RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 175

Court Rules to Release Journalists, Citing Judicial Reform Package

Court Rules to Release Journalists, Citing Judicial Reform Package

An Ankara court ruled to release five journalists employed in Yürüyüş magazine on Friday, after they remained under arrest for one and a half years. The court cited in its verdict the amendments that came into force following the ratification of the Third Judicial Reform Package.

“Human Dignity Shall Prevail Over Torture”

“Human Dignity Shall Prevail Over Torture”

The Human Rights Association (IHD) celebrated its 26th anniversary with a press release in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square on Monday. “The only thing we believe we have succeeded in is the proliferation of the idea that human rights constitute a value and that any struggle is worth waging for it,” IHD member Ümit Efe said.

17 July 2012 Ece Zeren Aydınoğlu

Police Brutality Takes Hefty Toll in BDP’s Diyarbakır Rally

Police Brutality Takes Hefty Toll in BDP’s Diyarbakır Rally

The Human Rights Association (IHD) released a report concerning the rampant acts of violence committed by the police during the banned demonstrations organized by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) over the weekend in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.

Court Refuses to Release Suspect Lawyers in KCK Trial

Court Refuses to Release Suspect Lawyers in KCK Trial

The defendant lawyers in the second Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) trial in Istanbul requested a stay of proceedings and the release of the defendants. The court rejected all their demands in the suit where some 46 lawyers are currently facing terrorism related charges.

17 July 2012 Nilay Vardar

Court Rules to Release Prof. Büşra Ersanlı After 8.5 Months

Court Rules to Release Prof. Büşra Ersanlı After 8.5 Months

A court finally released eminent academic Prof. Büşra Ersanlı during the eighth hearing of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) trial in Istanbul along with 15 other suspects. The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1.

AKP Government Lands Massive Blow to Press Freedom

AKP Government Lands Massive Blow to Press Freedom

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has advanced a proposal that would enable authorities to restrict the freedom of press over a wide range of reasons ranging from “national security” to “public morals.”

No Leftists Convicted in 1980 Coup Left Behind Bars?

No Leftists Convicted in 1980 Coup Left Behind Bars?

The 78’ers Initiative Spokesman Celalettin Can and İlhan Canan, the son of Tahir Canan who spent 31 years in prison, both disputed the recent claims raised by deputy Selçuk Özdağ of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) that no leftists convicted by the Sept. 12, 1980 coup administration were still left behind bars.

13 July 2012 Ekin Karaca

Students, Journalist Released From Prison in Wake of Judicial Reform

Students, Journalist Released From Prison in Wake of Judicial Reform

Turkish authorities released journalist Abdülmenaf Düzenci on Monday after he spent 17 months behind bars in connection with terrorism related charges, marking the first such occasion since the ratification of the Third Judicial Reform Package last week. Officials also released 14 students on Tuesday but ruled against the release of Oda TV suspects.

12 July 2012 Erol Önderoğlu,Nilay Vardar

Court Rules to Release Two Perpetrators of 1978 Massacre

Court Rules to Release Two Perpetrators of 1978 Massacre

An Ankara court decided to release Bünyamin Adanalı and Ünal Osmanağaoğlu, two the seven perpetrators of the “Bahçelievler massacre” that saw the killing of seven members of the Turkey Workers’ Party (TİP) in 1978.

11 July 2012 Ekin Karaca

Petition Campaign Underway for Historical Syriac Monastery

Petition Campaign Underway for Historical Syriac Monastery

Writers, academics and artists have joined in a petition campaign to protest a verdict by the Supreme Court of Appeals to nationalize the estates of the Mor Gabriel Monastery, a 1600 year old Syriac Christian sanctuary in the southeastern province of Mardin.

10 July 2012 Nilay Vardar

FM Davutoğlu: “I Do Not Believe Ersanlı is a Terrorist”

FM Davutoğlu: “I Do Not Believe Ersanlı is a Terrorist”

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told journalists that he did not believe that eminent academic Prof. Büşra Ersanlı was a terrorist. Authorities had arrested Prof. Ersanlı on terrorism related charges on Nov. 1, 2011.

178 Deaths Mark the First Half of 2012 in the East

178 Deaths Mark the First Half of 2012 in the East

Some 15,109 rights violations took place in eastern Turkey during the first half of 2012, according to a report by the Human Rights Association (IHD.) A total of 56 security personnel and 122 militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) also lost their lives during the same period.

Journalists Reject Friendly Settlement with Turkish Government

Journalists Reject Friendly Settlement with Turkish Government

Journalists Sedat Şenoğlu and Bayram Namaz rejected an offer by Turkish government officials to reach a friendly settlement over their suit in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR.) The two journalists have remained under arrest for over six years in connection with the probe into the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP.)

9 July 2012 Erol Önderoğlu

Court Suspends Proceedings Against Burroughs, Palahniuk Novels

Court Suspends Proceedings Against Burroughs, Palahniuk Novels

An Istanbul court ruled to suspend the proceedings against the translators and publishers of “Snuff” by Chuck Palahniuk and “The Soft Machine” by William Burroughs on Thursday, even though the official expert report vindicated the novels.

8 July 2012 Rana Ençol

Lawyers Storm out of the Courtroom in Landmark KCK Case

Lawyers Storm out of the Courtroom in Landmark KCK Case

A specially authorized Istanbul court rejected all the defendants’ demands in the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) trial during the first hearing of the case on Monday. Eminent publisher Ragıp Zarakolu and academic Büşra Ersanlı are also facing charges as part of the probe.

2 July 2012 Nilay Vardar

“Everyone Should Partake in the Peace Process”

“Everyone Should Partake in the Peace Process”

Independent Diyarbakır Deputy Leyla Zana held a press meeting in Parliament on Sunday following her talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the Kurdish issue. The veteran Kurdish politician’s earlier statement that PM Erdoğan could resolve the Kurdish issue had drawn sharp cricitism from various quarters within the Kurdish movement.

Court Convicts Student for Throwing Egg at EU Minister

Court Convicts Student for Throwing Egg at EU Minister

A court in the Aegean province of İzmir sentenced university student E.Ç. to five months in prison on the charge of “intentionally injuring a civil servant” for throwing an egg at European Union (EU) Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış. The court later suspended the sentence.

KESK Leader Özgen Released; More Arrests Follow

KESK Leader Özgen Released; More Arrests Follow

Authorities released Lami Özgen, the head of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK,) following Monday’s massive crackdown that led to the detention of dozens of union members. Officials arrested 28 of those detainees in the past two days, however.

Forensics: Architects of Turkey’s 1980 Coup Unable to Attend Trial

Forensics: Architects of Turkey’s 1980 Coup Unable to Attend Trial

The Forensics Institute unanimously voted to exempt Kenan Evren and Tahsin Şahinkaya, the architects of Turkey’s Sept. 12, 1980 coup, from having to appear in court during Friday’s trial in Ankara due to reasons of health and age.

29 June 2012 Serhat Korkmaz

Students Released from Jail after 30 Months

Students Released from Jail after 30 Months

A specially authorized Istanbul court finally ruled to release college students Baran Nayır and Ali Deniz Kılıç after they remained behind bars for 30 months. Officials had arrested Nayır and Kılıç on terrorism related charges for their participation at a demonstration.

28 June 2012 Ahmet Saymadi

BDP Protests Lack of Progress on Roboski Massacre

BDP Protests Lack of Progress on Roboski Massacre

The government’s inability to shed light on the Roboski Massacre six months after the incident reveals the attitude of the incumbent Justice and Development Party (AKP) toward the Kurdish issue, according to Aynur Aşan, the provincial co-chair of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in the southern province of Mersin.

28 June 2012 Selçuk Arslan

Prime Minister May Abolish Specially Authorized Courts

Prime Minister May Abolish Specially Authorized Courts

Reports indicate that an article stipulating the abolition of Turkey’s notorious specially authorized courts may be included in the Third Judicial Reform Package pending in Parliament, upon a directive issued by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Court Sentences Singer to Two Years in Prison for Speech

Court Sentences Singer to Two Years in Prison for Speech

A specially authorized court in the eastern province of Malatya sentenced Kurdish-Alevi singer Ferhat Tunç to two years in prison on terrorism related charges due to his invocation of the names of deceased Turkish leftists during a speech on May 1, 2011.

27 June 2012 Ekin Karaca

Journalists Protest Police Raid into Their Offices

Journalists Protest Police Raid into Their Offices

Employees of the Atılım Newspaper and the Etkin news agency (ETHA) staged a protest in Istanbul’s Taksim Square on Tuesday by selling newspapers on the street in response to a police raid into their offices the same day.

27 June 2012 Rana Ençol

Police Detain 65 Union Members in KCK Probe

Police Detain 65 Union Members in KCK Probe

Law enforcement officials detained 65 members of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) in sweeping raids across Turkey on Monday morning as part of the ongoing probe into the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK,) sparking protests in Ankara and other cities. Officials reportedly asked the detainees why they chanted slogans against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP.)

UN Action Plan to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

UN Action Plan to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

The United Nations’ (UN) Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue announced they were working on an action plan to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists and welcomed the IFEX’s decision to mark Nov. 23 as the International Day to End Impunity.

26 June 2012 Erol Önderoğlu

Two More Journalists Under Custody

Two More Journalists Under Custody

Law enforcement officials detained journalists İbrahim Çiçek and Ziya Ulusoy, as well as Ali Hıdır Polat, an advisor to the head of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP,) on terrorism related charges Sunday.

"Release Berktay and All Political Prisoners"

"Release Berktay and All Political Prisoners"

International Delegation of the World Tribunal on Iraq will come to İstanbul to attend first KCK trial and to meet with imprisoned translator Ayşe Berktay.

Journalist Bedri Adanır Still Under Arrest After Three Years

Journalist Bedri Adanır Still Under Arrest After Three Years

Journalist Bedri Adanır’s lawyers requested more time from the court where he is standing trial to avert a possible guilty verdict, as Parliament left deliberations on the Third Judicial Reform Package dragging until October. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13.

22 June 2012 Erol Önderoğlu

Court Sentences Mute Suspect to Eight Years for Making Propaganda

Court Sentences Mute Suspect to Eight Years for Making Propaganda

A court in the southern province of Adana ruled to sentence speech and hearing impaired Mehmet Tahir İlhan to eight years and four months in prison for making propaganda on behalf of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK.)

Court Halts “Urban Transformation” Scheme in Historical Districts

Court Halts “Urban Transformation” Scheme in Historical Districts

An Istanbul court passed a landmark verdict to annul the demolition of the city’s historical Fener-Balat-Ayvansaray districts as part of the government’s “urban transformation” scheme. Critics found the decision timely, unlike in the historical Roma district of Sulukule.

21 June 2012 Nilay Vardar

Court Exonerates Columnist for Allegedly Anti-military Article

Court Exonerates Columnist for Allegedly Anti-military Article

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office vindicated daily Cumhuriyet columnist Bekir Coşkun of charges leveled against him by Turkey’s General Staff for an article he penned, while CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu also proposed an amendment to nullify a law that prescribes prison terms for insulting the president.