RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 227

Committee for Prevention of Torture Visits İmralı Prison

Committee for Prevention of Torture Visits İmralı Prison

A delegation of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture from the Council of Europe examined the conditions of detention on the island of İmralı, where PKK leader Öcalan is imprisoned among five other convicts.

28 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Trial on Weapons Cache Accepted by Civil Court

Trial on Weapons Cache Accepted by Civil Court

17 defendants stand trial regarding a weapons cache found in Poyrazköy. The Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court accepted the indictment despite the Constitutional Court's recent cancellation of the law regarding military staff being tried at a civil court.

28 January 2010 Burçin Belge

Censorship Costs Turkey 43,000 Euro at ECHR

Censorship Costs Turkey 43,000 Euro at ECHR

The European Court of Human Rights sentenced Turkey to a € 36,000 compensation fine for closing five newspapers because of their focus on the Kurdish question. Aziz Özer, who had been silenced for describing prison operations as "barbaric attacks" receives € 3,423 in compensation.

28 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Yaman from DTP: 800 Kurdish Politicians Arrested in One Year

Yaman from DTP: 800 Kurdish Politicians Arrested in One Year

Peace and Democracy Group Chairman Yaman said: "The AKP government takes revenge by arresting mayors of the provinces they did not win in the elections". He urged the government to stop the operations.

27 January 2010 Burçin Belge

Yaman from DTP: 800 Kurdish Politicians Arrested in One Year

Yaman from DTP: 800 Kurdish Politicians Arrested in One Year

Peace and Democracy Group Chairman Yaman said: "The AKP government takes revenge by arresting mayors of the provinces they did not win in the elections". He urged the government to stop the operations.

27 January 2010 Burçin Belge

Human Rights Watch: New Constitution As a Priority for Turkey

Human Rights Watch: New Constitution As a Priority for Turkey

Human Rights Watch has issued the World Report 2010. The organization says that obstacles to change in Turkey remain clear, e.g. the constitution that disregards human rights or the struggle to assert civilian control over the military.

26 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Life Sentence for Murderer of Transsexual Çağla

Life Sentence for Murderer of Transsexual Çağla

The Ankara 5th High Criminal Court handed a life sentence to defendant Murat Olgun G. for deliberate murder aiming to conceal a crime. The defendant received another twelve years imprisonment for aggravated looting. The court rejected the defence's request of mitigation for "unjust provocation".

25 January 2010 Bawer Çakır

Journalists Claim: Government Knew about Hrant Dink Murder

Journalists Claim: Government Knew about Hrant Dink Murder

Lawyer Belen claimed that several sources give proof of murder suspect Samast meeting with three people prior to the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Journalist Çalışlar argued: "If the government knew that Damast came to Istanbul, they knew about the murder as well".

22 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

DTP Closure Case at ECHR

DTP Closure Case at ECHR

Lawyer Kaplan from recently closed DTP applied to the ECHR and requested to deal with the case with priority. The application includes three files concerned with the party and both co-chairs respectively. The 37 party members subject to a political ban will apply separately.

22 January 2010 Erhan Üstündağ

Suspicious Death of Naval Colonel - Again

Suspicious Death of Naval Colonel - Again

Retired Colonel Yılmaz was found dead in front of his house. Eight military officers and one special operation manager have died under suspicious circumstances from May 2007 till the present. Seven of the deceased were from the naval forces.

20 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Thousands of People Commemorated Murdered Journalist Hrant Dink

Thousands of People Commemorated Murdered Journalist Hrant Dink

3,000 people gathered in front of the Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper to commemorate journalist Hrant Dink who was killed at the very same place three years ago. Orators as well as the crowd emphasized once more the state's responsibility for the murder.

20 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu,Erhan Üstündağ

Kurdish Initiative from Facebook

Kurdish Initiative from Facebook

Facebook, as one of the most popular international social networking sites, is now available in Kurdish as well. The Kurdish language was included upon a campaign ran by the users of the site and can be expanded to further applications on demand.

19 January 2010 Bawer Çakır

Trial Opened against TİHV Executive Fincancı and Journalist Yarkadaş

Trial Opened against TİHV Executive Fincancı and Journalist Yarkadaş

The trial filed by Chair of the Institute for Forensic Medicine 3rd Specialization Chamber Nur Bilgen against Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, board chair of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation and Barış Yarkadaş, chief editor of GerçekGündem.com has been opened.

19 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

'Friends of Hrant' and Nor Zartonk Commemorate Journalist Hrant Dink

'Friends of Hrant' and Nor Zartonk Commemorate Journalist Hrant Dink

On the third anniversary of the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, 'Friends of Hrant' and the Nor Zartonk formation commemorate the Turkish-Armenian journalist. Both groups strongly criticize that the murder case has not been solved yet despite conclusive evidence.

19 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalists Treated like Criminals after Complaint of University Rector

Journalists Treated like Criminals after Complaint of University Rector

Journalists Ayaz and Ekinci had their finger prints taken at the homicide office due to a complaint of Batman University Rector Uluçam after critical reports about the rector. Ekinci criticized that they were targeted without legal course.

18 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

27 Journalists Each Sentenced to More than Six Years in Jail

27 Journalists Each Sentenced to More than Six Years in Jail

DİHA journalist Ersin Çelik was sentenced to six years and 3 months imprisonment under allegations of membership to the Patriotic Democratic Youth Council. He was sentenced together with another 27 defendants. The convicts will file an appeal against the decision.

18 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Editor's Release from Prison Postponed for Years to Come

Owner and editor of "Revolutionary Democracy" magazine Erdal Güler will remain in prison. Güler's release, expected for December 2009, was postponed for an indefinite time. He was sentenced for spreading propaganda for illegal organizations.

15 January 2010 Initiative For Freedom Of Expression

OSCE conference: Get Rid of Penal Code for the Media

OSCE conference: Get Rid of Penal Code for the Media

OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Haraszti critisized in the recent conference: "The government waits for a 'mature' media before granting full legal implementation of freedom of media". IT lawyer Akdeniz demanded: "The internet law should be amended or abolished".

15 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Solution of Dink Murder still in the Dark after Three Years

Solution of Dink Murder still in the Dark after Three Years

The murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink can only be solved by merging cases and pooling all facts from before and after the murder, joint attorneys Çetin and Tuna declared. "This murder cannot be solved by the measures taken until the present", the lawyers said.

14 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Turkey Sentenced by ECHR for Önder Babat Murder Case

Turkey Sentenced by ECHR for Önder Babat Murder Case

The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of carrying out an insufficient investigation regarding the murder of university student Önder Babat.

13 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Displaced Romani Found New Homes in Salihli

Displaced Romani Found New Homes in Salihli

Eight Romani families settled in Salihli after the racist attacks in the town of Selendi last week. Rents have been paid by the Governor's office for the coming six months and children are to be integrated into local schools. The Governorship tries to find work for the families.

12 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Journalists: "Attacks Instead of Legal Protection"

Journalists: "Attacks Instead of Legal Protection"

On the Day of Working Journalists on 10 January journalists drew attention to common concerns, ongoing physical and verbal attacks and lack of legal protection. Journalists associations and media unions stated that there was nothing to celebrate.

12 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Murder of Hayırsevener Was not a Personal Issue"

"Murder of Hayırsevener Was not a Personal Issue"

Prior to his murder journalist Hayırsevener had said that he was "preparing an important file". He was under police protection in the evenings since he saw suspicious persons in front of the office. However, the journalist was targeted in broad daylight.

12 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Apologizing to Armenians Not a Crime

Apologizing to Armenians Not a Crime

The Court of Appeals decided that the internet signature campaign "I apologize to the Armenians" does not constitute a crime. If the Sincan 1st High Criminal Court accepts the decision, no trial will be launched against the organizers of the campaign which has been supported by the signatures of 30,000 people already.

11 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Trial against Former AKP Mayor Goes to ECHR

Trial against Former AKP Mayor Goes to ECHR

Çağdaş Tuzla newspaper owner Halil Özen applies to the European Court of Human Rights to take former AKP mayor Mehmet Demirci to justice. Özen demanded to try Demirci at a Turkish court for the closure of the newspaper offices in 2006, but the case was dropped.

11 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Former JİTEM Member Leads to Mass Graves

Former JİTEM Member Leads to Mass Graves

The Şırnak Bar Association expects the Silopi Prosecution to start excavations in the area of Hezil Stream in south-eastern Turkey as soon as possible. Former JİTEM member Beğler stated that about 200 bodies are buried in a region pretended to be mined.

8 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Postager.com Writer Yıldız Released

Postager.com web author İsmail Yıldız was released after he gave his statement in the context of a trial launched in Adana regarding the KCK organization. Yıldız was detained in an Istanbul prison for two days.

8 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Racist Attacks against Romani in Manisa

Racist Attacks against Romani in Manisa

Tensions in the Manisa district of Selendi turned into a severe attack against Romani people on 6 January. Houses, towns and cars were destroyed in the racist attack. The displaced Romani were relocated in prefabricated houses in the nearby town of Salihli.

8 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Director Çetin Urges Politicians to "Stop the War"

Director Çetin Urges Politicians to "Stop the War"

Turkish director Sinan Çetin addressed the Prime Minister and other politicians at the openening of an exhibition: "People with Turkish Ids are dying. You have the power, solve it, sir..."

7 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Freedom for Kurdish Politicians" Online Signature Campaign

"Freedom for Kurdish Politicians" Online Signature Campaign

An internet signature campaign has been launched for the release of detained BDP members and human rights defenders. The Human Rights Association Diyarbakır called the international community to act on behalf of association chairman Erbey.

7 January 2010 Tolga Korkut

Heavy Fine for Magazine Owner for "Spreading Propaganda"

Heavy Fine for Magazine Owner for "Spreading Propaganda"

Fehmi Kılıç, owner and editor-in-chief of Devrimci Hareket magazine, was convicted of spreading propaganda for two political organizations based on mentioning the organizations' names in two articles. Kılıç has to pay € 7,570 in compensation.

7 January 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Why Did the Police not Step in against Lynch Attacks?"

"Why Did the Police not Step in against Lynch Attacks?"

The Contemporary Lawyers Association filed complaints about Prime Minister Erdoğan, Interior Minister Atalay, two governors and provincial chiefs of police. The Association criticizes a lack of police action against recent lynch attempts in three Turkish cities.

6 January 2010 Bawer Çakır