Leyla Zana calls for peace

Witnesses, speaking in her defense, countered claims that Zana pressured Kurds into supporting separatist-terrorists.

Judges again denied a request for the release of the politician and her three co-defendants – Selim Sadak, Hatip Dicle and Orhan Dogan.

The four former legislators have served nine years of 15-year prison terms. With time off for good conduct, they could be eligible for release in 2005.

"Our only choice is the path that leads to light. A return to the past is not a choice: it made us lose too many lives, energy and money," Zana said, referring to 15 years of fighting between soldiers and Kurdish terrorists which has claimed the lives of some 37,000.

"This region can no longer bear (to see) weeping, grieving mothers, bloodbaths and graves," Zana said.

All four defendants were stripped of parliamentary immunity, arrested and convicted in 1994 of having links to the terrorists.

Zana, 42, is a well-known advocate of nonviolent tactics to push for increased rights for Turkey’s Kurdish minority. The Turkish government offered to release her for health reasons in 1997, but Zana rejected the pardon.

Dressed in a yellow jacket and black slacks, Zana on Friday occasionally turned around to wave and smile at her family and friends.

Earlier, witnesses for the defense countered accusations that the politicians pressured leaders of Kurdish clans to support terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has since changed its name to Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress, or KADEK.

Witness Fethi Gumus said Zana, Sadak and a group of other prominent Kurds and human rights activists had met with the clan leaders to try and end a blood feud between them.

"The PKK wasn’t even mentioned," he said.

Five other witnesses gave similar testimonies. Ozan Ceyhun, a member of the European Parliament from Germany, expressed outrage at the panel of three judges’ refusal to release the four and said the proceedings weren’t fair.

"I am deeply, deeply disappointed," said Ceyhun, who is of Turkish origin, at the end of the hearing. "The three judges have seriously harmed Turkey’s chances joining the European Union."

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2001 that the four did not get a fair trial. Turkey agreed to hold a new trial after recently changing its laws to meet European Union membership requirements. It is the first time that a Turkish court is reviewing a case that the European court ruled unfair.

The court adjourned until Aug. 15.