Human Rights

Latest News

• Swedish Peace Council: Öcalan must be released 

  The Swedish Peace Council, umbrella organization of 11 peace associations, called for the release of Öcalan and political prisoners and delisting the PKK as a terrorist organization.
• Over 20 political prisoners relocated from Batman to Elazığ 

  More than 20 political prisoners have been relocated from Batman to Elazığ.
• Nuriye Gülmen in critical condition: Can’t even hold a pen 

  Lawyer Engin Gökoğlu said Gülmen and Özakça’s conditions are worsening by the minute and remarked that Gülmen has reached a point where she can’t even hold a pen.
• No news from Öcalan, concerns grow 

  For almost one year now, there have been no news on the condition of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and three prisoners with him. They have been under absolute isolation. Lawyer Eren Keskin said there are serious concerns.
• UN: Turkey hinders our investigations in the South East 

  UN Human Rights High Commissioner Al Hussein said: “Our attempts at investigating the severe human rights violations in South Eastern Turkey are constantly rejected.”
• 560 babies in prisons with their mothers 

  There are 560 babies who live with their mothers in prisons in Turkey.
• Second-class refugees in Turkey: Êzidîs 

  The Êzidîs held in the AFAD camp in Midyat are simply being punished. Subjected to a “second-class refugee” treatment due to their faith, they cannot benefit from healthcare and other rights granted for other refugees.
• Letter from Gebze Prison: We are under torture! 

  Strict pressure and torture in Gebze Type M Women’s Prison has taken a systemic form. The detainees are tortured in the place called “the under door”, under the guise of searches. Inmate Evrim Konak sent a letter from the prison telling her experiences.
• CPT and IHD discussed the isolation of Öcalan 

  IHD Co-president Öztürk Türkdoğan spoke about their meeting with CPT officials and said "We told them that they should lay great stress on İmralı Prison. We tried to explain that they should be aware of the point the isolation has led Turkey to.
• CPT visited Turkey, didn’t visit Imralı 

  A group from the Council of Europe (CoE) Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) announced that they have visited 30 prisons and police stations. The group discussed the situation in Imralı but they didn’t visit the prison.
• HRW calls on the EU to make rights central to Erdoğan meeting 

  HRW said Juncker and Tusk should insist that EU-Turkey relations depend on Erdoğan’s releasing journalists and elected politicians, ending the state of emergency used to perpetuate a lawless crackdown on perceived opponents.
• Death sentence for Rojavan Kurd in Iran 

  The Iranian regime judiciary has sentenced Rojavan Kemal Hesen Remezan, who had previously received a 7 year sentence, to death with the new case prepared by the Itlaat. The death sentence was approved by the Urmia 3rd Revolution Court Branch.
• Jailed co-mayors held in solitary confinement 

  Bitlis Co-mayor Hüseyin Olan arrested on November 25, 2016 and Hizan Co-mayor İhsan Uğur arrested on December 14, 2016 are kept in solitary confinement for weeks without a reason.
• Ankara prevents the publishing of CPT’s report on İmralı 

  Although the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan for 18 years is defined as “torture” in the 2014 verdict by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), it continues still, stricter now since April 15, 2015.
• Öcalan nominated for Sydney Peace Prize 

  Reverend Bill Crews of Australia has nominated Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan for the Sydney Peace Prize awarded by Sydney Peace Foundation.
• Zeinab Jalalian refuses to take medication for 53 days 

  Kurdish political prisoner Zeinab Jalalian has been refusing to take medication for 53 days in order to protest the inhumane practices in prison.
• Father on hunger strike to get the body of son killed last year 

  70-year-old Kemal Gün is on hunger strike for 73 days, demanding to get the body of his son who was killed in an airstrike of the Turkish army in Dersim in November, 2016.
• HDP calls on CoE officials to act for educators on hunger strike 

  HDP wrote a letter to Council of Europe officials calling for action for two educators, Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, who lost their jobs and have been on hunger strike for 60 days in order to be reinstated.
• Leila Khaled on hunger strike in solidarity with prisoners 

  Leila Khaled, a symbol of Palestinian resistance, has started hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli prisoners since April 17.
• Iranian regime forces kill another person doing border trade 

  Iranian regime forces killed yet another person doing border trade between East and South Kurdistan.
• Prisoner taken away by the police goes missing 

  Prisoner Afşin Musazade who was recently taken away by the police from Diyarbakır D Type Prison has gone missing.
• Graves of YPG and YPJ fighters in Suruç desecrated  

  Graves of 9 YPG and YPJ fighters at the Cemetery of Kobanê Martyrs in Urfa's Suruç district were desecrated.
• IHD reports 7,907 rights violations in Kurdish region in 3 months 

  IHD Amed Branch reported 7,907 rights violations in the Kurdish region in three months during which 90 people, including three children, died in conflict environment.
• Wardens attack visitors in Van Type T Prison 

  Women visiting their relatives in Van Type T Prison were attacked by the wardens.
• Wounded PKK prisoner denied treatment in jail 

  PKK member prisoner Hakkı Turgay is held in a solitary cell and can’t receive treatment in the Elazığ Type T prison he is held in.