Reacting to the news that two Kurdish former MPs from Turkey, Remzi Kartal and Zubeyir Aydar, have been detained among a group of 30 people arrested in Belgium, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford said:
“The detention of Remzi Kartal and Zubeyir Aydarat by the Belgian authorities is very surprising. I have known Remzi Kartal for 10 years, and have no reason to believe that he or Zubeyir Aydar have done anything other than work for peace in Turkey through a political solution to the Kurdish issue.”
“European governments should support the efforts for a political dialogue, not get drawn into a domestic Turkish operation which actually undermines those democratic Kurdish politicians who are trying to end the era of conflict and terrorism.”
Liberal Democrats
NEWS RELEASE
BARONESS SARAH LUDFORD MEP
Liberal Democrat MEP for London
Email: office@sarahludfordmep.org.uk
www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk <http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk>
For immediate release: Friday 5 March 2010
Contact: Sarah Ludford or Sonia Dunlop +44 (0)20 7288 2526 or Mobile +44 (0)7970 795 278
Note to Editors
Belgian police reportedly raided 25 addresses in an operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Remzi Kartal and Zubeyir Aydar, both former Turkish MPs for the banned Democracy Party (DEP), and Mr. Eyeyp Duru, official representative in Brussels of its successor the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), were among the 30 people arrested.
