RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 197

Kurdish Musician Tunç Tried for Saying "Guerrilla"

Kurdish Musician Tunç Tried for Saying "Guerrilla"

After more than a hundred cases were opened against Kurdish folk singer Tunç, he is now facing charges of "propaganda for an illegal organization" for using the term "guerrilla". Tunç sees this kind of trials as a means of intimidation. The case will start in May.

28 March 2011 Ekin Karaca

Aysel Tuğluk Still Facing Dozens of Years in Prison

Aysel Tuğluk Still Facing Dozens of Years in Prison

Trials against Kurdish politicians Aysel Tuğluk and Ahmet Türk, Co-Chairs of the Democratic Society Congress, are still pending in Ankara and Diyarbakır. Tuğluk is facing 70 years behind bars in the Diyarbakır trial and another five years from the Ankara procedures.

25 March 2011 Emir Çelik

Police Raid at Radikal Daily for Unpublished Book

Police Raid at Radikal Daily for Unpublished Book

The police searched the offices of Radikal newspaper for copies of the manuscript of detained journalist Şık's book "The Imam's Army". Also Şık's wife and his lawyer were ordered to hand over drafts of the book. Publishers and writers associations condemned the raid; lawyer Cinmen called it "unlawful".

Journalist and Human Rights Defender Convicted

Journalist and Human Rights Defender Convicted

Human rights advocator Hakan Tahmaz received a one-year prison sentence, journalist İbrahim Çeşmecioğlu a monetary fine for the interview with Murat Karayılan, leader of the Union of Kurdistan Communities.

25 March 2011 Emir Çelik

Sit-Down Strike of Kurdish People in Diyarbakır

Sit-Down Strike of Kurdish People in Diyarbakır

The Foreign Affairs Department of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party issued a press release on their sit-down strike in Diyarbakır, a Kurdish-majority city in south-eastern Turkey.

Court of Appeals Overturned Conviction of Police Officer

Court of Appeals Overturned Conviction of Police Officer

The trial against police offer Ergin who was handed down prison terms of more than 16.5 years for killing 18-year-old Gemik is being retried after the Court of Appeals quashed the verdict. Gemik was killed with a single bullet shot through his neck.

24 March 2011 Ekin Karaca

Confusing Report on Footage of Dink Murder

Confusing Report on Footage of Dink Murder

TÜBİTAK eventually issued a report on the footage of a bank's security camera that supposedly captured the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalists Hrant Dink. Plaintiff lawyer Halavurt described the report as "contradictory" and "incomprehensible".

Readers of Alınteri Newspapers Arrested

Readers of Alınteri Newspapers Arrested

Alınteri newspaper readers Serdar Ben and Mürüvvet Küçük and their friend Ulaş Ömür were arrested on charges of "membership in an illegal organization". In a press release issued at the İHD Istanbul branch, the Alınteri chief editor criticized the arrest.

23 March 2011 Nilay Vardar

"We Want a Liberal, Democratic and Participatory Constitution"

"We Want a Liberal, Democratic and Participatory Constitution"

The Platform for a Liberal Constitution called for the removal of the ten percent election threshold as a crucial step for the preparation of a first civil constitution. It is also essential to include NGOs in the procedure to prepare a new constitution, the platform claimed.

Istanbul Bar Association on the Street for Press Freedom

Istanbul Bar Association on the Street for Press Freedom

About 500 members of the Istanbul Bar Association demonstrated against custody and arrests of journalists on Tuesday and called for an independent judiciary. Their motto was "Rule of law instead of police state". They laid down a wreath in front of the Atatürk bust.

23 March 2011 Elif Gençkal

Journalist Çapraz and 10 Other People in Custody

Journalist Çapraz and 10 Other People in Custody

Journalist Necip Çapraz, owner of the local Yüksekova News daily, is one of ten people who were taken into custody on 21 March in Hakkari upon the directive of the Van Special Authority Public Chief Prosecution. The journalist's home was searched by the police.

23 March 2011 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalist Allegedly Threatened by PM's Chief Advisor

Journalist Allegedly Threatened by PM's Chief Advisor

Journalist Murat Aktaş of the local Objektif newspaper asked Chief Advisor of the Prime Minister, Turan Erol, about freedom of journalists. Erol's reply: "Don't make this kind of news, your newspaper might be closed".

Nine Children Face 24 Years in Jail

Nine Children Face 24 Years in Jail

A trial was opened against nine juveniles who are alleged of having thrown stones and explosives at the police in the course of a demonstration in Adana. The young defendants are facing 24 years in prison in total.

Demirtaş: "General Elections Bear Historic Opportunity"

Demirtaş: "General Elections Bear Historic Opportunity"

Hundreds of thousands of people came together in Istanbul and Diyarbakır for this year's Newroz celebrations. The Kurdish politicians had clear messages for the government. They urged for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question and for a democratic constitution.

21 March 2011 Nilay Vardar

"Zivre Trial Should be Merged with Ergenekon"

"Zivre Trial Should be Merged with Ergenekon"

20 people were taken into police custody in the course of the recent operations related to the murder of three people at the Zirve Publishing Company in Malatya in 2007. Plaintiff lawyer Cengiz calls for a merger of the case with the Ergenekon trial.

21 March 2011 Nilay Vardar

Status as Member of Parliament not Restored for Kurdish Politicians

Status as Member of Parliament not Restored for Kurdish Politicians

The application of Kurdish politicians Aysel Tuğluk and Ahmet Türk to restore their status as members of parliament was dismissed. Both politicians were subjected to a five-year political ban after the ban of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party in 2009.

21 March 2011 Ekin Karaca

Support for Detained Journalists Does not Abate

Support for Detained Journalists Does not Abate

The Freedom for Journalists organized a demonstration in Ankara with their demands to "release detained journalists from prison" and "amend laws that restrict press freedom and freedom of expression.

21 March 2011 Burcu Ballıktaş

DİHA Reporter Çiftçi Detained for 10 Months without Indictment

DİHA Reporter Çiftçi Detained for 10 Months without Indictment

Dicle News Agency reporter Çiftçi has been detained at the Bitlis E Type Prison for 10 months since she was arrested as part of the KCK operations in Hakkari last year. An indictment has not been prepared yet. Three appeals against her detention were dismissed.

Operation Related to Zirve Publishing Murders

Operation Related to Zirve Publishing Murders

Ergenekon Prosecutor Zekeriya Öz gave the directive for an operation in nine different provinces all over the country. The searches are related to the murder of three people at the Zirve Publishing Company in Malatya in 2007. 20 people have allegedly been taken into custody.

Appeals against Detention of Journalists Rejected

Appeals against Detention of Journalists Rejected

The appeals against the detentions of journalists Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener were rejected by court. Both were arrested on 6 March in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation. The decision does not mention a concrete reason. Turkey is facing national and international criticism.

18 March 2011 Ekin Karaca

Freedom House Critic of Press Freedom in Turkey

Freedom House Critic of Press Freedom in Turkey

The US American rights organization Freedom House expressed concern about press freedom in Turkey also in respect to the recent developments. In a press release it was said that continuing harassment and detentions of journalists were an "alarming threat to press freedom".

20 Former DTP Members Convicted of 'Propaganda'

20 Former DTP Members Convicted of 'Propaganda'

20 people were sentenced to imprisonment of ten months each on charges of "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization". They were convicted on the base of a sit-down protest action organized by the banned Democratic Society Party in Diyarbakır 2008.

17 March 2011 Emir Çelik

Number of Detained Defendants Increased to 161

Number of Detained Defendants Increased to 161

The "Sledgehammer Coup Plan" trial was continued on 14/15 March, one month after the Istanbul court decided to release arrest warrants about 163 people of whom 157 were arrested in the meantime. Ret. General Çetin presented his 85-page defence speech.

Blogspot Access Ban Lifted

Blogspot Access Ban Lifted

The Prosecution of Diyarbakır lifted the access ban applied to the Blogspot websites. It might take a few days until all sites are accessible again. Thousands of websites including news sites are still affected by the censorship.

16 March 2011 Emir Çelik

Letter of Detained Journalist Şık to bianet

Letter of Detained Journalist Şık to bianet

Journalist Ahmet Şık, detained in the Silivri Prison for more than a week now, wrote a letter to bianet and described his daily routine at prison. He also wrote about the reasons for his arrest: "I was arrested because I am a journalist, because I do journalism".

Turkish Human Rights Foundation Researched 30 Years of Torture

Turkish Human Rights Foundation Researched 30 Years of Torture

A study of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation revealed that torture still persists at Turkish police stations, gendarmerie posts and prisons despite the government's "zero tolerance" policy against torture.

15 March 2011 Ayça Söylemez

European Court of Human Rights Questions Use of Violence

European Court of Human Rights Questions Use of Violence

The European Court of Human Rights questions Turkey about a potential violation of the right to life and torture allegations regarding the Return to Life operation at the Bayrampaşa Prison eleven years ago.

15 March 2011 Ayça Söylemez

Solidarity with Journalists Şık and Şener

Solidarity with Journalists Şık and Şener

At the "Friends of Ahmet Şık Talk about Ahmet" forum, Turkish journalists and human rights defenders declared not to fall silent until the release of journalist Ahmet Şık. Colleagues and students talked about Şık as a person and about his work as a journalist.

15 March 2011 Elif Gençkal

Trial on "Dersim Massacre" Closed by Prescription

Trial on "Dersim Massacre" Closed by Prescription

As a first decision on the "1938 Dersim Incidents", the Hoza Prosecution decided to drop procedures because "the crime of genocide was not constituted" and the case "fell under the statute of limitation". Lawyer Agyün: "We will appeal and go until the ECHR if necessary".

15 March 2011 Nilay Vardar

Journalist Mavioğlu in the Dock again

Journalist Mavioğlu in the Dock again

Journalist Mavioğlu from the Radikal newspaper stand accused of "propaganda" on the grounds of an interview with PKK leader Karayılan. Mavioğlu is facing up to three years in prison. "Despite efforts to put even more people behind bars, we will continue to write and talk", he claimed.

14 March 2011 Emir Çelik

Member of National Intelligence Agency Arrested

Member of National Intelligence Agency Arrested

Kaşif Kozinoğlu, member of the National Intelligence Agency, was arrested on 11 March. His home had recently been searched together with the office of the Oda TV news portal in the scope of the Ergenekon probe. He is alleged of leaking classified information.

Thousands of People Demonstrate for "Freedom for Journalists"

Thousands of People Demonstrate for "Freedom for Journalists"

Thousands of people demonstrated against the arrest of journalists Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener in Taksim in the centre of Istanbul on Sunday. This was the second protest march for the detained journalists.