 In 2000, the chairman of the Turkish Human Rights Association Akin Birdal was imprisoned under Article 312 for a speech in which he called for "peace and understanding" between Kurds and Turks.He was forced to resign from his post, as the Law on Associations forbids persons who breach this and several other laws from serving as association officials.Violent disturbances took place in several cities in the southeast in March and April 2006.