FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN NORTHERN CYPRUS

Early day motion 980, tabled 27 March 2003 by Andrew Dismore (Labour). Signed by 35 members.

That this House believes Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Denktash, rejected the referendum on the Annan Plan in The Hague because he feared there would be a majority in favour of a settlement, even including those Turkish settlers given citizenship, and does not wish Turkish Cypriots to join the EU alongside Greek Cypriots; welcomes the initiative of This Country is Ours to hold a series of referendums amongst Turkish Cypriots; is appalled that the first referendum in Doganci (Elia) was broken up using indiscriminate violence against old people, women and children; condemns the arrest and detention of six of the organisers, Izzet Izcan (United Cyprus Party), Erdogan Sorakin (Teachers Union), Ahmet Barcin (Secondary Teachers Union), Niyazi Duzgun (Woodworkers union), Ali Gulle (DEVIS trade union federation); welcomes the spontaneous support for freedom of political expression and association from thousands of people in north Nicosia on 26th March; condemns the trumped up charges faced by those arrested of 'trying to destroy the TRNC, acting against their constitution and Assembly decisions' (boycotted by the opposition parties); urges the British Government urgently to convey to the authorities in northern Cyprus and the Government in Turkey, the importance the British people attach to political and human rights and the rights of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to meet, as expressed in the ECHR verdict in the Djavit An case; and urges Turkey to ensure that all political and human rights are observed in northern Cyprus, and to encourage the symbolic referendums to proceed, beginning in Kyrenia and 28th March.

Signatures by party: Labour 24, Conservative 3, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Liberal Democrat 2.