10.2005 - Source: UK Home Office

Report on the situation of HADEP ("Country Report - October 2005") [#40563],  [ID 14290]

"6.228 The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2002 reported that:

“The pro-Kurdish HADEP [People’s Democracy Party], was established in 1994 as a successor to the successively banned HEP, DEP and ÖZDEP…. HADEP campaigns for greater cultural rights for Kurds and a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue. It has kept to that position by never resorting to violence. The party runs local branches in many provinces and districts, as well as women’s and youth wings in a large number of localities. The Turkish authorities regard HADEP as the PKK’s political wing. They therefore view this party with suspicion. The HADEP has no direct ties with the PKK, but relies largely on the same supporters.” [2a] (p131)

6.229 Europa reported that in January 1999 a motion was filed for the dissolution of HADEP (a pro-Kurdish political party), owing to its alleged links with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party); however in March 1999 the Constitutional Court ruled that HADEP was to be allowed to contest the 1999 elections. [1d] (p1168)

6.230 Keesings Record of World Events of April 1999 reported that the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democracy Party (HADEP) received less than 5 per cent of the vote in the 1999 general election. However, HADEP won control of several municipalities in the southeast, including the regional capital, Diyarbakır in simultaneous local elections. [32a] (p42911)

6.231 As reported by the BBC on 13 March 2003:

“Turkey’s constitutional court has banned the country’s main pro-Kurdish party [HADEP] for alleged links with rebel groups… The court also banned 46 members of the party, including former chairman Murat Bozlak, from politics for five years. Hadep did not stand in last November’s [2002] elections, but its candidates stood under the umbrella of the Democratic People’s Party (Dehap)… Neither Hadep nor Dehap describe themselves as Kurdish parties, but both say they defend the rights of people living in the south-eastern, Kurdish-populated, part of the country.” [66aq]

RELATIVES OF HADEP MEMBERS

6.232 The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2002 reported that “Relatives of HADEP members need not fear persecution by the Turkish authorities solely because one or more of their relatives is a member of HADEP. In certain cases, however, it cannot be ruled out that, for example, first or second degree relatives of HADEP members who are active at local level are closely watched by the State because of their relatives’ activities.” [2a] (p136)"

Document(s): Open document

26.05.2004 - Source: Amnesty International

The pro-Kurdish political party HADEP (People’s Democracy Party) was banned by a Constitutional Court ruling on 13 March ("Annual Report 2004") [#22730],  [ID 14291]

Document(s): Open document
Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

Government continued to harass HADEP and DEHAP ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11861],  [ID 14299]

"The Government restricted the activities of some political parties and leaders. The Government continued to harass the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HADEP), as well as the closely related Democratic People's Party (DEHAP), through various methods including police raids and detentions, although there were fewer instances than in previous years"

Document(s): Open document

13.03.2003 - Source: BBC News

Turkey's constitutional court has banned the country's main pro-Kurdish party for alleged links with rebel groups ("Turkey bans Kurdish party") [#12613],  [ID 14292]

Document(s): Open document

16.02.2003 - Source: Kaya, Serafettin

Stellungnahme v. 16.2.2003 an OVG Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - 3 L 99/00 - (vgl. Stellungnahme v. Helmut Oberdiek im selben Verfahren, #10972) ("Stellungnahme v. 16.2.2003 an OVG Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - 3 L 99/00 - (vgl. Stellungnahme v. Helmut Oberdiek im selben Verfahren, #10972)") [#11564],  [ID 14293]

Document(s): Open document

28.01.2003 - Source: Oberdiek, Helmut

Stellungnahme v. 28.1.2003 an OVG Meckl.-Vorp. - 3 L 99/00 - ("Stellungnahme v. 28.1.2003 an OVG Meckl.-Vorp. - 3 L 99/00 -") [#10972],  [ID 14295]

Document(s): Open document

15.04.2002 - Source: Council of the European Union

Netherlands delegation to CIREA: The Turkish authorities regard HADEP as the PKK’s political wing ("Note from the Netherlands delegation to CIREA: Official general report on Turkey, January 2002" Rf. 7838/02") [#7991],  [ID 14296]

"The pro-Kurdish HADEP was established in May 1994 as a successor to the successively banned
HEP, DEP and ÖZDEP. The party has around 60 000 members and draws its support mainly from
among Kurds, enjoying a considerable following in south-eastern Turkey especially. Some 4,7% of
the electorate voted for the HADEP in the elections on 18 April 1999. The party remains
unrepresented in parliament because in April 1999, as in the December 1995 parliamentary
elections, it failed to clear the 10% hurdle. However, in local elections also held on 18 April 1999,
HADEP candidates won the mayorship of six main cities in south-eastern Turkey as well as of
various smaller towns.
The HADEP campaigns for greater cultural rights for Kurds and a peaceful solution to the Kurdish
issue. It has kept to that position by never resorting to violence. The party runs local branches in
many provinces and districts, as well as women's and youth wings in a large number of localities.
The Turkish authorities regard HADEP as the PKK’s political wing. They therefore view this party
with suspicion. The HADEP has no direct ties with the PKK, but relies largely on the same
supporters."

Document(s): Open document