H.E. Rosa Russo-Jervolino
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior
Rome
Italy

Vienna, 16 November 1998

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns the beating of Turkish journalists in Rome on Saturday, 14 November, and the reported detention of five Turkish journalists in Palestrina, Italy.

We are informed that several Turkish journalists and cameramen -in Italy to cover events surrounding the arrest on 12 November of Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kudistan Workers Party (PKK) – were beaten by Kurdish demonstrators on Saturday, 14 November, in front of Rome’s military hospital where Ocalan is believed to be held under tight security. At least 1,500 Kurds, from all over Europe, held demonstrations in the Italian capital over the weekend in support of Ocalan.

IPI understands that three journalists were seriously injured while policemen looked on. The journalists, whose cameras and other equipment were destroyed, were forced to seek refuge in the Turkish Embassy.

We are particularly concerned about reports that the Italian police did not take sufficient action to stop the demonstrators from beating the journalists. We therefore urge you to take every possible step to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents and to ensure the safety of all journalists reporting on the Ocalan case.

IPI is also informed that five Turkish television journalists were detained by police in Palestrina (approx. 25 km south-east of Rom) for at least one hour on Monday, 16 November. We understand that the journalists were in Palestrina to confirm newspaper reports that Ocalan is being held there in a clinic, and urge you to allow journalists covering the Ocalan case to carry out their profession without further harassment.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director