RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 169

Pianist Fazıl Say Receives Suspended Prison Sentence

Pianist Fazıl Say Receives Suspended Prison Sentence

An Istanbul court convicted Pianist Fazıl Say of blasphemy over his tweets, ordering him to serve 10 months of prison - a sentence that was later on suspended.

Turkey Found Guilty of Torture "On the Street"

Turkey Found Guilty of Torture "On the Street"

The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of violating the torture ban, ordering the Turkish state to pay Yasin Böber, a police violence victim, a sum of 21,500 euros.

11 April 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Roma People Demand Equal Rights in Constitution

Roma People Demand Equal Rights in Constitution

Roma People Social Help and Solidarity Association of Izmir demand equal rights for Roma people in Turkey's new constitution in various matters including longing and education.

Dame de Sion School Students Support Pınar Selek With Video

Dame de Sion School Students Support Pınar Selek With Video

A group of students from Istanbul's Notre Dame de Sion High School recorded a video to support sociologist Pınar Selek. "I won't keep silent so that people will live freely and equally. I want to defend my opinions freely," the video said.

Forensics: Police Officer Testimony Not Credible

Forensics: Police Officer Testimony Not Credible

Turkey's main forensics institute did not the claims of police officer who said "I slipped and then my gun fired" in the Demirkaya case.

"Childless Island Imroz” is Expecting Its Children

"Childless Island Imroz” is Expecting Its Children

Stelyo Berber from Imroz underlined that their island became a "childless" island for half a century and added: "It was the most concrete step for 50 years."

29 March 2013 Ekin Karaca

Amnesty International Urges Turkey to Revise Laws Against FoE

Amnesty International Urges Turkey to Revise Laws Against FoE

Amnesty International released a 38 page report on the freedom of expression in Turkey today, underlining a series of articles in Turkish Penal Code and Anti-Terror Act that potentially violated the freedom of expression.

Sevag Balıkçı was Shot By Mistake, Court Rules

Sevag Balıkçı was Shot By Mistake, Court Rules

A Diyarbakır military court found Kıvanç Ağaoğlu guilty of felony murder of Sevag Balıkçı, a Turkish Armenian who was shot dead under compulsory military service on April 24, 2011 - 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

27 March 2013 Ekin Karaca

609 Children Die in Turkey in 2012

609 Children Die in Turkey in 2012

According to a report released by a children rights association, at least 609 children lost their lives in Turkey with 38 in workplace and 20 in school.

Cancer Fighter Inmate Dies in Prison Clinic

Cancer Fighter Inmate Dies in Prison Clinic

Human Rights Association of Turkey claimed that the officials ignored longtime the release request of Hacı Nasır, an inmate who lost his cancer fight in prison clinic on March 21.

26 March 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Turkey Found Guilty For Torture

Turkey Found Guilty For Torture

The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty for inflicting torture on Ayhan Mimtaş, ordering the Turkish state to pay 12,750 euros as damages.

20 March 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Magazine Staff Arrested in Turkey

Magazine Staff Arrested in Turkey

An Istanbul court arrested Kaan Ünsal, a leftist magazine staff, for being an illegal organization member.

18 March 2013 Elif Akgül

Kidnapped Personnel Returned

Kidnapped Personnel Returned

The public servants who had been kidnapped by the PKK have been handed over to a delegation. After meeting with their families in Zaho, they have entered Turkey from Habur.

“Alternative” Report on Uludere Massacre

“Alternative” Report on Uludere Massacre

An MP of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has presented his party’s disagreements with the report prepared by the Uludere Subcommittee to the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigating Committee.

Educators Union Encourage Battle Against Censorship

Educators Union Encourage Battle Against Censorship

Ünsal Yıldız, chairperson of Turkey's prominent educators union, said that they were encouraging their teacher members to keep "state-censored" classic literature pieces in their curriculum with the original version.

8 March 2013 Elif Akgül

Jailed Journalist Füsun Erdoğan Sends Letter to CPJ

Jailed Journalist Füsun Erdoğan Sends Letter to CPJ

Committee to Protect Journalists published a letter submitted by Füsun Erdoğan, one of Turkey's jailed journalists.

PM Erdogan's Remarks on Imrali Process Are Concerning, IPI Says

PM Erdogan's Remarks on Imrali Process Are Concerning, IPI Says

International Press Institute released a statement yesterday, expressing its concerns over PM Erdogan's critical remarks on the publishing of Imrali peace process talks outlines by Milliyet newspaper.

Police Detains Suspect For Assaults of Armenian Women

Police Detains Suspect For Assaults of Armenian Women

Police detained M.N, a Turkish Armenian, for the assault and killing of elderly Armenian women in Istanbul's Samatya district.

Conscientious Objector Jailed

Conscientious Objector Jailed

A military court ordered the imprisonment of contributing writer Ali Fikri Işık (56), who declared his conscientious objection decades ago.

28 February 2013 Ekin Karaca

Turkey Convicted of Violating Torture Ban

Turkey Convicted of Violating Torture Ban

ECHR found Turkey guilty for violating the torture ban on Mehmet Hida Gülaydın during an electoral campaign in 2004, ordering the Turkish state to pay 15,500 euros for non- pecuniary damages and court expenses.

28 February 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Turkey's Opposition Discusses New Judicial Reforms

Turkey's Opposition Discusses New Judicial Reforms

In the wake of new judicial reforms in Turkey's penal code, two opposition party politicians and a bar association chairperson raise concerns over the jailed students, round up lawyers and journalists behind bars.

27 February 2013 Emel Gülcan

Turkey Found Guilty on Missing Shepherds Case

Turkey Found Guilty on Missing Shepherds Case

The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty on the 1996 disappearance of 5 shepherds in Hakkari province, ordering the Turkish state to pay a total of 100,000 euros to applicants.

26 February 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Education Ministry Censors Poem in Textbook

Education Ministry Censors Poem in Textbook

A 9th grade school textbook approved by Education Ministry included a poem by Melih Cevdet Anday with a version where the word "God" appeared as "Allah", a practice that brought up censorship allegations in Turkey's education system.

22 February 2013 Elif Akgül

Justice Ministry Approves Deputies to Meet Öcalan

Justice Ministry Approves Deputies to Meet Öcalan

Justice Ministry approved Peace and Democracy deputies Sırrı Sürreya Önder, Altan Tan and Pervin Buldan to meet PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in Imrali island.

21 February 2013

Police Rounds Up Workers Union Members

Police Rounds Up Workers Union Members

Turkish police have carried out an operation across 28 cities yesterday morning, detaining 167 individuals suspected for being a DHKP-C organization member.

20 February 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Angry Mob Winds Up Kurdish Deputies in Sinop

Angry Mob Winds Up Kurdish Deputies in Sinop

Dozens of angry protestors has reportedly winded up Kurdish deputies at a local guesthouse in Sinop province this morning, making it impossible for deputies to leave the building due to fear of mobbing.

18 February 2013

3 Kurdish Deputies to Visit Öcalan

3 Kurdish Deputies to Visit Öcalan

Justice Ministry has announced that Kurdish deputies Selahattin Demirtaş, Pervin Buldan and Ahmet Türk will meet PKK leader Öcalan for the second row of peace talks between Turkey and PKK.

18 February 2013

WEEK 412: Saturday Mothers Commemorate Their Beloved Ones

WEEK 412: Saturday Mothers Commemorate Their Beloved Ones

Saturday mothers of Turkey, a group that has been gathering since 1995 to demand information on their beloved ones disappeared in 1990s, commemorated Rıdvan Karakoç this weekend.

18 February 2013 Duygu Koçoğlu

Forensics Report Enlightens Protestor's Cause of Death

Forensics Report Enlightens Protestor's Cause of Death

The official forensics report of Şahin Öner - a Diyarbakir resident whose cause of death was initially declared as "bomb explosion in the hand" - confirmed human rights advocates' allegations that he was run over by a police vehicle.

13 February 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Prison Blaze Unveils Inmate Rights Abuses

Prison Blaze Unveils Inmate Rights Abuses

A prison blaze in Hakkari prison last night reminded the importance of recently released report saying that at least 3,263 right abuse complaints were reported in Southeastern Turkey's prisons.

13 February 2013

Turkey Found Guilty Over Bodyguard Case

Turkey Found Guilty Over Bodyguard Case

The European Court of Human Rights found PM Erdogan's bodyguards guilty for inflicting ill-treatment on Necati Yılmaz during an inauguration ceremony, ordering Turkey to pay the applicant 12,000 euros in respect of non-pecuniary damages.

12 February 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Court Rejects Defense in Kurdish, Procedurally

Court Rejects Defense in Kurdish, Procedurally

An Istanbul court rejected two defendants' request to defense in Kurdish yesterday afternoon, saying that a court procedure has not been met.

8 February 2013 Elif Akgül