RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 238

"Where Are the Disappeared of the Military Coup?"

"Where Are the Disappeared of the Military Coup?"

The 219th protest against disappearances has called for the trial of coup leader retired General Kenan Evren. Protests also took place in Diyarbakır.

7 June 2009 Bawer Çakır

Alevi Organisations Agree on Five Demands

Alevi Organisations Agree on Five Demands

Following an Alevi workshop organised by the government, organisations have for the first time agreed to lobby on five issues.

7 June 2009 Tolga Korkut

Journalist Şener Faces 28 Years Imprisonment for Book

Journalist Şener Faces 28 Years Imprisonment for Book

Milliyet journalist Şener, who has written a book concerned about the murder of journalist Hrant Dink, faces up to 28 years imprisonment. Police officers have filed complaints against him.

7 June 2009 Emine Özcan

Turkish Consulate Official Intervenes at IFEX Panel in Oslo

Turkish Consulate Official Intervenes at IFEX Panel in Oslo

At a panel discussing the denial of an Armenian "genocide", a Turkish consulate official reiterated the argument that Armenians were deported for treason.

5 June 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Concert for Detained Children

Concert for Detained Children

The folk group Kardeş Türküler has sung in support for the many children in prison for alleged membership in a terrorist organisation.

5 June 2009 Bawer Çakır

KESK Trade Union Protest Obstructed by Police

KESK Trade Union Protest Obstructed by Police

Around 100 trade unionists staged a sit-down protest in Galatasaray, Istanbul.

Şırnak Province Calls on PKK and Government to Create Peace

Şırnak Province Calls on PKK and Government to Create Peace

The Bar Association and the Medical Association of Şırnak want an unlimited ceasefire and government steps towards peace.

4 June 2009 Tolga Korkut

Women Called for Peace in Diyarbakır

Women Called for Peace in Diyarbakır

On Sunday, thousands of women called for peace in Diyarbakır. Participants Yurdalan and Baykal told bianet their impressions.

4 June 2009 Bawer Çakır

1 Year 3 Months Imprisonment for "PKK Propaganda"

Nil Demirkazık has been sentenced for spreading PKK propaganda.

Conference for Dialogue on Kurdish Issue in Istanbul

Conference for Dialogue on Kurdish Issue in Istanbul

On 6 June, the Peace Parliament is organising a conference to be attended by lawyers, journalists, academics and politicians. The conference will focus on dialogue in the Kurdish question.

2 June 2009 Tolga Korkut

"Turkey Must Apologise to Relatives of Disappeared"

"Turkey Must Apologise to Relatives of Disappeared"

A Justice Tribunal called for the trial of politicians and army members at a War Crimes Court, as well as an apology from the state.

1 June 2009 Bawer Çakır

Freedom of Expression Activists Meet in Oslo

Freedom of Expression Activists Meet in Oslo

The general meeting of the freedom of expression organisation IFEX is taking place in Oslo this year. 81 member organisations are meeting, and there are six representatives from Turkey.

PKK Warns: Intensified Fighting if No Change in Government Attitude

PKK Warns: Intensified Fighting if No Change in Government Attitude

As the unilateral ceasefire of the PKK has come to an end, no concrete plans for a peace process have emerged yet.

Military Service No Longer Condition for Citizenship

Military Service No Longer Condition for Citizenship

The new citizenship law passed in parliament has brought important changes.

29 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

Three Years Imprisonment for Threatening Agos Newspaper

Three Years Imprisonment for Threatening Agos Newspaper

Since 2007, Karay is the third person to be sentenced for threatening Agos newspaper.

28 May 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

72 NGOs in Diyarbakır Call for Peace

72 NGOs in Diyarbakır Call for Peace

Women's organisations, professional associations, trade unions and human rights activists in Diyarbakır have come together to appeal for peace.

28 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

Amnesty International Report: No Improvements in Turkey

Amnesty International Report: No Improvements in Turkey

In its annual report, Amnesty International cites many cases of human rights violations. The rights of human rights activists, refugees, homosexuals and transgender people, children and others were not respected.

President Gül Warns of Delays in Solving Kurdish Question

President Gül Warns of Delays in Solving Kurdish Question

The President called the Kurdish question "Turkey's most pressing problem" and warned of any further delays.

28 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

Fourteen Years of Unanswered Questions

Fourteen Years of Unanswered Questions

Today is the fourteenth anniversary of the first protest against unsolved disappearances in Turkey.

Advice for PM: How to End "Fascism"

Advice for PM: How to End "Fascism"

If the Prime Minister is sincere in his criticism of past treatment of "others", here are some suggestions, both from an academic and from bianet.

27 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

Court Will Wait Four Months for Statements from DTP

Court Will Wait Four Months for Statements from DTP

A High Criminal Court in Ankara has decided to wait until September to hear the statements of Kurdish MPs regarding their trials over speeches they have made.

27 May 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

"Children Being Punished Like Armed Militants"

"Children Being Punished Like Armed Militants"

At the sixth Gathering in Istanbul, Human Rights Watch rapporteur Sinclair Webb expressed worry about the treatment of children in court.

26 May 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Assyrian Monastery Saves Its Land At Court

Deyrulumur monastery overturns a land survey decision which expanded neighboring villages' land in favor of its own.

11 Witnesses of Oppression Spoke at Istanbul Gathering

11 Witnesses of Oppression Spoke at Istanbul Gathering

At the sixth Istanbul Gathering, rights activists from Turkey and other countries discussed freedom of expression.

26 May 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

DTP MP Calls for Stop to Military Operations

DTP MP Calls for Stop to Military Operations

DTP MP Sakık said that the current climate of dialogue and the possibility of an extension of a PKK ceasefire meant that the Turkish army should also stop operations.

26 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

State Wants Kurdish-Speaking Employees, But Tries Kurdish Mayor

State Wants Kurdish-Speaking Employees, But Tries Kurdish Mayor

Demirbaş, mayor of a municipality in Diyarbakır, is hopeful about changes in state attitude on public services in Kurdish.

25 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

State Wants Kurdish-Speaking Employees, But Tries Kurdish Mayor

State Wants Kurdish-Speaking Employees, But Tries Kurdish Mayor

Demirbaş, mayor of a municipality in Diyarbakır, is hopeful about changes in state attitude on public services in Kurdish.

25 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

Release of One Suspect in Malatya Trial

Release of One Suspect in Malatya Trial

The Malatya murder trial continued on Friday. One defendant was released.

25 May 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Demonstration in Istanbul: "Silence Guns, Not DTP"

Demonstration in Istanbul: "Silence Guns, Not DTP"

Around 10,000 protesters in Çağlayan, Istanbul, gathered to call for an urgent, peaceful solution to the Kurdish question rather than operations against the DTP.

25 May 2009 Bawer Çakır

Minister of Interior: No Repeat of Zana Case

Minister of Interior: No Repeat of Zana Case

Referring to the arrest of MPs in 1994, Minister of the Interior Atalay has said that such an event would not happen again.

22 May 2009 Tolga Korkut

Academics Warn of Hate Speech in Media

Academics Warn of Hate Speech in Media

A conference organised by the Social Change Association discussed the prevalence of hate discourses in the national media.

22 May 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Police Officer Gets 2 Years for Killing Youth

Police Officer Gets 2 Years for Killing Youth

Baran Tursun (20) was killed with a police bullet in 2007. The police officer involved has been sentenced to 2 years and 1 month imprisonment. 10 other police officers have been acquitted.

21 May 2009 Emine Özcan