Doc. 8415
10 May 1999

State of health of Mr Abdullah Öcalan

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Jurgens and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

      The Assembly,

      Concerned about Mr Öcalan's state of health;

      Considering that Mr Öcalan risks being sentenced to death at his trial, scheduled to take place on 30 April 1999;

      Considering that continuing political denial of the Kurdish identity is prolonging the conflict and threatening peace and stability in the Middle East;

      Considering that the Kurdish question has taken on an international dimension with repercussions in all the countries of the region and also in Europe;

      Recalling the resolutions of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament concerning a political solution to the Kurdish question,

i.       Requests that Mr Öcalan be given a fair trial in keeping with the standards of international law;

ii.       Calls on Turkey to authorise the international delegations and the Red Cross to be present throughout the trial;

iii.       Supports the Council of Europe's intention to send a delegation to attend the trial throughout its duration;

iv.       Demands that the moratorium on capital punishment which Turkey has observed for some years now also be maintained in this case;

v.       Requests the Turkish Government to negotiate a political solution with the representatives of the Kurdish people;

vi.       Recommends that the Committe of Ministers set up a Council of Europe mediation committee to foster dialogue between the parties to the conflict.

Signed : ¹

Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC

Ruffy, Switzerland, SOC

Alis-Font, Andorra, NR

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Besostri, Italy, SOC

Brunetti, Italy, UEL

Carvalho, Portugal, UEL

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Dhaille, France, SOC

Diana, Italy, EPP/CD

Evangelisti, Italy, SOC

Evin, France, SOC

Gjellerod, Denmark, SOC

Guirado, Spain, SOC

Gusenbauer, Austria, SOC

Hegyi, Hungary, SOC

Karlsson, Austria, SOC

Korakas, Greece, UEL

Laakso, Finland, UEL

Lento, Italy, UEL

Loule, Greece, UEL

Martinez, Spain, SOC

Marty, Switzerland, LDR

Pozza Tasca, Italy, LDR

Pulgar, Spain, EPP/CD

Rodeghiero, Italy, NR

Smereczynska, Poland, EPP/CD

Speroni, Italy, NR

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

Vis, United Kingdom, SOC

Wodarg, Germany, SOC

Wojcik, Poland, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group