Human Rights Association head in Hakkari receives death threats

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Human Rights Association has released a written statement about the death threats against the co-chair of its provincial branch in Hakkari, a Kurdish-majority province in eastern Turkey.

According to the statement, Çobanoğlu was called by a private number on Sunday (May 15) and told, "We will eliminate you and the likes of you. We will collect all members of the organization like you. The headquarters reported you to us. The time is coming..."

Pressure on human rights defenders through both threats and the judiciary has been increasing, the İHD said.

"The field of human rights is tried to be narrowed as a whole by suppression. "The field of human rights as a whole is being tried to be narrowed by suppressing it. In particular, the obstacles and restrictions on freedom of expression and association and the lack of guarantee of the right to personal freedom and cause intense pressure on human rights defenders.

"... Once again saying that we will not bow to pressure, we condemn the ongoing pressure, harassment and threats against rights defenders.  We demand those who threaten Yusuf Çobanoğlu be identified immediately and an effective legal process be carried out against them." (AS/VK)