Hatip Dicle
Encyclopedia
Hatip Dicle full name Mehmet Hatip Dicle, is a Turkish politician, of Kurdish origin, of the Peace and Democracy Party
(BDP).
In 1979 he graduated in engineering from the Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi. He began his political activity in the 1970s, joining the People's Labor Party (HEP) (Halkin Emek Partisi, working party of the people).
In 1993, the HEP was banned. In anticipation of the ban, the Kurdish politicians had already set up the Democracy Party
(Parti Demokrasi). On 12 December 1993, Dicle was elected party chairman.
On 2 March 1994, Parliament lifted the immunity of Dicle and on the same day he was arrested. On 8 December 1994 he was convicted, with Leyla Zana
, Orhan Doğan
and Selim Sadak
, of membership in a terrorist organization (PKK) and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
On 9 June 2004, the four prisoners were released after a retrial and pressure from the European Union
, but Dicle was still banned from political activity.
He was sentenced to 20 months in prison for a statement that he made to the ANKA agency in 2007 about the Kurdish question. This was interpreted by the Ankara 11th High Criminal Court as siding with terrorism, although other commentators have pointed out that the statement was advocating a peaceful solution and that the sentence is evidence of Turkey's curbs on freedom of expression.
Dicle was again arrested in April 2010 as part of the KCK
investigation.
In the June 2011 parliamentary elections
he ran as an independent candidate for the Dicle Diyarbakir Province, supported by the BDP. He was elected with 77,669 votes.
However, after the election, Turkey's Supreme Election Board (TSK) annulled his election, because of his former conviction on a terrorist charge.
His fellow MPs reacted by boycotting the Parliament.
He was replaced in the Turkish Parliament by a member of the AK Party, Oya Eronat, who had come sixth in the election, with a much smaller vote.
Rıza Türmen
, former Turkish Ambassador to the Council of Europe
and judge at the European Court of Human Rights
, condemned the decision as "not only against universal laws, it also violates national regulation and norms". He called for Articles 7 and 76 of the Turkish Constitution to be amended to prevent such situations arising in future.
His case was also taken up by British MPs who lodged an early day motion
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
Peace and Democracy Party
The Peace and Democracy Party ) is a political party in the Republic of Turkey. It succeeded the Democratic Society Party following the closure of the latter party for its alleged connections with the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU.The BDP has observer status in the...
(BDP).
In 1979 he graduated in engineering from the Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi. He began his political activity in the 1970s, joining the People's Labor Party (HEP) (Halkin Emek Partisi, working party of the people).
In 1993, the HEP was banned. In anticipation of the ban, the Kurdish politicians had already set up the Democracy Party
Democracy Party
Democracy Party was a pro-Kurdish political party in Turkey. It was founded in May 1993 by several prominent members of the People's Labor Party . The party became divided over the issue of the PKK, two factions - moderate and radical - appeared. Due to the promotion of Kurdish nationalism the...
(Parti Demokrasi). On 12 December 1993, Dicle was elected party chairman.
On 2 March 1994, Parliament lifted the immunity of Dicle and on the same day he was arrested. On 8 December 1994 he was convicted, with Leyla Zana
Leyla Zana
Leyla Zana , is a Kurdish politician, who was imprisoned for 10 years for her political actions which were claimed to be against the unity of Turkey. When she was a member of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, she was banned from joining any political party for five years with the Constitutional...
, Orhan Doğan
Orhan Doğan
Orhan Doğan , was a Turkish politician, of Kurdish origin, of the Democratic Society Party.In 1974 he went to the University of Ankara to study law.In 1991 he was elected to the Turkish Parliament....
and Selim Sadak
Selim Sadak
Selim Sadak, is a Turkish politician of Kurdish origin, currently the mayor of Siirt.Selim Sadak graduated from the Mathematics department of Diyarbakır Eğitim Enstitüsü...
, of membership in a terrorist organization (PKK) and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
On 9 June 2004, the four prisoners were released after a retrial and pressure from the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, but Dicle was still banned from political activity.
He was sentenced to 20 months in prison for a statement that he made to the ANKA agency in 2007 about the Kurdish question. This was interpreted by the Ankara 11th High Criminal Court as siding with terrorism, although other commentators have pointed out that the statement was advocating a peaceful solution and that the sentence is evidence of Turkey's curbs on freedom of expression.
Dicle was again arrested in April 2010 as part of the KCK
Koma Civakên Kurdistan
Koma Civakên Kurdistan is a Kurdish organization founded by Abdullah Öcalan as formerly named Koma Komalên Kurdistan to put in practice his ideology of democratic confederalism.Abdullah Öcalan is the group's honorary leader , however due to his...
investigation.
In the June 2011 parliamentary elections
Turkish general election, 2011
Turkey's 17th general election was held on 12 June 2011 to elect 550 new members of Grand National Assembly. They were Turkey's first non-early elections in 34 years.-Background:...
he ran as an independent candidate for the Dicle Diyarbakir Province, supported by the BDP. He was elected with 77,669 votes.
However, after the election, Turkey's Supreme Election Board (TSK) annulled his election, because of his former conviction on a terrorist charge.
His fellow MPs reacted by boycotting the Parliament.
He was replaced in the Turkish Parliament by a member of the AK Party, Oya Eronat, who had come sixth in the election, with a much smaller vote.
Rıza Türmen
Rıza Türmen
Rıza Türmen , is a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights and currently an MP for Izmir in the Turkish Parliament, with the CHP party.He graduated from Istanbul University law faculty in 1964...
, former Turkish Ambassador to the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
and judge at the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
, condemned the decision as "not only against universal laws, it also violates national regulation and norms". He called for Articles 7 and 76 of the Turkish Constitution to be amended to prevent such situations arising in future.
His case was also taken up by British MPs who lodged an early day motion
Early day motion
An Early Day Motion , in the Westminster system, is a motion, expressed as a single sentence, tabled by Members of Parliament for debate "on an early day" . Controversial EDMs are not signed by Government Ministers, PPS or the Speaker of the House of Commons and very few are debated on the floor...
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.