>Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 20:18:39 +0200 > >PRESS AGENCY OZGURLUK ATTACKED BY THE POLICE > >Press statement >Amsterdam, April 14 > >The police blow our door with explosives, threatened to kill a >seventeen-year-old woman and tear the place apart > >At April 10, at 5 o�clock in the morning, the front door of >pressagency Ozgurluk in Amsterdam was blown with >explosives by some kind of special police unit. Masked >men, armed with machineguns, stormed inside usurped >the only person inside, a seventeen-year-old woman >who was sleeping in bed. > >They turned on the television and the woman was forced >to sit on a chair. �Watch TV�, the masked man said and >�look at the TV or I�m gonna shoot you�. > >In the three hours thereafter about 40 policemen, some >of them in uniform, emptied the office. Computers, >video, tapes and GSM telephones, CD�s, everything >was thrown in containers and brought outside. The >woman that was present was not allowed to leave her >chair or to look around, a gun was pointed at her all the >time. Afterwards a piece of paper was left behind at >which a telephonenumber was written, which could be >dialed for more information. No list was left behind from >the stuff they stole. > >WHAT IS PRESS AGENCY OZGURLUK > >Press Agency Ozgurluk is a completely open and legal >independent press agency that supports the struggle for >democracy and human rights in Turkey. We maintain a >number of websites, http://www.ozgurluk.org, >http://www.vatan-online.com and http://www.kutulus.com > >WE ARE DOING NOTHING ILLEGAL ! > >We maintain websites, publish brochures, organize >informational meetings and we inform the (international) >public opinion about the systematic violations of human >rights in Turkey. > >POLITICAL BACKGROUND > >This action van only be intepretated as support for the >regime in Turkey that is responsible for thousands of >cases of disappeared and extrajudical executions, >hundred thousands cases of torture and the >imprisonment of tens of thousands political prisoners. > >Democrats, human rights activists, even members of >parliament are not save for the fascist forces of the >state. Everybody who opens his or her mouth against the >ruling regime risks torture, imprisonment or >disappearance. The European public opinion, the >European politicians and the police forces very well >know this. It is also very well documented even at a level >of the European Court. > >It is very well known that the press in Turkey suffers >repression. In Turkey it is a daily routine that press >bureaus are raided their workers, journalists, editors and >columnists are threatened with death, actually are killed >or thrown in prison based on statements gathered due to >torture. > >The way this frightening and terrorist raid at our bureau >was conducted by the Dutch police, our juridical situation >(we are not suspected of any crime, nobody has been >arrested, however guns were pointed at our heads, our >office has been completely emptied) makes the >difference with Turkey just a nuance. > >The target of this operation: >To sabotage our work, to silence critical voices about >the terrible human rights situation in Turkey > >WE STRONGLY CONDEMN THIS CRIMINAL >CONDUCT OF THE DUTCH POLICE > >WE DEMAND, VIA OUR LAWYERS, THE RETURN OF >OUR STUFF > >WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN CASE OF A TRIAL > >STOP THE SUPPORT OF THE FASCIST TURKISH >STATE > >PRESS FREEDOM IS A HUMAN RIGHT > >Press Agency Ozgurluk >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http//www.ozgurluk.org >Witte de Withstraat 160 hs >1057 ZK Amsterdam >tel. : 020 - 6898368 >fax : 020 - 4120400 > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
