İstanbul Gathering Ends With Forum ‘Wars, Refugees, Reflexions on Freedom of Expression’

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The opening speeches have been held by Berna Akkızal from Initiative Against Thought Crime(!?), Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı from İstanbul Bilgi University Faculty of Law, Erol Önderoğlu from bianet and Murat Çelikkan from Truth Justice Memory Center.

Impunity, freedom of press and expression, defamation lawsuits, censor and state intervention in the legal system were discussed in the gathering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on April 9 Saturday and April 10, Sunday.

First day; 'Witnessing'

On the first day of the gathering, “witnessings” were conveyed previously.

The witnessing topics of these year were as follows:

*“The state of of our universities” by Dr. Nil Mutluer from Academics for Peace Initiative,

*“Murder of Tahir Elçi to Remain Unsolved?” By Attorney Kutbettin Odabaşı,

*“How did Turkey come to this point?”  by Zeynep Tanbay, Hamit Zengin,

*“Interventions in the Law and Legal System” by Attorney Arzu Becerik and Attorney Ömer Kavili, from Constitutional Legists Foundation,

*“Blame the Media...Pressures on the Media” by Banu Güven from İMC TV,

*“Censorship in Internet” by Prof Dr. Yaman Akdeniz

*“Zaman Daily” by journalist M. Edip Yılmaz

*“Media Terror” by Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu,  previous Co-Chair of MAZLUMDER (Association of Human Rights and Solidarity with the Oppressed)

Following the witness topics, the “Human Rights Institutions” panel has been held, moderated by Hüsnü Öndül from Human Rights Joint Platform

Human Rights Association (İHD) Member of Board Şenel Karakaş, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey President Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fidancı and Human Rights Agenda Association President Attorney Günal Kurşun have talked about human rights violations in Turkey, the fight and the law against it.

 Second day

On the second day of the 10th Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression, Orrange from IFEX, Başdaş from Amnesty International, Schoulgin from PEN International, Mendez from Freedom House, Rossavik from Fritt Ord have drawn attention to the violations of freedom of expression.

Also Ole Reitov from Freehouse and Prof. Noam Chomsky have attended the gathering via video.

The Istanbul gathering has been closed with the forum “Wars, Refugees and Reflekcions on Freedom of Expression”.

The speakers of the Forum Helsinki Citizens Assembly (hYd) General Coordinator Emel Kurma, Metamorphosis Foundation representative Bardhyl Jasari from Macedonian, PEN Norway President William Nygaard and Gulf Region Human Rights Center Co-Chair Khalid İbrahim have discussed the issue of refugees on the basis of examples from the clash regions.  

Moderator Eugene Schoulgin, the PEN Vice President has made the opening of the last forum of the gathering “Wars, Refugees and Reflektions on Freedom of Expression” using the expression “My soul and brain got exhausted in these two days, but not physically. So many problems and violations all over the world…”, which could also stand as a summary of the speeches during the two days at the 10th Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression. (EA/NM/HK/DG)