RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 273

Police Attacks Unionists

A number of union members and executives were injured in a police attack when they attempted to hold a press conference in protest of layoffs. Witnesses say injuries result of gas bombs. Turkeys Transport Workers Union has condemned attack.

Ending Free Counsel Victimizes Children

A leading association on children rights has warned that the governments failure to pay for free counseling services prompting an end to the practice next month, will victimize minors threatened by torture and mistreatment and affect all defendants.

Kart and Kabaali Get Press Freedom Awards

Prosecuted Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart and Mithat Kabaali, the judge who acquitted him on charges of insult, have received the TGC 2006 Press Freedom Awards. Kabaali says I did whatever was required for the supremacy of justice.

25 July 2006 Emine Özcan

Hello, I Request 301 to be Abolished

Initiative for Freedom Expression leads meeting in Gezi Park using mobile phones to call and SMS MPs asking for article 301 of and Anti-Terror Law to be abolished. Most deputies reject incoming calls while some promise to look into the matter.

25 July 2006 Emine Özcan

TBB Ending Free Counseling on August 1

Union of Bar Associations is halting all free counseling services for defendants charged under the Criminal Procedures Code on August 1, following Ministry failure to cover costs. Thousands of defendants who cant afford lawyers are at loss.

Newspaper Editor Threatened With 3,5 Years

Local Prosecutor demands 3.5 years for daily Birgun newspaper Sunday supplement editor Gokhan Gencay for discouraging the public from military service. Charge relates to an interviwev published in the paper with a conscientious objector.

21 July 2006 Erol Önderoğlu

Civil Disobedience Spreads for Hrant Dink

Initiative For Freedom of Expression expand civil disobedience action through public declaration denouncing themselves as co-offenders of journalist Dink after appeals court upholds a suspended 6 month sentence criminalizing his article in Agos weekly

17 July 2006 Erol Önderoğlu

Judge and Defendant Share Press Freedom Award

Turkeys Journalists Association (TGC) 2006 Press Freedom Awards goes to cartoonist Musa Kart for his prosecuted caricature depicting PM Erdogan as an entangled cat as well as Eskisehir Chief Justice Mithat Ali Kabaali who acquitted him.

Dink Verdict on Way to European Court

Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dinks lawyer Fethiye Cetin says they will take his suspended 6 months prison sentence to the European Court of Human Rights. Cetin expresses sorrow for justice system, noting that the opportunity to s

Attack on Journalist and Wife Condemned

TGC, TSYD, Gaziantep Journalists Association, Gaziantep chambers of Commerce and Industry condemn attack on Gaziantep 27 newspaper owner Okkes Ozeksi and wife, demand culprits to be apprehended and charged. Ozeksi in intensive care has brain surgery.

13 July 2006 Murat Güreş

CHD: Guards Beat 50 Women Prisoners

Contemporary Jurists Association reveals that 50 women prisoners who were being transferred from one prison to another were severely beaten and abused by guards onthe wa. One prisoner attempts suicide after transfer.

Cemil Goren: New Conscientious Objector

Turkish youth of Kurdish origin declares himself a Conscientious Objector through human rights association, bringing up the number of Turkeys anti-war activists rejecting compulsory military service to 60.

TMY Violates Constitution

Prof. Dr. Kaboglu: Bill amending Anti-Terror Law has severe contradictions to Constitution. Essence of rights being changed, freedom of expression limited. Conventions on human rights are being violated. hope Sezer will send the law back to Parliament.

3 July 2006 Tolga Korkut

Onen Speaks Out: Why Torture is Systematic

The primary reason is that those who commit torture are protected and they go unpunished. Of those applying to the foundation, 113 were tortured in the first 5 months of 2006. Turkey should approve the additional protocol.

28 June 2006 Tolga Korkut

TAYAD Faces New Lynch Attempt in Trabzon

Members of prisoner families solidarity association TAYAD attacked by crowd of 500 while trying to read press statement protesting conditions in F-type prisons. Police save victims from angered mob beating.

Trabzon IHD: Plainclothes Root of Trouble

Trabzo IHD says attack on TAYAD statement started by a plainclothes police officer and attackers connected to 2005 lynch attempt: Those responsible should be tried. Chair Alatas demands investigation by Interior Ministry and resignation of Governor.

27 June 2006 Tolga Korkut

Police Watch, Beath and Attack in Trabzon

Attacked by crowd in Trabzon after reading TAYAD statement, activist Uzun says Police didnt intervene during the attack. They beat us in the toilet, used pepper gas on us. Then they filed a complaint against us.

27 June 2006 Tolga Korkut

ECHR Sentences Turkey for Book Verdict

Turkey to pay 2,000 Euro in damages for sentencing Urun Publications executive to 13 months 10 days imprisonment in trial of Turkish Communist Party 5th Congress Documents book. Human Rights court says freedom of expression violated.

24 June 2006 Erol Önderoğlu

IHD Chair Faces 4.5 Years Jail for Speech

Trial of IHD Diyarbakir Branch Chair Demirtas for speech on Roj TV begins with prosecutor demanding 4.5 years imprisonment on charge of propagating for organization. IHD Diyarbakir: The case is an obstacle to freedom of expression, repression of IHD.

Criminal Complaint Against Agar, Menzir, Koza

Gazi Justice Commission lawyers file criminal complaint against govorner, police chief and minister after convicted police says they issued the orders in 1995 violence that led to 22 dead and 400 wounded. They want authorities to take his statement.

Solidarity with Eren Keskin to Continue

The Solidarity with Keskin Network ended its campaign with a press conference at IHD Istanbul Branch. Total of 8,876 signatures collected together with enough donations to pay her Keskins fine if her sentence is approved.

NGOs Concerned for Draft Anti-Terror Bill

Journalists and writers NGOs to release a joint press statement at 11.00 Tuesday voicing their collective concerns over the new Anti-Terror Bill before the Parliament Justice Commission starts to debate it again this week.

19 June 2006 Erol Önderoğlu

180 Death Strikers Pardoned by President

Justice Minister reveals that President Sezer has so far pardoned 180 leftwing convicts who were on hunger strike to death and diagnosed as WKS victims due to malnourishment. TAYAD launches European hunger strikes after death of 120 prisoners.

Author Elif Safak Under Investigation

Best-seller Turkish author Elif Safak asked to testify for new book Father and Bastard. Safak and Metis Publishing House may be tried for insulting Turkishness after prosecution concludes investigation.

8 June 2006 Erol Önderoğlu

Rights Activists Rise to Defend Keskin

Human rights activists stand up for IHD Istanbul branch former chair Eren Keskin after group of women organizations make her public target in newspaper ads. IHD chairman Alatas says Keskin is marked. IHDG: This is an unacceptable lynch campaign.

8 June 2006 Tolga Korkut

IHD Calls For End to F-Type Prisons

Human Rights Association says 7 people are still on death strike in Turkey protesting prison conditions while 128 have already died on hunger strikes as conditions left hundreds crippled. Calls for all prisons to be open to monitoring by civilians.

Human Rights Reforms Slowed AI Says

Torture and ill-treatment continued to be reported, with those detained for ordinary crimes particularly at risk. Law enforcement officers continued to use excessive force in the policing of demonstrations; four demonstrators were shot dead in November.

Forced Disappearance Conference Starts

International Conference on Enforced Disappearance Under custody is being held between May 16-20. 46 delegates from 17 countries attending conference. ICADs Selcuk says: We want the opening of mass graves, an end to disappearances and prosecutions.

16 May 2006 Emine Özcan

Erzincan Bomb Kills 4 Children

The number of children killed by an explosion while playing with a parcel reportedly containing a timed bomb reached 4 on Sunday with 6 year-old Umut Turkmen losing his life in intensive care.

Turkeys New ECHR Bill: 33,000 in a Week

DEP MPs Alinak, Sakik and Turk win claims. ECHR rules in favor of claimants in 3 cases - sentences Turkey to pay 33,052 in compensation for complaints under freedom of expression. It also criticizes journalist Ergins trial by a Turkish military tribunal.

5 May 2006 Erol Önderoğlu

Rector Parlak Clubs Down Criticism

Students beaten by police for protesting privatization of Istanbul University refectory charge Rector Parlak for encouraging truncheon and gas attack. Unions, academics filing criminal complaints:The answer to democratic requests is truncheons.

5 May 2006 Ayşe Gökçe Susam

Military Court Defies Medical Science

Military Court of Appeals reference to homosexuality as an advanced psychological disorder in total objector Tarhan case draws scientific reaction. The physicians and psychiatries say definition is wrong, homosexuality is neither disease nor disorder.

4 May 2006 Tolga Korkut