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FEHRIYE HAS INTERRUPTED HER
HUNGER STRIKE Since September 26, 1999, that is, for nearly 11 months, Fehriye Erdal has been subject to unjustified detention. During this period, world public opinion has borne witness to the inflexible will of this young revolutionary. Caught up in the wheels of the justice system and the Ministry of the Interior, Fehriye has been the target of arbitrary and unjust detention. To tell the truth, this detention was on arbitrary grounds connected to Belgium's shared interests with Turkey. The Belgian government has been less than honest with its own public opinion. Fehriye has been used as a toy to satisfy the government's whims, has been singled out as a target and, over and above her own person, it tried to criminalise the revolutionary movement. Making a mockery of its own jurisdiction, the government has acted like a veritable autocracy. This has been a striking display of injustice. It is a strange country in which the following things can happen: * The political authorities have refused to extradite her to Turkey but have not respected their own decision. * The conclusions of the hearing on Fehriye's political asylum have confirmed that she is politically motivated and the General Commission on Refugees and Stateless Persons (GCRSP) has noted that the required conditions exist for recognising her as a candidate for refugee status. Despite this, Fehriye remained in detention. * After the courts and the political authorities refused to extradite Fehriye to Turkey, the decision was taken to extradite her to a third country. However, the Council of State suspended this decision. FEHRIYE POSSESSES A POLITICAL IDENTITY The Belgian courts have recognised that Fehriye has a political identity. So has the GCRSP. But Fehriye has not been freed and has had to wait 11 months. Why? Because under the cover of sending her to a third country, they want to deliver her into the bloody hands of fascism in Turkey. It was to put an end to this injustice and lawlessness that on July 14, 2000, she submitted her own body to hunger. Fehriye did what she had to do. At the same time, before the entire world she brought the manipulations of which she had been the object out into the open. A wearying struggle began. Deriving her strength from the justice of her quarrel, Fehriye finally won this battle. The Belgian government was forced to take a step back. On August 16, the imprisonment of Fehriye was turned into house arrest. Moreover, the residence which was supposed to be kept confidential was leaked to the press, thereby exposing Fehriye to danger. Thereupon she decided to continue her hunger strike until her security ceased to be compromised. Our comrade put her health in danger by fasting for 45 days for the sake of justice and her security. Finally, a wave of support from public opinion together with the acquisition of guarantees of her security led to Fehriye Erdal interrupting her hunger strike. FEHRIYE'S POLITICAL IDENTITY MUST BE RECOGNISED The courts have confirmed it: Fehriye has a political identity which must be recognised. The road to be followed is the recognition of her refugee status. Belgium must give up her illegal practices and recognise her as a refugee. FEHRIYE ERDAL'S APPLICATION FOR ASYLUM MUST BE ACCEPTED FEHRIYE MUST BE FREED COMPLETELY DEVRIMCI HALK KURTULUS CEPHESI REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT Brussels Information Bureau |
