Package abolishes death penalty, brings freedom of education and broadcast in non-Turkish languages, freedom of criticism of the state organs, easing restrictions against foreign NGOs working in Turkey, greater freedom for non-Muslim minority foundations.

With the nationalists likely to make these new laws the central issue in early parliamentary elections scheduled for November 3, there will seemingly be little public pressure on Ankara not to follow Washingtons lead on intervention in Iraq.

712 people including 15 women, have been executed during the last 80 years. At the moment, 1500 people trials are continuing, face death penalty. 125 people have been sentenced to death penalty which was abolished in August 3.

Ferit Demir, the only journalist in the region, has been working under emergency rule for the last 12 years. He has been detained three times, received threats and got kidnapped by the PKK during the period. Emergency rule was lifted in Tunceli last week.

Six-year-old Siyar, who was hit on the head with a mortar shell, was discharged from the hospital. His two sisters were killed in the same incident. Grandfather will open a lawsuit against Yuksekova Battalion Commandership.

Amnesty International welcomes Turkeys abolishing of the death penalty in peacetime.

Council of Europe Secretary General Schwimmer said that this vote would be a major step forward for human rights in Turkey, in his press release in August 2.

This is the third meeting of Armenian and Turkish journalists under the project stipulating mutual visits of Armenian and Turkish journalists to learn about the lives of the two countries and the subsequent coverage in their media.

Keskin, charged with separatist propaganda for publishing a journalist Randals book about Turkeys Kurdish minority. population, was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence, which the court converted to a fine of about 500 dollars.

Known for his staunch opposition against war on Iraq, the apparent shift in Prime Minister Bulent Ecevits tone follows series of meetings with Robert Pearson, US ambassador to Ankara.

Ahmedi Xani had written in Kurdish, about the eternal love of Mem and Zin in Cizre, during the years 1450-1451, 240 years after they died. Mayor Yildirim declared that Mem and Zins 500-years-old mausoleums would be restored for the first time.

Workers children visited their fathers at the Pasabahce SiseCam Factory. The workers began the protest nine days ago, when the production was halted. The unions, and the Beykoz Mayor Cati, went into the factory to visit with the workers.

A major United Arab Emirates Arabic daily: Anytime there is escalation in the US threat of striking Iraq, the Turkish media and political circles react in such a way that reflects the historic Turkish crave after Arab lands, especially Kirkuk and Mosul.

The business premises of Adana, Gaziantep and Diyarbakir, are worried about the effects on economy of a prospective attack on Iraq. They are uneasy because such an operation would interfere with the gas transportation and increase migration to the cities.

Greek poet Seferis, the recipient of the 1963 Nobel Prize for Literature, was in Urla. The tourists are nowadays very interested in visiting the house where Seferis was born. The restored house is a hotel now.

Banned, Censored, Harassed and Jailed. 37 Writers from 19 Countries Receive Hellman/Hammett Grants. Photojournalist and human rights activist Dayanan and Professor Baskaya got the awards from Turkey.

The BIA Legal Units January-June 2002 report encompasses more than 50 incidents and 84 media instituations. 1 journalist imprisoned, 9 journalists are on trial, 3 convicted, 9 acquitted; 6 attacked. RTUK banned televisions and radios 2921 days.

American soldiers from the Incirlik Air Base reportedly visited and examined the hospitals in Batman. Private Sifa Hospital officials said: The Americans wanted to find out about our capacity in every aspect and so we showed them the present atmosphere.

Response: It is not planned to lift the requirement in question. Otherwise the determination to promote activities outside the living units in F-type prisons would be adversely affected.

Preliminary observations made on 27 March 2002, by Ms Silvia Casale on behalf of the CPTs delegation.