HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Öcalan given new 3-month family visit ban 

  Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan was given a new 3-month family visit ban following a "disciplinary punishment".
• Political prisoner leaves jail after 30 years  

  Kemal Zengin was released from Şakran Prison after spending 30 years in jail.
• Release of prisoner Çelebi postponed 

  DEM Party MP Newroz Uysal Aslan said that the release of Nurettin Çelebi, who has been in jail for 30 years, was prevented by the "special committee".
• Asrın Law Office: Inhuman torture is applied in İmralı as an aggravated form of isolation 

  Asrın Law Office reacted to the Ministry of Justice's lie that "there is no isolation in İmralı" and said: “The fact that no news has been received from İmralı for more than 3 years is a form of inhuman torture as an aggravated form of isolation.”
• Report on human rights violations in Rojhilat in April 

  Human rights violations against Kurdish civilians and activists in the Kurdish region of Iran continued in April 2024.
• Isolation Bulletin: 24 years of isolation, 3 years of 'absolute incommunicado’ in İmralı 

  In ÖHD's 'Isolation Bulletin', it was pointed out that no news has been received from İmralı for 3 years in a state of absolute incommunicado.
• After spending 31 years in jail, prisoner sees his release date postponed again 

  An arbitrary change in the release date of Zeki Kayar caused protests. Kayar’s lawyers objected to the news release date that passed from 2025 to 2031.
• Emine Şenyaşar continues her protest in front of the Ministry of Justice  

  Emine Şenyaşar continued her protest in front of the Ministry of Justice on its 91st day. She once again demanded that the video recordings of the murders be published.
• Asrın Law Office asks Ministry of Justice when the last visit to Imrali took place 

  Asrın Law Office responded to the Turkish Ministry of Justice, which said that Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan was benefiting from his rights, to "explain when the last visit was made."
• Asrın Law Office: End the torture; open the doors of İmralı! 

  Asrin Law Office announced that the release of Veysi Aktaş, one of the prisoners held in İmralı, was postponed for 1 year, demanding, "End the torture in İmralı; the doors of İmralı must be opened towards freedom.”
• Kurdish political prisoner on hunger strike in Urmia Prison tortured 

  Rashozadeh, who has been imprisoned since October 2019, was subject to torture in Urmia Central Prison in Iran.
• Lawyer Juan Prosper: The CPT must explain what is happening in İmralı 

  Stating that the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan is in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, Lawyer Juan Prosper said: "We do not know what conditions Öcalan is in. It is of great importance for the CPT to announce the Imrali report."
• Kurdish political prisoner released after 30 years in jail 

  Kurdish political prisoner Cebrail Vural spent 30 years in jail during which he was subjected to heavy torture.
• Jîna Amini's mother protests death penalty given to Kurdish rapper Tumac Salihi 

  Jîna Amini's mother, Müjgan Efekhari, protested the death penalty given to Kurdish artist Tumac Salihi.
• Imprisoned Kurdish activist’s health worsens amid denial of medical care 

  The health of 64-year-old Kurdish activist Osman Esmaeili imprisoned in Iran is deteriorating and he is denied access to specialised medical care and leave.
• Political parties, legal organisations and NGOs call for an immediate end to the Imrali isolation 

  Protesting against torture in prisons, political parties and legal organisations said, "Lift the isolation in İmralı, ensure a democratic solution to the Kurdish question.”
• CPT again ignores the isolation in İmralı 

  While the CPT did not include İmralı in its annual report, Executive Secretary Hugh Chetwynd said, "It is for the Turkish authorities to decide when the report will be published".
• Iranian court sentences rapper Tumac Salihi to death 

  Lawyer Emir Reyisiyan confirmed that the Iranian judiciary sentenced rap artist Tumac Salihi from Lorestan to death.
• Emine Şenyaşar sued for allegedly insulting president Erdoğan 

  Kurdish mother Emine Şenyaşar has been sued for allegedly insulting president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
• 81-year-old Makbule Özer sent to prison again 

  Makbule Özer, an 81-year-old Kurd who suffers from numerous illnesses, was re-arrested following a medical report claiming she can remain in prison.
• Prisoners in Urfa face punishment for their participation in the freedom for Öcalan protest 

  Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against more than a dozen male prisoners in Urfa. The action against the political prisoners is justified by their participation in a campaign for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.
• Detention of three Kurdish men in Iran extended amid fears of death penalty 

  The three Kurdish men have been in detention for over a year for their alleged “involvement in the murder of a security officer” during the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ uprising.
• Rozerin Kalkan's release postponed for 11 months for letters exposing violations in prison 

  Prisoner Rozerin Kalkan's letters confiscated by the prison administration were used as a reason for postponing her release for 11 months.
• Demo in front of the Serbian Consulate in Zurich demands “Freedom for Ecevit Piroğlu” 

  HBDH activists called for freedom for Ecevit Piroğlu in front of the Serbian Consulate in Zurich. The internationalist activist from Turkey has been on hunger strike for over two months against his unlawful imprisonment in Serbia.
• Halise Aksoy released from prison 

  Halise Aksoy, who was detained based on the statements of an informer, was released.