Rep. Filner to Speak at 'Cell of Atonement'

Demands Release of Kurdish Parliamentarians Imprisoned for Speech

Washington, DC, Feb. 28 - March 5, 2001 will mark the seventh anniversary of Leyla
Zana's imprisonment in Ankara, Turkey. Elected to serve her Kurdish constituency in the
Turkish parliament, Zana was persecuted throughout her political career and arrested after a
brief standoff in the parliament building.

Accused of treason for speaking a few words of her mother tongue, Kurdish, from the floor
of the Turkish Parliament, a military court sentenced her to fifteen-years' imprisonment. She
subsequently was given an additional year for her writings.

Three of her Kurdish colleagues, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak were also
accused of treason on charges that were similar. They received the same sentence.

Amnesty International and the European Parliament have called on Turkey to release these
Parliamentarians, calling them prisoners of conscience, as have numerous members of the
United States Congress.

A group of Kurds and their American friends are preparing to hold an open-ended vigil at
Sheridan Circle-by the Turkish Embassy-beginning March 5, 2001, at 2:30 p.m. Another
group of Kurds and their friends will hold a brief vigil of their own in Los Angeles in front of
the Turkish Consulate at the same hour.

"We want to raise awareness about the plight of the Kurdish parliamentarians and press for
their release," said Kani Xulam, one of the organizers of the vigil.

The group will hold a press conference on March 7, 2001, at 4 p.m., at the site of the
vigil-the corner of 23rd Street, NW and Massachusetts Avenue, NW. A replica of a Turkish
prison cell will function as the site of the press conference as well as the future home of the
protesters.

The cell, christened the "Cell of Atonement," will remain in the park with protesters taking
their turns in it until the Turkish government releases the parliamentarians or till a resolution
in the House of Representatives calling for their release receives the support of 218 members
of Congress.

Congressman Bob Filner will be the keynote speaker at the press conference. An author of
several articles on the Kurds, he is also the first lawmaker to introduce a resolution on the
plight of the Kurdish parliamentarians in the U. S. Congress.

Contact: Kani Xulam

The American Kurdish Information Network (AKIN)

2600 Connecticut Avenue NW # 1

Washington, DC 20008-1558 / USA

Tel: 202.483.6444 / Fax: 202.483.6476
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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com