11.   He has been prosecuted on several occasion on charges of Kurdish separatism.

12.   His brother, Selim Okcuoglu, will not attend the trial either as he has fled Turkey after being sentenced to jail on charges related to Kurdish separatism.

13.   In Diyarbakir, a Turkish court released four human rights activists accused of Kurdish separatism after three months in jail in the southeastern province.

14.   Kurdish politicians were sentenced to jail on charges of Kurdish separatism last year.

15.   Meanwhile, an appeals court imposed a temporary ban on the Kurdish newspaper Ulkede Gundem for publishing an article advocating Kurdish separatism, the paper said Saturday.

16.   Scores of party members have been convicted on charges of Kurdish separatism.

17.   The brothers face charges of murder and Kurdish separatism.

18.   The first signal of softening came when the government asked for mediation help from Kemal, who was recently convicted for provoking Kurdish separatism in his writings.

19.   Thirty other workers have been jailed on charges of Kurdish separatism.

20.   Thirteen of the seats belonged to Kurdish deputies who lost their seats after their party was closed down for supporting Kurdish separatism.