Turkey: Update to TUR22841.E of 19 January 1996 regarding the People's Democracy Party (HADEP); legal status of the party, harassment of known members and supporters (1998-1999)

Extensive information regarding the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) is available in Country Reports 1998 and Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report, 1999.

According to the Economist, recent attempts by the Turkish authorities to ban HADEP, if successful, would represent the fourth closure of a pro-Kurdish party by Turkish prosecutors within the last ten years (Economist 13 Feb. 1999). Country Reports 1998 states that "At year's end the party [HADEP] faced closure by the authorities for alleged unconstitutional activities" (1999). In addition to the closure proceedings, Turkey's Chief Prosecutor, Vural Savas, twice sought, unsuccessfully (in February and April 1999) to bar HADEP from participating in the April 1999 local and general elections on the grounds that the party had links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) (Economist 13 Feb. 1999; Xinhua 8 Mar. 1999; AFP 13 Apr. 1999; ibid. 14 Apr. 1999).

In the April 1999 elections, HADEP failed to gain the 10 percent popular vote required to secure parliamentary representation; however, the party did do well in local elections, winning in Diyarbakir and other towns in Southeast Turkey (AFP 19 Apr. 1999; Mideast Mirror 19 Apr. 1999). Nevertheless, proceedings to close the party down altogether continued (Xinhua, 8 Mar. 1999; Mideast Mirror 19 Apr. 1999).

There are numerous media reports of harassment of known HADEP members and supporters among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Due to the volume of reports, they are presented chronologically:

February 1998 - The HADEP district officials for Kartal and Beykoz and four provincial administrators are detained and it is announced that the Gaziosmanpasa district official is sought, following an attempt to turn the funeral of a PKK member into an "illegal demonstration" (TRT TV 6 Feb. 1998)

February 1998 - A number of HADEP officials including leader Murat Bozlak, the deputy leader and the secretary-general are detained by the Ankara counter-terrorism department (ibid. 12 Feb. 1998; AP 16 Feb. 1998)

March 1998 - 54 people are detained in raids on HADEP offices and on publishing houses in Istanbul and party materials including calendars, placards, journals and other documents are confiscated (Anatolia 22 Mar. 1998)

May 1998 - After it is reported that captured PKK member Semdin Sakik had described HADEP as the "PKK's conscription bureau", HADEP members are allegedly attacked by members of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leading to two deaths and two serious injuries (IPS 12 May 1998)

May 1998 - HADEP members are arrested and accused of links to the PKK in Batman province (Anatolia 20 May 1998)

September 1998 - HADEP members are among 127 peace activists released after being taken into custody for violating a law on meetings and demonstrations (ibid. 1 Sept. 1998)

October 1998 - It is reported that "hundreds" of HADEP members are detained en route to a planned rally (AP 17 Oct. 1998)

November 1998 - Following the arrest of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan HADEP alleges that more than 3,000 people have been arrested at rallies supporting Ocalan and in raids on HADEP offices, DPA reports the arrests of eleven "leading" members of HADEP (DPA 23 Nov. 1998)

December 1998 - After HADEP launches a three day hunger strike in reaction to the November "crackdown," it is reported that 105 members are arrested on unspecified charges; it is also reported that leader Murat Bozlak could face a 22 year prison term if found guilty of links to the PKK (ibid. 6 Dec. 1998; Anatolia 7 Dec. 1998)

December 1998 - Eight members of HADEP executive board are arrested in Ankara for launching a hunger strike as protest against the Ocalan arrest (Anatolia 15 Dec. 1998)

January 1999 - It is reported that 41 of 45 HADEP officials arrested in November 1998 have been released but that others remain in custody (ibid., 27 Jan. 1999)

February 1999 - HADEP offices in Istanbul and other cities are raided and 18 or more persons detained (Med TV 19 Feb. 1999)

February 1999 - HADEP claims that 1,500 members have been arrested since Ocalan's return to Turkey; the Turkish Human Rights Association (IHD) corroborates that the police are targetting HADEP members (AFP 20 Feb. 1999)

February 1999 - Three HADEP members are detained for throwing gasoline bombs at banks and a search of the HADEP district centre turns up three Molotov cocktails (Anatolia 26 Feb. 1999)

March 1999 - After 53 HADEP members are detained in Sanliurfa province, 6 are remanded until trial and 47 are released pending trial, charged with planning an illegal demonstration (ibid., 1 Mar. 1999)

March 1999 - 25 persons are arrested for chanting pro-PKK slogans at a reception for HADEP candidates; 45 others are released (ibid., 19 Mar. 1999)

March 1999 - Authorities raid the Istanbul offices of HADEP, detaining seven persons (DPA 20 Mar. 1999)

April 1999 - 300 HADEP supporters are arrested in Diyarbakir for attempting to attend an unauthorized election rally which is dispersed by riot police (DPA 13 Apr. 1999; AP 15 Apr. 1999)

April 1999 - A HADEP mayoral candidate in the town of Lice is allegedly barred from entering the town; there are allegations that the security forces required citizens to vote publicly "in an attempt to pressure them not to vote for HADEP" (ibid. 18 Apr. 1999)

April 1999 - Over 100 persons are detained after raids on HADEP buildings and cultural centres in advance of planned May Day celebrations (TRT TV 30 Apr. 1999)

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 19 April 1999. "Pro-Kurdish Party Wins Largest Town in Southeast Turkey." (NEXIS)

_____. 14 April 1999. "Turkish Court Gives Green Light for Kurdish Party's Poll Participation." (NEXIS)

_____. 13 April 1999. Florence Biederman. "International News." (NEXIS)

_____. 20 February 1999. "Thousands Arrested in Turkey Since Capture of Ocalan: Rights Group." (NEXIS)

Anatolia News Agency [Ankara, in Turkish]. 19 March 1999. "Twenty-five Arrested for Chanting Pro-Kurdish Slogans." (BBC Summary 22 Mar. 1999/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in English]. 1 March 1999. "Six Members of Pro-Kurdish Party Arrested in Southern Turkey." (BBC Summary 3 Mar. 1999/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 27 February 1999. "Kurdish Party Members Detained for Throwing Bombs at Banks." (BBC Summary 26 Feb. 1999/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 27 January 1999. "Court Frees 41 Members of Pro-Kurdish Party, Keeps Others in Custody." (BBC Summary 30 Jan. 1999/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in English]. 14 December 1998. "Eight Members of Pro-Kurdish Party Arrested." (BBC Summary 15 Dec. 1998/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 7 December 1998. "Pro-Kurdish Party Starts Hunger Strike Over Arrest of Officials." (BBC Summary 9 Dec. 1998/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in English]. 1 September 1998. "Istanbul Court Releases 127 Peace Activists." (BBC Summary 2 Sept. 1998/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 20 May 1998. "Ten People Arrested Over Links with Kurdistan Workers' Party." (BBC Summary 25 May 1998/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 22 March 1998. "More than 50 Held in Police Raids on Pro-Kurdish Party." (BBC Summary 26 Mar. 1998/NEXIS)

Associated Press (AP). 18 April 1999. Louis Meixler. "International News." (NEXIS)

_____. 15 April 1999. Selcan Hacaoglu. "Pro-Kurdish Pols Winning in Turkey." (NEXIS)

_____. 17 October 1998. "Police Detain Hundreds of Pro-Kurdish Party Members in Turkey." (NEXIS)

_____. 16 February 1998. "Kurdish Politicians Charged with Links to Rebel Group." (NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. 1999. Washington, DC: US Department of State. [Internet] [Accessed 17 May 1999]

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 13 April 1999. "300 Kurdish Party Supporters Arrested in Southeast Turkey." (NEXIS)

_____. 20 March 1999. "Turkey Rounds Up Leaders of Kurdish Political Group." (NEXIS)

_____. 6 December 1998. "Police Arrest Over 100 Pro-Kurd Party Members in Istanbul." (NEXIS)

_____. 23 November 1998. "11 Pro-Kurd Party Members Arrested in Turkey." (NEXIS)

The Economist [New York]. 13 February 1999. "Turkey: Crackdown." (NEXIS)

Inter Press Service (IPS). 12 May 1998. Nadire Mater. "Rights-Turkey: Semdin Sakik's Words Echo in the Kurdish War Zone." (NEXIS)

Med TV [London, in Turkish]. 19 February 1999. "Turkish Police Reportedly Raid Turkish Party Offices in Istanbul." (BBC Summary 20 Feb. 1999/NEXIS)

Mideast Mirror [London]. 19 April 1999. "Why Turkey's Electorate Sprang a Surprise and May Soon Vote Again." (NEXIS)

TRT TV [Ankara, in Turkish]. 30 April 1999. "About 100 Persons Detained in Searches of Pro-Kurd Party Premises." (BBC Summary 1 May 1999/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 6 February 1998. "Pro-Kurdish Party Officials Detained on Propaganda Charges." (BBC Summary 9 Feb. 1998/NEXIS)

_____ [Ankara, in Turkish]. 12 February 1998. "Pro-Kurdish Party Leaders Detained in Terrorism Inquiry." (BBC Summary 14 Feb. 1998/NEXIS)

Xinhua. 8 March 1999. "Turkey Lets Kurdish's Party to Run in Elections." (NEXIS)