FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

The reasoned decision regarding the closure of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) came into effect by its publication in the Official Gazette on 31 December.

Constitutional Court President Haşim Kıllıç had announced the decision on 11 December 2009.

Upon the official publication, a political ban imposed on 37 party members came into force, among them DTP co-chairs Ahmet Türk and Aysel Tuğluk. The people subject to the ban must join not any political party as a member or founder for the duration of five years.

After the closure of the party, the parliamentary DTP MPs joined the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). Apart from 4 mayors affected by the political ban, the other DTP mayors also became members of BDP.

Türk and Tuğluk's status as members of parliament has also been terminated by the enforcement of the decision. Hereupon, they gave their statements in the context of several cases launched against them for various announcements they had made.

Former MP Ahmet Türk, accompanied by lawyer Mehmet Nuri Özmen, testified before the Ankara 11^th High Criminal Court. After the hearing he told the journalists: "Our parliamentary mandate has been terminated by the publication of the DTP closure decision in the Official Gazette. So we came to give our statements according to the regular procedures".

Türk and Tuğluk appeared at court

It was reported that neither media representatives nor any other audience were allowed in the court room when Türk and Tuğluk gave their statements.

After the publication in Official Gazette, the court had issued a decision to "bring both representatives to court by force". Both Türk an Tuğluk had refused to testify at court before, referring to the immunity of MPs.

The former DTP co-chairs are accused of having addressed imprisoned Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), as "respectable" and are tried under charges of "spreading propaganda for a terror organization". (TK/EÖ/VK)