RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 194

Prison Management Destroyed Unpublished Manuscript

Prison Management Destroyed Unpublished Manuscript

PEN International condemned the seizure and destruction of the only existing manuscript of an unpublished book of writer Halil Gündoğan who is incarcerated in the Sinan Prison in Ankara.

9 September 2011

Alleged Execution after Surrender

Alleged Execution after Surrender

Former Van Gendarmerie Regiment Commander İyigün stands accused of having executed two PKK members and one civilian who had surrendered already.

8 September 2011

Still no End in 13-year Trial Process

Still no End in 13-year Trial Process

In its 13th year, the trial regarding the Spice Bazaar blast in Istanbul in 1998 will be continued on 28 September. Pınar Selek was acquitted three times. The Platform "We are still witnesses" called for support for the first hearing with a new prosecutor.

8 September 2011

Museum of Shame

Museum of Shame

The "Museum of Shame" opened its doors for the second time on 6 September to remind the incidents around the military coup in 1980. Personal belongings of slain journalist Dink are among the exhibits. For the first time, belongings of leftist activist Erdost can be seen.

8 September 2011

Confession of a Village Guard

Confession of a Village Guard

"The state has used me for years and then brought me into this situation. I am calling on all village guards, this is going to happen to you as well sooner or later. My life and the lives of my family members are not safe anymore".

7 September 2011

Qandil Region still in Turmoil

Qandil Region still in Turmoil

The region around the Qandil Mountain in northern Iraq still remains in turmoil after the air strikes on PKK hideouts by the Turkish Armed Forces in August. Soldiers, civilians and PKK members died in armed conflicts after the air raids.

7 September 2011

Behind Bars for Wearing a Keffiyeh

Behind Bars for Wearing a Keffiyeh

University student Kırmızıgül was arrested because he allegedly attended a demonstration. The evidence shown for his arrest was the Keffiyeh he had wrapped around his neck. Kırmızıgül has been imprisoned for 18 months.

6 September 2011 Ayça Söylemez

Top-Level Military Officer Arrested

Top-Level Military Officer Arrested

Yet another top-rank army officer has been arrested in the scope of the Internet Memorandum Trial. Lieutenant Gen. İsmail Hakkı Pekin, Head of the General Staff 's Intelligence Unit, was arrested on 5 September.

6 September 2011

A Road Map to Democratic Autonomy

A Road Map to Democratic Autonomy

In the "Democratic Solution Protocol" presented at their annual General Convention, the pro-Kurdish BDP announced a road map to regional autonomy and stated a number of main issues to be included in the new constitution.

5 September 2011

Clashes in South-Eastern Turkey Claim more Casualties

Clashes in South-Eastern Turkey Claim more Casualties

One lieutenant and one specialist sergeant were killed in a shooting on a military outpost that was carrying out searches and scans in Dersim. In Hakkari, two village guards died in an armed conflict.

5 September 2011

Sanctions for Detained Student in Prison

Sanctions for Detained Student in Prison

Student Ferhat Tüzer is being detained pending trial for 17 months because he posted a banner calling for free education during a speech of the Prime Minister. Now he has been banned from receiving visitors for 6 months because he sang a folk song.

5 September 2011

Thousands of People Gathered for Peace, but...

Thousands of People Gathered for Peace, but...

Thousands of people met in Kadıköy for the Peace Rally on 1 September. After tensions and a police intervention with tear gas the meeting had to be cancelled.

2 September 2011 Nilay Vardar

ECHR: "State Responsible for Death of Soldier"

ECHR: "State Responsible for Death of Soldier"

In the case of the alleged suicide of a soldier, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that "the government is responsible for a death at the military" and that "people addicted to alcohol and narcotics should not be conscripted".

2 September 2011

Non-Muslim Minorities will Retrieve Seized Property

Non-Muslim Minorities will Retrieve Seized Property

Turkish government adopted a decree to return all immovable property seized in 1936 to non-Muslim foundations. Compensations will be paid for immovable property owned by third parties.

Indictment for Detained Journalists Şık and Şener

Indictment for Detained Journalists Şık and Şener

An indictment was prepared about journalists Şık and Şener who are detained in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation since March. They are charged with "aiding an armed illegal organization". The Indictment includes a total of 14 defendants.

State Human Rights Department to be Established

State Human Rights Department to be Established

The Human Rights Department will be established for the abatement of human rights violations. The newly founded department will collect information and opinions on applications made to the ECHR from related institutions and prepare defences.

"Journalists not Detained because of their Writings"

"Journalists not Detained because of their Writings"

According to the Ministry of Justice, freedom of expression in Turkey is not being restricted and only 4 out of 63 imprisoned journalists are behind bars because of their writings. Turan Özlu form National Channel who was arrested this week is the 64th journalist in prison.

Prime Suspect of Sivas Massacre Dead

Prime Suspect of Sivas Massacre Dead

Cafer Erçakmak, prime suspect of the Sivas Massacre who was being searched for 18 years supposedly died from a heart attack on 11 July 2011. The result of a DNA report now proved with a probability of 99.9 percent that the deceased person was indeed Erçakmak.

"Concern and Fear" about Practices in Tekirdağ Prison

"Concern and Fear" about Practices in Tekirdağ Prison

The Contemporary Lawyers Association files a criminal complaint against Tekirdağ Prison Second Director Ak because of "experiences that raise concern and fear". The association will also complain about Prosecutor Arda for remaining passive.

26 August 2011 Ayça Söylemez

Propaganda Trial for Hopa Protestors

Propaganda Trial for Hopa Protestors

Seven people who attended the funeral of protestor Lokumcu who was killed during anti-government unrests in Hopa in May are now tried on charges of "propaganda for an illegal organization" because of chanting marches and raising their left fists.

26 August 2011 Ayça Söylemez

Human Rights Association Condemns Air Raids

Human Rights Association Condemns Air Raids

The Human Rights Association condemned the Qandil operations in a press release. The association called both sides to put down their weapons and said that a solution would have to be found through negotiations.

25 August 2011 Nilay Vardar

Ground Operations Alert

Ground Operations Alert

The Kurdish Regional Administration reportedly warned villagers in the region of the Turkish-Iraqi border on a possible ground operation of the Armed Forces. The Democratic Society Congress will start a peace walk to the border on Saturday.

New Arrests in Internet Memorandum Trial

New Arrests in Internet Memorandum Trial

Rear Admiral Alaattin Sevim was arrested on 24 August in the scope of the Internet Memorandum trial. One day earlier, civil servant Bülent Sarıkahya was detained.

23-Year Prison Threat for Kurdish Politician

23-Year Prison Threat for Kurdish Politician

Peace and Democracy Party member Altan Tan is facing 23.5 years in prison on the grounds of attending a couple of meetings before the general elections held last June. He is charged with "propaganda" and "committing a crime on behalf of an organization".

New Arrests in Ergenekon Investigation

New Arrests in Ergenekon Investigation

Gültekin and Önsel from the Labour Party, Özlü from the National Channel and Perinçek from Istanbul University were arrested in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation on 23 August. They were in police custody since 19 August.

Turkish Army: "90-100 PKK Members Killed"

Turkish Army: "90-100 PKK Members Killed"

The General Staff Presidency announced on its website that "90 to 100" PKK members were killed during the aerial strikes carried out during the past seven days in Northern Iraq.

"No Connections Between Dink Murder and Ergenekon"

"No Connections Between Dink Murder and Ergenekon"

After having reviewed information from the police, the prosecutor of the murder trial related to the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink apparently did not find any connections between the Dink murder and defendants of the Ergenekon trial.

Minority Newspapers Struggle

Minority Newspapers Struggle

The Press Advertising Association finished its work to address the problems of minority newspapers. A total of TL 250,000 will be allocated to six minority papers. However, in order to give formal advertising, regulations have to be changed.

Legal Steps against State News Agency

Legal Steps against State News Agency

The Turkish Journalists Union issued a press release regarding oppressive applications of the Anadolu Agency implemented after a change in the management. Union President İpekçi sees the public's right to information endangered.

23 August 2011 Işıl Cinmen

General Staff: Aerial Strike on 20 PKK Hideouts

General Staff: Aerial Strike on 20 PKK Hideouts

According to a statement by the General Staff, 20 hideouts of the PKK have been attacked. Meanwhile, soldiers were brought to the Turkish-Iraqi border. Protestors against the operations encountered police interventions and tear gas in Istanbul and Diyarbakır.

Hope of Mourning After 14 Years

Hope of Mourning After 14 Years

Remains of 14 people have been unearthed in Tunceli. Yıldız, who was on hunger strike in order to get the authorities to start an investigation, hopes to properly bury his brother who was killed in 1997.

"KCK Case A Peculiar Example on Language Rights"

"KCK Case A Peculiar Example on Language Rights"

The case where more than 2 thousand Kurdish politicians and rights activists are on trial stays stuck as the court refuse to allow the use of Kurdish, the defendants' mother tongue. Lawyer Cinmen criticizes the government.

11 August 2011 Ekin Karaca