RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 241

Disappeared Man's Body Found 14 Years Later

Hasan Ergul's relatives identify his corpse. He was allegedly killed by illegal JİTEM.

Acquittal for Conscientious Objector’s Statement

An Ankara court has acquitted Mustafa Karayay, who faced three years imprisonment for criticising military service.

13 April 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Şemdinli Victim Faces Prison for Praising Öcalan

Yılmaz, whose bookstore was attacked by army officers is to be arrested on grounds that he referred to pro-Kurdish rebel group PKK's leader as "Kurdish people's hero."

Workers Insist on Taksim Square

Workers Insist on Taksim Square

Following the government announcement that 1 May will be a public holiday, workers are still insisting that they want to express their concerns in Taksim Square on Labour Day.

10 April 2009 Bawer Çakır

Rights Activist Selek Still On Trial Regarding Spice Market Blast

11 years after the case, the Supreme Court of Appeals overthrows acquittal of Selek and demands her trial with life imprisonment. 200 intellectuals voice support for Selek's innocence.

9 April 2009 Emine Özcan

Kurdish Politician Faces Prison for “Insult”

Previously sentenced to tree-planting for insulting the PM, politician Alınak now faces a new trial.

9 April 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Workers Demand Taksim Square on 1 May

Workers Demand Taksim Square on 1 May

The DİSK and KESK trade union confederations have announced that they will gather in Taksim Square on Labour Day, despite bans and clashes with the police in previous years. Prime Minister Erdoğan has ordered that 1 May be a public holiday.

9 April 2009 Bawer Çakır

One-Month Ban for Atılım Newspaper

The Atılım newspaper has been handed a one-month publishing ban because it allegedly spread propaganda for the Marxist Leninist Communist Party.

“Prime Minister Should Apply Message of Tolerance at Home”

Erinç, president of the Journalists’ Society of Turkey (TGC) says that 62 journalists have been killed up to today. He has called on the Prime Minister to respect the press rather than call for boycotts.

7 April 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Internet Enters 16th Year In Turkey With Problems

Between 6-21 April, numerous events will be held in different cities across Turkey to discuss and celebrate different applications of the Internet. Professeur Akgül criticizes lack of coordination on governmental level to improve Internet access.

Two Dead as Police Prevents Öcalan Birthday Celebrations

Two Dead as Police Prevents Öcalan Birthday Celebrations

The police intervened when around 5,000 people tried to visit the village of imprisoned PKK leader Öcalan’s birth on his birthday. Two people died. More than 10,000 people took part in the funeral of one of them.

6 April 2009 Bawer Çakır

RSF Questions Relations Between Ergenekon and Hrant Dink Murder

Reporters without Borders is supporting the call of Hrant Dink's family and lawyers for a serious investigation into relations between the murder of the journalist and the ultranationalist Ergenekon organisation.

State Radio Now Also in Kurdish and Armenian

Radio 6 will broadcast in Kurdish 24 hours a day, while Armenian has been added to the variety of languages on “Turkey’s Voice” Radio.

3 April 2009 Bawer Çakır

Objection to Reporter Gök’s Arrest Rejected

The lawyer of DİHA reporter Abdurrahman Gök says that an objection to his arrest has been rejected. He says that he will file a complaint for torture and maltreatment after seeing the medical file.

3 April 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

“Pink Istanbul” against Homophobia and Transphobia

“Pink Istanbul” against Homophobia and Transphobia

The Pink Amsterdam event which was organised previously to draw attention to homophobia and transphobia in Amsterdam and Istanbul is now also coming to Istanbul. There will be a conference and a night of music with DJs and musicians at Ghetto.

3 April 2009 Bawer Çakır

Islamists Attack Students in Istanbul: 5 Injured

Students handing out flyers near the Istanbul University Beyazit campus were attacked with sticks and bottles when they criticised the AKP. 5 students were injured.

2 April 2009 Bawer Çakır

Acquittal for Journalists Reporting Secret Service Bugging

Acquittal for Journalists Reporting Secret Service Bugging

Journalists Gökçer Tahincioğlu and Kemal Göktaş faced a prison sentence for reporting that police, secret service and the gendarmerie had been given permission to listen in to all phone conversations. They have been acquitted.

1 April 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

DTP Has Proven That It Represents Kurds

Assoc. Prof. Yeğen argues that neither Kurds nor Turks are happy with the AKP’s “embarrassed recognition” of the Kurdish question.

31 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

Six Armenians in Istanbul’s Municipal Councils

Five Turkish-Armenian men and one woman have been voted into municipal councils in four district municipal councils in Istanbul.

Türk: AKP Did Not Solve Kurdish Question, Kurds Took Votes Elsewhere

Türk: AKP Did Not Solve Kurdish Question, Kurds Took Votes Elsewhere

Evaluating the election results, Türk from the DTP said that the “charity approach” of the AKP has not worked. The DTP has won in Diyarbakır, a city that Erdoğan wanted to win in, as well as in seven provincial and 51 district municipalities.

31 March 2009 Bawer Çakır

400 Thousand Disabled Denied the Right to Vote

Local elections were held yesterday and I arrived at the polling station only to find that I have to climb the stairs to do so. Despite the law, electoral commissions fail to provide due arrangements for disabled persons.

30 March 2009 Bülent Küçükaslan

Ergenekon Indictment Mentions Political Murders and Disappearances

Ergenekon Indictment Mentions Political Murders and Disappearances

The second Ergenekon indictment speaks about the murders of Kurdish intellectual Musa Anter and DEP MP Mehmet Sicar. It also mentions the disappearance of two HADEP politicians in 2001.

27 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

Ergenekon Reveals “Connections with PKK and Marxist-Leninists”

Ergenekon Reveals “Connections with PKK and Marxist-Leninists”

The second indictment in the Ergenekon case, accepted by court, claims that the organisation planned to take over the PKK and HADEP, and that it had relations with the MLKP.

27 March 2009 Erhan Üstündağ

DİHA Reporter Under Arrest

Dicle News Agency condemned the police action against their reporter, Abdurrahman Gök. He's accused of "making terrorist propaganda". Currently, four reporters of the agency are in prison.

Kurdish Journalist Omar Arrested in Iraq

Reporters without Borders has reported that Kurdish Journalist Surwan Omar was arrested on 17 March because he wrote an article about the abuse of authority.

50 More Applications For Disappeared in Cizre

Şırnak Bar Association chair Elçi says relatives of disappeared persons applied for support. Excavations for remains of alleged victims of extra-judicial killings in 1990s will continue in coming days. A former gendarme commander is under arrest.

25 March 2009 Tolga Korkut

Court Accedes 56 More Suspects to Ergenekon Case

Court Accedes 56 More Suspects to Ergenekon Case

Retired generals Tolon and Eruygur are accused of conspiring against the government in the 1909 page-long indictment. Journalist Dink's murder as well as a former general's diaries explaining coup plans and journalist Balbay's diaries are featured in the indictment.

Journalist Mağden Sentenced for Calling Singers “Fascist”

Former Radikal journalist Perihan Mağden has been convicted of insulting Arif Şirin and singer İsmail Türüt in the media. She has said that she will appeal to the ECHR.

25 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Renewed Discussions about Military Service

Renewed Discussions about Military Service

YARSAV President Eminağaoğlu has argued that the constitution speaks of “service to the country” and not military service, thus renewing discussions about conscientious objection. At the same time, the number of people demanding to pay instead of doing military service is steadily rising.

25 March 2009 Emine Özcan

Two Journalists Face Prison for Alleged "Terrorist Propaganda"

Günlük daily columnist Sarısözen and managing director Çiçekçi faces up to 7.5 years in prison for an article which discusses how and who makes "terrorist propaganda."

24 March 2009 Erol Önderoğlu

Author Tekin Harassed During Panel Discussion

Latife Tekin questioned the improper acquisition of land at Mydos archeological site in Muğla, at a panel discussion and several men physically attacked her.

Medical Association Prints Kurdish Guide for Doctors

The Diyarbakır Chamber of Physicians has created a basic Kurdish guide for Turkish doctors sent on duty in the southeast of the country. The aim is to improve doctor-patient communication.

24 March 2009 Tolga Korkut