Articles About Terrorist Activities

Eighteen students at Van’s Yüzüncü Yıl University were detained Monday for allegedly attempting to coerce other students into participating in demonstrations and activities in support of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.

Police kept the 18 students under observation as part of a two-month operation looking into the activities of the PKK’s urban wing. The students were detained for allegedly attempting to force others to take part in PKK activities by issuing threats, leading some peers to drop out of school because of the intimidation.

Searches conducted in the student dormitory and in off-site houses resulted in the confiscation of PKK documents and computers.

The detained students were taken to the anti-terror branch of the Van Police Department and will be transferred to court at a later date.

Police said investigations were continuing.

Meanwhile, the Justice Ministry said in a written statement released Monday that it is not possible for convicted prisoners to write for newspapers, following reports that an Italian newspaper had published articles by Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the PKK.

Based on existing laws and regulations, the statement said convicted prisoners are not permitted to write articles meant for publication.

The ministry said the article attributed to Öcalan in the Italian publication was found to be statements he had sent to the European Court of Human Rights.

Source:  Hurriyet Daily News
URL: www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=18-university-students-held-for-pkk-related-activities-2010-01-11