Malterre: Paris Murders Investigation Should Not Stop At National Borders
Nazmi Gür MP (center)
Jean-Louis Malterre, a trial lawyer for the families of the three Kurdish activists murdered in Paris last year, has taken part in a press conference at the Council of Europe. Malterre was joined by relatives and close friends of three murdered women – PKK founding member Sakine Cansız, Paris Representative of the Kurdish National Congress Fidan Doğan, and Kurdish Youth Movement member Leyla Şaylemez – as well as the BDP’s representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Van MP Nazmi Gür. The three women were found shot to death in the Kurdistan Information Bureau on January 9th, 2013. Malterre told reporters that “in order for the murders to be brought to light the investigation now underway must not be confined to national borders.”
Nazim Gür, a BDP MP from Van and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly, opened the press conference which was held in the press room of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at noon today. Gür told those present that the Kurdish people and Kurdish political parties and social organizations wanted the forces behind these murders to be brought into the open. Gür stressed that this was expected of both the French government and its courts as well as of the Turkish state.
Following Gür, Hasan Doğan – the father of Fidan Doğan – told the assembled press that “my daughter believed in French justice, and despite the fact that both French President François Hollande and Interior Minister Manuel Valls say they know my daughter, justice has still not been served. For this reason our suffering continues.”
Şaylemez: We will not allow this murder to be covered up
The father of Leyla Şaylemez, Cumali Şayelmez, pointed to how already 17 thousand Kurds throughout Kurdistan have been murdered by unknown perpetrators. Şayelmez went on to say that “the state has covered up [the identifies of these] perpetrators. But because we know these were political murders we will never allow them to be covered up. France must reclaim its honor and expose the powers behind these murders by holding those responsible to account for acts committed against their own guests.”
Jean-Louis Malterre, the trial lawyer for the families, told reporters that because of the secret nature of the case he could not share every detail with public opinion. Pointing to recent developments in the case which were widely covered in the press and presented a link behind the principal suspect in the murders and Turkish intelligence, Malterre said that “I feel the need to make a statement about new information concerning the case. Yet because the case-file is secret we cannot share everything with public opinion and the press.”
Malterre: The role of some actors in Turkey is coming out
Malterre continued, saying “considering information released in the press in recent days regarding the Paris Massacre together with certain previous information and findings we are of the opinion that some actors in Turkey played a role.” Malterre stressed the need to take the investigation behind the national borders of France.
Malterre also suggested that the investigative efforts and work of French prosecutors would not be enough by themselves, and requested that the French State and the current French government use its power and influence to make the investigation easier. Malterre put his case thus: “because it is known that the various French intelligence services follow Kurdish revolutionaries and politicians it needs to be established why sufficient precautions were not taken. In my opinion President Hollande brought up the case of the massacre on his visit to Ankara, however I believe that he did not report this to the press.”
Malterre then reminded those present that they was an opportunity to carry on the investigation between Turkey and France, but that what was required now was not more prosecutors but support from the governments in Paris and Ankara. (ANF)