Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights

An academic at Ankara University's Faculty of Political Science faces seven years in jail for "terror propaganda" over an exam question asking students to compare two writings by Abdullah Öcalan the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

Considering the ongoing clashes between the security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey, the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has said ending the isolation of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is an "urgent item on the agenda."

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) fined Turkey 8,000 euros, finding it guilty in the case of a life-sentenced convict who had no prospects of conditional release.

?They have not started the real fight yet,? my source told me. He was a man from Tunceli, in his 50s, once a leading member of a leftist group, now the founder of an NGO. He was in touch with all Kurdish groups, including the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) and the leadership of the Peoples? Democratic Party (HDP).

The ?mral? committee, formed by members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to mediate the Kurdish peace talks, says the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has lost its credibility on the Kurdish peace process and no longer gives the committee permission to meet with Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

?Profiterole for the Kurds?? (this column, Sept. 10, 2009) recalled the early days of Kudistan Workers? Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan?s 1998-1999 odyssey, when a group of Kurds launched a hunger strike in Klafthmonos Square in Athens in protest of his arrest in Rome.

A group of parliamentary deputies called on the Turkish government to resume the Kurdish peace bid immediately on July 3, after the peace process was shelved two months before the June 7 general election campaign.

The Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) "?mral? Delegation" has said the stalled resolution process should be protected by rendering it "state policy," regardless of what form the new Turkish government takes.

The government has launched an isolation of imprisoned outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan in ?mral? Island where he is serving a life sentence, a leading deputy of the Peoples? Democratic Party (HDP) said on June 12.

A leading figure in the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has stunned many by saying his party, which focuses on the Kurdish issue, could even do a deal with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in order to resume the stalled peace process after the June 7 parliamentary election.