RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 273

EHCR fines Turkey for Rights Violations

The European Court of Human Rights has fined Turkey 31,000 in a case brought by several members of the pro-Kurdish DEP, who were found guilty of disseminating separatist propaganda in 1998. The Court unanimously agreed their rights had been violated.

21 October 2005 Erol Önderoğlu

Conscientious Objector on Hunger Strike

Imprisoned conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan has begun another hunger strike to protest the violence and injustice he has suffered. The Mehmet Tarhan Solidarity Initiative stated that the treatment of Tarhan is a crime against humanity.

14 October 2005 Kemal Özmen

CPJ Protests Against Sentencing of Dink

US based journalists rights organization Committtee to Protect Journalists condemns the sentencing of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink for belittling Turkishness inspite of a contrary report by a court appointed specialist.

13 October 2005

Court Rejects Attempt to Shut LGBT Group

The Public Prosecutors office has refused the Ankara Deputy Governors request to close the LGBT rights organization KAOS GL for being contrary to law and morality. Rights groups hailed the decision as a victory for gay and lesbian rights in Turkey.

13 October 2005

Rights Activists Confirm Gross Violations

The Human Rights Foundation and representatives of the European Parliament reported rights violations--especially the mutilation of corpses--are occuring during military operations in Southeastern Turkey due to a lack of oversight.

12 October 2005 Tolga Korkut

Journalist Guilty of Insulting Turkishness

Hrant Dink, the editor of the Istanbul based Armenian language weekly newspaper Agos, has been sentenced to suspended 6 months imprisonment for insulting Turkishness in a series of articles he wrote on Armenian identity.

7 October 2005 Erol Önderoğlu

EU, Rights Groups Oppose Closure of KAOS GL

Human Rights Watch, the European Commission, and the Womens Platform on the Turkish Penal Code have spoken out to criticize the Ankara Deputy Governors attempt to shut down the gay rights group KAOS GL, calling it a clear example of discrimination

28 September 2005

Armenian Conference Held in Defiance of Court

The conference on Ottoman Armenians during the Decline of Empire: Questions of Scholarly Responsibility and Democracy, was held at İstanbul Bilgi University from 24-25 September, despite nationalist protests and a court-ordered postponement.

26 September 2005

Two Freedom of Expression Cases in Court

Singer Ferhat Tunç for an article that he wrote and publisher Ragip Zarakolu for publishing a book about the Armenian issue both appeared in court on Wednesday on charges of insulting and deriding state institutions.

22 September 2005 Erol Önderoğlu

Gay Rights Harmful, Says Ankara Governor

Ankaras Deputy Governor Ekremoglu applies to court to shut down KAOS GL, a GLBT rights group, on the grounds that it is forbidden to found a society contrary to law and morality.

22 September 2005 Tolga Korkut

Violations Increase with Clashes in Southeast

According to IHD, there have been 959 rights violations in the east and southeast in the last 3 months. 123 people have died in clashes, and 165 have been detained. Diyarbakir IHD head Demirtas said the rights violations are increasing.

21 September 2005

The Marginalized Groups Project in İzmir

A Marginalized Groups Project has been created to help the Romany in İzmir. The project aims to integrate the Romany into society and work to preserve their culture, with the assistance of public institutions and civil society organizations.

19 September 2005

Writer Pamuk Awaits Trial In December

Novelist Pamuk will stand trial on December 16, upon Turkish publication of an interview with Swiss journalist on the Armenian deportation in Turkeys Aktuel magazine. The same charges have previously been filed against journalist Dink.

7 September 2005 Erol Önderoğlu

Isolation at Prisons Should be Eliminated

Health conditions at prisons should be improved and isolation should be eliminated, said the Istanbul Chamber of Physicians. The complaints of the families of inmates are worrying,.calling on the government to cooperate with local physicians chambers.

As Violence Spreads in The Cities Again...

IHD chair Demirtas , lawyer Bestas and journalist Gorduk said the incidents that broke out after the funeral of PKKs Okur is the spreading of the increasing number of clashes to cities.

1 July 2005 Kemal Özmen

RSF, Concerned of New Turkish Penal Code

Parliamentary amendments drawn up ahead of 1st June to the Turkish Penal Code on freedom of expression related articles are very inadequate, says international journalists rights organization RSF. They share concerns of Turkish colleagues.

Austrian Journalist Bakutz Released

Ankara court rules release of jailed Austrian journalist Sandra Bakutz. A reporter for Austrian radio Orange 94.0 and German weekly Junge Welt, she was charged with belonging to illegal organization.

Threatened Lawyer Charged with Defamation

Defamation charges have been brought against lawyer Aygun, for saying The Gendarme Commander threatened me in the presence of Tunceli deputies; Gundem representatives were also charged for publishing the remarks.

AI Denounces Police Brutality Against Women

Denouncing police brutality against peaceful demonstrations by women for International Womens Day, Amnesty International calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that perpetrators of human rights violations are brought to justice.

International Observers to Attend FOE Cases

2 March trials of Fikret Baskaya and Ragip Zarakolu symbolise the continuation of freedom of expression problems in Turkey.

Thought is Absolutely Free High Court Says

Supreme Court of Appeal in a historic hearing decides that secular state can not be secured through punishing thought. Freedom of thought is viable only with providing freedom for irritating or even shocking ideas, 14 judges decide against 13.

8 February 2005

Death Under Custody Confirmed

Bones unearthed after confessions of former paramilitary JITEM member Aygan belongs to Murat Aslan, lost during custody 10 years ago. The IHD and the Diyarbakir Bar Association called on the prosecutors to take immediate action.

7 February 2005

Access to Imrali Island Prison Denied for IHD

Ministry of Justice remains silent for Human Rights Associations request to examine the prison conditions of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. A group of IHD officials were denied access to the Imrali island. by the land officers in Gemlik.

3 February 2005

PM to Investigate Death Under Custody

The Human Rights Directorate of the Prime Ministry launches investigation to look into charges that a Gokhan Belguzar was tortured to death during police custody. Police claims that the victim committed suicide by hanging himself in the detention cell.

31 January 2005

Journalist Cevher Ilhan Freed On Appeal

Cevher Ilhan of Yeni Asya newspaper is released from jail. Ilhan is freed after two days in prison due to amendments in Article 312 of the Turkish penal code. He was prosecuted for his article on 1999 earthquake.

18 January 2005

Nomad Guards of Doganli Camp

Now-nonexistent Uzundere people have changed 4 villages in 9 years. They drink water of the nearby villages well and live in windowless houses snowed on for 6 months. They dont have any cultivation or grazing land. 89, 293 village guards and problems.

29 December 2004 Murat Utku

Guler: Can a Father Take his Son to a Clash?

How can a father take his 12-year-old son to a clash? asked Guler, a CHP lawmaker and a member of the Human Rights Commission of TBMM. None of our findings point to a clash. Guler wants the investigations to be carried out in a transparent manner.

10 December 2004 Yıldız Samer

Onen: Human Rights Values are being Corroded

The fight against terrorism has created certain wars, Human Rights Foundations chair Onen. Certain countries have been occupied. Human rights violations have increased. All these point to a new struggle area. We need international solidarity.

10 December 2004 Yıldız Samer

Fury Reigns after Murder of Father and Son

The furious people of the Kiziltepe, Mardin urge for the murder, in a police operation, of the 12-year-old Ugur, and his father Ahmet Kaymaz uncovered. They are seeking to hide the incident from public says local human rights activist Perincek.

3 December 2004 Yıldız Samer

Torture Defendants are Mostly Acquitted

The June, July and September reports of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation show that defendants facing charges of torture are mostly acquitted.

25 November 2004

Erdogan Questioned on Mass Grave

INdependent Deputy Sirin handed a question motion to Prime Minister Erdogan about a mass grave found in Diyarbakir and claimed to be of villagers who got lost 11 years ago. He demanded that the ministries, and army make their finding on the issue public.

25 November 2004

AI: Judicial Remedies Against Tortures

Cases against nine police officers from the Istanbul Anti-Terror Branch who were charged with torturing Yeter and 14 others in another incident in 1997 were dropped on 11 November, because they had reached the time limit for such proceedings.

18 November 2004