A Turkish security court sentenced to death three Kurdish...

A Turkish security court sentenced to death three Kurdish separatists for the 1994 murder of an Islamist politician. The court in the eastern city of Erzurum convicted Kurdistan Worker Party (PKK) guerrillas Cahit Aydin, Mehmet Aras and Ebubekir Yulu of killing Vahap Akar, a local chief in the since-banned Welfare Party.
EU-candidate Turkey has not executed anyone since 1984, and a recent constitutional amendment bars capital punishment for peacetime offences, except for crimes of terrorism or treason.
But the death penalty remains on statute books while the left-right coalition government wrangles over how to implement the amendment to meet European Union criteria. Turkey cannot begin accession talks with Brussels until abolishing the death penalty and making other political reforms.
The PKK fought a 17-year-long campaign for self-rule in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast, and more than 30,000 people died in the violence. Fighting dropped off sharply after the 1999 capture of PKK commander Abdullah Ocalan, on death row for treason.
The EU earlier in May added the PKK to a list of groups it considers "terrorist" organisations.
The Erzurum court also sentenced two other defendants in the case to 12 and a half years in prison each on charges of kidnapping, separatist activities, exhortation and damaging state property.
All of the defendants denied involvement in Akar's murder.