Eighty Kurdish children face jail in Diyarbekir - Turkey
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Save the Kurdish Children
To: UNICEF, Save the Children: Sweden, USA, UK, Norway, France, Germany, Austria, and Amnesty International Uncover Turkish violations of Convention on the Rights of the Child Eighty Kurdish children face jail in Diyarbekir - Turkey We write as members of Save Kurdish Children in Sweden an organisation working on behalf of undefended Kurdish Children in Kurdistan, against the cruelty, torture and imprisonment of eighty children in Diyarbekir - Turkey. These children, aged between 10-18 face 10 -15 years in jail for alleged crimes against state and taking part in demonstration.

They were participants of protest marches against the cruel behaviour of the police and military forces; detention, beating and killing of demonstrators inclusive children who were standby watcher of the crowd march in the city of Diyarbekir and surrounding areas. Up to date 10 children and adults have been killed as police has shot in to the crowd of protestors in different cities within the Kurdish provinces in Turkey.

According to Reuters and Washington post (for more details please see washingtonpost.com; Tuesday, April 25, 2006; 7:54 AM), the indictment is prepared by prosecutors in Diyarbekir and the children will be put on trial in the coming days. Turkish PM, Tayyep Ordugan, on 31 March affirmed the right of police to shoot the Kurds, inclusive the children who participate in the marches against the state terrorism in Kurdistan. We strongly condemn the imprisonment and trial of children in Diyarbekir, as well as the killing and atrocities against the other civilians in the Kurdistan and other cities of Turkey.

We would urge you and your organisation as human right defenders to take appropriate measure to uncover these obvious violations of Convention on the Rights of the Child by Turkey, which is ironically also on the negotiating table for the European Union membership. On behalf of Save the Kurdish Children Jaafar Tekantepe Fereidoon Daneshvar Rädda Kurdiska Barn April 29, 2006 j_tekan@hotmail.com f.daneshvar@telia.com Örebro- Sweden