From: joeryan@rcdow.org.uk

Date: 10 March 2018 at 08:24:12 GMT

To: indcatholicnews@emarket.bondware.com

Subject: From Joe Ryan

Permanent People’s Tribunal

I have been invited to attend the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal on Turkey and Kurds which takes place in Paris on 15-16 March.

A panel of judges will examine n indictment served upon the Turkish State and some of its officials. Turkey has been criticised by respected human rights organisations, governments and international bodies for violations of the right to freedom of expression, freedom of organisation etc.

These violations have been extensively documented and some of them also submitted to the European Court of Human Rights.

The indictment will focus on the alleged crimes committed by Turkish forces against the main Kurdish cities such as Diyarbakir, Cizre, and Sirnak during the period 2015-17.

Several sources have reported the use of aircrafts, tanks and artillery by the Turkish army in civilian neighbourhoods of these cities causing massive destruction and loss of lives.

It has also been alleged that Turkish agents have been involved in targeted crimes against opponents, in particular representatives of the Kurdish movement, Kurdish media etc. An example is the assassination in Paris on Jan 9, 2013. The Tribunal will examine whether these crimes can be considered as “state crimes” for which the Turkish State is directly or indirectly responsible.

The findings will be presented to the European Parliament in Brussels in due course. I am delighted to be part of the process and hopefully some justice will follow.

Publicity of the Tribunal will be available as the event takes place.More info: (http://permanentpeoplestribunal.org)