‘We Had a Year When Injustice and Unlawfulness Prevailed in All Areas’

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On the occasion of December 10 Human Rights Day, we have asked rights defenders how Turkey has spent the past year in terms of human rights.

Hakan Tahmaz from Peace Foundation, İstanbul Branch Chair of Human Rights Association (İHD) Gülseren Yoleri, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) Chair Şebnem Korur Fincancı, former Diyarbakır Branch Chair of Association for Human Rights and Solidarity for the Oppressed (Mazlum-Der) Ali İhsan Gültekin, Education and Science Laborers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) Central Women's Secretary Derya Yolcu, one of the founders of Global Academics for Peace Bülent Aydın and Amnesty International Campaigns and Communication Director Tarık Beyhan have explained which rights have been violated and in what ways.

They have concurred that "nothing has got better" over the past year.

Agreeing that almost all of the basic rights have been violated, rights defenders have underlined that, despite everything, they are still hopeful for the years to come. They have also shared their solutions:

Tahmaz: These policies are isolating Turkey

"We can see it quite clearly that Turkey has deteriorated further in terms of human rights, when compared to 2018. Turkey is quite backward in terms of freedom of expression and arrested journalists as well as the right to assembly and demonstration.

"It is obvious that this situation is not sustainable for Turkey or the region and these policies are isolating Turkey. I hope that social sensitivity for these rights will increase and fundamental rights will be used."

Yoleri: We see that violations increasingly continue

"We have once again seen that violations of right to life and tortures, which were supposed to decrease, have increasingly continued this year as well. We see that violence, which we are also criticizing in its general context, has been occupying a larger place in every part of society.

"We, as the ones who are engaged in human rights, think that violence of every stripe is closely related with the policies of the state and we have to turn our heads to the hope that tomorrow will be better.

"We hope that Turkey will be a place where universal values and law prevail. What matters is an organized and strong struggle."

Korur Fincancı: Democratic forces should unite

"This year has passed with violations of human rights in all respects. Trustees have been appointed to almost all Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) municipalities in an unlawful manner, it was a picture that showed that elections were nothing but a game.

"There was a rush of detentions and arrests targeting the ones who express dissenting opinions and a process where people were intimidated by international travel bans. We were faced with serious allegations of torture, they were true to a considerable extent.

"So long as democratic forces do not unite and establish a democratic environment, these violations will increasingly continue."

Gültekin: A radical reform should be introduced

"We had a year when injustice and unlawfulness prevailed in almost all areas. We especially experienced unjust and unlawful practices, especially in the fields of women's rights and politics.

"Whether things will change in the future or not depends on the power of opposition to be possessed by the new political parties.

"So long as a radical reform is not introduced, I do not find it very possible that these violations of rights will be prevented."

Yolcu: It cannot continue like that

"We live in a difficult geography. The Constitution of Turkey says that 'Turkey is a democratic and secular state of law.' However, we have serious problems in terms of democratization. The Statutory Decrees issued in the meantime have made this journey all the more difficult.

"At this point, the system of education is becoming more sexist, more conservative and paid. Though education is a public right, education is gradually commercializing and there is serious exploitation of labor in this education. The closure of women- and children-oriented institutions by Statutory Decrees have led to a particular problem.

"We live in a period when laborers and women are seeking their rights in several parts of the world. We are, of course, hopeful and believe that the next period will be much better. This system cannot continue like that."

Aydın: I hope violations will not end in impunity

"2019 passed with several violations of rights. It is also possible to see it in bianet's reports on violations of rights. I hope that the next year will not be a year when violations of rights continue.

"I hope that the next year will be a year which is more hope-inspiring in terms of human rights, when violations of rights will diminish and violations especially caused by public forces will not end in impunity."

Beyhan: I am hopeful for the year 2020

"In the specific case of Turkey, there were good and bad developments in 2019, there were also ongoing processes without progress. Gezi trials, Büyükada case and the trials of the ones discharged by Statutory decrees can be listed among the bad developments.

"However, the ones discharged by Statutory Decrees have been finally released by Constitutional Court verdict and Academics for Peace do not stand trial anymore, which are good developments.

"Nevertheless, the definition of 'terror' is quite broad in Turkey and all types of acts can be considered within this scope, which, in itself, leads to an extensive violation of rights. Several groups, particularly Saturday Mothers/People, have been deprived of their right to demonstration, which is another ongoing violation of rights. I think that these violations will not be long-term, I am hopeful for the year 2020." (AB/AS/SD)