ADEM UZUN (KNK) ARRESTED IN FRANCE

ANF 12:41 / 10 Ekim 2012 Paris

KNK (Kurdistan National Congress) member, Adem Uzun, who was taken into custody in Paris, has been remanded in custody after appearing in court. KNK
has condemned the action taken against Mr Uzun and explained in a statement that Uzun was in Paris to take part in preparation of a conference on West
Kurdistan (Syrian Kurdistan), which was planned to take place on 13 October.


KNK announced in a statement that a KNK member Adem Uzun has been remanded in custody as part of an investigation conducted by so called ‘Super
Prosecutors’ Thierry Fragnoli and David Benichou , on 6 October in Paris. Mr Uzun has been referred to as “one of PKK European leaders” in French
media. Mr Uzun was brought before a judge on 9 October where he was remanded in custody and was taken to a jail.

KNK has protested against the arrest, calling the arrest unjust and demanded Mr Uzun’s immediate release. KNK claimed that the French authorities have taken this action to please the Turkish authorities and to prevent the Kurdish initiative to hold a conference in French Parliament to discuss the situation on West Kurdistan.

KNK has emphasised that the arrest came soon after the speech made by Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which he accused Germany
and France. Turkish Prime Minister has accused German and French authorities during an interview on a Turkish TV channel on 27 September.

“The West do not want us to defeat terror. Particularly Germany and France do not want terror to end and this is why they allow terrorist leaders
travel across the Europe freely,” accused the Prime Minister. “French authorities acted on the directives from the Turkish authorities and
this action will damage the French democracy” stated the KNK. KNK has reminded that French Prosecutor Thierry Fragnoli had responded to
the statement made by the Turkish Prime Minister, reiterating that he personally worked as one of the 8 prosecutors in the anti-terror unit since
2006. “Prosecutor Fragnoli has confirmed that he, including 3 other prosecutors and 28 constables worked on PKK cases. The Prosecutor also
admitted that he has arrested, tried and imprisoned many PKK militants since 2006” the KNK added.

Over 200 Kurdish refugees have been taken into custody because of their political activities in France, since 2007. Ahmet Kaya Kurdish Cultural
Center was also closed down by French authorities on 2 November 2011. On 7 October 2011, Turkey and France have signed an agreement which
underlined the cooperation between the two states in fight against the PKK. The agreement laid the basis for ‘joint work between Turkish and French
security forces’. KNK has explained in its statement that the arrest of Adem Uzun was an attack against the legitimate struggle of the Kurds and was unacceptable. In
its statement, the KNK has stressed that the Europe should not allow Turkey to export and impose its anti-Kurdish policies abroad.

KNK has called on the all EU countries, in particular France, to stop the criminalisation campaign against the Kurds and demanded immediate release of
Adem Uzun.