RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 232

Divided Families Benefit from Faciliated Visa Regulations

Divided Families Benefit from Faciliated Visa Regulations

Journalist Kar reports that 1 day after the new visa regulations were signed, many people from Syria visited the Turkish city of Antakya. Many families formerly divided can easily re-unite due to the new application. Kar recommends visiting Turkey's neighboring country and gives advice for a journey to Syria.

15 October 2009 Tolga Korkut

Cartoonist Özdabak on Trial

Cartoonist Özdabak on Trial

Yeni Asya newspaper cartoonist Halil İbrahim Özdabak faces a 2 years and 8 months prison sentence for one of his political caricatures. The illustration shows court president Osman Kaçmaz on his judge's podium, which is positioned on top of a military tank.

15 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Justice for Children Group Visited Turkish National Assembly

Justice for Children Group Visited Turkish National Assembly

The Justice for Children Group demands a well-grounded and quick legal solution for the children that became victims of the Anti-Terrorism Law to avoid further prevalence of the problem. The group met MPs of Turkey's major parties in the National Assembly.

15 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

1 Year Sentence for 9 Human Rights Defenders

1 Year Sentence for 9 Human Rights Defenders

Human Rights Foundation Branch chairman Ethem Açıkalın and representatives of 2 furhter human rights organizations are handed a 1 year prison sentence each. They participated in a press release criticizing the killing of Kevser Mızrak in a police operation. Açıkalın filed an appeal against the decision.

15 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Summary of the 11th Hearing

Summary of the 11th Hearing

The secret witness announced for the 11th hearing did not appear at the hearing. The Dink family handed a petition to the court, criticizing the prosecutor's handling of the trial. The murder weapon was brought to the court and suspected triggerman Samast claimed he did not remember the gun. The trial is followed by international observers.

14 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu,Tolga Korkut

"When Will Mohsen Abdolkhani and Hamid Karimnia Be Released?"

"When Will Mohsen Abdolkhani and Hamid Karimnia Be Released?"

After the decision from ECHR, Diyarbakır MP Kışanak asked Minster for the Interior Atalay why there is still no action to sort out the situation of refugees and refugee accommodations.

13 October 2009 Emine Özcan

Expert Report: Önkol Died of Unexploded Ammunition

Expert Report: Önkol Died of Unexploded Ammunition

Diyarbakır prosecutor Mutlu announced the results of an expert report. According to this report, 12-year-old Önkol died because she played with a knife on a projectile of an unexploded bomb. The expert report could not identify the kind and the source of the ammunition.

13 October 2009 Tolga Korkut

Attorneys Request Ergenekon Case File

Attorneys Request Ergenekon Case File

The Dink family joint attorneys requested a criminal complaint against the authorities that did not forward defendant Öztürk's phone tapping records. Additionally, they claimed the acquisition of the file of the Zirve Publishing House massacre and information and documents concerning Ergenekon case defendant Özoğlu.

13 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu,Tolga Korkut

Students Refused Deputy Prime Minister to Talk on Human Rights

Students Refused Deputy Prime Minister to Talk on Human Rights

Students protested Deputy Prime Minister Çiçek who was going to speak on human rights at the Ankara University Faculty of Political Science. The students voiced their protest, "The minister of such a country has nothing to say about this topic". When the students received support from the people in the hall, Çiçek left the university without giving his speech.

12 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Prosecutor Claims 6 Different Charges against Melek K.'s Murder

Prosecutor Claims 6 Different Charges against Melek K.'s Murder

The murder case of transsexual Melek K. who was killed in her home in Ankara was continued. The prosecutor claimed to try defendant T.P. under six different charges such as murder, plunder, theft and further allegations.

12 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Recusation of Joint Attorneys in JİTEM Case

Recusation of Joint Attorneys in JİTEM Case

The court expelled joint attorneys Tanrıkulu and Özdemir from the court room during a hearing of the JİTEM case including defendant Colonel Temizöz amongst others. The court accepted the request for recusation of allegedly prejudiced lawyers.

12 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Will State Intelligence Bring Light into Dink Murder Case?

Will State Intelligence Bring Light into Dink Murder Case?

Concerning the Hrant Dink murder trial the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court prepares to hear a secret witness. Additionally, 7 witnesses are expected to testify upon writs issued to them by the court.

12 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu,Bawer Çakır

Orhan Pamuk: Medal from Paris, Subpoena from Ankara

Orhan Pamuk: Medal from Paris, Subpoena from Ankara

Nobel Prize laureate writer Orhan Pamuk will be on trial again to pay 36,000 TL in compensation for his statement "On this ground 30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed". In France the author is awarded with the symbolic "Grand Medal" in the meantime.

10 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Acquittal of Radio Journalist Öziç Took 6 Years

Acquittal of Radio Journalist Öziç Took 6 Years

After 6 years the Adana 5th Civil Court of First Instance acquitted radio journalist Öziç. He was on trial under charges of "humiliating " the Turkish parliament for his criticism against Turkey's joining the US invasion in Iraq.

9 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

141 Official Arrests and 2 Detentions after 2 Days of Clashes

141 Official Arrests and 2 Detentions after 2 Days of Clashes

According to information obtained from the Contemporary Lawyers Association, most of the protestors detained during the demonstrations against IMF and World Bank were assaulted in police vehicles. Many people sustained bruises and swellings. 27 people arrested on the second day were still not released although 24 hours had already elapsed.

9 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Unions and Chambers Take Legal Action against Police Violence

Unions and Chambers Take Legal Action against Police Violence

DİSK, KESK, TMMOB and TTB condemn the police intervention against the protestors during the meeting of IMF and World Bank in Istanbul this week. They announced to file a criminal complaint against the responsible people.

8 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Police Officer Arrested After Attacking Student

Police Officer Arrested After Attacking Student

8 Policemen were involved in the assault on university student Güney. Lawyer Elif Bulaç announced that one of them has been arrested.

7 October 2009 Emine Özcan

Engin Çeber Murder Case: Long and Winding Trial Road

Engin Çeber Murder Case: Long and Winding Trial Road

Because of missing voice records the 7th hearing of the Engin Çeber murder case had to be repeated. Detained defendants Karaosmanoğlu and Aksu reiterated their statements. Lawyer Tanay is concerned about a fair trial. Some crucial statements made in the previous session are still missing. The case is postponed till 16 November.

6 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Access Denied to LGBT Social Networking Sites

Access Denied to LGBT Social Networking Sites

Access has been blocked to LGBT social networking sites galibe, haydigayri and shemaleturk under accusations such as prostitution, obscenity or child abuse according to law article 5651. The site administrators were no informed about the decision and spoke of a "homophobic mentality".

6 October 2009 Bawer Çakır

Perilous Police Attack for Sitting in a Park

Perilous Police Attack for Sitting in a Park

A police officer from Avcılar (Istanbul) is accused of heavily assaulting university student Güney Tunay because he did not leave a park as ordered by the police. After Feyzullah Ete died in a similar incident two years ago, Tunay fighting for his life in hospital.

6 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Claim for Official Supervision of Forensic Medicine Institute

Claim for Official Supervision of Forensic Medicine Institute

A press release of the Bandista Group together with the 'Saturday mothers' once more raised questions about Nurettin Öztürk who disappeared in custody 25 years ago. The groups request the prosecution of Kenan Evren and other military officials behind the military coup of 1980.

5 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

One Year Imprisonment for Saying "Kurdistan"

One Year Imprisonment for Saying "Kurdistan"

Lawyer Eren Keskin, actor Murat Batğı and writer Edip Polat were handed a 1 year prison sentence for using the terms "Kurdistan" and "Kurds". Furthermore, they were deprived of all civil rights.

5 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Human Rights of Minorities in Turkey - Part 2

Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg and his delegation visited Turkey from 28 June to 3 July 2009. In the course of this visit the Commissioner held discussions on certain human rights issues, including minorities, with national and local authorities, international and non-governmental organizations. The Commissioner held also meetings with institutions and representatives of minority groups.

3 October 2009 Thomas Hammarberg

Human Rights of Minorities in Turkey - Part 1

Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg and his delegation visited Turkey from 28 June to 3 July 2009. In the course of this visit the Commissioner held discussions on certain human rights issues, including minorities, with national and local authorities, international and non-governmental organizations. The Commissioner held also meetings with institutions and representatives of minority groups.

3 October 2009 Thomas Hammarberg

Amendments in Anti-Terror Act not Sufficient to Protect Children

Amendments in Anti-Terror Act not Sufficient to Protect Children

According to the Justice for Children Group 6 articles of the Anti-Terror Law and 2 articles of further Laws should be amended. Regarding Minister Çiçek's announcement children can still be handed long prison sentences. There will be no abatement for sentences longer than 3 years.

2 October 2009 Tolga Korkut

Journalist Obut's Allegation: I was attacked by the Governor

Journalist Obut's Allegation: I was attacked by the Governor

Batman GAP newspaper editor-in-chief Mansur Obut claims he was attacked in governor Ahmet Turhan's office. The Govenernor Generalship announced Turhan is accused because he had declined the SODES project by the State Planning Agency.

2 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Seeking Justice for Assaulted Local Journalists

Seeking Justice for Assaulted Local Journalists

Journalist Diya Yarayan from Siirt fights for justice at the High Criminal Court; journalist Durmuş Tuna from Söke seeks for justice at the Criminal Court of First Instance. In both cases the defendants's claims were rejected.

1 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Prosecutor as Lawyer for Festus Okey

Prosecutor as Lawyer for Festus Okey

In the court case regarding the murder of refugee Okey joint plaintiffs were not accepted. Rights Organizations are not able to obtain a mandate from the refugee's family in Nigeria. Lawyer Tanay and Dalkıran from hYd stress that Okey's lawyer is actually a prosecutor who has not requested anything from the court so far.

1 October 2009 Tolga Korkut

One More Trial for Taraf Newspaper upon "Aktütün" News

One More Trial for Taraf Newspaper upon "Aktütün" News

The prosecution is demanding prison sentence of 10 years for "Taraf" journalist Mehmet Baransu. He is accused of publishing records about the PKK raid on the Aktütün Police Station. The case begins on 18 November. Baransu: "If the General Staff spreads the news is not a crime - is it a crime if it is me who spreads it?"

1 October 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

IPI Condemns Investigation of Journalist and Actress

IPI Condemns Investigation of Journalist and Actress

The International Press Institute is urging the Turkish government to halt the investigation into journalist Devrim Sevimay and actress Hülya Avşar over an interview in the Milliyet newspaper.

30 September 2009

Police Raid of DTP Mayor Şahin's Home

Police Raid of DTP Mayor Şahin's Home

After an according statement of a detained person the police searched DTP Mayor Edibe Şahin's home in Tunceli for PKK documents. Some people were arrested during another raid of the Municipality guesthouse. Hundreds of DTP members protested.

30 September 2009 Bawer Çakır

Accused Police Officer Absent for 21 Months

Accused Police Officer Absent for 21 Months

The court declined Yalın's request to detain police officer Gişi who shot at him 21 months ago. The case is adjourned to 11 March next year since the police defendant did not show up at the court.

30 September 2009 Emine Özcan