§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
With regard to the proposed trial of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan in Turkey, whether they will seek bilaterally and through international fora to secure that: (a) independent legal representation is available to the accused; (b) the trial takes place before civilian judges, and not in a military court or under martial law; (c) there is access for international legal observers; and (d) reasonable access is allowed to journalists from Turkey and the rest of the world. [HL1235]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWith EU partners we have urged that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan have access to independent legal counsel of his choice, in accordance with Turkish law and Council of Europe norms. On 17 February we raised the subject of the type of court with the Turkish State Minister responsible for Human Rights. We understand that the trial proceedings will take place before a State Security Court. We have requested that the British Embassy in Ankara be allowed to attend the trial. We understand that attendance in the court is a matter for the presiding judge.