TURKEY, — The European delegation appointed to observe the trials of Kurdish politicians were not given permission to attend the court in Diyarbakir.
A Turkish court banned a delegation of European Parliament members from attending a trial of Kurdish politicians in Diyarbakir.
Richard Howitt, a Socialist MEP on a visit to the city of Diyarbakir the capital of Kurdistan said 10 members of a delegation of the Party of European Socialists, including two members of parliament, were denied access to the trial.
“It is extremely worrying that the one thing we have been able to witness today is a continuing confrontation over the use of the Kurdish language, which has prevented the proper conduct of what are said to be landmark trials,” Howitt said in a statement emailed to Reuters News Agency.
“It is impossible for us to comment on whether or not these are political prosecutions, but it is right for us to protest against the judicial decision to prevent observers from seeing the cases proceed in the defendants’ absence.” the statement read.