HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Political prisoners in Turkey on day 5 of hunger strike 

  As part of the global campaign demanding freedom for Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question, the alternating hunger strike launched by PKK and PAJK prisoners in Turkish prisons continues on its 5th day.
• 68-year-old prisoner released after a stroke in intensive care for 39 days 

  Cemal Tanhan, who was only released from Bolu F Type Closed Prison after suffering a stroke, has been in intensive care for 39 days, struggling to survive.
• Political prisoner behind bars for 32 years not released despite serious illness 

  The state of health of political prisoner Kasım Karataş, who has been imprisoned in Turkey for 32 years, continues to deteriorate. The seriously ill prisoner has been denied release twice at the end of his sentence.
• EP Rapporteur for Turkey to attend the Saturday Mothers gathering 

  European Parliament Standing Rapporteur for Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, will be at the 975th gathering of the Saturday Mothers in Galatasaray on Saturday.
• Four kolbars injured by Iranian regime 

  Four kolbars were injured in the attacks carried out by Iranian regime forces in four different districts of East Kurdistan.
• MEBYA-DER: We will give a collective response to grave desecrations 

  The solidarity association MEBYA-DER for people who lost relatives in the Kurdish liberation struggle wants to reorganize and expand the fight against desecration of graves and corpses by state forces.
• Release of prisoner Akkaya postponed  

  The release of Cengiz Akkaya, a prisoner in Konya Ereğli T Type Prison, was postponed once again for arbitrary reasons.
• Minor executed in Iran 

  A minor has been executed in Iran. The death sentence was apparently imposed according to the principle of “qesas”. Qesas means retribution “in kind” and is the punishment for murder.
• 28 prisoners being denied release 

  ÖHD and TUAY-DER said that the release of 28 prisoners was prevented with various excuses and added that "the isolation imposed in Imralı is spreading to all prisons."
• HRW Director: Erdoğan should face consequences for his human-rights record 

  While Erdoğan has completely disregarded the binding judgments of the ECtHR, the glacial pace of the infringement procedure has meant that Turkey’s defiant behaviour has yet to result in any actual consequences, such as losing voting rights at PACE.
• Prisoner kept handcuffed in intensive care 

  68-year-old Yusuf Arslan is being held in Batman T Type Prison. He was kept handcuffed in intensive care while being treated for a brain haemorrhage.
• IHD report reveals continued violations of children’s rights in the Kurdish region of Turkey 

  Kurdish children continue to suffer from massive violations of their rights in Turkey.
• Seriously ill prisoner Tanboğa taken to Dicle University Hospital 

  Seriously ill prisoner Ismail Tanboğa was taken to Dicle University Hospital.
• Helin Hasret Şen Child Rights Academy opens in Amed 

  The Helin Hasret Şen Child Rights Academy was inaugurated in Amed in the presence of the mother of the child murdered by Turkish police in front of her house during the 2015/2016 curfew.
• Kurdish rapper Majidi taken into custod in Sanandaj 

  Kurdish rapper Omid Majidi was arrested in Sanandaj on 15 November and taken to an undisclosed location by Iranian security forces.
• Yusuf Aydın released after 30 years in prison 

  Yusuf Aydın was released from Izmir Aliağa Şakran No. 1 T Type Closed Prison after 30 years. He said: “We paid a great price. We still continue to pay a great price."
• Journalist Akdeniz: Situation of migrant workers in Turkey is catastrophic 

  Journalist Ercüment Akdeniz described the situation of migrant workers in Turkey as catastrophic. After death through violence or accidents at work, people are simply “thrown away”.
• Öcalan given a new ban on lawyers' visits 

  There has been no news from Abdullah Öcalan for 3 years. His lawyers said that he was given a new ban on lawyers' visits for 6 months for alleged "security" reasons.
• At least three men executed in Iran 

  At least three men, including an Afghan national, were executed for drug-related charges in Ghezel Hesar Prison.
• HEDEP: Education in the mother tongue is a human right 

  HEDEP Batman MP Zeynep Oduncu said: "Education in the mother tongue is a human right and Kurds should not be denied this right."
• At least 10 death row prisoners in Iran transferred to be executed  

  At least 10 death row prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions in Ghezel Hesar Prison.
• Search for justice for Sezgin Dağ continues 

  Sezgin Dağ, a survivor of the ISIS attack in Suruç in 2015, died on the way to hospital in Switzerland in 2020 because of negligence by those in charge at an asylum centre where he was living as a refugee.
• Prisoner Tanhan has '10 percent chance of survival', his family says 

  Ayşe Tanhan, daughter of 68-year-old Cemal Tanhan, who was left in prison after suffering a stroke, said: "They cannot provide treatment because my father's condition is serious. The doctor told us that he had a ten percent chance of survival."
• After years of police blockade and crackdown, Saturday Mothers rally at Galatasaray Square 

  For the first time in over five years, the Saturday Mothers rallied at Galatasaray Square.
• Violation of rights in Patnos prison continues 

  Prisoner Çekdar Ödüngit in Patnos said that his wards were raided every day and ill prisoners were not taken to the hospital on time. A prisoner who was released late lost his ability to speak.