High Tribunal Court Approves of Killing Kurdish Children

On Sunday 21 November 2004 Ugur Kaymaz, a 12 years old child, was helping his father loading his lorry when the police shot both of them dead. His father was gunned down with 8 bullets. Ugur had 13 bullets in his body. The child was repeatedly shot from his back at very close range. Nine bullets entered his little body through his back. The fact that Ugur was shot from very close range was documented by forensics doctors of the Judiciary.

On 18 June 2009, the High Trubinal Court ruled that the police who shot Ugur from his back together with his father have acted in self defense. How is it acting in self defense, let alone being justifiable by any means, to shoot a child from behind at close range with 13 bullets? What kind of "law" would allow and tolerate such abomination?

Think again... Is PKK really a terrorist organization? Don't you think the real terrorist is the Turkish state that shoots Kurdish children from behind, breaks their arms, smashes their skulls with butt of a weapon, tries and imprisons them as adults, AND sees such abomination justifiable?

The Turkish state is determined that it will either assimilate Kurdish children or annihilate them.

I have a question for those people who insist the PKK should lay down arms unconditionally. Are they willing to protect these children if the Kurdish defence forces lay down their arms? I didn't think so.

State Disciplines Kurdish Children in Prison

Turkey has found a way to educate the Kurdish children. Zaroken Roj (The Children of Sun) are now being educated and disciplined in the prisons. They are tried as adults and subjected to adult sentences. Then the Turkish State and it's brain washed servants wonder why in the earth Kurds still won't feel as part of the state. Afterall the present Turkish state is a terrosit state and Kurds don't condone terrorism. The following article written on 22 April 2009, recently appreaded in Bianet.

[...]
The judges Menderes Yılmaz, Selahaddin Menteş and Ömer Adil Küçük hand down the sentences. Three children are convicted of "taking part in activities in the name of a terrorist organisation without being members of the organisation." This means they receive a sentence "as if" they were members: 6 years 11 months. Another child is also accused of spreading organisational propaganda and violating the law on demonstrations, leading to a sentence of 7 years and 5 months. The two children tried without detention receive a 10-month sentence each for violating the law on demonstrations. This is converted into a fine.
[..]

"Terrorism" and children

According to Article 250 of the Criminal Procedure Code, ratified in 2004, the State Security Courts were abolished and replaced by heavy penal courts with special authorities. These courts would deal with certain crimes. When the Anti-Terrorism Law was amended in June 2006, these special courts were given the authority to try children aged over 15 for crimes defined by this law.

An amendment to Article 13 of the Anti-Terrorism Law meant that sentences handed down to children aged over 15 could not be converted into other punishments or suspended. This meant that the Anti-Terrorism Law and the Criminal Procedure Code started treating children over 15 years old not as children, but allowing their trial and punishment just like adults.

Diyarbakır laws

When, after Öcalan's capture in 1999, fighting stopped, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which came to power in 2002, seemed to offer a solution to the Kurdish question with a series of reforms aimed at attaining membership in the European Union through democraticisation. However, by 2006, the government seemed to have taken steps backwards even from those limited reforms. It had become clear that it would not make any efforts in the recognition of the Kurdish question or in a discussion of a solution with Kurds.

The changes in the Anti-Terrorism Law came after events in Diyarbakır on 28 March 2006, when the police started shooting into a crowd of thousands of people in a funeral procession for four PKK members. Within five days, ten people died, five of them children. Hundreds of people were taken into custody.

When MPs discussed allowing the trial of 15 to 18-year-olds as adults, they assumed that they could prevent them from joining the PKK. The expected reforms from the government did not happen, and it was clear that it would turn to violence, not sparing children.

Hundreds of children detained, tried, convicted

And this is what happened. Answering the motion of DTP MP Selahattin Demirtaş, Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Şahin (who left office on 1 May) told parliament that 13 children aged 12-15 and 724 children aged 15-18 had been put on trial under the Anti-Terrorism Law in 2006 and 2007. 319 of them were being tried in Diyarbakır courts. A total of 120 children were convicted under this law in the two years, 88 of them in Diyarbakır.

During the same period, 422 children were put on trial for "founding an organisation with the aim of committing crimes", following Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code. 107 of these children were in Diyarbakır. In two cases in Diyarbakır, 20 children were convicted. 413 more children, 268 of them in Diyarbakır, were put on trial under Article 314 of the Turkish Penal Code, for "membership in an armed organisation." 34 chidren, 28 of them in Diyarbakır, were convicted. Hundreds of children were handed down punishments with probation, a few were also acquitted.

The number of children affected grew in 2008 and 2009. For instance, a child was crushed by a police tank in Cizre in February 2008 and died. His friends, who took part in his funeral, were arrested. Children took part in Newroz celebrations, demonstrations to mark the birthday of Öcalan, funerals of PKK members or other protests concerning the Kurdish question; the police did not hesitate to act violently and to take them into custody.

[...]

After Adana, Diyarbakır...

According to the Adana branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), 33 children have received a total of 129 years imprisonment for "membership in a terrorist organisation" in the first three months of this year. Now the Diyarbakır court has started handing down sentences. Lawyers fear that if the Supreme Court of Appeals does not take a different stance and ratifies the decrees, hundreds of children will spend a long time in prison.

Meanwhile, rights activists lobbying for children's rights have intensified. Many journalists have reacted to the issue in the media. The Call for Justice for Children gathered around 900 signatures in Istanbul, and the Justice for Children Initiative has united rights activists in Ankara, Izmir and Diyarbakır and the families of the children concerned. They continue to monitor cases and struggle for change.

During a visit of these activists to parliament in February, MPs from the AKP and the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) promised to bring up necessary legal changes after the local elections. However, judging by the police operation against the DTP and statements by ministers and the Prime Minister, it seems that the attitude of the government towards the Kurdish question has not changed since the local elections, if it has not become more hardened. Today's 23 April, the "Festival of National Sovereignty and Children" shows those Kurdish children who dare go into the streets, the meaning of "National Sovereignty."

My previous post contained the following in it:

"I became more aware," says the 16-year-old boy, who asked not to be named because of his upcoming court case, where he could face seven years in prison if convicted.

The Prime Minister recently announced that they may lift the ban on speaking in Kurdish in the prisons. So it seems education in mother tongue will be possible in the prison.

Obama's Advanced Democracy: In Turkey, hundreds of minors imprisoned on 'terrorism' charges

This article appeared in CS Monitor:

In Turkey, hundreds of minors imprisoned on 'terrorism' charges
The 2006 antiterror law makes it a crime to take part in demonstrations supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
By Yigal Schleifer | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

Diyarbakir, Turkey - Few would peg Hebun Akkaya, a 17-year-old with a high, nasal voice and polite manner, as a criminal convicted of supporting a terrorist organization.

But the criminal court here in Diyarbakir did. The crime: protesting the prison conditions of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed head of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Designated a terrorist organization by the European Union and United States, the PKK enjoys grass-roots support among citizens here in Turkey's predominately Kurdish southeast.

"I never thought I could go to prison for throwing a stone," says Hebun, who spent 10 months in an adult prison awaiting his initial trial. "I become really angry when I think that just for throwing a stone they were asking to put me away for 28 years. It's unjust." Now out on bail pending an appeal, he faces an amended sentence of seven years.

Hebun is one of hundreds of minors, some as young as 13, who have been arrested and jailed in Turkey over the past few years under strict new antiterrorism laws that allow for juveniles to be tried as adults and even be accused of "committing crimes in the name of a terrorist organization" for participating in demonstrations. Critics and rights defenders say the amended antiterrorism laws are deeply flawed and also violate international conventions on the detention of children.

"There is a lack of proportionality between the crime and the sentence," says Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey researcher for the New York-based watchdog group Human Rights Watch. "Counting what these children do, such as throwing stones or damaging property, as a terrorism offense is a problem."

"You are subject to a court system that doesn't see you as a child," adds Ms. Sinclair-Webb.

Over 1,500 minors prosecuted under antiterror law

As part of its European Union membership drive, Turkey has updated its penal code to more closely reflect European and international standards. But observers say the country took a step backward with a 2006 amendment to the country's antiterror law that made it possible to try minors between the ages of 15 and 18 as adults when the crime is deemed to involve terrorism.

That same year, Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that children taking part in demonstrations supported by the PKK could be charged with aiding or acting in the name of the organization.

According to Turkish officials, 1,572 minors were prosecuted under the antiterror law and 174 of them were convicted during 2006 and 2007. Hundreds more court cases against minors have been launched since then.

"The court's decision is very dangerous for the rule of law and for individual freedoms," says Tahir Elci, a Diyarbakir lawyer who is defending several of the jailed children. "According to the high court's decision, prosecutors don't need evidence to claim that somebody committed crimes on behalf of the PKK. Just participating in a demonstration is evidence enough.

"We accept that these kids may have thrown stones, but they didn't do it in the name of the PKK," he adds. "They are children."

Turkish policy conflicts with UN, EU

The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child deals specifically with the issue of the arrest and imprisonment of minors. According to the convention, which Turkey has signed on to, "The arrest, detention, or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time."

A European Union official in Ankara says the arrest and imprisonment of minors is a cause for "concern."

The official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, added, "They are not being treated as juveniles, and that is against international conventions. They are being treated as terrorists, and they are not even aware of what they have done."

Brussels has previously expressed concern about what it sees as deficiencies in Turkey's juvenile court system. An EU report last fall on Turkey's progress as a candidate country stated, "Despite some progress in the juvenile justice system, the number of child courts is still inadequate, there is a lack of social workers in these courts and their workload is heavy."

In Adana, for example, the lack of juvenile justice facilities has meant that even children under the age of 15, who by law were supposed to be tried in juvenile court, ended up having their court cases heard in an adult court.

For one boy, jail prompted 'awakening' to PKK views

Turkish prosecutors have defended the heavy sentences given to the children arrested in protests, saying they are a response to an effort by the PKK to mobilize Kurdish youth against the state.

But Sinclair-Webb, of Human Rights Watch, says that sending children off to jail could backfire.

"It's a very hardening process for children and psychologically very damaging," she says. "If you go in as a child who was just having a lark throwing some stones, you may come out as a full-fledged militant.

"If you are trying to win hearts and minds and get people to not join the PKK, this is not the way to do it," she adds.

One teenager, imprisoned for 13 months after participating in a demonstration and now out on bail while he awaits trial, says he was "changed" by his experience in jail.

"I became more aware," says the 16-year-old boy, who asked not to be named because of his upcoming court case, where he could face seven years in prison if convicted.

"The things I learned in prison about myself, about the Kurds, about the PKK, it was like an awakening."

Do I really need to add anything?!

351 Kurdish Children Killed by Turkish Security Forces

In the past 20 years, 351 Kurdish children and babies were killed by Turkish security forces. The highest number of Kurdish children killed was in 1992. In 1992, the state murdered 115 Kurdish children and babies. Here is a chart showing how many Kurdish children and babies were killed during the past 20 years:
An optimist could claim that the number of children and babies murdered by the state is decreasing. You may think that the fascist forces have developed some compassion toward kids. This is wrong, however. They are just not firing bullets upon children as much now (this may be considered in the EU compliance context!). This statistic doesn't include children who have been beaten, like what happened recently in Colemerg (Hakkari). 16 year old İ.Ş who lost his left eye, 10 year old Ş.B. who's skull has been fractured, and the babies who were hurt because security forces got too trigger happy with their tear gas and repeatedly and randomly keep shooting them into houses are not included in this list. After all, it was the prime minister who said "women, children, whoever it is, the security forces will do whatever is necessary". Compassion just-does-not-mean shooting children with gas canisters nor does it mean beating children to death with butts of weapons then throwing them into prison. Speaking of imprisoning children:

Over 1,500 [Kurdish] children on trial

In answer to a motion in parliament, Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Şahin reported that 1,572 [Kurdish] children were put on trial in 2006 and 2007 for “terrorism crimes” under the Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Law. 174 [Kurdish] children were convicted, 92 of them in Diyarbakır [Amed], in the southeast [Kurdistan] of Turkey.

The list of murdered children and babies is below and it tells a story to the careful eye. For example, pay attention to how many people have been killed in March, around Newroz of 1992. Also pay attention to last names. For example, look at 6 and 7 November 1992. It seems they killed whole families.

Detailed list of Kurdish children and babies murdered by the state:
(adapted from http://firatnews.com/index.php?rupel=nuce&nuceID=6884)
Format:
day (if known) Month: Name Surname (age), Location

1989 (Total number of children killed: 2)
19 July: Mahmut Yaşar (10), Şırnak
20 September: Fahrettin Ertaş (10), Şırna

1990 (Total number of children killed: 21)
20 March: Abidin Tuncer (10), Cizre
1 April: Berivan Kara (1), Uludere
1 April: Behecan Kara (9), Uludere
31 May: Canan Özen (8), Derik
10 June: Rahime Kayran (10), Basa
10 June: Meryem Kayran (10), Basa
10 June: Taibet Öner (3), Basa
10 June: Vasfiye Öner (10), Basa
10 June: Sait Kahraman (4). Basa
10 June: Hayrettin Öner (5), Basa
10 June: Fatma Kayran (15), Basa
10 June: Mehmet Kayran (5), Basa
10 June: Hüseyin Kayran (3), Basa
10 June: Haniye Özdemir (10,) Basa
10 June: Takviye Öner (15), Basa
10 June: Ömer Bestaş (16), Basa
14 June: Cevdet Güler (14), Hakkâri
14 June: Fehime Güler (9), Hakkâri
6 August: Faruk Aktuğ (13), Silopi
30 October: Ş. Pınar (11)
12 December: Hadi Dalan (11), Lice

1991 (Total number of children killed: 12)
28 February: Salih Talayhan (17), Şırnak
4 May: Murat Ardıç (13), Bingöl
8 June: Emine Latifeci (11), Hazro
25 June: Rinde Latifeci (13), Hazro
10 July: Behzat Özkan (14), Diyarbakır
3 August: Hediye Dilçe (18), Cizre
12 August: Ferzan Ceylan (12), Dargeçit
12 August: Abdullah Ceylan (12), Dargeçit
6 September: Ömür Eriş (11), Kurtalan
20 October: Nezahat Kızıl (6), Siirt
20 November: İsmet Mirzaoğlu (15), Ahlât
24 December: Veysi Aktaş (13), Lice

1992 (Total number of children killed: 115)
6 January: Emine Turan, Nusaybin
14 February: Seyfettin Kapkaçin (18), Mardin
14 February: Abdülselam Özbey (15), Mardin
15 March: Mehmet Evren (12), Cizre
18 March: Vesile Say (9), Dargeçit
18 March: Bedia Say (15), Dargeçit
18 March: Yasin Say (17), Dargeçit
18 March: Sami Say (10), Dargeçit
19 March: Hıdır Acet, Nusaybin
21 March: Muhrise Altay (18), Cizre
21 March: Hüseyin Altan (14), Cizre
21 March: İsmet Arvas (16), Van
21 March: Çetin Bayram (16), Van
21 March: Davut Soyvural (15), Gercüş
21 March: Mehmet Emin Acar (10), Şırnak
21 March: Nebat Kakuç (17), Şırnak
21 March: Bülent Zeyrek (16), Şırnak
21 March: Emin Tetik (15), Şırnak
21 March: Mehdi Günen (9), Şırnak
21 March: Halil Bebek (2), Nusaybin
21 March: Ahmet Kaya (1), Nusaybin
21 March: Fatma Kaçmaz (4), Yüksekova
22 March: Hatice Acar (5), Şırnak
22 March: Kadriye Kakın (17), Şırnak
22 March: Mehmet Nezir (13), Şırnak
24 March: Medeni Aydın (18), Batman
24 March: Bahri Çınar (12), Ömerli
25 March: Nihat Celasun (14), Cizre
25 March: Fatma Kaçmaz (14), Yüksekova
25 March: Medeni Tunç (14), Siirt
25 March: Medine Sevgi (18), Siirt
27 March: Süleyman Ayal (14), Urfa
29 March: Bişeng Anık (16), Şırnak
29 March: Mehmet Ekinci (7), Mazıdağı
29 March: Şeyhmus Aktürk (16), Dargeçit
11 April: Yasin Çetin (16), Mevzitepe
11 April: Hasan Ayar (11), Mevzitepe
17 April: Cazım Kortak (17), Savur
17 April: Mustafa Ok (18), Savur
18 April: Metin Kıratlı (10), Yüksekova
21 April: Yusuf Bodur (1), Midyat
21 April: Abdurrahman Yeşilmen (12), Midyat
21 April: Hamza Bulut (8), Midyat
22 April: Ayşe Balım (18), Silopi
4 May: Bişar Bilen (10), Uludere
4 May: Hanım Tunç (12), Uludere
9 May: Sıraç Nergis (17), Nusaybin
9 May: Selim Ata (17), Nusaybin
9 May: Sait Sağlam (17), Nusaybin
3 June: Mehmet Naif Çevik (9), Nusaybin
10 June: Kemal Şili (18), Tatvan
10 June: Mahmut Güreş (12), Tatvan
12 June: Emir Eyvani (7), Muş
22 June: Gülbahar Tunç (8), Gercüş
22 June: Behçet Tunç (17), Gercüş
22 June: Abdurrahman Gök (14), Gercüş
22 June: Şükrü Gök (10), Gercüş
22 June: Sultan Gök (12), Gercüş
22 June: Emrullah Gök (4), Gercüş
22 June: Haşim Gök (3), Gercüş
22 June: Yeni doğmuş bir bebek, Gercüş
26 June: Medine Kartal (18), İdil
27 June: Yılmaz Tatar (12), Şırnak
June: Abdülcelil Toy (14), Siirt
June: Sadık Turlu (15), Siirt
11 July: Gülistan Evin (6), Şemdinli
11 July: Rehan Evin (8), Şemdinli
22 July: Abdurrahman Akbalık (17), Nusaybin
25 July: Kadir Balık (13), Dicle
28 July: Nurcan Özatak (2), Hakkâri
July: Zuhal Avcı (9), Kulp
July: Çiğdem Esmer (10), Kulp
6 August: Hüseyin Bayılmaz (10), Nusaybin
10 August: Mehmet Erbek (12), Mardin
22 August: Zeliha Nasanlı (10), Siverek
23 August: Murat Dağkeser (10), Siverek
23 August: Orhan Dağkeser (4), Siverek
23–24 August: İbrahim Artunç (7), Şırnak
23–24 August: Remziye Artunç (10), Şırnak
23–24 August: Güler Sökmen (3), Şırnak
23–24 August: Veysi Sökmen (6), Şırnak
23–24 August: Sema Sökmen (9), Şırnak
23–24 August: Gülüm Güngen (6), Şırnak
23–24 August: Medine Güngen (14),Şırnak
5 September: Fuat Keskin (14), Doğubeyazıt
7 September: Mesut Dündar (15), Cizre
10 September: Cumali Çetrez (9), Hamur
10 September: Şefika Çetrez (7), Hamur
18 September: Ahmet Alan (10), Solhan
1 October: Hüseyin Esrai (16), Kars
3 October: Aziz Bal (17), Dargeçit
20 October: Sinan Demirtaş (18), Nusaybin
24 October: Zeyni Dağ (17), Nusaybin
1 November: Devrim Eleftoz (1), Silvan
5 November: Şurzan Demirkapı (16), Kovancılar
6 November: Milet Samur (14), Şemdinli
6 November: İkmal Samur (18), Şemdinli
6 November: Gülsüme Samur (4), Şemdinli
6 November: Reber Samur (1), Şemdinli
7 November: Şivan Çığırga (3), Cizre
7 November: Nadire Çığırga (10), Cizre
7 November: Sinem Çığırga (13), Cizre
7 November: Fatma Çığırga (9), Cizre
7 November: Bahar Çığırga (7), Cizre
22 November: Coşkun Benzer (12), Kilis
22 November: Fırat Geçmez (18), Silvan
3 December: Mehmet İşler (18), Midyat
6 December: Melek Bora (10), Dargeçit
16 December: Garibe Karasakal (18), Nusaybin
17 December: Veysi Başar (8), Diyarbakır
17 December: Fatma Can (17), Diyarbakır
24 December: Nafi Kalemli (14), Viranşehir
December: Hüseyin Ensari (16), Kars
December: Mehmet Yusufi (15), Başkale
December: November Oval (14), Yüksekova

1993 (Total number of children killed: 66)
11 January: Gülistan İşiyok (12), Kulp
12 January: Nezir Ergün (8), Cizre
12 January: Hacer Ergün (6), Cizre
12 January: Hıdır Ergün (17), Cizre
31 January: Naze Ekici (12), Şırnak
31 January: Şemsi Ekici (4), Şırnak
31 January: Hamza Ekici (6), Şırnak
17 February: Esra Saçaklı (8), Silvan
20 February: Abide Ekin (3), Basa
7 May: Gürgiz Bayındır (5), İdil
23 May: Naim Aslan, Yüksekova
25 May: Semra Bayram, Silvan
18 June: İrfan Fidan (17), Savur
7 July: Mahmut Aydemir, Silopi
7 July: Fadile Aydemir (6), Silopi
7 July: Ayşe Yıldız, Silopi
11 July: Dinçer Levent (16), Hamur
11 July: Feride Levent (15), Hamur
13 July: Canan Çiftçi, Diyadin
13 July: Dilşah Çiftçi, Diyadin
13 July: Ender Çiftçi, Diyadin
13 July: Ruken Çiftçi (6), Diyadin
20 July: Azad Sabırlı (7), Bahçesaray
20 July: Yunus Sabırlı (2), Bahçesaray
20 July: Bahar Turan (3), Bahçesaray
20 July: Sevil Ağaç (7), Bahçesaray
20 July: Suzan Turan (10), Bahçesaray
20 July: Yıldız Güzel (13), Bahçesaray
20 July: Nezahat Elmalı (12), Bahçesaray
20 July: Eylem Elmalı (4), Bahçesaray
20 July: Azime Elmalı (14), Bahçesaray
20 July: Muhammet Yaşar (8), Bahçesaray
20 July: Hanım Yaşar (4), Bahçesaray
20 July: Hürriyet Sevgili (12), Bahçesaray
24 July: C. M. (12), Silvan
30 July: Elif Rani (7), Pazarcık
30 July: Gözde Rani (4), Pazarcık
14 August: Zeynep Çağdavul (18), Digor
14 August: Selvi Çağdavul (16), Digor
14 August: Gülistan Çağdavul (18), Digor
14 August: Yeter Keremciler (14), Digor
14 August: Zarife Boylu (16), Digor
14 August: Necla Geçener (14), Digor
August: Seyhan Doğan (12), Dargeçit
August: Abdurrahman Coşkun (18), Dargeçit
August: M. Emin Aslan (18), Dargeçit
11 September: Seyithan Balçık, Cizre
11 September: Mesut Balçık, Cizre
13 September: Yusuf Bozkurt (14), Şırnak
13 September: Halit Akıl (12), Şırnak
21 September: Ahmet Arcagök (11), Diyarbakır
28 September: İdris Ülüş (12), Yüksekova
30 September: Sercan Ülüş (7), Yüksekova
2 October: Şakir Öğüt (7) Altınova/Muş
2 October: Cihan Öğüt (4) Altınova/Muş
2 October: M. Şirin Öğüt (1) Altınova/Muş
2 October: Aycan Öğüt (6) Altınova/Muş
2 October: Çınar Öğüt (3) Altınova/Muş
9 October: Zana Zoğurlu (16), Lice
9 October: Lokman Zoğurlu (17), Lice
10 October: Yalçın Yaşa (13) Diyarbakır
22 October: Dilbirin Canpolat (3,5), Lice
22 October: Suna Canpolat (2), Lice
22 October: Hüseyin Canpolat (15),Lice
17 December: Halil Leco (13), Ovacık
December: Mahmut Erol (15), Dargeçit

1994 (Total number of children killed: 87)
3 January: B. A. (12), Hani
5 January: Keko Gül (12), Adana
6 January: Ali Katmış (1), Cizre
7 January: A. Halim Rüzgâr (12), Batman
10 January: Muhammet Bilgiç (5), Cizre
10 January: Ahmet Bilgiç (6), Cizre
14 January: Azad Önen (16), Diyarbakır
18 January: Süleyman Gün (15), Diyarbakır
25 January: Ahmet Efe (8), Diyarbakır
13 February: İbrahim Şeflik (5), Silopi
16 February: Hakan Yalçın (14), Diyarbakır
23 February: Bilavşan Asper (17), Tatvan
26 February: Sevgi Asma (7), Kurtalan
26 February: Sohbet Öngün (3), Sason
26 February: Hanifi Yıldız (13), Sason
26 February: Hüseyin Tekin (16), Sason
1 March: R. A. (3), Kızıltepe
19 March: Ferman Cingöz (16), Lice
27 March: Mirza Yıldırım (3), Şırnak
27 March: Mehmet Yıldırım (15), Şırnak
27 March: Abdülkerim Yıldırım (2), Şırnak
27 March: İrfan Yıldırım (5), Şırnak
27 March: Xunaf Yıldırım (3), Şırnak
27 March: Çiçek Benzer (2), Şırnak
27 March: Ali Benzer (7), Şırnak
27 March: Ayşe Benzer (1), Şırnak
27 March: Ömer Benzer (12), Şırnak
27 March: Abdurrahman Benzer (4), Şırnak
10 April: İlhami Menteş (12), Lice
10 April: Raif Menteş (13), Lice
27 April: Keziban Kalkan (15), Genç
28 May: Tuncer Güler (11), Ağrı
30 May: Şerif Ekin (13), Basa
2 June: Ahmet Kaya (13), Yüksekova
2 June: Hasan Demir (14), Yüksekova
5 June: Didar Elmas (7), Ovacık
8 June: Barzan…. (2), Silvan
25 June: Hüsnü Turan (10), Nusaybin
25 June: Eylem Tur (13), Nusaybin
25 June: Süleyman Erik (9), Nusaybin
25 June: Emrullah Zeybek (10), Bitlis
25 June: Hikmet Argün (13), Bitlis
27 June: Xanime Sincar (17), Ömerli
28 June: Hayri Yüksel (15), Ömerli
4 July: Atilla Kılıç (14), Kozluk
8 July: Nurullah Solhan (16), Kızıltepe
8 July: Emrullah Solhan (14), Kızıltepe
8 July: Selma Solhan (7), Kızıltepe
11 July: A. Menaf Tunç (14), Siirt
16 July: Kenan Dartan (12), Kozluk
31 July: Gültekin Acet (10), Bismil
5 August: Abdullah Kamçı (16), Yüksekova
8 August: Sedat Barış (18), Batman
12 August: Netice Coşkun (14), Kulp
12 August: Mümine Zümrüt (18), Kulp
15 August: Çelebi Özgüç (15), Savur
15 August: İshak Özgüç (13), Savur
22 August: Savaş Ateş (11), Dicle
22 August: Halit Güneş (13), Dicle
22 August: Bayram Güneş (13), Dicle
22 August: Vedat Balta (12), Dicle
22 August: İbrahim Balta (13), Dicle
22 August: İsa Can (15), Dicle
1 September: Nurettin Doruk (18), Diyarbakır
13 September: Sadettin Doğan (10), Lice
15 September: Sedat Öner (7), Eruh
15 September: Mehmet Sercan (9), Eruh
15 September: Cemşit Adıgüzel (13), Eruh
20 September: Şükran Yıldız (11), Çukurca
25 September: Dilek Serin (3), Dersim
25 September: Yeter Işık (16), Dersim
25 September: Elif Işık (18), Dersim
25 September: Recep Tartar (8), Genç
25 September: Kürdiye Savaş (8), Genç
25 September: Emrah Tartar (8), Genç
25 September: Faruk Savaş (11), Genç
2 October: Filiz Kayış, Ceylanpınar
3 October: İlyas Yiğit (6), Çat
3 October: Adil Boztaş (10), Kağızman
9 October: Nurşan Bulut (13), Palu
10 October: Mehmet Üste (12), Pazarcık
31 October: Hamdi Dündar (18), Yüksekova
31 October: Fikri Yılmaz (15), Yüksekova
18 November: Cüneyt Tarhan (11), Tatvan
1 December: Yunus Turgut (13), Silopi
December: Hasip Kaya (9), Doğubayazıt
December: Yılmaz Kaya (10), Doğubayazıt

1995 (Total number of children killed: 7)
April: Erol Öztunç (2), Uludere
17 May: Ahmet Bulut (10), Ömerli
17 May: Rahim Kumru (10), Ömerli
25 May: Dinar Aras (12), Iğdır 1995
25 May: Cüneyt Aras (6), Iğdır
25 May: Ergün Aras (3), Iğdır
25 May: Ferdi Aras (2), Iğdır

1996 (Total number of children killed: 6)
2 May: Hazal Sevim (17), Baykan
8 August: Dilan Bayram (2), Adana
8 August: Berivan Bayram (4), Adana
13 November: Hatice Bozaslan (17), Derik
2 December: Oktan Çaçan (14), Diyarbakır
11 December: Mehmet Banan (15), Midyat

1997 (Total number of children killed: 7)
6 March: Musa Adsız (12), Akçakale
23 April: M. Şerif Öztürk (11), Kızıltepe
25 April: Muhammet Kulçur (12), Dumlu/ Erzurum
25 April: Gökhan Kulçur (10), Dumlu/ Erzurum
8 May: Fedai Öğürce (4), Pasinler
10 November: M. Özdemir (17), Ceylanpınar
11 November: Bilal Alanca (5), Nusaybin

1998 (Total number of children killed: 2)
January: Fatih Kaya (18), Batman
15 March: Engin Ceylan (14), Lice

1999 (Total number of children killed: 12)
14 March: Tugay Ergin (10), Hani
26 March: Abdurrahman Gezer (18), Osmaniye
17 April: Yılmaz Elüstü (17), Genç
15 May: Kenan Oğuz, Erzurum
15 May: Deniz Oğuz, Erzurum
15 May: Cansu Oğuz, Erzurum
20 June: Mehmet Algan (11), İdil
1 August: Fırat Çiçek (9), Elazığ
1 August: Onur Şahin (11), Elazığ
1 August: Sedat Karakoç (14), Elazığ,
17 August: Şaban Çadıroğlu (15), Van
25 September: İnan Cila (11), Ovacık

2000 (Total number of children killed: 3)
Serdar Günerci (17), Diyarbakır
Welat Şedal (10), Yüksekova
İsmail Şedal (8), Yüksekova

2004 (Total number of children killed: 1)
21 November: Uğur Kaymaz (12), Mardin

2006 (Total number of children killed: 8)
29 March: Abdullah Duran (9), Diyarbakır
30 March: Enes Ata (8), Diyarbakır
30 March: İsmail Erkek (8), Diyarbakır
March: Fatih Tekin (3), Batman
March: Ahmet Araç (17), Mardin
3 April: Mahsum Mızrak (17), Diyarbakır
3 April: Emrah Fidan (17), Diyarbakır
5 September: Mizgin Özbek (10), Batman

2008 (Total number of children killed: 1)
15 February: Yahya Menekşe (12), Şırnak

2009 (Total number of children killed: 1 as of 1 May 2009)
23 April: Abdülsamet Erip (14), Hakkâri

Jail Sentences for Kurdish Children

In Adana, Turkey, on April 27 2009, thirteen children were sentenced to a total of 112 years 10 days. They were found guilty of "committing crime in the name of an organization" which means taking part in a demonstration; "performing organization's propaganda" which means shouting some supportive slogans, "resisting to an officer", which simply means you resist to let one of those thugs smash your skull with butt of his weapon, shoot you with a gas canister or run you over with an armored vehicle. Again in Adana, on April 28 2009, eleven children were sentenced to a total of 84 years 6 months. So, in two days twenty-four children were sentenced to a total of 196 years, 6 months, and 10 days. Eight of the 24 children are 15-years old or below. Four of them are 15, two are 14, and two are 13 years old.

Turkey's democracy is pretty advanced about handing jail sentences to children, is it not?

Ill Treatment of Children (of Sun) in Turkey

Children are beloved beings and should be treated as such. As their name indicates, they are children, future adults in the making. Most cultures and governments have implemented this simple and universal truth into their laws. You shall not apply the punishment you used for adults to children. It doesn't work. One "advanced democracy" has been practicing the complete opposite of this universal truth. It has been harsh to its child citizens who are Kurdish. Yes, children Zarokên Roj are persecuted in Turkey. We are talking about a democracy in which children are detained because:

"they had had been sweating or were breathing fast, and this had made them suspicious."

[...]

"In our country, a police officer killing a civilian by kicking him and a murderer bombing a McDonald's are released after six years, but children throwing stones are handed 38-year prison sentences. Children will spend their lives in prison for throwing stones, but people who kill others or murderers who throw bombs get away will light punishments and re-enter society."

Full story.

Just a few days ago, a child died because he fell into the river while running away from the police. This child was running so he wouldn't get beaten mercilessly. Another child, who was caught by the police was beaten severely by stock of a rifle. His skull is fractured. The child may die. You can read more on this particular event here and if you choose so, you can watch the video posted. I need to warn you that the video is graphic.

On 22 April 2009, four children were each sentenced to 6 years 11 months in prison. Their crime was to participate in a demonstration organized by the Democratic Society Party (DTP). The court decided these children Zarokên Roj were guilty of "opposing the police" and "acted against the demonstration's law" DTP is effectively the only party that represents Kurds in Turkey and demands Kurds' basic rights. Full story here.

Two children Zarokên Roj performing folk dance in Lice, Amed (Diyarbakir) allegedly carried a portrait of Ocalan. Each child received 6 months 20 days prison sentence. (news on 6 March 2009)

These were all recent events. Just to show you that these practices are not new, I will present two other random examples. The first one is from 2006:

After the funerals in Diyarbakir on 28 March [2006] of four members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who had been killed by the security forces, demonstrations escalated into violent protests during which demonstrators threw stones and Molotov cocktails, and damaged property. Four individuals were shot dead by the security forces. In subsequent days, during further violent demonstrations in Diyarbakir and other towns in the region including Batman, Kiziltepe, Siirt and Nusaybin, the number of civilians killed rose to 13, at least four of them children. According to the available autopsy reports most of them died as a result of gunshot wounds. Many demonstrators and law enforcement officials were injured. On 2 April, in Istanbul, three women were crushed to death by a bus which was set alight following a Molotov cocktail attack allegedly perpetrated by demonstrators. During these incidents, hundreds of demonstrators, including children, were detained. The majority of detainees in Diyarbakir alleged that they were subjected to ill-treatment on apprehension, and torture or other ill-treatment once in custody.

The last one is from 2001.

Twenty-eight children aged from 9 to 18 were arrested on 9 January, accused of chanting slogans for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). They were allegedly beaten and ill-treated, and detained in cruel, inhuman or degrading conditions. Six of them, aged 14 to 16, remain in an adult prison.

And it goes on...

Do you get the point? Zaroken Roj need to free their children, their future!