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Six youths face 23 years in jail for Turkey demos
13 Nov 2008 13:32:21 GMT
 Source: Reuters
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Six youths could be jailed for up to 23 years on terrorism charges for taking part in violent Kurdish separatist protests last month, according to court documents released on Thursday.

The teenagers, aged between 13 and 14, have been charged with "committing a crime in the name of a terrorist organisation" as well as spreading propaganda and destroying public property. The case comes at a time when the European Union has criticised Ankara for inadequate protection of children's rights.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the southeast last month was met with violent protests in which one person died as protestors clashed over a number of days with police in several cities, including Diyarbakir, the region's largest.

Tensions have risen in response to increased Turkish military attacks on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) guerrillas, both inside Turkey and on its bases in northern Iraq.

Claims the imprisoned leader of the PKK had been tortured also sparked protests.

The teenagers are being tried in a children's court but face the same possible sentence as adult offenders

According to the state-run news agency Anatolian court documents show the Diyarbakir state prosecutor has called for the defendants to be jailed for up to 23 years if convicted.

The ruling AK Party has tried to increase its presence and boost investment in the predominantly Kurdish southeast ahead of local elections due next March. Turkey's Kurdish minority have long complained of discrimination and a lack of jobs.

Some 40,000 people have died in PKK-related violence since 1984, when the group took up arms to try to carve an ethnic Kurdish homeland in southeast Turkey. (Editing by Matthew Jones)


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Last updated:Thu Nov 13 13:33:53 2008