PRESS STATEMENT

23 September 1998

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) has been awarded the European Human Rights Prize 1998 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, following a proposal by the Parliamentary Assembly.,The HRFT has shared this Prize, given once in three years, with Mrs. Chiara Lubich, the founder of the International Focolari Movement (Italy) and "Committee on the Administration of Justice" (Northern Ireland).

In previous years, persons and organizations including International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International Medical Section, Lech Walesa, International Helsinki federation of Human Rights, Raul Alfonsin, Raoul Wallenberg, Sergei Kovalyov were awarded the prize. The Award Ceremony of the European Human Rights Prize took place in the Parliamentary Assembly Session of the European Council on 22 September 1998 in Strasbourg. Mrs. Leni Fischer, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr. Giorgos Papandreu, Chairman-in-Office of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe gave speeches and Mr. Daniel Tarschys, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, presented the prizes. Then, Mr. Yavuz Onen, the President of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT), Mrs Chiara Lubich and the representative of Committee on the Administration of Justice took the ground.

After the lunch following the ceremony, the three prize-holders made a press statement. The speech made by Mr. Yavuz Onen during the ceremony is attached for your information.

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) was previously awarded the following prizes:

- Human Rights Prize by the French Government (1991).

- International Freedom Award by the International Centre For Human

Rights (1991).

- The Governing Board of the Sakharov Freedom Fund Annual Award by the

Sakharov Freedom Fund Governing Board (1994).

- Roger Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award by the Lawyers Committee For

Human Rights (1994).

- Law Group Partners Award by the International Human Rights Law Group

(1995).

- Honorary Award by the Progressive Journalists Association (1995).

TURKYYE YNSAN HAKLARI VAKFI

HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF TURKEY

Menek?e 2 Sok., No. 16/7, 06640, Kyzylay, Ankara/TURKEY

Tel No: (90-312) 4177180 Fax No: (90-312) 4254552

Strasbourg, 22 September 1998

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to express my gratefulness to the Parliamentary Assembly and Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe for awarding the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) with the 1998 European Human Rights Prize. We are honored to share this Prize with Mrs. Chiara Lubich, founder of the International Focolari movement and "the Committee on the Administration of Justice" and we regard this occasion as an indicator of international solidarity.

The HRFT was established in 1990 in hellish conditions following the military coup in Turkey in 1980. We started the organized human rights struggle in Turkey with the families of extrajudically murdered, tortured persons, persons killed or disabled under torture, disappeared persons, prisoners, and we started this struggle especially with mothers. We knew that killings, violence and oppression were awaiting us. And we encountered them. Fourteen members or executives of the Human Rights Association (YHD) were killed by unknown assailants. Akyn Birdal, the President of the YHD, has been the target of bullets in his office in Ankara in May. The branches of our organizations have been closed down, we have been prosecuted and still being prosecuted in many trials. We accept the European Human Rights Prize also on behalf of all the human rights advocates mentioned above. We have resisted against unfairness, injustice and pressures with our mind, and with the love for human being, honor and courage in our heart for years. We could never think that we would be meeting with you in such a European apex. The Human Rights Prize that coincided with the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, will be a significant support for the self-sacrificing and committed struggle that we have been carrying out up to date. I would like to announce before all of you that we will continue our struggle for the protection and improvement of human rights together with our staff and volunteers, and with international solidarity.

Dear members of the Parliamentary Assembly;

The killing, destruction and the pain caused by two big wars of our century have unfortunately been forgotten long before. Even in Europe wars are continuing to sow the seeds of hatred and revenge. One wonders where we will find blood and tears following Sobrenica, Bukovar, Kosova and Rwanda. Regional economical differences, violence, war, genocide, discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion and sex, economic refugees and refugee camps, and hatred against foreigners are on the rise in the world despite the United Nations, European Council and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Poverty, hunger, unemployment, diseases, illiteracy is becoming widespread. Drug and arms traffic, prostitution, corruption, brutality and armament have become a way of liberation or life styles. Human rights, justice, freedom, development and welfare can only be enjoyed by a privileged minority in the world in general and in single countries.

It is no doubt that the developed countries have important responsibility in generation of such an unfair and injustice human condition and human rights violations all over the world. The Council of Europe and member states encounter the duty of establishing a new Europe, respectful of human rights and democratic in deed, and with developing a new civilization concept on a global scale.

While ending my words, I would like to express once again my wish for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish problem which constitutes the main source of many human rights violations and anti-democratic implementations in Turkey. The ongoing wars in many regions of Europe and the world shall come to an end and never start again.

Human rights for all.

Justice, equity, freedom and welfare for all.

I look forward to further solidarity of human rights advocates on the

international level.

Yavuz Onen