HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Prisoners in Van see their sentences arbitrarily extended 

  Several political prisoners in the Van are being held beyond their regular prison term on the pretext of disciplinary punishment. Van's F-Type Prison was extended for the second time by six months.
• HDP says Turkey must comply with ECtHR ruling on Öcalan and other prisoners 

  HDP Group Deputy Chair Meral Danış Beştaş said that the recent ruling of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Abdullah Öcalan is important for Turkey's political history and stressed that Turkey must comply with the ECtHR ruling.
• 83-year-old prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan admitted to intensive care 

  Despite his serious illness, 83-year-old prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan, has not been released. On Tuesday, he was moved to intensive care after contracting coronavirus. His condition is said to be critical.
• ‘As long as justice for Paris killings is denied, France remains guilty,’ say Kurds in France 

  The Kurdish Women’s Movement in France and the Democratic Kurdish Council in France called for participation in demonstrations and marches to be held on the 9th anniversary of the killings in Paris of three Kurdish women politicians.
• Şenyaşar family continues its Vigil for Justice on 272nd day 

  The Şenyaşar family continues its Vigil for Justice and said that "if there is a government that protects the oppressor, it should be destroyed".
• Saturday Mothers demand justice for Ibrahim Demir and Agit Akipa 

  On 12 December 1991, Ibrahim Demir and Agit Akipa were arrested in İdil, Şırnak for demanding an end to the military siege in their village. One day later, relatives found their bodies covered with torture marks.
• IHD: “It is our right to lead a free and peaceful life” 

  Turkish specialist sergeant Musa Orhan, who raped Ipek Er and drove her to suicide, was sentenced to prison but plea for his arrest was denied.
• 'Isolation is an international scenario like the conspiracy' 

  HDP Muş Deputy Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit stated that the isolation of Kurdish leader Öcalan is a part of an international scenario similar to the conspiracy, and that the indifference of the Council of Europe and the CPT is related to this.
• IHD Amed Branch demand justice for prisoners with disabilities  

  IHD Amed Branch demanded justice for prisoners with disabilities on 3 December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
• DBP and HDP pay visit to prisoners’ families on vigil for justice 

  A delegation consisting of executives and members of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) visited the Justice Vigil carried out by relatives of prisoners and said that both families and prisoners are subjected to torture.
• Another sentence against seriously ill prisoner Muhlise Karagüzel 

  Another sentence was handed down to seriously ill prisoner Muhlise Karagüzel.
• Writer Herdem Merwanî joins Vigil for Justice carried out by relatives of ill prisoners 

  Writer Herdem Merwanî, daughter of Abdülhalim Kırtay said that "mothers have given hope and morale to everyone."
• HDP, DBP, DTK and TJA call for increased struggle against the isolation of Öcalan 

  Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Saliha Aydeniz called for increased struggle against the isolation of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan.
• ‘International community complicit in Turkey’s crime of using chemical weapons’ 

  Members of the Kongreya Star organization in Afrin Region said that although Turkish chemical attacks constitute a crime, human rights organizations do not speak out or make any effort to stop the attacks, and thus become complicit in the crime.
• Emine Şenyaşar summoned to give a statement to the police for the 9th time 

  Emine Şenyaşar, who is struggling for justice for her husband and two sons who were murdered in Urfa, was summoned by police to give a statement for the 9th time.
• Peace in Kurdistan Campaign writes open letter to UK Home Secretary on Kurds and refugee crisis 

  Peace in Kurdistan Campaign wrote an open letter to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel on the Kurds and the refugee crisis.
• Justice Vigil for prisoners continues on 15th day 

  Dicle Culture and Art Association visited the Justice Vigil carried out by the prisoners' families.
• Call for infringement proceedings against Turkey over continuation of Kavala’s arrest 

  As the court ruled for the continuation of Osman Kavala’s arrest on November 26, Amnesty International has addressed an open letter to the heads of states of the Council of Europe, calling on them to launch infringement proceedings against Turkey.
• Two more visitation bans imposed on Öcalan  

  It is reported that Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan has been given a 6-month lawyer ban and a 3-month family visitation ban.
• Şenyaşar Family on vigil for justice for 266 days: Laws do not work in Urfa 

  The Şenyaşar family, on a vigil for justice for eight months for their family members who were murdered in Urfa province, said that laws do not work at Urfa courthouse.
• ‘Former PM Davutoğlu should speak out on Tahir Elçi’s murder’ 

  On 28 November 2015, Tahir Elçi, a prominent Kurdish human rights lawyer and President of Diyarbakır Bar Association, who spent his life defending people from the violence and abuse of the Turkish state repression machine, was murdered in Amed.
• IHD Co-Chair: There is a search for justice all over the country 

  IHD Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan, who visited the Prisoner Families' Justice Vigil, said, "There is a search for justice all over the country."
• Activists in Ankara and Istanbul demand to release ill prisoners 

  Activists in Ankara and Istanbul said that the right to life of ill prisoners Ramazan Kuru and Ahmet Çakal was jeopardized.
• Sick prisoner from Rojava died in Turkish custody 

  Sick prisoner Bangin Muhammed has died in a Turkish prison. The human rights association IHD accuses the authorities of denying the 33-year-old Kurd from Afrin appropriate care and treatment for a long time.
• Lawyers turn to international institutions for Öcalan 

  Asrın Law Office applied to international institutions over the situation of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, and Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who are held in aggravated isolation in Imrali Island Prison.