Date: 11-05-2004

Solidarity Committee & Peace in Kurdistan Campaign

URGENT ACTION IN SUPPORT OF NURIYE KESBIR

Stop the Deportation of Nuriye Kesbir

We hear with dismay that a leading Kurdish activist is now facing torture if sent back to Turkey following an extradition ruling in The Netherlands.

The highest court in The Hague on 7 May upheld an extradition request against the prominent Kurdish political figure, women¹s activist and vice chairman of KONGRA-GEL (People¹s Congress of Kurdistan), Nuriye Kesbir.

The Dutch decision came in the wake of the recent ban on KONGRA-GEL as an alleged terrorist organisation by the European Union. Such actions which amount to the criminalisation of the Kurdish community in Europe are wholly unjustified and can only prevent the search for a political solution to the Kurdish question.

In taking its decision, the court ignored Nuriye Kesbir¹s fears of torture and that she will never get a fair trial in Turkey. Given Turkey¹s continuing record, her fears are well grounded and in such circumstances her deportation would mean flouting international human rights law.

Her fate is now in the hands of the Dutch Justice Minister who will decide whether she should be sent back to Turkey.

Before taking his final decision, the Minister should be aware of the fact that the legal reforms adopted by Turkey within the framework of the European Union accession package have not yet made any substantial material difference to the treatment of Kurdish activists.

Women in particular continue to be vulnerable to torture and inhuman treatment inside Turkish prisons as is well documented by human rights observers inside the country. Indeed, hardly a day goes by without news of another case of human rights abuses coming to light.

We appeal to the Dutch Justice Minister to act to block this deportation. Nuriye Kesbir should not be sent back to Turkey. She should be permitted to stay in The Netherlands where she has resided sin ce September 2001 and her claim for political asylum should be granted.

Please send letters of protest to

Ministry for Justice
Minister Piet Hein Donner
Schedeldoekshaven 100
Postbus 20301
2500 EH Den Haag
Telefon: +31 70 3707911
Fax: +31 70 3707900
email voorlichting@minjus.nl

Ministry of the Interior
Minister Johan Remkes
Schedeldoekshaven 200
2511 EZ The Hague
The Netherlands
Correspondence address:
P.O. Box 20011
2500 EA The Hague
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 70 426 63 02
Fax: +31 70 363 91 53
Email info@minbzk.nl

Ministry for Foreign affairs
Minister Bernard Rudolf Bot
Bezuidenhoutseweg 67
Postbus 20061
2500 EB Den Haag
Telefon: +31 70 3486486
Fax: +31 70 3484848
dpz@minbuza.nl

For more information please call: 0031 20 7250 1315 or 0031 20 7586 5892