Leyla Zana finally collects Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought after ten years in prison

2.42.04pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 12th Oct 2004

Sarah Ludford and Leyla Zana at a European Parliamentary reception

Kurdish former MP Leyla Zana, who was arrested and imprisoned for 10 years for speaking Kurdish in the Turkish Parliament, can at last accept the European Parliament's invitation to receive on Thursday the 'Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought' that she was awarded ten years ago.

Sarah Ludford MEP, Liberal Democrat MEP for London and Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman who lobbied on behalf of Leyla Zana, said: ""I am delighted that Leyla Zana is finally able to come to the European Parliament to collect her award. I look forward to meeting her when she addresses the Group meeting of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe on Wednesday and to hearing what she has to say on Thursday.

"The release of Leyla Zana and the 3 other Kurdish Parliamentarians is a symbol of the progress Turkey has made in recent years towards becoming a modern democratic state, particularly in the area of Kurdish rights, which have taken an extremely long time to be acknowledged in Turkey. It is this progress that will eventually lead to EU membership.

"However Turkey must make sure that the reforms passed as laws are implemented in reality by all sectors of government and police at all levels - for example, Turkey must be assiduous in stamping out the use of torture by police officers. Once negotiations have started, they can be stopped if Turkey breaches the fundamental principles on which the EU is founded."

Of the award of the Sakharov Prize Leyla Zana said: "It has given international recognition to my struggle. The aim of that struggle is to establish domestic peace in Turkey and a truly pluralistic, secular democracy which respects the universal values of freedom and human rights. The legitimate rights of the Kurdish people to their own identity must also be recognised'.

Notes to editors:

1. Leyla Zana was elected to the Turkish Parliament in 1991 but in December 1994, together with other Kurdish MPs, she was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment because she expressed herself in Kurdish. In October 1998 she was sentenced to a further two-year prison sentence because she issued an appeal to her people in an article on the traditional Kurdish New Year in the HADEP party newspaper.

The European Parliament has repeatedly called for her unconditional release. In July 2001 the European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey for the way Leyla Zana's trial had been conducted.. After protracted negotiations with the Turkish authorities, MEPs were able to visit her in prison. Leyla Zana was released in June 2004.

2. Leyla Zana will speak in a 'solemn session' at the European Parliament in Brussels at 12.00 pm (Brussels time) on Thursday 14 October 2004.

3. The European Parliament has awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought annually since 1988, in order to honour individuals or organisations for their efforts on behalf of human rights and fundamental freedoms and against oppression and injustice. Previous winners of the Sakharov Prize include East Timorese dissident Xanana Gusmão, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, Oswaldo Paya of Cuba, Ibrahim Rugova and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The nominations of the different political groups are discussed by the Foreign Affairs Committee, which will propose three candidates for a decision by the Conference of Presidents. The European Parliament will award the Sakharov Prize to the chosen candidate in December.

4. Sarah Ludford wrote to European Parliament President Josep Borrell at the beginning of July 2004 to propose that Leyla Zana should be invited to accept her award in person as soon as possible.