegal drug trafficking and link the group to drug trading as early as 1984 (the same year the PKK officially started its separatist terrorism). Not only is the PKK involved in the transportation of Illegal drugs, but over the years, it has also extended its role into production and marketing as well. In short, the PKK has grown into a full-service business coordinating the production, use, and transportation of Illegal drugs, particularly in Western Europe. According to a report by the British National Service of Criminal intelligence, the PKK acquired about $75 million from drug smuggling In Europe In 1993. Further, in 1994 PKK members were arrested by Turkish authorities while attempting to smuggle 1.5 tons of hashish Into Turkey from one of Turkey's neighboring countries. Medic, the PKK and drug-trafficking go together like peanut butter and jelly. Shame on you for claiming ingorance on the subject.

Those who speaks abour the right of Kurds, they being tortured, etc. etc. please remeber the the Armenian massacers (not the Armenian Genocide) commited by Kurds under the Andulhamid the 2nd. Every nation must be held respoonsible and pay the price for the actions he commited.

I read with some interest and some amusement the above exchange: Here are some observations and food for thought: 1. "basically the people of Turkey are good at heart" - a quote from above. All people are good at heart. The Turks or the Kurds or the Greeks are not special. All people, in general, are good. Problems start when one ethnicity feel they are better than others. We learn that "we are better than others" in cheap history classrooms and at the knee of politicians that are good at exploiting ethnic pride and ethnic fears. 2. Kurds are not special either in demanding their rights. They want to be able to speak their language freely, broadcast in their language under the freedom of speech and keep their ethnic identity. That is what they want. The terrorists among them have chosen an udesirable means to obtain those rights. A democracy cannot afford such activity. oh, and for those of my Turkish friends who cannot see the truth in the above i have this question: how come you demand those rights for the Turkish minority in Cyprus? And, please, do not tell me that the Turks in Cyprus are not a minority. 3. Yes, in the Balkans and Middle East we have a bad record of suppressing minorities. All of us. But how about a) finding the courage to admit it and b) have the intestinal fortitude to do something different and positive going forward. As for instance, be more tolerant of others' ethnic and religious background. How about it??

Medic, your original post is spot on - I totally agree. Locking someone up for "propaganda" is abhorrent, and by all means undemocratic. The amount of censorship in Turkey is mind-blowing and very sad, especially in this day and age. It has greatly worsened under this government, evidenced by the many internet bans of top sites, most notably RichardDawkins.net, at the orders of convicted criminal Harun Yahya, thereby persecuting every atheist in the country. Another insanely backward recent development has been the ban of Turkey's two largest gay internet communities, encompassing 200,000 members. AKP clearly recognise the influence of the internet, and one would almost feel as though they were scared of it, judging by all of this suppression. Anyway, back to the Kurdish issue - full Kurdish equality and civil rights must be pushed for. The establishment of a Kurdish parliament within Turkey in the South-East region would make sense.

English Canadian do not deny the national rights of French Canadians just because there are other identities in Canada such as Natives, Italians, Greeks, Turks..... and thausands of other nationalities living in Canada. Just like Canada, Turkey is primarly made of Turks and Kurds.

@Medic: It seem as if you exctly know what I mean! Weapons don't grow on trees on the montains!

Tümen Tandogan: To answer your questions. I do not know if there are any evidence for that PKK has been funded by drug money, but if they have then it is of course awful and wrong. Most of my Kurdish friends, and they do not support PKK at all, do not think that PKK "fired the first shot" but that the military regime in 1980 went very hard on the Kurds, put many innocent Kurds in prison and tortured them. Kurds who had not been into any kind of terrorist activities earlier, became angry and frustrated, joined the PKK and went to training camps in Syria. I do not think any foreign country supports PKK. Most countries, among them all EU countries and USA, have labeled PKK as a terrorist organization just like Turkey has. But if you can present any evidence which shows that foreign countries support PKK, you are welcome to show them.

Kurds need to be freed in Turkey, with a region called Kurdistan established free from Turkey

The Interior Ministry has initiated an investigation against a population-registry official in Ankara who gave a baby an ID card with a Kurdish name, news agencies reported Tuesday. From today's Hürriyet online edition: - Upon the request of the baby’s father, Kenan Kırkaya, the official registered the baby’s name as Hêvî Jiyan. The letters “ê” and “î” do not exist in the Turkish alphabet. Anonymous officials speaking to the private news Web site NTVMSNBC said that the letters “â,” “î” and “û” have been used before, but not the letter “ê.” The ministry officials said the infant’s ID card might be cancelled if any mistake by the official were to be determined. - “Religious minorities said they were effectively blocked from careers in state institutions because of their faith. Minority religious groups also faced difficulties in worshipping, registering with the government, and training their followers. Although religious speech and persuasion is legal, some Muslims, Christians and Baha'is faced some restrictions and occasional harassment for alleged proselytizing.” That is what we mean when we say Turkey is hardly a democracy and violates the rights of its own citizen. Some of it is just too ridiculous and would not be possible in a country in the West.

Strange that I also criticize the turkish government and also my family does so. Strange that all my family never had any problem in turkey? Strange? Strange I feel so free in Turkey!... Question: - Why the PKK was taking drug money? - Why the PKK startet the first shot? - Why the PKK was supportet by foreing countries? ...belive me there is something that that makes minorities to revolt! And it is not the simple people in Türkiye! People in Turkey are all good in heart!

Tümen Tandogan No : I am not looking for "Arian"... I am just looking for the number of "ethnic Turks" (“ TÜRKIYE nation” not "muslims" or "turksih speaking peopel" - but the number of "ethnic Turks" ) in each Ottoman Vilâyet in 1914 . This is prior to start of Armenian Genocide and annihilation of many other Christian folks in Ottoman Turkey by the Ittihad government (CUP)

Tümen Tandogan: I do not think anybody who reads your comments here on Hürriyet Daily News doubt in any way that you love your "Türkiye" very much. But do you believe that anybody who criticizes your beloved Türkiye should go to prison only for saying the words they say? Just like your family once had to leave Macedonia, many Kurds have had to leave Türkiye for faraway countries like Germany or Sweden because the Türkish police and military have terrorized them and made their lives impossible. Many Kurds, not linked to PKK in any way, have been imprisoned and tortured by the Türkish police or military. Kurdish women and children have been raped or killed by the Turkish military. There are hundreds of children in prison in Türkiye today, most of them of Kurdish origin. Do you think all the misery that these people have gone, and are still going through is right?

How big was the number of German nation - number of "ethnic germans"- in 1914/1915 ? How big was the number of Italian nation - number of "ethnic Romans"- in 1914/1915 ? How big was the number of American nation - number of "ethnic Americans"- in 1914/1915 ? How big was the number of Russian nation - number of "ethnic Russians"- in 1914/1915 ? How big was the number of French nation - number of "ethnic French"- in 1914/1915 ? Are you looking for an Aian??? The time is gone my friend!!!

How big was the number of this "TÜRKIYE nation" - numbe r of "ethnic Turks"- in Ottoman Empire in 1914/1915 ?

Which Kurdish Rights? There is a right for all people in TÜRKIYE! I have mecedonian origin...I have all rights in Türkiye..I love that contry...it was the base for my existance - Türkiye saved our lifes! Why people only talk about Kurdish Right?? Are only Kurds living there??? ALL I CAN SAY TO THAT IS: "Ne mutlu Türküm diyene!"

People who don't like the Turkish Republic can move to Barzanis Land! Where is the problem? Otherwise you should not make dirt where you eat!

To MCB: Well, the Grey Wolves exist because many important people in Turkey support them. The Grey Wolves have strong links to Turkey's third biggest political party, MHP. Many influential people in Turkey like prosecutors, judges, high ranked military officers, academics, journalists, businessmen etc. also sympathize strongly with the Grey Wolves. They share the Grey Wolves' view of the world and think that the Grey Wolves' often violent and criminal actions are good for Turkey.

What else is new? any Kurdish citizen of Turkey who talks in favour of Kurdish national rights is automatically labeled as PKK terrorist, as child killer, as monster.. etc.

Can anyone give a reason as to why a cowardly, dirty, murderous organisation such as the Grey Wolves can be allowed to exist in modern Turkey. In any civilised country any organisation with such blood on its hands would not be allowed.

Politicians who call themselves democratic should not in any way support terrorist organisations. They should never show any kind of sympathy for terrorists and their violent actions, as this gives the terrorists a democratic legitimacy which makes them commit more and even worse violent actions. This happened in Turkey in the 1970s when Süleyman Demirel stated his support for the Grey Wolves' killings and bombings while Bülent Ecevit said that he could never condemn the violence from left wing terrorist groups. Their indirect support led to a horrible escalation of political violence and after sometime, people could get killed in the streets in Turkey just for reading the wrong newspaper. DTP is a very important political party in Turkey, but they must stop to express their sympathy for PKK, its members and its methods all the time. It is bad judgement from their side and makes the peace process more difficult for everybody. Still, it is also wrong to put Aysel Tugluk into jail just because of something she has said. There must be freedom of speech in a democracy. This also means freedom to say separatist, anti-nationalist, blasphemous or insulting words. Politicians should only be judged by their voters for things they say in a democracy, not by courts. But then again, sadly, Turkey is not a democracy.