DGM’s Zana Verdict Troubles E.U.

E.U. Commissioner for Enlargement Günther Verheugen’s Spokesman, Jean-Christophe Filori, conveyed the E.U.’s distress over the final verdict yesterday. Filori said the decision throws a shadow over the Turkish reforms for E.U. membership. It also gives rise to reservations in adaptation to the Copenhagen Criteria.

Filori classified the imprisoned deputies as "political prisoners". He indicated that European Commission President Romano Prodi had, during his speech to the Turkish Parliamentary in January and again in Turkey’s progress report, requested the immediate release of Leyla Zana. Flori emphasized that the E.U. would closely monitor the appeal process. The spokesman also pointed out the DGM is undergoing a reform process and that the E.U. had been calling for the Court’s abolishment for quite some time.

Elsewhere, Amnesty International commented that the decision was a "surprise. The organization, in a statement released after the verdict was announced, added their voice to those calling for the immediate release of the former DEP deputies.