Kurds Protest Over Decision To Bar Candidates From Election

A decision by Turkey's electoral authorities to bar independent candidates backed by a pro-Kurdish party from June's parliamentary election has sparked protests in the mainly Kurdish southeast.

The Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BPD) has threatened to withdraw from the election over the ban.

Electoral authorities barred the BPD-backed candidates because of past convictions for links with separatist rebels from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Clashes between Kurdish protesters and police were reported in the southeastern city of Dyarbakir today and the eastern city of Van.

compiled from agency reports