Turkey in 2002: April

APRIL 1

General Staff Secretariat General said that it adopted in principle government's taking over the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and noted that a reconnaissance delegation headed by General Hilmi Akin Zorlu would be sent to this country. Zorlu and an accompanying delegation went to Kabul on April 3.

APRIL 9

Ahmet Turan Demir, former leader of People's Democracy Party (HADEP), was sentenced to ten months of imprisonment on charges of making propaganda against the integrity of the country in a speech he made in the fourth regular congress of the party. Turkish Communist Party (TKP) leader Aydemir Guler and Turkish Socialist Workers Party (TSIP) leader Turgut Kocak were also sentenced to serve ten months in prison on charges of opposing to article 312 of Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

APRIL 11

Police and citizens danced together listening to Kurdish songs on the 157th anniversary of establishment of Police Department in Yuksekova township of southeastern Hakkari province while Kurdish folk song was played from a police vehicle at the same time.

Ankara State Security Court (DGM) No. 1 removed two-year and one-day imprisonment of Yeni Asya newspaper owner Mehmet Kutlular under article 312 of TCK. Kutlular was sentenced to imprisonment on charges of provoking people to hatred and enmity by discriminating among them in racial, religious and regional respects with his words on August 17 earthquake. Kutlular, who was re-tried after the amendment to article 312 of TCK was acquitted.

APRIL 17

Ankara and Erzurum DGM chief prosecutor's offices and Rize prosecutor's office launched an investigation regarding the video cassette in which a speech made by Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in northeastern Rize province in 1992 was recorded.
Erdogan said, ''there can be some extreme statements in that day's speech, but we have a very different view today.''

APRIL 23

Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu, during the reception to mark April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day, said that there was no change in views of Erdogan and said that ''they did not say in vain that February 28 would continue for a thousand years.''

APRIL 24

General Staff made a denunciation to Justice Ministry requesting that procedure should be launched regarding Erdogan's speech in Rize in 1992 under articles 159 and 312 of TCK.

APRIL 25

Ankara DGM prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel transferred Erdogan's case to DGM alternate judge's office requesting Erdogan's arrest. Ankara DGM Alternate Judge Ramazan Aksan returned the request.

APRIL 29

Council of Ministers decided that Turkey would undertake ISAF command for six months.

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