Kurdish is still forbidden says head of İHD Diyarbakır branch

18:22 23.07.2009

DİYARBAKIR (DİHA) – Head of İHD Diyarbakır branch Muharrem Erbey said speak in Kurdish in prisons is still forbidden contrary to PM R. Tayyip Erdoğan's statement. Mayor of Stockholm Ann Margoreth Livh also pointed out that Turkey transgress the rule of Copenhagen when ban on speaking in Kurdish in prisons.



Speaking in Kurdish is still cause to be punished for prisoners. The Human Rights Association or İHD Diyarbakır branch chair Muharrem Erbey hold a meeting to condemn Diyarbakır D Type Prison administration’s ban on Kurdish a hundred year-old classic novel "Şivanê Kurmanca" written by Erebê Şemo. Some intellectuals, writers and activists have participated in the meeting.



Erbey, who made a statement during the meeting said that PM Erdoğan’s saying ‘Kurdish is not forbidden’ is not right. On the contrary his statement there are a lot of cases in prison can be given as example. Last one is very interesting one. A hundred year-old Kurdish classic novel has been forbidden and given back to people who brought it for his relative living in prison, on June 24. Besides that speaking in Kurdish with relatives of prisoner is also has been banned. Speaking in mother tongue is a universal right not a political right.



‘To ban mother tongue is inhuman implementation’



Mayor of Stockholm Ann Margoreth Livh who participated in meeting also said that to ban mother tongue is an inhuman implementation. Livh went on saying; there is another side of this prohibition which shows that Turkey transgresses the Criteria of Copenhagen. The European Union is not deterrent in this point. In Sweden there are 250 languages in education system not only to speak but also to write. E.U has to be more deterrent in this point.



(gü)