Dokument #1249792
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
According to a representative of the
Turkish Human Rights Foundation in Ankara, whether a person would
be penalized for aiding Kurds depends on the location of the Kurds
(1 Apr. 1999). If a Turkish citizen provides aid to Kurds in
western Turkey it is very unlikely that the person would face any
problems. However, if a Turkish citizen provides aid to Kurds in
eastern Turkey, a region that has been devastated by the conflict
between the PKK and the army, it is more likely that the person
would be arrested and prosecuted for aiding a "terrorist"
organization.
The editor of Kurdnasi, an
academic review focusing on Kurdish issues, stated that it is very
difficult for Turkish security forces to distinguish between aiding
Kurdish civilians and the PKK (31 Mar. 1999). Penalties for helping
a "terrorist" organization would be between 1 to 2 years in
prison.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Editor of Kurdnasi, a magazine
focusing on Kurdish issues, New York. 31 March 1999. Telephone
interview.
Turkish Human Rights Foundation, Ankara,
Turkey. 1 April 1999. Telephone interview with representative.
Additional Sources Consulted
Bulloch, John and Morris, Harvey. 1996.
No Friends but the Mountains: the Tragic History of the
Kurds. New York: Oxford University Press.
Electronic sources: Internet (Kurdish
Websites), WNC, LEXIS-NEXIS
Gunter, Michael. 1990. Kurds in
Turkey: A Political Dilemma. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Human Rights Watch. 1990. Destroying
Ethnic Identity: Kurds of Turkey; An Update. New York: Human
Rights Watch Publications.
Kurdistan Times: A Biannual
PoliticalJournal. Fairfax, VA: Mustafa Al Karadaghi.
McDowall, David. 1996. Modern
History of the Kurds. London: I.B. Tauris.
_____. 1996. Kurds. Rev. 7th
ed. No. 96. London: Minority Rights Group Publication.
_____. 1996. Briefing Note Regarding
the Current Status of Alevi Kurds. St.John's: Newfoundland
Legal Aid Commission.
_____. 1991. Kurds. 6th ed. No.
91. London: Minority Rights Group (MRG).
Middle East and North Africa
1998. 1998. "Turkey". London: Europa Publications.
Parliamentary Human Rights Group. 1996.
Kurdish Region in Turkey: the Most Destructive Conflict in the
Northern Hemisphere. London: Kurdistan Information Centre.