Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA2998
2003-05-08 07:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION: "POLICE RAID A WARNING
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002998
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU OSCE
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION: "POLICE RAID A WARNING
TO KURDS AND TO GOT"
REF: ANKARA 1624
Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 b and d.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002998
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU OSCE
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION: "POLICE RAID A WARNING
TO KURDS AND TO GOT"
REF: ANKARA 1624
Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 b and d.
1. (C) Summary: Police May 6 raided the Ankara offices of the
Human Rights Association (HRA),seizing records and computers
as part of an investigation of alleged support for terrorism.
The HRA President believes the action is an attempt to warn
NGOs and the GOT against supporting a planned conference on
the Kurdish problem. Prosecutors have repeatedly taken the
HRA to court over the years, but have failed to prove ties to
terrorism. GOT reaction will be reported septel. End
Summary.
--------------
Police Seize Records from Ankara Offices
--------------
2. (C) On May 6 Ankara police raided both the national
headquarters and the branch office of the HRA, hauling away
numerous paper files, computer discs, and computers. HRA
President Husnu Ondul told us 15 police and a State Security
Court prosecutor entered the headquarters shortly after 9
a.m. and began searching and seizing documents. He said the
prosecutor claimed the raid was part of an investigation of
the HRA for providing aid and shelter to an illegal
organization (Note: presumably referring to the terrorist
PKK. End Note). Police later searched the Ankara branch
office. Ondul claimed police did not keep detailed records
of the seized documents. He said they include reports of
human rights violations by security officials, some of which
may reveal the names of the accusers.
--------------
Raid Coincides with Meeting on EU Reform
--------------
3. (C) Ondul believes the action was staged by nationalist
elements of the military and intelligence services (i.e. the
Deep State) as a warning to the Kurdish community and the
GOT. He noted that the raid took place on the same day he
and other NGO leaders were scheduled to meet with FM Gul to
discuss the GOT's plan for enacting human rights reform in
order to meet EU membership criteria. Ondul averred that the
timing was no coincidence, and speculated that the raid was a
reaction to the well-known plans of the pro-Kurdish Democracy
People's Party (DEHAP) to organize a national conference on
the Kurdish problem. DEHAP is seeking broad sponsorship for
the conference, which would include on its agenda the
possibility of an amnesty for PKK supporters and other
"political" prisoners. Ondul believes the police action was
a warning to the GOT and NGOs against participating in the
conference or supporting any reform proposals it might
generate.
--------------
HRA Frequently Harassed, Attacked Over Years
--------------
4. (U) Ondul noted that over the years police and prosecutors
have frequently raided HRA offices and taken the organization
to court, but each closure case has ended in acquittal. He
averred that this raid was yet the latest example of State
harassment; no legitimate evidence will be found and there
will be no convictions.
5. (U) The HRA is Turkey's largest human rights organization,
with an estimated 14,000 members and 34 branches nationwide.
More than 400 court cases have been opened against the HRA
over the past two years. In August, prosecutors indicted
Ondul and 46 other HRA leaders in an ongoing case tied to a
January 2001 raid of HRA headquarters. Since the 1990s, 14
HRA officials have been killed under suspicious
circumstances. In 1998, then HRA President Akin Birdal was
shot and critically wounded in his Ankara office; a former
Jandarma sergeant was among those later convicted for the
attack.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) We think the timing of this raid is not a coincidence,
and it does appear to be a warning from nationalist elements
of the State. This tactic is all too common in Turkey --
reftel reports on the nearly simultaneous March 13
announcements of the closing of the pro-Kurdish HADEP party
and the launching of a closure case against DEHAP. Like the
HRA, HADEP and DEHAP have repeatedly been accused of
supporting terrorism. However, despite intense scrutiny,
prosecutors have not been able to prove these charges in
court. We will raise this issue with the Foreign, Justice,
and Interior ministries and report septel.
PEARSON
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU OSCE
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION: "POLICE RAID A WARNING
TO KURDS AND TO GOT"
REF: ANKARA 1624
Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 b and d.
1. (C) Summary: Police May 6 raided the Ankara offices of the
Human Rights Association (HRA),seizing records and computers
as part of an investigation of alleged support for terrorism.
The HRA President believes the action is an attempt to warn
NGOs and the GOT against supporting a planned conference on
the Kurdish problem. Prosecutors have repeatedly taken the
HRA to court over the years, but have failed to prove ties to
terrorism. GOT reaction will be reported septel. End
Summary.
--------------
Police Seize Records from Ankara Offices
--------------
2. (C) On May 6 Ankara police raided both the national
headquarters and the branch office of the HRA, hauling away
numerous paper files, computer discs, and computers. HRA
President Husnu Ondul told us 15 police and a State Security
Court prosecutor entered the headquarters shortly after 9
a.m. and began searching and seizing documents. He said the
prosecutor claimed the raid was part of an investigation of
the HRA for providing aid and shelter to an illegal
organization (Note: presumably referring to the terrorist
PKK. End Note). Police later searched the Ankara branch
office. Ondul claimed police did not keep detailed records
of the seized documents. He said they include reports of
human rights violations by security officials, some of which
may reveal the names of the accusers.
--------------
Raid Coincides with Meeting on EU Reform
--------------
3. (C) Ondul believes the action was staged by nationalist
elements of the military and intelligence services (i.e. the
Deep State) as a warning to the Kurdish community and the
GOT. He noted that the raid took place on the same day he
and other NGO leaders were scheduled to meet with FM Gul to
discuss the GOT's plan for enacting human rights reform in
order to meet EU membership criteria. Ondul averred that the
timing was no coincidence, and speculated that the raid was a
reaction to the well-known plans of the pro-Kurdish Democracy
People's Party (DEHAP) to organize a national conference on
the Kurdish problem. DEHAP is seeking broad sponsorship for
the conference, which would include on its agenda the
possibility of an amnesty for PKK supporters and other
"political" prisoners. Ondul believes the police action was
a warning to the GOT and NGOs against participating in the
conference or supporting any reform proposals it might
generate.
--------------
HRA Frequently Harassed, Attacked Over Years
--------------
4. (U) Ondul noted that over the years police and prosecutors
have frequently raided HRA offices and taken the organization
to court, but each closure case has ended in acquittal. He
averred that this raid was yet the latest example of State
harassment; no legitimate evidence will be found and there
will be no convictions.
5. (U) The HRA is Turkey's largest human rights organization,
with an estimated 14,000 members and 34 branches nationwide.
More than 400 court cases have been opened against the HRA
over the past two years. In August, prosecutors indicted
Ondul and 46 other HRA leaders in an ongoing case tied to a
January 2001 raid of HRA headquarters. Since the 1990s, 14
HRA officials have been killed under suspicious
circumstances. In 1998, then HRA President Akin Birdal was
shot and critically wounded in his Ankara office; a former
Jandarma sergeant was among those later convicted for the
attack.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) We think the timing of this raid is not a coincidence,
and it does appear to be a warning from nationalist elements
of the State. This tactic is all too common in Turkey --
reftel reports on the nearly simultaneous March 13
announcements of the closing of the pro-Kurdish HADEP party
and the launching of a closure case against DEHAP. Like the
HRA, HADEP and DEHAP have repeatedly been accused of
supporting terrorism. However, despite intense scrutiny,
prosecutors have not been able to prove these charges in
court. We will raise this issue with the Foreign, Justice,
and Interior ministries and report septel.
PEARSON