HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Eren Keskin prosecuted by Turkey receives human rights award 

  Prominent human rights advocate Eren Keskin, who is facing 143 lawsuits and travel ban due to her position as a chief editor of the shut-down Özgür Gündem newspaper, has received a human rights award from Sweden.
• Hunger strike in Tekirdağ Prison 

  PKK, PAJK and MLKP prisoners in Tekirdağ Type F Prison No.2 have launched an alternate hunger strike.
• A prisoner commits suicide after abused by prison guards 

  A prisoner in Tarsus T Type Prison commit suicide after being abused by prison guards, a jailed journalist reported.
• Kurdish woman leader banned from all sports activities in prison 

  DBP (Democratic Regions' Party) Co-chair Sebahat Tuncel, is banned from all sports activities for 2 months after she went on a hunger strike in solidarity with Nuriye Gulmen and Semih Ozakça
• Half of the refugees drowned in the Mediterranean are children 

  Two years have passed since the death of Alan Kurdî. United Nations announced a death toll of over 8500 refugees in the Mediterranean Sea within the same time frame.
• Turkish prison guards cut a woman prisoner's hair with a knife 

  Turkish prison guards tortured a Kurdish woman prisoner’s hair with a knife in Tarsus T Type Prison, her family said.
• Prison guards forbade Kurdish language in prison 

  Prison guards forbade use of Kurdish language in prison and told prisoners that they can only speak the “official language.”
• Prisoner with heart condition denied treatment 

  Ömer Açar who has been awaiting trial in the Alanya Prison for two years has a heart condition, is denied treatment.
• Prison guards seized coloured pencils for security(!) concerns 

  A Turkish prison administration seized coloured pencils of kids who stay in prison with their mothers.
• Traces of chemical weapons on bodies in Malatya 

  İHD Malatya Branch Administrator Mehmet Tuncel stated that most of the bodies brought to the Malatya Institution of Forensic Medicine had traces of chemical weapons on them and the bodies were buried after they were kept in storage for several days.
• Amnesty International launches campaign for Zeynab Jalalian 

  Amnesty International launched a campaign demanding urgent medical care for Kurdish woman Zeynab Jalalian who is serving a life sentence, is severely ill and requires specialized medical care outside prison.
• Kurdish prisoner transferred to solitary confinement in Orumiyeh 

  A Kurdish prisoner, who had referred to the prison health centre was beaten up by a number of agents and prisoners, after an argument with the authorities before being transferred to solitary confinement in the central prison in Orumiyeh.
• HDP’s Zeydan withheld treatment for refusing handcuffs 

  The Edirne Type F Prison administration is withholding treatment from HDP MP Abdullah Zeydan because he doesn’t accept the imposition of handcuffs.
• Political prisoners start hunger strike against rights violations 

  3 out of the 10 political prisoners held in Izmir Aliağa T Type Prison have started a hunger strike as a warning against rights violations.
• Gülmen: “Recent torture method: is-she-dead checks” 

  Another letter arrived from Nuriye Gülmen, who is now on the 142nd day of her hunger strike.
• Lawyers’ report on İmralı isolation 

  Asrın Law Office issued a report on isolation and pointed out that they are unlawfully prevented from meeting with Öcalan.
• Öcalan's lawyers to release a report on isolation 

  Lawyers for Öcalan have applied for the 673rd time for a meeting with the Kurdish leader, and they will release a report on his isolation on July 27.
• Turkey jails two more human rights defenders 

  Of the four human rights defenders who were recently detained and released 12 days later, Nalan Erkem and İlknur Üstün have been jailed by the Turkish state.
• AI: Re-arrest of four human rights defenders a cruel step 

  Amnesty International’s Director for Europe said: “With the re-arrest of four human rights defenders released on bail, Turkey has underlined its growing reputation as an indiscriminate jailer of civil society activists and a stranger to the rule of law.”
• Hunger strike in Stuttgart in solidarity with Nuriye and Semih 

  In German city Stuttgart a four-day hunger strike has been launche for educators Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça who are now jailed due to the hunger strike they launched in Ankara demanding their jobs back after dismissal with a statutory decree.
• Arrest warrant for human rights defenders released 3 days ago 

  Arrest warrant has been issued for 4 human rights defenders who had been taken into custody in Istanbul and released after appearing at court 12 days after detention.
• Amnesty International protest in front of Turkish Embassy 

  Dozens of members of Amnesty International gathered in front of the Turkish Embassy in Paris to protest against the arrest of human rights defenders in Turkey.
• Human rights activist slams the government’s prison uniform plans 

  A prominent human rights activist slammed Turkish government's plans to force inmates to wear prison uniform.
• Peace Mothers: Isolation on Öcalan means war 

  Peace Mothers stated that the continuous denial of communication with Öcalan will open the way to an all-out war and said: "Erdoğan and the AKP will be buried under all this. We want to hear from our leader now."
• ECHR verdict expected for Nuriye and Semih 

  Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça have been on a hunger strike for 132 days and their lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı said they are expecting the verdict on their appeal for Nuriye and Semih at the ECHR to come out this week.