Hélène Flautre, Co-president of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, will be in Istanbul to observe the trials of, Hrant Dink murderers on Monday, the 7th of February, and Pinar Selek on Wednesday, the 9th of February.
Ethnic Armenian journalist editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos (Ակօս),Hrant Dink was murdered in Istanbul in January 2007, by Ogün Samast, a 17-year old Turkish nationalist. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has already convicted Turkey of a violation of the right to life, the right to an effective remedy and freedom of expression in the scope of the trial on Dink's murder.
An appeal in support to Pinar Selek has been launched at the European Parliament. The text of the appeal and the list of signatories as it stands up to the 4th of February is as follows:
"This February 9, Pinar Selek will be retried for the umpteenth time after 13 years of judicial harassment. Kafkian trials where she is charged of having placed a bomb in the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul despite several reports attributing the explosion to a gas leak.
"What are the "Crimes" this Turkish sociologist, writer and activist is accused of? Nothing else than analyzing society, questioning its taboos and engaging herself with the most vulnerable people. As an engaged citizen, she pays dearly her will to understand the Kurdish matter in a period dominated by a police state where torture was systematic.
"Already cleared twice, her case is returned to the Supreme Court of Appeals' Grand Chamber without any new evidence brought to the file; she now faces life imprisonment after judicial twists as incomprehensible and unacceptable in the light of Turkey's commitments to human rights.
"We listened to Pinar's story when she was invited by the European Parliament, a story of injustice and continuing threats during the past 13 years. Convinced, as were the judges of first instance, of her innocence, we decided to join the "Friends of Pinar" group. We hope she will again be cleared on February 9 so she can finally build a free life.
"We decided to bring this claim to the European Parliament debate and to support her battle for justice."
BÉLIER Sandrine (Greens/EFA - France)
BESSET Jean-Paul (Greens/EA - France)
BREPOELS Frieda (Greens/EFA - Belgium)
CANFIN Pascal (Greens/EFA- France)
CASHMAN Michael (S&D - United Kingdom)
CHOUNTIS Nikolaos (GUE/NGL - Greece)
COHN-BENDIT Daniel, (Greens/EFA - France) - Co-President of the Greens/ EFA group
DE BRÚN Bairbre (GUE/NGL - United Kingdom)
DELLI Karima (Greens/EFA - France)
DUFF Andrew (ALDE/ADLE - United Kingdom)
FLAUTRE Hélène, (Greens/EFA - France) - Co-President of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee
GOMES Ana (S&D - Portugal)
GRÈZE Catherine (Greens/EFA - France)
HADJIGEORGIOU Takis (GUE/NGL - Cyprus)
HALL Fiona (ALDE/ADLE - United Kingdom)
HAUTALA Heidi, (Greens/EFA - Finland) - Chair of the Sub-committee on Human Rights
JADOT Yannick (Greens/EFA - France)
JOLY Eva (Greens/EFA - France)
KELLER Franziska (Greens/EFA - Germany)
KIIL-NIELSEN Nicole (Greens/EFA - France)
KOPPA Maria Eleni, (S&D - Greece) - Vice President of the EU delegation to Turkey
KOUMOUTSAKOS Georgios, (EPP - Greece) - Vice President of the EU delegation to Turkey
LAMBERT Jean (Greens/EFA - United Kindgom)
LOCHBIHLER Barbara (Greens/EFA - Germany) - Member of the Sub-committee on Human Rights
LUDFORD Sarah (ALDE/ADLE - United Kingdom)
MCCARTHY Arlene (S&D - United Kingdom)
PAPADOPOULOU Antigoni (S&D - Cyprus)
RAPTI Sylvana (S&D - Greece)
RIVASI Michèle (Greens/EFA - France)
ROMEVA i RUEDA Raül (Greens/EFA - Spain)
RUEHLE Heide (Greens/EFA - Germany)
SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo (GUE/NGL - Denmark)
STAES Bart (Greens/EFA - Belgium)
STAVRAKAKIS Georgios (S&D - Greece)
SVENSSON Eva-Britt (GUE/NGL - Sweden)
TAYLOR Keith (Greens/EFA- United Kingdom)
TAVARES Rui (GUE/NGL - Portugal)
VERGIAT Marie-Christine (GUE/NGL - France) (EK)
