A short interview with Mr. Manucher Zonoozi concering PACE's hearing in

Paris

Mr. Zonoozi! In today's issue of Turkish daily Milliyet ( 20.01.2006) Mr. Hassan Cemal the Turkish Journalist gives his side of the story in the hearing, what happaned there ?

Zonoozi : During my speech, I was intrupted by a person who presented himself as a Turkish journalist. I was talking about violation of human rights , I pointed out to the rate of illiteracy in Turkey. They were protesting and argued that no reference should be made to Turkey, because it was not in the agenda. I explained to the hearing that I was not talking about Turkey, but I was refering to the cases of violations against kurdish journalists and human rights activists , not just in Turkey but in Iran and Syria as well.

Q: This hearing should have been held before, but Turkish press insists that it was postpond because of the concerns raised by Turkey to the PACE. Should Turkey define their agenda ?



Zonoozi :No, It should not. If the council had come to a decision for holding a hearing about kurdish culture in different parts of Kurdistan, Turkey has no right to interfere, on the conterary it should open up for member states to inform themselves more an more about diversity there.

Q: Appareantly Mr.Hassan Cemal's presense was an exeption to the rule, because the hearing was closed to the press. According to a report in daily Milliyet on thursday he has accused you to make propagada for "terrorism", and he has repeated that in his article today. How is it possibe ?

Zonoozi: While he intrupted me , I objected to the chairperson of the hearing . I was

invited to the hearing as representitive of kurdish media , and it was relevant to the issue what I spoke about . Of course I could not accept such nonesense . I warned him if he does not sit quite, I will lodge a complaint, because based on his insinuation even the organisers could be part of that accusation, because they had invited our Tv station.

Lord Russel – Johnston protested his intruption and apologized to me for what happend.At the end of the hearing organisers told me without my contribution the eventual report lacks subsistence.

Thank you Mr. Zonoozi for your time

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