1. GV Defendants rising as judges enter court 0.19
2. SV Group of accused men 0.27
3. SV PAN Women defendants 0.35
4. CU Judges 0.43
5. SCU Woman answering judge's question 0.55
6. GV Women defendant, man typing minutes; women (3 shots) 1.15
7. SCU Judge speaking while accused listen, and guards walk about (2 shots) 1.25
8. GV Accused walking up to dock and addressing judges 1.39
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ANKARA, TURKEY

The trial has begun in Ankara of more than 200 members of the banned Turkish communist party. Turkish journalists at the military tribunal said some of the 32 women defendants shouted on the opening day (15 February) that they had been tortured during interrogations. They were among thousands of political activists -- of both the left and right -- rounded up after the military coup in September 1980. Reuters news agency quoted the military prosecutor as saying the tribunal had agreed to submit a report on alleged torture to martial law authorities. The military prosecutor asked for jail terms of up to 15 years for the defendants, who are charged with belonging to an illegal organisation and of trying to set up a "dictatorship of one class over the others". The Turkish communist party was banned immediately after the republic was founded more than half a century ago.

Source: REUTERS - BULENT ARINLI