HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• International call for the release of prisoners in Turkey 

  The undersigned organisations called on the Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalists, human rights defenders and others who have been charged or convicted simply for exercising their rights.
• Women prisoners in Bayburt denounce heavy harassment  

  Arbitrary practices, threats and pressures against female political prisoners have increased in Bayburt M Type Women's Closed Prison.
• Social media campaign demands lifting of embargo against Maxmur 

  A campaign has ben launched on social media to demand the lifting of the embargo against Maxmur camp.
• MED TUHAD-FED launches signature campaign for prisoners 

  MED TUHAD-FED is launching a petition with the support of political parties, civil society and labor organizations to demand the same right to a sentence reduction for all prisoners.
• MED TUHAD-FED releases report on prisons 

  The report underlined that urgent measures should be taken in prisons to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
• No justice for Roboski means no justice for Turkey 

  The Justice for Roboski Initiative said: "No justice for Roboski means no justice for Turkey."
• IHD demands release of prisoners before is too late 

  The Freedom for Sick Prisoners Initiative held press conferences in Ankara and Istanbul and stated that no measures have been taken in the prisons against the coronavirus.
• HDP calls on government to take care of refugees and migrants 

  "Urgent measures on refugees should be taken in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak," said the HDP Commission for Migrants and Refugees.
• Ministry of Justice extends cancelation of visits to prisoners 

  The Turkish Ministry of Justice has extended cancelation of visits to prisoners, including by lawyers.
• Birdal says prison gates should be opened immediately 

  IHD Honorary President, Akın Birdal, emphasized that the exclusion of political prisoners from the third judicial package allowing the release of common criminals would damage the trust in justice.
• HDP's Sarısaç: Punishments in prison are presented as 'precautions' 

  HDP Van MP, Murat Sarısaç, said that the AKP did not take any measures against the coronavirus in prisons and that it shows the punishments imposed on prisoners as "preventive measures".
• Seriously ill prisoner Kaya in intensive care  

  Sabri Kaya, a seriously ill prisoner, has been in intensive care for 3 days due to a stroke and brain hemorrhage. His daughter Dilan Kaya said: "If the sick prisoners are left alone, they will die."
• Letter asks UN to push Iran to release political prisoners 

  In an open letter, 81 former Iranian political prisoners asked the UN special envoy to act for the liberation of all prisoners due to the danger posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Turkey bans lawyer visits to prisoners 

  The Turkish Ministry of Justice has banned lawyer visits to prisoners for two weeks because of the corona crisis. The prisons are extremely overcrowded and demands for the release of all prisoners are growing louder and louder.
• Alevi organisations demand the release of all prisoners 

  Alevi organizations demand that all prisoners be released immediately to avoid the coronavirus epidemic to spread in jails.
• Over 50 thousand people demand the release of prisoners 

  A petition demanding the release of prisoners because of the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak, was signed by over 55 thousand people.
• Ill prisoner Sabri Kaya suffers a stroke 

  Sabri Kaya, one of the prisoners on the list of seriously ill prisoners, is held in Osmaniye No. 2 T-Type Prison. He suffered a stroke and was taken in intensive care.
• Güven warns of tragedy ready to happen in prisons 

  DTK co-chair Leyla Guven warned that "a strategic mistake can cause the death of hundreds of thousands of prisoners". She was referring to the new law to be brought to parliament which should allow the release of prisoners.
• Families launch petition demanding release of prisoners 

  The prisoners' families made an application to the Ministry, the Parliament and CIMER demanding the release of prisoners as the coronavirus outbreak poses a great risk for those in prison. 
• Colombian Ombudsman launches investigation into riots in jails 

  The demonstration ended with security forces shooting at prisoners, killing 23 and wounding at least 83.
• Frozen bodies of 12 refugees found in Van countryside 

  Bodies of 12 refugees have been found in the border area in Van countryside. Bodies of dozens of refugees are said to be buried under snow in the border region.
• Report confirms prisoners not given masks, gloves, disinfectant 

  MED-TUHAD FED and ÖHD have compiled reports on 12 prisons and denounced that prisoners are not given masks and disinfectants.
• HDP deputy Eksik: Prisoners must be released immediately 

  HDP deputy Habib Eksik said that all prisoners should be released, starting from political prisoners, to avoid the spreading of coronavirus in jails.
• 'Release all prisoners', 20 associations say 

  "The lives of prisoners who are sadly deprived of hygiene conditions in normal times and who have difficulty in accessing their right to health are in great danger because of the Covid -19 outbreak."
• Lawyers say prisoners in Van not living in hygienic conditions 

  ÖHD visited the prisons in Van and stated that the cleaning and basic needs of prisoners are not met.