HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Protest musicians on death fast since June in critical condition 

  Musicians should not be in prison because of singing songs, says the HDP.
• Refugees frozen to death in Van cannot be reached 

  Local officials said that in the district of Çaldıran, 13 refugees were reported to have died and that teams would be sent again as the weather conditions improved.
• HDP: Refugee tragedy is a disgrace for humanity 

  The HDP described the freezing to death of 13 refugees in Van as a "disgrace to humanity". The governments of Turkey and Iran are primarily responsible for the deaths in the border region, the party said.
• IHD highlights situation of ill prisoners 

  A weekly action was held in Istanbul and Ankara to draw attention to the conditions of ill prisoners. In particular, the action underlined the situation of seriously ill prisoners Siti Gören and Medeni Tarlan.
• Saturday Mothers: Where is the body of Maksut Tepeli? 

  27-year-old teacher Maksut Tepeli was tortured to death in Istanbul 36 years ago. His body is still missing today. The Istanbul Saturday Mothers demand that the perpetrators be punished.
• Lawyer Demir says no legal ground for most trials of co-mayors 

  The heads of the state do not want the public to object to their own policies, lawyer Demir said.
• HRW: Kurdish mayors’ removal violates voters’ rights 

  HRW called for an end to politically motivated arrests and trials.
• Sick prisoners are left to die 

  The situation of sick prisoners in Turkish prisons continues to deteriorate. Political prisoner Adnan Yalçın has not been treated for five years despite being seriously ill.
• Isolation on Öcalan should be removed, says Kudret Temel 

  "The isolation imposed on Öcalan should be removed immediately, and the violations of rights in prisons must end," said TUHAY-DER Van branch co-chair Kudret Temel.
• "Isolation of Abdullah Öcalan is a system issue" 

  The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) denounces that 71 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Turkey had also agreed, the most fundamental human rights are still violated by Turkey on a daily basis.
• "Öcalan is the main actor of any the solution" 

  The 78'ers Association said that isolation of Öcalan should end immediately and added that "Öcalan is the main actor of any the solution."
• IHD: 1,657 violations of rights recorded in Van in 2019 

  The Human Rights Association (IHD) Van Branch said that it recorded 1,657 violations of rights in the city in 2019.
• Violations of human rights in prisons increasing 

  Violations of human rights in prisons are increasing.
• UPR session on human rights in Turkey continues 

  The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Turkey at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council started today (January 28) in Geneva.
• Turkey's human rights record reviewed at UN 

  Turkey's human rights record is reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group.
• Political prisoner denied treatment passes away 

  Hüseyin Polat had been in prison in Turkey for 24 years. He suffered from gastric bleeding, but he was not treated in hospital. Two days ago, he died in Tekirdağ F-type prison.
• IHD's Melet: Isolation is a crime against humanity 

  IHD Van Branch President Murat Melet said that the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan is a crime against humanity.
• Saturday Mothers remember Ayşenur Şimşek 

  Saturday Mothers in Istanbul have called for the punishment of the murderers of Ayşenur Şimşek. On 24 January 1995, the pharmacist was kidnapped, tortured and finally murdered by the counter-guerrilla. The perpetrators were not brought to justice.
• Prisoners in Elazığ are kept in isolation 

  The report investigated the violation applications made by prisoners and their relatives.
• Rally for the Day of the Endangered Lawyer in Istanbul 

  On the occasion of the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, Istanbul lawyers' associations have drawn attention to the situation of their colleagues in Pakistan and called for protective measure.
• Prisoners in Tekirdağ say they are not given books 

  Books sent to Tekirdağ F-Type Prison No. 2 are not delivered to prisoners. In addition the prison administration forced prisoners to "buy books with their own money from bookstores".
• Lawyers apply to Constitutional Court over "Imrali regime" 

  Attention was drawn by the lawyers to the disciplinary penalties imposed systematically on Imralı.
• What is happening in Tarsus Prison? 

  Human Rights Association (IHD) Mersin Branch prepared a report on rights violations against prisoners in Tarsus Campus Prison.
• People tortured at home before being taken into custody 

  Resul Eken, who was detained during one of the political genocide operations in Amed, was tortured and had his nose broken.
• ÖHD: Prisoners' right to health should be considered a priority 

  Lawyer Gulan Çağın Kaleli said that the annotation in Law No. 6411 should be abolished and the right to health should be taken as a basis to ensure the rights of ill prisoners.