*Photo: AA-Archive
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The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV/HRFT) and the Human Rights Association (İHD) issued a joint statement regarding the Court of Cassation's decision on Canan Kaftancıoğlu, the İstanbul provincial chair of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
Kaftancıoğlu has been sentenced to 4 years and 11 months imprisonment because of her social media posts.
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The statement by Turkey's two main human rights organizations included the following :
"This unacceptable decision about CHP İstanbul provincial chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu is far beyond a violation of rights. It destroys the essence of the right totally. It is nothing but blocking the right to object in democracy through the judiciary. However, despite everything, we believe that we will overcome these difficult days together by increasing the struggle for rights and solidarity."
We will continue to struggle
The statement included various examples of the important cases as symbols of the anti-democratic practices in Turkey.
"The decision that was given at Gezi Trial, the closure case of the People's Democratic Party (HDP), the lawsuits for insulting the president, the memorandums at the parliament about lifting the impunities of the deputies, the closure case of the "We will stop Femicide Platform", the demanding of political ban for İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the lawsuits against the executives of human rights organizations, and various other developments show that Turkey is being dragged into darkness," the statement said.
"As human rights organizations that do not give up defending human rights and democracy in Turkey even under the most severe conditions, we follow the latest decision about Canan Kaftancıoğlu with great concern. However, despite everything, we believe that we will overcome these difficult days by growing the struggle for rights and solidarity together." (RT/TB)
