C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003676

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2026
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE EU DA TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: KURDISH MAYORS INDICTED FOR ROJ TV LETTER

Classified by acting Polcouns Charles O. Blaha; reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (U) Prosecutors have indicted 56 mayors from Turkey's
predominantly Kurdish southeast on charges of supporting the
PKK by sending a letter to Danish PM Rasmussen urging him to
resist GOT pressure to shut down ROJ TV. The mayors, all
from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), signed a
letter sent to Rasmussen in December 2005. Signatories
include Osman Baydemir, mayor of Diyarbakir, the largest city
in the southeast.


2. (U) The GOT maintains that ROJ TV, which broadcasts in
Kurdish from Denmark, is a mouthpiece for the PKK; the GOT is
urging the Government of Denmark to close the station. In
their letter, the mayors call the GOT efforts
"anti-democratic" and assert that, "there still exists a
fundamental difference between Turkey and the European
civilization in matters of freedom of press and expression."
The mayors state that ROJ TV attracts a large audience among
Turkey's Kurds because the GOT places undue restrictions on
Kurdish-language broadcasting within Turkey. They argue that
ROJ TV poses no threat to Turkey, regardless of whether one
agrees with its editorial content, and call on the GOT to
enable independent Kurdish-language stations to flourish in
Turkey. "We hope that one day ROJ TV will be able to
broadcast from nowhere else but from Istanbul, Ankara or
Diyarbakir, and it will be only one among many other Kurdish
TV stations that will be launched with the support of the
Turkish government."


3. (U) Prosecutors have completed their investigation and
submitted their indictment to a Diyarbakir court. The court
could decide to dismiss the indictment, but a number of
contacts told us they consider that unlikely, and expect
trial proceedings to begin in the coming weeks. The mayors
face charges under both the Penal Code and the Anti-Terror
Law for "knowingly and willingly assisting a terrorist
organization." The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15
years in prison.


4. (C) PM Rasmussen reacted harshly when the indictment was
leaked to the press on June 15, telling reporters that a
trial against the mayors "is no something we (the EU) will
quietly accept because it would be completely contradictory
to the principle that has to be met for countres wishing to
join the EU." The Danish DCM in Ankara told us that
Rasmussen, a staunch free speech advocate, has the full
backing of all parties in the Danish Parliament for his tough
stance. If there is a trial, or, worse yet, a conviction, it
will undermine support for Turkey's EU candidacy in Denmark,
and perhaps other EU countries, he said.

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Comment
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5. (C) Regardless of the outcome of the GOT efforts,
supported by the USG, to shut down ROJ TV, the charges
against the mayors will only add to the impression that
Turkey is still not prepared to allow free expression on
controversial topics. If the court dismisses the charges, or
quickly rules for acquittal, the blame can be placed on
Turkey's overzealous prosecutors, but a conviction would
cause more damage.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON