HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• 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.
• Prosecutor's Office rejects request to release 83-year-old seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan 

  The request to release 83-year-old seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan, who has been in prison for 26 years, was rejected.
• Disciplinary investigation against 52 prisoners in Adana for protesting violation of their rights 

  A disciplinary investigation was launched against 52 prisoners held in Adana Kürkçüler F Type Closed Prison because of their protest against rights violations.
• Lawyers leave courtroom during Saturday Mothers' trial 

  Lawyers walked out of a Turkish courtroom during the hearing of the lawsuit against the Saturday Mothers after the court had rejected recusation for a second time.
• Şenyaşar Family: “Let's stop the rot”  

  The Şenyaşar Family said that “those who destroy justice and the law are doomed to fail. Let's stop the rot.”
• Human rights activist turns herself in in response to the repression of Kurds 

  The renowned human rights activist and lawyer Margaret Owen has sent pictures of herself with fighters of the YPG and YPJ to the public prosecutor's office in protest against the repression of Kurds in Europe and has turned herself in.
• Saturday Mothers reject trial: “This case is null and void for us" 

  Saturday Mothers made a statement before the hearing of the lawsuit against them and announced that, “This case is null and void for us.”
• Asrın Law Office lawyers apply to the Ministry of Justice to visit Imrali 

  Asrın Law Office lawyers applied to the Ministry of Justice, General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses and Human Rights Department to meet with Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and the other prisoners in İmralı.
• International organisations submit expert opinion ahead of Saturday Mothers trial 

  The Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales (BHRC) and ARTICLE 19 submitted an expert opinion in the case of Saturday Mothers ahead of the third hearing today.
• Families of prisoners call for support for resistance 

  The Justice Vigil launched by the families of prisoners in Amed (Diyarbakır) continued on its 8th day. Families called for support for their resistance.
• Heyva Sor sends emergency supplies to refugees on Polish-Belarusian border 

  Emergency supplies provided by Heyva Sor for refugees stuck at the Polish-Belarusian border are on their way.
• Vigil Justice for ill prisoners enters seventh day 

  The Vigil Justice launched in Amed for ill prisoners entered its 7th day. A call was made for public awareness.