Human Rights Association Marches To Ankara For Human Rights Violations

The members of the Human Rights Association (İHD) are going to Ankara to bring attention to the human rights violations in the prisons.

The activity will start with the press release planned to be held in Taksim/Istanbul on October 9 at 11 in the morning.

Sevim Kalman, a member of the board of directors of İHD’s Istanbul branch, said that they were planning to submit the report they prepared about the human rights violations of the past one year in the prisons to the Ministry of Justice and the Human Rights Commission of the Parliament (TBMM).

“They are not implementing the January Circular”

Kalman stated the reasons behind the activity to bianet:

“The problems in the prisons are continuing. There are complaints and demands about this matter in the letters sent to us. The foremost among these complaints is the maltreatment of those who need medical attention, the prevention of communication, the banning of receiving various publications, the prevention of the use of Kurdish during visits, the kicking out of the Kurdish speaking families visiting their closed ones and the intensive disciplinary punishments.”

Kalman also mentioned that the ten hour conversation right in the January Circular was not being implemented in the most prisons and with restrictions in places implemented.

The march will go through the provinces Izmit, Adapazarı and Bursa, all between Istanbul and Ankara.

The route of the march, which will take place with press releases and activities in many cities, is the following:

- Press release in front of the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul at 11 in the morning and departure from Istanbul.

- Marching after the press release in Izmit at 13.00.

- Marching after the press release in Adapazarı at 15.00.

- Marching after the press release in Bursa at 15.30, staying in Bursa for the night.

- Departure from Bursa to Ankara at 8 in the morning on October 10.

- Marching after the press release in Ankara at 13.00 and arriving at the Parliament.

Kalman is calling upon all the unions, the chambers and the non-governmental organizations to support the activity. (BÇ/EÜ)