RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 180

FM Davutoğlu: “I Do Not Believe Ersanlı is a Terrorist”

FM Davutoğlu: “I Do Not Believe Ersanlı is a Terrorist”

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told journalists that he did not believe that eminent academic Prof. Büşra Ersanlı was a terrorist. Authorities had arrested Prof. Ersanlı on terrorism related charges on Nov. 1, 2011.

178 Deaths Mark the First Half of 2012 in the East

178 Deaths Mark the First Half of 2012 in the East

Some 15,109 rights violations took place in eastern Turkey during the first half of 2012, according to a report by the Human Rights Association (IHD.) A total of 56 security personnel and 122 militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) also lost their lives during the same period.

Journalists Reject Friendly Settlement with Turkish Government

Journalists Reject Friendly Settlement with Turkish Government

Journalists Sedat Şenoğlu and Bayram Namaz rejected an offer by Turkish government officials to reach a friendly settlement over their suit in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR.) The two journalists have remained under arrest for over six years in connection with the probe into the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP.)

9 July 2012 Erol Önderoğlu

Court Suspends Proceedings Against Burroughs, Palahniuk Novels

Court Suspends Proceedings Against Burroughs, Palahniuk Novels

An Istanbul court ruled to suspend the proceedings against the translators and publishers of “Snuff” by Chuck Palahniuk and “The Soft Machine” by William Burroughs on Thursday, even though the official expert report vindicated the novels.

8 July 2012 Rana Ençol

Lawyers Storm out of the Courtroom in Landmark KCK Case

Lawyers Storm out of the Courtroom in Landmark KCK Case

A specially authorized Istanbul court rejected all the defendants’ demands in the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) trial during the first hearing of the case on Monday. Eminent publisher Ragıp Zarakolu and academic Büşra Ersanlı are also facing charges as part of the probe.

2 July 2012 Nilay Vardar

“Everyone Should Partake in the Peace Process”

“Everyone Should Partake in the Peace Process”

Independent Diyarbakır Deputy Leyla Zana held a press meeting in Parliament on Sunday following her talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the Kurdish issue. The veteran Kurdish politician’s earlier statement that PM Erdoğan could resolve the Kurdish issue had drawn sharp cricitism from various quarters within the Kurdish movement.

Court Convicts Student for Throwing Egg at EU Minister

Court Convicts Student for Throwing Egg at EU Minister

A court in the Aegean province of İzmir sentenced university student E.Ç. to five months in prison on the charge of “intentionally injuring a civil servant” for throwing an egg at European Union (EU) Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış. The court later suspended the sentence.

KESK Leader Özgen Released; More Arrests Follow

KESK Leader Özgen Released; More Arrests Follow

Authorities released Lami Özgen, the head of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK,) following Monday’s massive crackdown that led to the detention of dozens of union members. Officials arrested 28 of those detainees in the past two days, however.

Forensics: Architects of Turkey’s 1980 Coup Unable to Attend Trial

Forensics: Architects of Turkey’s 1980 Coup Unable to Attend Trial

The Forensics Institute unanimously voted to exempt Kenan Evren and Tahsin Şahinkaya, the architects of Turkey’s Sept. 12, 1980 coup, from having to appear in court during Friday’s trial in Ankara due to reasons of health and age.

29 June 2012 Serhat Korkmaz

Students Released from Jail after 30 Months

Students Released from Jail after 30 Months

A specially authorized Istanbul court finally ruled to release college students Baran Nayır and Ali Deniz Kılıç after they remained behind bars for 30 months. Officials had arrested Nayır and Kılıç on terrorism related charges for their participation at a demonstration.

28 June 2012 Ahmet Saymadi

BDP Protests Lack of Progress on Roboski Massacre

BDP Protests Lack of Progress on Roboski Massacre

The government’s inability to shed light on the Roboski Massacre six months after the incident reveals the attitude of the incumbent Justice and Development Party (AKP) toward the Kurdish issue, according to Aynur Aşan, the provincial co-chair of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in the southern province of Mersin.

28 June 2012 Selçuk Arslan

Prime Minister May Abolish Specially Authorized Courts

Prime Minister May Abolish Specially Authorized Courts

Reports indicate that an article stipulating the abolition of Turkey’s notorious specially authorized courts may be included in the Third Judicial Reform Package pending in Parliament, upon a directive issued by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Court Sentences Singer to Two Years in Prison for Speech

Court Sentences Singer to Two Years in Prison for Speech

A specially authorized court in the eastern province of Malatya sentenced Kurdish-Alevi singer Ferhat Tunç to two years in prison on terrorism related charges due to his invocation of the names of deceased Turkish leftists during a speech on May 1, 2011.

27 June 2012 Ekin Karaca

Journalists Protest Police Raid into Their Offices

Journalists Protest Police Raid into Their Offices

Employees of the Atılım Newspaper and the Etkin news agency (ETHA) staged a protest in Istanbul’s Taksim Square on Tuesday by selling newspapers on the street in response to a police raid into their offices the same day.

27 June 2012 Rana Ençol

Police Detain 65 Union Members in KCK Probe

Police Detain 65 Union Members in KCK Probe

Law enforcement officials detained 65 members of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) in sweeping raids across Turkey on Monday morning as part of the ongoing probe into the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK,) sparking protests in Ankara and other cities. Officials reportedly asked the detainees why they chanted slogans against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP.)

UN Action Plan to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

UN Action Plan to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

The United Nations’ (UN) Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue announced they were working on an action plan to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists and welcomed the IFEX’s decision to mark Nov. 23 as the International Day to End Impunity.

26 June 2012 Erol Önderoğlu

Two More Journalists Under Custody

Two More Journalists Under Custody

Law enforcement officials detained journalists İbrahim Çiçek and Ziya Ulusoy, as well as Ali Hıdır Polat, an advisor to the head of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP,) on terrorism related charges Sunday.

"Release Berktay and All Political Prisoners"

"Release Berktay and All Political Prisoners"

International Delegation of the World Tribunal on Iraq will come to İstanbul to attend first KCK trial and to meet with imprisoned translator Ayşe Berktay.

Journalist Bedri Adanır Still Under Arrest After Three Years

Journalist Bedri Adanır Still Under Arrest After Three Years

Journalist Bedri Adanır’s lawyers requested more time from the court where he is standing trial to avert a possible guilty verdict, as Parliament left deliberations on the Third Judicial Reform Package dragging until October. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13.

22 June 2012 Erol Önderoğlu

Court Sentences Mute Suspect to Eight Years for Making Propaganda

Court Sentences Mute Suspect to Eight Years for Making Propaganda

A court in the southern province of Adana ruled to sentence speech and hearing impaired Mehmet Tahir İlhan to eight years and four months in prison for making propaganda on behalf of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK.)

Court Halts “Urban Transformation” Scheme in Historical Districts

Court Halts “Urban Transformation” Scheme in Historical Districts

An Istanbul court passed a landmark verdict to annul the demolition of the city’s historical Fener-Balat-Ayvansaray districts as part of the government’s “urban transformation” scheme. Critics found the decision timely, unlike in the historical Roma district of Sulukule.

21 June 2012 Nilay Vardar

Court Exonerates Columnist for Allegedly Anti-military Article

Court Exonerates Columnist for Allegedly Anti-military Article

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office vindicated daily Cumhuriyet columnist Bekir Coşkun of charges leveled against him by Turkey’s General Staff for an article he penned, while CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu also proposed an amendment to nullify a law that prescribes prison terms for insulting the president.

The New Sulukule Will Stand, Fatih Mayor Says

The New Sulukule Will Stand, Fatih Mayor Says

Fatih Mayor Mustafa Demir said he was certain the Council of State would not ratify the recent court decision to annul the project to “transform” Istanbul’s Sulukule district, a historical Roma quarter, adding that a new project was also in the works just in case.

19 June 2012 Nilay Vardar

“How Many More Must Die Before Peace Comes?”

“How Many More Must Die Before Peace Comes?”

Human rights organizations called for an end to all violence between the Turkish military and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) during a press release today, following fierce clashes that killed and injured scores of people from both sides in recent days.

13 Inmates Die in Urfa Prison Fire

13 Inmates Die in Urfa Prison Fire

13 inmates lost their lives and five were injured during a fire that broke out inside a prison ward in the southeastern province of Urfa on the evening of June 16. The incident may have come about due to rights violations caused by overcrowding, according to allegations.

“If Justice Had Come, We Would Not Have Gone to Istanbul”

“If Justice Had Come, We Would Not Have Gone to Istanbul”

The mothers who lost their children in the Roboski (Uludere) Massacre arrived in Istanbul to demand justice 173 days after the air strike that killed 34 civilians last year in the southeastern province of Şırnak.

15 June 2012 Nilay Vardar

Government’s Soliloquy on the Human Rights Institution

Government’s Soliloquy on the Human Rights Institution

Human rights organizations decried the new draft law on the Turkish Human Rights Institution (TIHK) during a press meeting at the headquarters of the Human Rights Association (IHD) on June 14.

15 June 2012 Serhat Korkmaz

“We Did Not Ask for Alevi Courses”

“We Did Not Ask for Alevi Courses”

Prominent representatives of Turkey’s Alevi minority sharply criticized the government’s move to include elective courses on the Alevi faith in school curricula as part of the new controversial education reform bill.

15 June 2012 Nilay Vardar

“Turkey Took No Heed of European Court’s Verdict”

“Turkey Took No Heed of European Court’s Verdict”

Turkey failed to take any concrete steps to execute the verdict passed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, case lawyer Fethiye Çetin told the Committe of Ministers of the Council of Europe in a letter.

Court Rules to Annul Project to “Transform” Historical Roma District

Court Rules to Annul Project to “Transform” Historical Roma District

A court ruled to annul the preliminary project to demolish Istanbul’s historical Sulukule district inhabited mainly by the Roma community and to replace it with new villas as part of the government’s “Urban Transformation” scheme.

13 June 2012 Nilay Vardar

Independent deputy Aysel Tuğluk sentenced to 14.5 years behind bars

Independent deputy Aysel Tuğluk sentenced to 14.5 years behind bars

A court sentenced Aysel Tuğluk, an independent deputy from the eastern province of Van and the co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK,) to 14 years and seven months in prison on terrorism related charges.

Cologne to Count as a “Weapon” Before the Eyes of Law

Cologne to Count as a “Weapon” Before the Eyes of Law

The “People’s Law Office” (“Halkın Hukuk Bürosu”) has cautioned that the amendments to the Turkish Penal Code proposed in the third judicial package pending in Parliament will widen the scope of the definition of “weapons” to include deodorants and cologne while increasing penalties for using illegal electricity and water.

12 June 2012 Ayça Söylemez