RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 210

"Release Writer Nevin Berktaş"

"Release Writer Nevin Berktaş"

The Proletarian Revolutionary Stance magazine demanded the release of recently arrested Nevin Berktaş. A case because of her book "Difficult places that challenge the faith: Prison Cells" has been pending for ten years.

11 November 2010 Berivan Tapan

Acquitted of Proselytism, Sentenced for "Record of Personal Data"

Acquitted of Proselytism, Sentenced for "Record of Personal Data"

A Silivri court handed down a monetary fine of TL 4,500 to defendants Taştan and Topal for "registering personal data". They stood trial for alleged Protestant missionary activities. The defendants were acquitted of charges of inciting hatred and insult of 'Turkishness'.

11 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Freedom of Speech" still Fuels Concern

"Freedom of Speech" still Fuels Concern

The Progress Report of the European Union Commission criticized the numerous trials opened against journalists for reporting about the "Ergenekon" case and warned Turkey on procedures that result in auto-censorship of the press.

11 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

YouTube Removed Videos of Former Opposition Leader

YouTube Removed Videos of Former Opposition Leader

After another decision for an access ban on YouTube, officials of the global video sharing site removed the videos on subject from the data base. The Telecommunications Communication Presidency had requested the removal of videos concerning former CHP Chairman Baykal.

10 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

NGO's Call for Peace Pumped up Volume

NGO's Call for Peace Pumped up Volume

Almost 700 NGOs issued a declaration addressing the government on the Kurdish question. They called for steps towards more democracy and to evaluate the PKK's decision for an extended ceasefire positively.

10 November 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Not Much Progress in Karadağ Murder Trial

Not Much Progress in Karadağ Murder Trial

Human rights organizations were not accepted as joint plaintiffs in the case regarding the killing of communist party member Karadağ by the police. The eyewitness heard in the second hearing called the police "friends" and confused the court with contradicting statements.

10 November 2010 Berivan Tapan

President Gül: Legal Reforms for Detained Journalists on their Way

President Gül: Legal Reforms for Detained Journalists on their Way

At a conference in London, President Gül announced that legal reforms are on their way regarding detained journalists in Turkey. 23 professional press organizations had recently urged the government for legal reforms and the release of 50 journalists.

10 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Alevi Demonstration against Compulsory Religious Education

Alevi Demonstration against Compulsory Religious Education

"Abolish Compulsory Religious Education" was one of the main demands in the demonstration of Alevi organizations in Istanbul. A sit-down strike was continued all night long and had previously been carried out in Ankara. It will be repeated in Izmir next year.

9 November 2010 Burçin Belge

KCK Trial still Jammed on Defence in Kurdish

KCK Trial still Jammed on Defence in Kurdish

The defence lawyers of the defendants of the KCK trial in Diyarbakır applied to the superior court for the right to a defence in the mother tongue. More than three weeks of the beginning of the trial, procedures have not yet advanced beyond the reading of the indictment.

9 November 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Lack of Jurisdiction for Prosecution of Putchists

Lack of Jurisdiction for Prosecution of Putchists

The Special Authority Public Chief Prosecution decided for a "lack of jurisdiction" regarding the prosecution of the people responsible for the military coup in 1980. Chief Prosecutor Kuriş is expected to appoint a prosecutor without special authority to the investigation.

9 November 2010 Burçin Belge

Journalist Kütahyalı Sentenced upon Deputy's Complaint

Journalist Kütahyalı Sentenced upon Deputy's Complaint

An Istanbul Court handed down a monetary fine of TL 14,000 in compensation to journalist Kütahyalı from Taraf newspaper. The journalist was sentenced because he called Republican People's Party deputy Arıtman the "racist-fascist CHP deputy from Izmir".

9 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Media and Education's Crucial Role in Struggle against Hate Crime

Media and Education's Crucial Role in Struggle against Hate Crime

The new media was considered as especially problematic at the meeting on "Hate Speech and Hate Crime" in Ankara on 6 November. It was mentioned that raising awareness in the local media and education system is an important part of the struggle against hate crime.

8 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalists Pursue Freedom for Detained Colleagues

Journalists Pursue Freedom for Detained Colleagues

The Freedom for Journalists Platform announced that 50 press employees are currently imprisoned and that 1,200 trials against journalists are pending. Delegations of the platform are going to monitor the cases against sociologist Beşikçi and journalist Koçali.

8 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Kurdish Singer Tunç Aquitted

Kurdish Singer Tunç Aquitted

Kurdish singer Ferhat Tunc was acquitted regarding his statement ""After 25 years you are opening a new window to peace and brotherhood from Eruh". Tunç was facing imprisonment of up to 15 years under charges of propaganda for a terrorist organization.

8 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Kurdish Speaking Defendants Silenced at Court

Kurdish Speaking Defendants Silenced at Court

In the third week of the "KCK trial", procedures reached the presentation of the defence. 152 defendants are tried for their alleged affiliation with the Democratic Confederation of Kurdistan. When the defendants spoke Kurdish, the microphone was switched off.

5 November 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

TAK behind Istanbul Bomb Attack

TAK behind Istanbul Bomb Attack

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons announced on their website that the suicide bomber who blew up himself and injured 32 people in Istanbul last Sunday was a member of their organization. The organization declared not to support the PKK's decision for a ceasefire.

4 November 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

News Website Founder Büyükçakır Sentenced to 11 Months

News Website Founder Büyükçakır Sentenced to 11 Months

HaberinYeri.com website official Büyükçakır received a prison sentence on the grounds of a reader comment posted on the site. The comment referred to the statement that President Gül supposedly descended from an Armenian family. Büyükçakır will file a complaint.

4 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalist Balbay Demands Re-evaluation

Journalist Balbay Demands Re-evaluation

Defendant Mustafa Balbay requested a “new evaluation” of the “Coup Diaries” after an investigation into ret. Generals Örnek, Yalman and Fırtına resulted in the separation of the file form the Ergenekon trial.

4 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Publisher Sancı: Prosecuted and Awarded in One Day

Publisher Sancı: Prosecuted and Awarded in One Day

Publisher Sancı received the International Publishers Association special award; at the same time he is being tried for publishing books acknowledged as world cultural heritage. In Turkey, 27 publishers have been standing trial, sentences were issued for 30 books in the past two years.

4 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

HSYK Member Ertosun Sues bianet and Lawyers Association

HSYK Member Ertosun Sues bianet and Lawyers Association

Tanay from the Contemporary Lawyers Association and bianet co-ordinator Kürkçü stand trial upon a complaint by former Prisons Director Ertosun. The first hearing was held on 2 November. Lawyer Kozağaçlı also faces a compensation claim from Ertosun.

3 November 2010 Ero Önderoğlu

The Language Wound - Bilingualism with Kurdish

The Language Wound - Bilingualism with Kurdish

"The Language Wound: The use of the mother tongue in education and experiences of Kurdish students", a study from the Political and Social Research Institute of Diyarybakır, suggests bilingual and multi-lingual education models and courses to support the literacy of Kurdish-speaking parents.

3 November 2010 Nadire Mater

Journalist Pelek's Trial Adjourned until March 2011

Journalist Pelek's Trial Adjourned until March 2011

Journalists Semra Pelek and Mustafa Dolu are facing up to eight years in jail. They are sued by ret. General Fırtına, former Air Force Commander, for a news item related to his statement given at the prosecution in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation. The trial was postponed to March 2011.

3 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Identity of Suicide Bomber Clarified

Identity of Suicide Bomber Clarified

The Istanbul Governorship announced the identity of the suicide bomber who caused the injury of 32 people in Istanbul on 31 October. His name was Vedat Acar, a 24-year-old male from the south-eastern province of Van.

3 November 2010 Burçin Belge

Löning Criticised Legal Proceedings against Journalist Ekşi

Löning Criticised Legal Proceedings against Journalist Ekşi

The German Human Rights Commissioner, Markus Löning, warned that Turkey is constantly losing ground on press freedom. In a meeting with journalists on press freedom in Turkey, he criticized PM Erdoğan's targeting of journalist Ekşi.

2 November 2010

Prime Minister Litigates Journalist Ekşi

Prime Minister Litigates Journalist Ekşi

Prime Minister Erdoğan filed a TL 100,000 (€ 50,000) compensation claim against Hürriyet newspaper and its former editor-in-chief Ekşi on the grounds of a column entitled "We have not been as critical as we should".

2 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Government Should Stop Arbitrary Application of Terror Charges"

"Government Should Stop Arbitrary Application of Terror Charges"

In their latest Turkey report, Human Rights Watch calls on the government to stop treating demonstrators as "armed militants" and to amend anti-terror laws. Author of the report Sinclair-Webb warned that restricting free speech and association "makes armed opposition more attractive".

2 November 2010 Berivan Tapan

KCK Declines Responsibility for Bomb Attack - Ceasefire Extended

KCK Declines Responsibility for Bomb Attack - Ceasefire Extended

The Democratic Confederation of Kurdistan, the umbrella organization for the militant PKK, distanced itself from the bomb attack in Istanbul on Sunday that left 32 people injured. The organization declared to extend the ceasefire until the general elections in 2011.

2 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

PM Erdoğan: Union and Brotherhood Will Spoil these Games

PM Erdoğan: Union and Brotherhood Will Spoil these Games

After the bomb attack in central Istanbul on Sunday, Prime Minister Erdoğan said the attack was aimed at "thwarting a developed and modern Turkey". President Gül and opposition leader Kılıçdaroğlu condemned the incident. The pro-Kurdish BDP reminded the "government to take responsibility".

1 November 2010 Berivan Tapan

Journalist Baransu: Witness and Defendant in One

Journalist Baransu: Witness and Defendant in One

The General Staff filed a complaint against Taraf newspaper reporter Baransu for an article about Dep. Chief of General Staff Güner. The journalist faces a heavy prison sentence. At the same time, Defendant Baransu is a witness in the related investigation into the General Staff.

1 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

YouTube Ban Finally Lifted

YouTube Ban Finally Lifted

The access ban to the YouTube video sharing site was lifted after 2.5 years subsequent to the removal of the controversial videos that allegedly insulted the memory of Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic.

1 November 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Suicide Bomber Injured 32 People in Istanbul

Suicide Bomber Injured 32 People in Istanbul

32 people were injured in a bomb attack on a riot police team in Takism in the centre of Istanbul on Sunday (31 October). The blast was apparently caused by a suicide bomber.

31 October 2010

RSF: Turkey Did not Learn its Lesson from ECHR Decision

RSF: Turkey Did not Learn its Lesson from ECHR Decision

Reporters without Borders criticized the latest hearing of the Hrant Dink murder trial: "The delays, obstacles and setbacks still dogging this trial seem to indicate a continuing desire to shed as little light as possible on a case of national importance".

29 October 2010 Erol Önderoğlu