EU welcomes release of Turkish academic Ersanli

The European Union has welcomed the release of Professor Busra Ersanli, who was arrested pending trial in November on terrorism charges as part of an investigation into the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) along with 15 other suspects in the case. "The EU welcomes the release of 16 persons, pending trial, including Professor Busra Ersanli, accused of being members of a terrorist organization and held in pre-trial detention. This is a positive development resulting from the entry into force of the third judiciary reform package," the office of European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said on Wednesday. "The EU recalls, however, that several journalists, lawyers, human rights activists and elected officials still remain in pre-trial detention and remains concerned about the length of such detentions in the absence of conviction on remand. It hopes that the full application of the third judicial reform package will lead to the review of all such cases and to further releases," the office also said. The statement added that the EU still holds the view that the legal framework for counter-terrorism measures and combating organized crime currently applicable in Turkey leads to recurring infringements on the right to liberty and security, the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression, of assembly and association and that it needs to be amended as soon as possible. "In this respect, the EU is hopeful that the announced fourth judicial reform package will be put on Parliament's agenda rapidly and that it will address the heart of the above issues," it said. The Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court last week released Ersanli and 15 other suspects pending trial in the KCK case. Ersanli, along with publisher Ragip Zarakolu, was arrested in November on terrorism charges as part of an investigation into the KCK, an umbrella group that allegedly encompasses the terrorist PKK and affiliated organizations. Zarakolu was released pending trial in April. Ersanli, who was a member of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party's (BDP) constitutional commission, faces up to 22-and-a-half years in jail on charges of leading a terrorist organization. In a recent interview, Ersanli denied the charges and said all her activities were within the limits of freedom of expression and freedom of association.