LIFE - Bianet

LIFE

Page 120

Draft Bill Does not Prevent Injustice for Children on Trial!

Draft Bill Does not Prevent Injustice for Children on Trial!

"If the draft bill comes into effect, children will be prosecuted at juvenile courts instead of high criminal courts. Nevertheless, the children will still be treated as offenders of terror crimes. The problems will increase and intensify", said Uçum form the Justice for Children Group.

12 March 2010 Burçin Belge

Bureaucratic Aftershocks of the Elazığ Earthquake

Bureaucratic Aftershocks of the Elazığ Earthquake

A total of 41 people died in the earthquake on 8 March. Without exception, the casualties occurred in old houses built from mud-bricks. Plans regarding the preparation before and the crisis management after an earthquake were incomplete and not taken into action.

12 March 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Mining Explosion: Four Arrests in Company

Mining Explosion: Four Arrests in Company

Following a deadly explosion in the Dursunbey mine in Balıkesir, the owner of the mine, Ortaköylü, and three other representatives of the company have been arrested.

26 February 2010

President, PM and Head of Army Meet for Three-Hour Summit

President, PM and Head of Army Meet for Three-Hour Summit

President Gül, Prime Minister Erdoğan and Chief of General Staff Başbuğ met for around three hours. In a short statement afterwards they said that the law would deal with the current issues.

25 February 2010

Parliamentary Commission on Missing Children

Parliamentary Commission on Missing Children

The Turkish Parliament installed an investigating committee for missing children. A protocol providing efficient cooperation of responsible institutions and establishing a national information system will be enforced a soon as possible.

19 February 2010 Burçin Belge

Five Years Imprisonment for 14-Year-Old

Five Years Imprisonment for 14-Year-Old

14-year-old C.E. received a five years prison sentence of a court in Diyarbakır on the grounds of membership of an illegal organization. Lawyer Akbaş criticized: "C.E. was not even aware of his possibility to be punished. The photographs do not prove his guilt".

12 February 2010 Burçin Belge

Adana: 3,155 Children Arrested in 2009

Adana: 3,155 Children Arrested in 2009

According to a report of the İHD Adana, 299 children were detained in 2009 in Adana. The children state that they were beaten by police officers, threatened to "confess", restrained by hand-cuffs and chains and exposed to torture by soldiers in prison.

5 February 2010 Tolga Korkut

Ministry Allows Construction in Natural Park

Ministry Allows Construction in Natural Park

An environmental platform joined by two municipalities and 23 non-governmental organizations said the Ayvalık Natural Park will be opened to construction due to a revision of the zoning plan. The park hosts endemic plants and wildlife. The platform claims to cancel the new plan.

29 January 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Ground-Breaking Decision on Early Marriage

Ground-Breaking Decision on Early Marriage

Lawyer Kayar appreciated Judge Karınca's decision to take the families economic situation and the children's education into account in cases related to early marriage permit. Kayar emphasized that families should be counselled throughout the entire case.

29 January 2010 Burçin Belge

Ground-Breaking Decision on Early Marriage

Ground-Breaking Decision on Early Marriage

Lawyer Kayar appreciated Judge Karınca's decision to take the families economic situation and the children's education into account in cases related to early marriage permit. Kayar emphasized that families should be counselled throughout the entire case.

29 January 2010 Burçin Belge

Draft Law Pending - Children in Prison and on Trial

Draft Law Pending - Children in Prison and on Trial

A court sentenced a 15-year old girl to 8 years imprisonment. Tanrıseven and Aktaş from the Batman and Diyarbakır Bar Association respectively urged the goverment to pass necessary legal amendments as soon as possible. However, these changes will still be insufficient to protect the children.

28 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

UNICEF Report about Children Accused for "Terror Crimes"

UNICEF Report about Children Accused for "Terror Crimes"

In a report stemming from visits to the provinces of Adana and Hakkari in March 2009, UNICEF Turkey demands to protect the right to life for children who attended demonstrations. The report furthermore recommends amendments of the Anti-Terror Law.

27 January 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Half of Turkey's Population Younger than 29

Half of Turkey's Population Younger than 29

The Turkish Statistical Institute issued information about Turkey's current population. With 13 million inhabitants Istanbul leads the population density with almost 2,500 people per square kilometre. A quarter of the Turkish population is younger than 15 years, only one seventh is older than 65.

26 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

"Protecting Children Should Become Common Place in Judiciary"

"Protecting Children Should Become Common Place in Judiciary"

Special units for children that were exposed to sexual harassment, rape and domestic violence have been established in state hospitals. TİHV chairwomen Fincancı and ATUD Chairman Biçer appreciate the latest implementation but warned that there is much more to be done.

26 January 2010 Burçin Belge

Doctors Protest against "Full Day" Bill

Doctors Protest against "Full Day" Bill

Physicians claim that the "Full Day" Draft Law currently discussed in Parliament deprives them of their employee personal rights and demand the withdrawal of the bill.

25 January 2010 Bawer Çakır

Explosive Killed 14-Year-Old Boy - Enquiry to Interior Minister

Explosive Killed 14-Year-Old Boy - Enquiry to Interior Minister

Fırat Okşak was killed by an explosive close to the place where Ceylan Önkol lost her life last September. BDP MP Kışanak asks Interior Minister Atalay in a motion whether an investigation has been launched and if the explosive belonged to the nearby gendarmerie station.

13 January 2010 Bawer Çakır

HIV Positive: No Reason for Lay-Off

HIV Positive: No Reason for Lay-Off

HIV positive person A.S. was layed-off because of his carrying the HI virus. He did not accept this discrimination and went to court. Both the Labour Court and the Court of Appeals decreed for his return to work.

11 January 2010 Bawer Çakır

Regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms Re-Enforced

Regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms Re-Enforced

The State Council Administrative Board of Litigation accepted the objection of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs against holding the enforcement of the GDO regulations. The regulations are again in effect.

25 December 2009 Ikbal Polat

Regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms Re-Enforced

Regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms Re-Enforced

The State Council Administrative Board of Litigation accepted the objection of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs against holding the enforcement of the GDO regulations. The regulations are again in effect.

25 December 2009

Fishermen Win Legal Struggle

Fishermen Win Legal Struggle

Fishermen from the Gulf of İğneada won their case against filling in a part of the gulf and building an industrial pier. With their struggle, the fishermen prevented the region to be turned into an industrial area.

24 December 2009 Ikbal Polat

Detained Children Complain from Torture Under Custody

Detained Children Complain from Torture Under Custody

2 out of 12 children detained in Adana applied to the prosecutor's office because they were exposed to torture in custody and in prison. Lawyer Bek said the children showed signs of assaults when he talked to them in prison.

23 December 2009 Ikbal Polat

Government Prohibits Production of GMOs and Simplifies Import

Government Prohibits Production of GMOs and Simplifies Import

The Bio-Safety Bill will be discussed in the parliament in the coming days. Özlüer from Ankara University criticizes that the draft law is objectionable because it only provides a framework and leaves the details to the corporation bylaws.

17 December 2009 Ikbal Polat

Greens Criticise Black Clouds on Turkey's Horizon

Greens Criticise Black Clouds on Turkey's Horizon

Prior to the summit on climate change in Copenhagen, the Greens criticise the national strategy document, arguing that it shows that the government did not quite understand the problem. The Greens admonish, "More coal and nuclear power are not the solution".

11 December 2009 Ikbal Polat

No Justice for Children - Yet

No Justice for Children - Yet

While the number of children in detention in eastern and south-eastern Anatolia is ever on the rise, the draft law for children charged with terrorism has been shelved. Yet, the matter holds a pressing urgency. Lawyer Yılmaz talks about arbitrary detention of children and forged evidence.

8 December 2009 Yonca Cingöz

Children's Rights Should Become Part of the "Democratic Initiative"

Children's Rights Should Become Part of the "Democratic Initiative"

Children's rights defender Arkadaş criticizes Turkey's reservations on the Convention of the Rights of the Child, saying that the children's rights are violated by the reservations. Children's rights defenders urge the government to include the issue into the "democratic initiative" soon.

20 November 2009 Tolga Korkut

Government's Farewell to Nuclear Power

Government's Farewell to Nuclear Power

Following the State Counil's decision, there are 12 days left to amend the government's regulations and have the nuclear power station tender approved by the Council of Ministers. Göltaş from the Electrical Engineers Chamber said this was practically impossible. The tender's dead line is 24 November.

13 November 2009 Ikbal Polat

Children Still to Be Prosecuted for "Terror Crimes"

Children Still to Be Prosecuted for "Terror Crimes"

In the context of the "democratic initiative" the government has prepared a bill regarding children being prosecuted under charges of "terror crimes". The bill will abrogate equal prosecution standards for children and adults. Children's rights defenders evaluate the bill as insufficient, criticizing that children participating in protest actions can still be adjudged to long sentences.

12 November 2009 Yonca Cingöz

Theatre Actors call for Justice for Children in Detention

Theatre Actors call for Justice for Children in Detention

The Justice for Children Group organized a theatre event with reputable Turkish theatre actors to draw attention to children in detention in the contest of the Anti-Terror Law. The groups calls for a release of the children.

4 November 2009 Çağla Ağırgöl

Thousands of People Protested AKP's Health Politics

Thousands of People Protested AKP's Health Politics

"The fairy tale is over" was one of the messages from the business chambers and health unions for the AKP's health policies in a protest on Sunday. They demanded to cancel the Health Transformation Program.

20 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Politician and NGOs Urge for Clarification of Önkol's Death

Politician and NGOs Urge for Clarification of Önkol's Death

MP Soysal applied to the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission to clarify the death of Ceylan Önkol. Soysal said he wants to solve question marks evolved from the circumstances of the girl's death to ease the public conscience. More than 40 NGOs and Associations launched a signature campaign at the same time pursuing the same intention.

19 October 2009 Emine Özcan

Protests against Health Care Contribution Rate

Protests against Health Care Contribution Rate

Unions and business organizations prepare for a demonstration themed "Turkey's health is on the downgrade" for coming Sunday in Kadıköy/Istanbul. The protest is aimed at health examination fees and contribution to pharmaceuticals amongst other critical points.

16 October 2009 Emine Özcan

Greens Launch Trial for Palovit Valley

Greens Launch Trial for Palovit Valley

Turkey's Green Party warns, "The Black Sea's ecosystem is under threat of opportunists". The Greens filed a trial to stop the construction of a road which they consider to be against the law. The road will lead through one of Turkey's most pristine and unique ecosystems.

14 October 2009 Emine Özcan,Can Uğur Birol