RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 224

Prosecutor Considers Lesbian Love to be Obscene

Prosecutor Considers Lesbian Love to be Obscene

The Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the contents of the book "The 'L' State of Love" about love stories between lesbians because it allegedly deals with "unnatural relationships". Zeliş Deniz from LambdaIstanbul criticized the repetitive pretence of "public morality".

16 December 2009 Bawer Çakır

Governments Should Apologize for Enforced Disappearances

Governments Should Apologize for Enforced Disappearances

Experts from Europe and the Mediterranean and rights organizations met with families of disappeared people in Istanbul last weekend. The participants called for transparency, clarification and reparation regarding enforced disappearances, claiming individuals and governments to be held responsible.

16 December 2009 Erhan Üstündağ

Decision in Favour of Armenian Agos Newspaper Sparks Hopes

Decision in Favour of Armenian Agos Newspaper Sparks Hopes

Criminal courts in the Istanbul district of Şişli convicted 4 people of insulting and threatening the Armenian Agos newspaper until the present day. The Şişli 2nd Magistrate Criminal Court currently tries defendant Celepoğlu under charges of "inciting hatred and hostility".

15 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Prosecution for Books about Dink Murder

Prosecution for Books about Dink Murder

Former Intelligence Office Chairman Ramazan Akyürek filed criminal complaints against Nedim Şener and Kemal Göktaş for their books concerning the murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Şener's hearing is tomorrow, Göktaş will be in court in February 2010.

15 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalists Face 3 Years Imprisonment for "Respectable" Öcalan

Journalists Face 3 Years Imprisonment for "Respectable" Öcalan

DTP İskenderun District Mayor Mahmut Aydıncı and journalist Ersen Korkmaz face imprisonment of up to 3 years for addressing PKK leader Öcalan as "respectable". The final speech of the prosecution will be presented on 26 January 2010.

14 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Two More Journalists in Detention

Two More Journalists in Detention

Dünya Radio broadcasting director Kenan Karavil and Seyithan Akyüz from the Kurdish Azadia Welat newspaper were kept in custody for 4 days and are now in prison under charges of "membership to the PKK organization".

14 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Pro-Kurdish DTP Closed down by Constitutional Court

Pro-Kurdish DTP Closed down by Constitutional Court

The Constitutional Court ruled for the closure of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party and imposed a political ban on 37 of its members. Co-chairs Türk and Tuğluk are deposed from their duties as MPs. Human Rights organizations criticized the decision.

14 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu,Tolga Korkut,Erhan Üstündağ

Best Man Testifies for Molotov Cocktail Attack Defendant

Best Man Testifies for Molotov Cocktail Attack Defendant

Turkish cinema actor Şafak Sezer made his statement in the case about the Molotov cocktail attack on Cumhuriyet newspaper in 2008, saying that he has been very close friends with defendant Boğaç Kaan Murathan for more than 10 years.

11 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Aydınlık Magazine Banned for One Month

Aydınlık Magazine Banned for One Month

A court closed down Aydınlık magazine for 1 month and collected the latest issue because of alleged "Ergenekon terror organization propaganda" and making the prosecutor "a target for the organization". The IPI Local Committee and the Turkey Journalists Association sharply criticised the decision.

11 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

UN Award for Turkish Caricaturist Firuz Kutal

UN Award for Turkish Caricaturist Firuz Kutal

The United Nations awarded Turkish artist Firuz Kutal with its annual "Citation for Excellence" for works that "reflect principle and spirit". Kutal's caricature of his "Peace Doves" criticises the US American invasion to Iraq aiming to establish democracy despite preceding protests.

10 December 2009 Bawer Çakır

Discrimination in the Media by Denial of Discrimination

Discrimination in the Media by Denial of Discrimination

Assoc. Dr. Doğanay from Ankara University studied 3 Turkish nationwide and 3 local newspapers under the aspect of discrimination. Her conclusion: the media both denies and legitimates discrimination.

10 December 2009 Tolga Korkut

Arbitrary Police Violence against Lawyers

Arbitrary Police Violence against Lawyers

Lawyers protested against 2 arrests of colleagues in 1 day at an Istanbul police station. The arrested lawyers were beaten and tortured in custody. The demonstrating attorneys claimed prosecution of the perpetrators and an investigation initiated by the Ministry of the Interior.

10 December 2009 Bawer Çakır

University Students Win Trial at ECHR

University Students Win Trial at ECHR

The ECHR evaluated a police attack on students protesting against the Higher Education Council YÖK law draft as "humiliating treatment". The European Court ruled Turkey to pay a total of 68,000 TL in compensation to 10 students.

9 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

2 Local Journalists Attacked While on Duty

2 Local Journalists Attacked While on Duty

İzzettin Oktay from Duruş newspaper was attacked by the police while covering a DTP event. Seyfullah Ayvalı from Anatolian news agency was assaulted by the municipality when he tried to cover a parliamentary meeting. Both journalists have filed criminal complaints.

9 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

İHD: Democratic Society Party Essential for Democratic Initiative

İHD: Democratic Society Party Essential for Democratic Initiative

The Human Rights Foundation claimed that the Constitutional Court should consider the "general public opinion" for a decision in the closure case of the Democratic Society Party. The foundation called for more transparency and the end of violence.

9 December 2009 Tolga Korkut

7 People Arrested in Raids of Homes and Offices in Adana

7 People Arrested in Raids of Homes and Offices in Adana

The police in Adana arrested Radio Dünya broadcast director Kenan Karavil, journalists of Kurdish newspapers Şeyhmus Bildgin and Seyithan Akyüz and 3 provincial authorities of the Democratic Society Party.

8 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Newspaper Journalist Seeks Justice for Telephone Tapping

Newspaper Journalist Seeks Justice for Telephone Tapping

Taraf newspaper journalist Mehmet Baransu announced that his phone was wiretapped by the Gendarmerie Intelligence for more than a year. The official tapping decision was reached under a false name, pretending to eavesdrop on a member of the PKK. Baransu will go to court.

8 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Criticism on Police Officer Goes to ECHR

Criticism on Police Officer Goes to ECHR

Journalist Şevket Demir from Birecik'in Sesi was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment and 8,000 TL to be paid in compensation for criticizing a police officer in a newspaper column. Even though the sentence is postponed, lawyer Arıcı takes the case to the ECHR.

7 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Police Officers and Doctor on Trial for Torture

Police Officers and Doctor on Trial for Torture

The Bakırköy Court in Istanbul accepted prosecution under torture allegations against police officers who severely beat university student Tuna in a park and on the street. The doctor who issued a report stating no evidence of torture is on trial as well for "forgery of documents".

7 December 2009 Tolga Korkut

Two Police Officers Suspended under Torture Allegations

Two Police Officers Suspended under Torture Allegations

Mersin governor Aksoy suspended 2 police officers because of exposing violence to 2 brothers in the Republic Police Office. Ministerial inspectors are required to investigate. Footage of the incident shows police officers still kicking and beating the brothers after they fell down to the floor.

4 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Kurdish Newspaper Editor in Detention for another 3 Months

Kurdish Newspaper Editor in Detention for another 3 Months

Kurdish newspaper journalist Vedat Kurşun will remain in detention for another 3 months. Kurşun has been detained for the last 10 months because of news items and articles he published in the context of the Kurdish question.

4 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Disabled People Succeed with a Combined Struggle

Disabled People Succeed with a Combined Struggle

On the Day of the Disabled People İşyeri from the Disabled People Association takes stock of the achievements reached in Turkey by an organized struggle, mentioning goals like the Convention on Rights of Disabled People, early retirement or an employment quota.

3 December 2009 Tolga Korkut

Youtube Ban at the European Court of Human Rights

Youtube Ban at the European Court of Human Rights

The Internet Technology Association seeks justice at the ECHR against the legal ban of youtube.com in Turkey. The association claims a violation of freedom of expression as well as freedom of association.

3 December 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

No Hope for Survivors, only for Finding Their Graves

No Hope for Survivors, only for Finding Their Graves

In the 1990s thousands of people in Turkey have disappeared or were murdered. Many cases have still not been solved, and perpetrators have not been brought to justice. With the "Project on Unsolved Disappearances" human rights defenders claim to give the relatives at least a place to moarn.

3 December 2009 Bawer Çakır

5 Ergenekon Defendants Released - Inquiry About Feigned Notes

5 Ergenekon Defendants Released - Inquiry About Feigned Notes

In the trial about the "Ergenekon terror organization" lieutenant Özdemir, non-commissioned officers Bulayır and Eke and police officers Balcı and Güngördü were released. Journalist Balbay was interrogated about his controversial notes.

26 November 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalist Released from Jail under "PKK Propaganda" Charges

Journalist Released from Jail under "PKK Propaganda" Charges

Reporter Gök was arrested at the Newroz festival and has been in prison for the last eight months. Although he has been released, he still faces trial.

26 November 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Constituting Crimes with Every Word and by Every Step

Constituting Crimes with Every Word and by Every Step

11 people have been convicted in Tunceli because of shouting the slogan "Martyrs Don't Die". Whatever is said or done by the people in this country constitutes a crime... Except for glorifying the Dersim Massacre and spreading "war propaganda"... While the government is opening up the judiciary gets locked up!

25 November 2009 Barış Yıldırım

Journalist Attacked in Municipality Elections

Journalist Attacked in Municipality Elections

Yeni Asır newspaper journalist Fatih Yapar filed a criminal complaint because he had been assaulted when he wanted to watch Metin Solak's election victory in the Çiğli Municipality. Izmir Journalists Association president Atilla Sertel condemned the attack and declared to follow the incident up.

25 November 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

"Nobody Wears down the Military, the Military Frays Itself"

"Nobody Wears down the Military, the Military Frays Itself"

At the symposium "The Military's Political Role in Turkey" participants criticized the lack of monitoring for the military's spending and demanded to question the "trust in the military". They also emphasized the importance of freedom of expression and called for more transparency.

24 November 2009 Tolga Korkut

Partial Victory for Press Freedom

Partial Victory for Press Freedom

The Beyoğlu Attorney General's Office did not see sufficient reasons for a lawsuit of police officer Zenit against bianet. Bianet had criticized Zenit because of the police officer's phone talks with murder suspect Tuncel prior to the murder of Hrant Dink. However, bianet is facing a 25,000 Turkish Lira compensation claim.

24 November 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalist Refuses Implication in "Coup"

Journalist Refuses Implication in "Coup"

Cumhuriyet newspaper journalist Ankara correnspondent Mustafa Balbay said in his defence in the Ergenekon Case, "I did not even incite an unarmed uprising. I took the notes put forward as my diary in order to recall a couple of things later on".

23 November 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Armenian Newspaper Weary About Being a Target in Coup Plans

Armenian Newspaper Weary About Being a Target in Coup Plans

Lawyer Fethiye Çetin argues that it might be considered to merge the Dink murder case with the Ergenekon file if new findings occur that support the "Cage" Operation. He said they would follow up the operation plan's registry of Agos newspaper subscribers.

23 November 2009 Erol Önderoğlu