The trial could not begin because the case file was removed when the lawyer of the General Directorate of Foundations did not attend the hearing and did not give any excuse for his absence.
The case will be dropped if not handled within three months
According to TIHV's Secretary of Foreign Relations, Erdem Aktar, this does not mean that the case has been dropped.
This means that "the case will begin on application," according to Aktar. The file can be handled within three months. But the case will be dropped after three months.
TIHV head Yavuz Onen, Secretary-General Sedat Aslantas, accountant Sabri Dozukoguz and other members of the foundation's board of directors, are all being accused of cooperating with institutions such as the United Nations (U.N.), Council of Europe and European Commission without having the permission to do so. They all attended the hearing.
International observers
The human rights activists are also being accused of "attempting to collect aid without any permission" as part of their efforts to help with health care expenses of prisoners who were released after joining in a nationwide hunger strike.
Per Stadig, a representative of the Swedish Red Cross and the Euro-Mediterranean Network (Euromed), Elsa Lepennec from the International Human Rights Foundation (FIDH), Helmut Oberdiek from the Germany-based Democratic Turkey Forum, representatives from the American, Danish and German Consulates, Emrullah Beytar from the Solidarity Association of the Oppressed for Human Rights (Mazlumder), Husnu Ondul, head of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and a representative from the Diyarbakir Bar, attended the hearing as viewers. The trial had begun on November 12, 2003.
Activists had also been questioned
The TIHV members had been questioned at the Ankara prosecutor's office on November 12, 2003 after the General Directorate of Foundations complained that they were "collecting aid without permission." The foundation said they had not been informed about the outcome of the questioning. (BB/EA/NM)
