RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 173

"Nişanyan's Sentence Contradicts Secularism"

"Nişanyan's Sentence Contradicts Secularism"

Reporters Without Borders condemned Sevan Nişanyan’s conviction to 13.5 months of prison for insulting Prophet Mohammed and urged a dismissal in the appeals trial.

Necati Abay Sentenced to 11 Years and 3 Months of Prison

Necati Abay Sentenced to 11 Years and 3 Months of Prison

Necati Abay, a representative of Solidarity Platform with Jailed Journalists (TGDP) was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months of prison for terrorist organization membership allegations - charges that Abay claimed to be influenced by PM Erdoğan and certain media coverage against him.

Author Nişanyan Sentenced to 13.5 Months of Prison

Author Nişanyan Sentenced to 13.5 Months of Prison

Istanbul 14th Peace Court convicted author Sevan Nişanyan to 13.5 months of prison for “openly insulting religious values of a certain faction of the society” in one of his articles.

16,585 People With Kurdish Name Zîlan in Turkey

16,585 People With Kurdish Name Zîlan in Turkey

According to the statistics released by Interior Ministry upon our application, 16,585 people used the name Zîlan - a Kurdish name. Other commonly used Kurdish names included Berîtan (7,822), Mazlûm (13,865), Şoreş (260).

21 May 2013 Bedri Adanır

Hunger Strike in Van Prison

Hunger Strike in Van Prison

12 inmates from Van High Security Prison have launched a hunger strike, demanding improvement in medical treatments and food service - a protest that reached its 8th day.

20 May 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Kurdish Language Feast Observed in Turkey

Kurdish Language Feast Observed in Turkey

Turkey's Kurds observed the Kurdish Language Feast on May 15 - the publication start date of Kurdish magazine Hawar in 1932.

Report Offers Solutions on Freer Press in Turkey

Report Offers Solutions on Freer Press in Turkey

Center for American Progress released its report on Freedom of the Press and Expression – a comprehensive document that also included recommendations for a free freer press in Turkey.

Supreme Court Links Dink Murder Convicts With Crime Organization

Supreme Court Links Dink Murder Convicts With Crime Organization

Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals announced its verdict on Dink case, overthrowing Yasin Hayal's acquittal on "being terrorist organization leader" and finding him guilty of "founding and leading an organization for crime".

ECHR: Constitutional Court First

ECHR: Constitutional Court First

The European Court of Human Rights rejected an applicant from Turkey, saying that the applicant has not "exhausted remedies" of Turkish court system - a verdict that emphasized on Turkey's new individual application process to Constitutional Court.

16 May 2013 Ayça Söylemez

“Withdrawal Resumes, People Optimistic”

“Withdrawal Resumes, People Optimistic”

Human Rights Association of Turkey representative Şevket Akdemir informed bianet from Şırnak's Kasrik gateway that PKK withdrawal resumed smoothly.

10 May 2013 Ekin Karaca

Conscientious Objectors to Form Association in Turkey

Conscientious Objectors to Form Association in Turkey

Turkey's conscientious objectors are set to kick off their first association on May 18 - during the week of International Conscientious Objectors Day.

9 May 2013 Ekin Karaca

Istanbul Courthouse Protest Ban Begins With Water Cannons

Istanbul Courthouse Protest Ban Begins With Water Cannons

A team of police officers and intervention tanks casted gas bombs and used water cannons against a bunch of protestors who were peacefully gathering on the steps of Istanbul Courthouse every Wednesday noon to protest arbitrary arrests and apartment raids.

8 May 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Happy May 3 With All Jailed Journalists!

Happy May 3 With All Jailed Journalists!

69 journalists and 30 distributors were behind bars between January and March 2013 in Turkey. Out of 69 journalists and 30 publishers currently jailed in Turkey, 44 journalists and 29 distributors were from the Kurdish media.

8 May 2013 Emel Gülcan

BIA Media Monitoring 2012 / Full Text

BIA Media Monitoring 2012 / Full Text

Murdered journalists, imprisoned journalists, releases, attacks, threats, obstructions, investigations and trials; defamation cases, actions for personal rights and compensation cases; decisions by the Harmful Publications Board, bans, suspensions and confiscations; decisions by the European Court of Human Rights and the Turkish Radio and Television Higher Board...

3 May 2013 Emel Gülcan

Controversial Intelligence Commissioner Promoted

Controversial Intelligence Commissioner Promoted

Engin Dinç, an intelligence commissioner who hired one of Hrant Dink murder suspects as intelligence officer, has been assigned as Turkey's new Police Intelligence Bureau Chief.

Tahir Canan, Turkey's Longest Serving Inmate, Freed

Tahir Canan, Turkey's Longest Serving Inmate, Freed

Tahir Canan, an inmate who spent the past 33 years in prison in Turkey, has been released this morning after the implementation of new judicial reforms - publicly known as 4th judicial package.

30 April 2013 Ekin Karaca

Adnan Oktar, Controversial Religious Figure, Sues His Suers

Adnan Oktar, Controversial Religious Figure, Sues His Suers

After a prosecutor dropped charges against Adnan Oktar, a controversial religious figure, for “incitement to hatred and hostility", Oktar filed lawsuits against the applicants and their lawyers.

29 April 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Saturday Mothers Commemorate Armenian Intellectuals of 1915

Saturday Mothers Commemorate Armenian Intellectuals of 1915

Saturday Mothers of Turkey, a group that has been gathering since 1995 to seek information on their sons who disappeared under police detention, commemorated 220 Armenian intellectuals detained and vanished by the order of Ottoman officials in 1915.

29 April 2013 Barış Mumyakmaz

"20th Century's First Genocide Happened in This Land"

"20th Century's First Genocide Happened in This Land"

At 19:15 sharp last night, thousands gathered in downtown Istanbul to commemorate Armenian intellectuals who were detained and forced to take a journey with no return exactly 98 years ago.

25 April 2013 Elif Akgül

ECHR Convicts Turkey of Violating Torture Ban

ECHR Convicts Turkey of Violating Torture Ban

ECHR found Turkey guilty of violating torture ban, ordering the Turkish state to pay the applicants 24,000 euros as non-pecuniary damages and court expenses.

25 April 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Blaze at Refuge Camp Kills Child

Blaze at Refuge Camp Kills Child

A blaze at a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey's Ceylanpınar district left 1 child dead and 5 children wounded.

ECHR Convicts Turkey of Police Murder

ECHR Convicts Turkey of Police Murder

ECHR announced its verdict on the case of Ali Külah who was battered and shot dead by a police officer for not showing his ID. Turkey was ordered to pay 65,000 euros to Külah's family.

23 April 2013 Ayça Söylemez

English PEN Launches Campaign on FoE in Turkey

English PEN Launches Campaign on FoE in Turkey

English PEN is campaigning on freedom of expression in Turkey throughout 2013 to raise awareness of current threats to writers, publishers, translators and journalists.

Police Shots Young Man Dead, Police Killings Rise to 127

Police Shots Young Man Dead, Police Killings Rise to 127

A police officer shot and killed Muhammet Öyke (21) who was riding in a car that allegedly ignored police warnings to halt. After the amendement in Turkey’s Police Officer Duty Act, the latest incident rose the toll of police killings rose to 127.

Website Mocks Defamation Charges from Ankara Mayor

Website Mocks Defamation Charges from Ankara Mayor

A new mock website allows users to check online whether they have been sued over defamation charges by Melih Gökçek, Ankara’s controversial mayor.

Families of Disappeared Village Guards Awarded 1,460,000 Euros

Families of Disappeared Village Guards Awarded 1,460,000 Euros

The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty for violating right to life, torture ban, and right to freedom and security in the 1994 Ormancık case on the disappearance of 13 village guards under gendarmerie detention, the killing on 1 villager, and the burning down of a village.

17 April 2013 Ayça Söylemez

Jailed Translator Receives PEN Prize

Jailed Translator Receives PEN Prize

Ayşe Berktay, a jailed translator convicted of being a KCK organization member, received PEN American Center's 2013 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.

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.