HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Ill prisoner released after 31 years in jail 

  Ill prisoner Ahmet Zenger, whose release was rejected 4 times, was freed after 31 years in jail.
• Lawyer François Devedjian: We must fight for the release of Öcalan, the Nelson Mandela of the Kurds 

  French lawyer François Devedjian stated that a struggle should be waged for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, whom he considers as the Mandela of the Kurds. He said that CPT should make a public statement regarding the isolation in İmralı.
• Political prisoner Güneş released after 32 years in prison 

  Political prisoner Hulki Güneş has been released after 32 years in Turkish prisons. His return to his home village in Varto was celebrated with people dancing for hours.
• IHD: Nearly 4 thousand rights violations in North Kurdistan in 6 months 

  The Human Rights Association said there were 3,900 rights violations in North Kurdistan in the first 6 months of 2024.
• Lawyer Bilmez: The Ministry is lying, they are trying to deny isolation 

  The Turkish delegation failed to provide a legal answer to the question from the UN Special Rapporteur against Torture, Maeda Naoko, about the isolation on Imrali. Turkey stated that there is no isolation, but a ban.
• UN asks for Turkey's defence on İmralı isolation 

  Speaking at the UN Committee against Torture sessions, Special Rapporteur Maeda Naoko drew attention to the isolation in İmralı and demanded a defence from Turkey on this issue.
• Maloca Internationale brings Turkey's war policy to UN 

  In a report, the NGO Maloca International, drew attention to the demographic change targeting the Kurds and the war crimes committed by Turkey and its allied mercenaries in the occupied areas of Syria.
• Isolation in Imrali will be discussed at UN Human Rights session 

  The isolation in Imrali prison island will be discussed at the UN for 3 days.
• HRW brings Turkish state's war crimes to the UN and says an explanation should be requested 

  In areas of northern Syria where Turkey exercises effective control, Human Rights Watch has documented a pattern of abductions, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, torture and sexual violence in detention.
• Prisoner suffering from cancer released  

  Prisoner Zülküf Atay is suffering from cancer. He was released after being taken into custody because the postponed execution period ended.
• Prisoner in Kırşehir High Security Prison goes on hunger strike 

  Necdet Öztürk, a prisoner in Kırşehir High Security Prison, has gone on hunger strike.
• ISIG: Nearly 900 workers killed in their workplace in the first half of 2024 

  ISIG said that thirty-three of the killed workers were children.
• Court in Iran convicts four Kurdish teachers for "anti-state propaganda" 

  Four members of the Kurdistan Teachers Union in Marivan have been sentenced to four months in prison each by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in the city on charges of "anti-state propaganda".
• DEM Party calls for closure of S and Y Type prisons 

  The DEM Party Law and Human Rights Commission prepared a report emphasising that S and Y type prisons, which are full of practices against human rights, should be closed down.
• European Court of Human Rights finds Turkey guilty for not giving Öcalan's book to prisoner Aktaş 

  The European Court of Human Rights condemned Turkey after the application of prisoner Veysi Aktaş who said he was not given Abdullah Öcalan's 5-volume book series called "Democratic Civilization Solution".
• Activist Ecevit Piroğlu released on condition not to leave Serbia 

  Activist Ecevit Piroğlu, who was arrested in Belgrade three years ago at the behest of Turkey, has been released on condition not to leave Serbia.
• Release ill prisoners Nebioğlu and Yıldırım, says the Freedom for Ill Prisoner Initiative 

  The Freedom for Ill Prisoners Initiative protested demanded the release of seriously ill prisoners Emrah Nebioğlu and Serdal Yıldırım.
• Relatives of the diappeared meet in Amed on the 33rd anniversary of the murder of Vedat Aydın 

  Human Rights Association members and relatives of the disappeared met in Amed on the 33rd anniversary of the abduction and murder of Kurdish politician Vedat Aydın, by the Turkish state.
• Political prisoner released on the verge of death dies 

  Mehmet Emin Soyal, who was imprisoned at the age of 78 despite his serious health problems and released on the verge of death, passed away.
• CoE to discuss ECtHR's 'violation' judgement on Abdullah Öcalan 

  It is reported that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will put the ECtHR's "violation" judgement on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan on its agenda for the first time after its meeting in November-December 2021.
• Prisoner Güzel released after 31 years 

  Serhat Güzel, who was released from prison after 31 years, was welcomed with great enthusiasm in his hometown Amed.
• Paris Bar Association condemns violation of defence rights of prisoners in İmralı 

  The Paris Bar Association sent a letter of protest to the Turkish Ministry of Justice, condemning the prevention of the right to defence of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners in İmralı.
• KHRN: Kurdish Muay Thai champion missing after IRGC interrogation 

  Jasim Haseli, a professional Muay Thai and kickboxing champion, was last seen on 27 June after several hours of interrogation and torture at the local headquarters of the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Marivan.
• Iranian state won't allow Zeinab Jalalian any medical treatment unless she signs letter of 'regret' 

  The Iranian state will not allow Zeinab Jalalian, who is in prison for 17 years and whose health has seriously deteriorated, to benefit from any rights, including the right to treatment, unless she signs a 'letter of regret'.
• Protest by prisoners demanding freedom for Abdullah Öcalan reaches day 220 

  Prisoners continue to refuse to appear in court and to boycott phone calls and family visits, demanding "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question."