Kara, who stood trial for five separate cases, was sentenced to a year in prison. The court also handed Kara a fine of 20 billion Turkish lira. The journalist was acquitted in one of the cases and another trial was postponed till June 16.

Despite the announcement of democratic reforms prosecutions for beliefs and opinions are still systematically and severely punished by virtue of a repressive legislative arsenal aimed at protecting the state against Kurds, Islamists and far left.

According to a report by BIAs Legal Branch; 2 journalists were arrested in 2002, 21 are still being tried, and 12 were attacked. RTUK ordered TVs and radios off the air for 2,921 days. BIA provides legal assistance to media organizations since 2000.

U.S. Representative Cardin and Human Rights Watch Turkey Researcher Jonathan Sugden on the occasion of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) Hearing on Internally Displaced Persons this past Tuesday.

Helsinki Commission urges Countries to repeal Criminal Defamation & Insult Laws. Theyre actively used against those who criticize their governments in a number of other OSCE participating states including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Greece and Turkey.

Baskaya is being sued for his book Articles Against the Flow, on grounds of article 159/1 of the Turkish Penal Code.

Former army chief of staff gives up any idea of appeal in lawsuit over predator photo. The court ordered Gen. Kivrikoglu to pay costs and 2,000 euros in damages to RSF. It hands over this sum to Benli, Evcimen, Horuz and Sirin who are in prison.

In 1996, policemen, who claimed his daughter had escaped to the mountains, raped Kaze Ozlu with sticks. Ozlu took his case to the ECHR. He is now being pressured to back down.

Elci, a housewife in Bingol cannot understand the polices harsh reaction toward the people. The people could even revolt. Do they have to respond with guns? she asked.

Turkeys Kurds and particularly the Kurdish guerrillas, contrary to Ankaras nightmares have apparently distanced themselves from the emergent Kurdish administration in Northern Iraq instead of finding a there a role model for their future.

The traditional outdoor rally will take place in the Caglayan Square where trade union leaders will address participants from unions, left parties and youth and intellectuals. 50 thousand is expected to come together in İstanbul rally.

Broadcast Editor of Adanas local Radyo Dunya Ozic is tried for airing a program in Kurdish, titled Kurdish Language and Literature. The final decision depends on a related State Council case.

Human Rights Associations Diyarbakir branch revealed that 24 people died and 45 injured from landmine explosions and other leftover explosives between 2002-2003. Most of those who died were children.

Developments have not been positive in the implementation of human rights and particularly of preventing torture, in the first quarter of 2003 Human Rights Association (IHD) report says: 183 people have been subject to torture and ill treatment.

Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, has called the opening of the Green Line for citizens from both communities in Cyprus a step, of historic proportion, towards a settlement of the Cyprus issue.

Three forms of political terror,no one `responsible`, political terror, `part of life`, laws concerning the media in the North, two journalists jailed, death threats, cases against journalists, foreign journalists expelled, Psychological campaigns.

Hasan Özgün, a reporter with the pro-Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem, was released on 21 April 2003 after more than nine years imprisonment. He now faces a further 12-year jail term forinsulting state institutions.

A Turkish court tried writer Bingolce and publisher Sokmen of the Womens Slang Dictionary, for writing and publishing an obscene book. Lawyer Arin presented the court with part of the 262,000-word slang dictionary and the Large Slang Dictionary.

Turkeys chief prosecutor rejected a demand by the six police officers sentenced for torturing teenagers in the Manisa Trial, to overturn the sentencing decisions. The prosecutor sent the file to Manisa to have the decision enforced.

Law specialists question Turkish governments decision to provide logisitical support to the US forces fighting in Iraq. Is Iraq our enemy, asks Prof Dr. Uskul asks. Turkey will provide humanitarian aid to US soldiers, but how about to Iraqis?