Brussels, 20th may 2009
Dear,
On Friday the 8th May, the Spanish governement decided to approve the extradition of two Kurdish political activists, Remzi Kartal and Eyyup Doru, to Turkey. They are both members of the Kurdistan National Congress. From the information we have received, the arrests of Mr Kartal and Mr Doru have nothing at all to do with routine surveillance by police or any other police procedures existing in Spain, but has everything to do with a renewed and reforced collaboration between Spain and Turkey: the countries want to tighten diplomatic ties and Erdogan and Zapatero seem to have a good interpersonal relationship.
Kartal and Dory were politically active on the Kurdish issue.
From 
24th March on they were arrested, required to remain in a named
24th March on they were arrested, required to remain in a named residence and put under judicial control. So Spain clearly tried to render them ‘harmless’ and to eliminate them politically. Neither Mr. Kartal nor Mr. Doru are guilty of any crime.
So it’s clear that the arbitrary arrest of the KNK- members is in fact nothing more than a willing gesture from Spain to Turkey.
Mr Kartal and Mr Doru, both granted refugee status, the former
from Belgium, and the latter from France, have, for the last
decade, been protected by international UN Conventions. The Interpol dossier refers to the arrest of Mr. Kartal in Germany in 2005, and to the German courts decision that Turkey’s accusations against him were without substance and that immediate release was needed. The fact that another country, also member of the EU, could arrest Mr. Kartal with the same dossier and the same accusation is significant proof of an
extremely suspect collaboration as regards the protection of particular and special interests of the two governments.
Dear Embassador, all is now in the hands of the Spanish Ministry of Justice. Spain should respect international UN Conventions. If Spain wants to be a correct and decent EU-member, it should respect international UN Law, and it should liberate immediately Mr. Remzi Kartal and Mr. Eyyup Doru.
We hope for this outcome which would return Spain his status as a modern and democratic EU-state.Kind Regards,
Signed,Lionel Vandenberghe,
ex – senatorChairman of the Interparliamentarian Working Group The Kurds
Bonneelsstraat, 16 – 1210 Brussel
Jan Béghin, vice-président of the Brussels Parliament
Sabine de Bethune, senator (CD&V)
Patrick Vankrunkelsven, senator (VLD)
Frieda Brepoels, Member EP (N-VA)
Bart Staes, MEP (Groen!)
Ludo De Brabander, Journalist-Stafmedewerker Vrede vzw
Kawa Ahangari, Representative PDK – Iran in Belgium
Paul Vanden Bavière, journalist
Dr. Egbert Rooze, theologian and journalist
Paul Van Cappellen, Journalist
Wouter De Vriendt, Politician (Groen!)
Pieter Teirlinck, Vrede vzw
Derwich M. Ferho, president of the Kurdish Institute of Brussels
Nelly Maes, President of EFA (European Free Alliance)
