The Turkish government has seized hundreds of businesses. Many of the owners have fled to Germany. The government accused these owners of supporting the Gülen movement. The government says Gülen was behind the recent coup attempt.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/government-seizes-businesses-in-turkey/av-37084560
This video is about people who were tortured in custody after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Even though there is not any solid evidence against these people showing their involvement in the coup, they were detained, put in the jail and more importantly, tortured. Gokhan Acikklolu is the first person and a teacher who died under custody in Istanbul Vatan Police Directorate became the symbols of the police torture after July 15. There are more than 15 witnesses stating that Gokhan Acikollu died due to torture under police interrogation.
According to the UN Special Rapporteur Nils Melzer, there are allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in Turkish Police Custody including;
§ Severe beatings,
§ Electrical Shocks,
§ Exposure to icy water,
§ Sleep deprivation,
§ Threats, insults, and
§ Sexual assaults ”
The video was prepared by AST
Under Erdogan’s brutal regime, Turkey’s democracy derailed, innocent people are tortured or even killed in prisons. Those who wish to flee Turkey have a challenging journey to take, likely to end up in death. Here is the story of Maden family.
Husband: Math teacher
Wife: History teacher
They were charged with terrorism and involvement in the 7/15 coup attempt. They chose to leave their country. Last year this time the family was drowned in the Aegean sea. Here is their story.
The video was prepared by Huddled Masses
A young girl is behind bars with her mother in Istanbul one day while the mother was being searched before entering the courtroom. As the metal detector signaled and the officer ordered the mother to strip her clothes…
On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, Set Them Free launched a video on the violations of the girl children rights in Turkey.
The video was prepared by SetThemFree.com
Democracy is under threat all around the world. There are four stages to dismantling a democracy, starting with a charismatic leader who pledges to save the people pic.twitter.com/w9cIti4AsR
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) October 7, 2018
Democracy is under threat all around the world. There are four stages to dismantling a democracy, starting with a charismatic leader who pledges to save the people
Source: https://twitter.com/TheEconomist/status/1048785226376392704?s=08
Children struggle in the prison of Turkey.
The current panel execution law No:5275 reads” imprisonment is adjourned for women who are pregnant or who have not passed 6 months since birth”.
But…
The mothers of 668 babies in jail committed no offense, they are not proven guilty of the offense, and their indictments are not written…
668 children in Turkish Jails… %64 of them are under the age of three…
72 children are waiting for their mothers outside, ages ranging from 8 months old to 14 years old…
13 children drowned in Aegean sea or Evros River…
09/28/2018
International Bar Association Raises Judicial Independence in Turkey to UN
In a joint submission with two other groups, the International Bar Association (IBA) raised the issue of independence of judges and judicial independence in Turkey to a special rapporteur from the United Nations.
The dismal state of rule of law and the judiciary in Turkey continues to attract attention from relevant international bodies. In cooperation with the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales and the Law Society of England and Wales, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) submitted a report to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of Judges and Lawyers.
The report mostly focuses on the collapse of the rights and protections regarding the legal profession in a steady way since 2010. But, according to the study, the situation concerns Turkey’s judiciary, judicial independence and other legal rights have dramatically been shredded and worsened since the failed 2016 coup. Both during and after the state of emergency, members of judiciary faced political crackdown and imprisonment en masse.
“Prior to the failed attempt, the Turkish government had been increasingly interfering with, and exercising undue influence over, the legal profession using adverse constitutional and legislative reforms together with systematic attacks against judges, prosecutors, lawyers and other legal professionals,” the study noted.
Since the failed coup, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has only sharpened its clampdown on its social and political opponents, as well as members of the judiciary.
Thousands of military officials, police officers, diplomats, academics, teachers, judges and prosecutors have been dismissed over coup terrorism-related charges with little evidence.
To this date, the report stated that “4,279 judges and prosecutors have been dismissed.”
“Five hundred and ninety lawyers have been arrested, 1,546 prosecuted and 181 convicted.”
Resource:
https://twitter.com/IBAHRI/status/1045312267762487297
The bloody July 15th coup attempt proved to be a turning point in the course of the crackdown and witch-hunt the AKP government had launched in the aftermath of the December 17-25 corruption probe.
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the UN Human Rights Council has called on the Turkish government to immediately release Mesut Kaçmaz and Meral Kaçmaz, a couple that was abducted from their home after midnight in Lahore on September 27, 2017 and deported illegally by the Pakistani government to Turkey just two days before their scheduled appearance before a Pakistani court.
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has released its 16-page opinion concerning Mesut Kaçmaz and Meral Kaçmaz and their two daughters.
The UN body called on Turkey to take the steps necessary to remedy the situation of Mesut Kaçmaz, Meral Kaçmaz and the two minors without delay and bring them into conformity with the relevant international norms, including those set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The UN body also called on the government of Pakistan and the government of Turkey to accord Mr. and Mrs. Kaçmaz and the two minors an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, including for the impact on their psychological integrity from having been arrested, secretly detained and deported.
For more detailed information about the risks supporters of the Gulen Movement experience, please look at the report prepared by the Advocates of Silenced Turkey on the current and possible threats supporters of the Gulen Movement face abroad titled “I Cannot Say We Are Absolutely Safe Even Abroad.”
Download the report as pdf: https://oldwebsite09012025.silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AST_Report_Threats_Gulen-Movement.pdf
We strongly request Turkish authorities to take all necessary steps to immediately and unconditionally release Kacmaz family.
We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached statement below to following relevant Turkish authorities.
Download sample statement: AST_letter_Kacmaz family
1. Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Justice
Website: http://www.justice.gov.tr
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: +90 (0312) 417 77 70
Fax: +90 (0312) 419 33 70
2. Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Website: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/
Contact form: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/contact-us.en.mfa
Phone: +90 (312) 292 10 00
3. Union of Turkish Bar Associations
Website: https://www.barobirlik.org.tr
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: +90 (312) 292 59 00
Fax: +90 (312) 286 31 00
4. Presidency of the Constitutional Court
Website: http://www.anayasa.gov.tr
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: +90 (312) 463 73 00
Fax: +90 (312) 463 74 00
5. Court of Cassation
Website: https://www.yargitay.gov.tr
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: +90 (312) 416 10 00
6. Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C.
Website: http://vasington.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: +1 202 612 67 00
Fax: +1 202 612 67 44
NEWS ARTICLES ON THIS SUBJECT:
UN Human Rights Council calls on Turkish gov’t to release Kaçmaz couple immediately
https://stockholmcf.org/un-human-rights-council-calls-on-turkish-govt-to-release-kacmaz-couple-immediately/
UN High Commissioner on Refugees takes notice of Turkish family deportation
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1729982/1-un-high-commissioner-refugees-takes-notice-turkish-family-deportation/
Pro-gov’t media ‘over the moon’ after UN-protected Turkish family forcefully deported to Turkey
https://turkeypurge.com/turkeys-pro-govt-media-over-the-moon-over-un-protected-kacmaz-familys-forced-return
Protests held for safe recovery of Turkish teacher, his family
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1525371/protests-held-safe-recovery-turkish-teacher-family/
Turkish family of PakTurk Schools director abducted in Pakistan: rights group
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-turkey/turkish-family-of-pakturk-schools-director-abducted-in-pakistan-rights-group-idUSKCN1C31CX
Missing Turkish teacher ‘deported from Pakistan’
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/missing-turkish-teacher-deported-pakistan-171016103226988.html
A Turkish family has disappeared in Pakistan, and suspicion turns to intelligence agencies
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/a-turkish-family-has-disappeared-in-pakistan-and-suspicion-turns-to-intelligence-agencies/2017/10/11/aa8c0d80-a480-11e7-b573-8ec86cdfe1ed_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1041c41bf150
TWEETS ON THIS SUBJECT:
UN Human Rights Council has called Turkish government to immediately release Mesut Kaçmaz &Meral Kaçmaz, a couple who were abducted from their home in Lahore and deported illegally by Pakistani government to Turkey pic.twitter.com/swIwvsuOBQ
— AlonBenMeir (@AlonBenMeir) June 8, 2018
United Nations calls on AKP gov't to release Kaçmaz Family "immediately and unconditionally" | News: https://t.co/psA68kVzmF via
— 30 PLUS TV (@30PlusTV) June 11, 2018
UN Human Rights Council calls on Turkish gov’t to release Mesut & Meral Kaçmaz immediately!! https://t.co/dz72JXeYoo via @StockholmCF https://t.co/99RQZGgF1p
— Journalists and Writers Foundation (@JWFoundation_) June 8, 2018
WGAD Opinion – A/HRC/WGAD/2018/11 Mesut & Meral Kacmaz https://t.co/St0P23FnML pic.twitter.com/UdgRFKQlTL
— TRASF Sweden (@trasfswe) June 13, 2018
VIDEOS ON THIS SUBJECT:
Isa Kara, 54-year-old, has worked 34 years as a teacher and director of Ministry of National Education’s Manisa provincial directorate. He was fired from his job with a decree issued by the Turkish government after the alleged coup attempt in July 2016.
Kara was imprisoned in October 2016 on coup charges. Despite his illnesses, he was held in pre-trial detention for 29 days and later transferred to Manisa prison. Kara is partly paralyzed and suffers from serious heart problems. Kara’s doctor had indicated that he needs to stay away from stress due to his heart problem. In an e-mail, it is claimed that two months before he was put in pre-trial detention, he had his first Angiogram. On April 12, 2018, he was transferred by the prison management to İzmir Katip Çelebi University Hospital where he had his second Angiogram. After spending 45 days in the hospital, he was sent back to İzmir Buca F Type Prison.
Kara’s family submitted 15 requests for the release of Isa Kara due to his health condition, however, all of them were rejected. The prison conditions are not satisfactory for the well-being of Kara. The prisons are overcrowded and are not sanitary for such a seriously ill patient. Kara’s doctor has noted numerous times that Isa Kara is not receiving proper treatment under current prison conditions.
Mr. Kara is being accused of membership in the Gülen movement, accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, 2016. The movement denies any involvement, and the Turkish government has rejected parliamentary motion to investigate the coup. Right after the coup, without any just hearing, the Turkish government initiated a widespread purge against the sympathizers of the movement.
There have been many cases of suicide and death in prison, some of which were found to be suspicious, of people who have been affected by the purge of Gülen movement followers. Isa Kara’s family is in the apprehension of severe worries about his health condition as they reminisced about the victims who died for they were not given proper and necessary treatment and were supposed to be given parole due to fatal conditions in jail.
For more detailed information about the prison conditions in Turkey, please take a look at the report prepared by Platform for Peace & Justice titled “A Comprehensive Report on the Prison Conditions in Turkey”.
Download the report as pdf: http://www.platformpj.org/wp-content/uploads/IN-PRISON-2017.pdf
We urge international bodies and human rights organizations to take all necessary steps to request for pending trial to be taken into consideration due to Isa Kara’s health condition mentioned above.
We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached statement below to following relevant individuals and organizations.
Download sample statement as a word document: AST_letter_Isa Kara
1) U.S. Department of State
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/
2) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc
3) Human Rights Watch
Twitter: @hrw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatch
NY Address:350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: +1-212-290-4700
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
Emma Daly, Communications Director
Tel: +1-212-216-1835
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
4) Human Rights Foundation
Twitter: @HRF
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsfoundation/
New York Address:350 5th Ave., #4515 New York, NY, 10001
Phone Number: (212) 246-8486
5) Freedom House
Twitter: @FreedomHouseDC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomHouseDC
[email protected]
Phone: 202-296-5101
Fax: 202-293-2840
Annie Boyajian, Advocacy Manager
[email protected]
6) Amnesty International
Twitter: @amnestyusa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyusa
[email protected]
7) International Federation for Houman Rights
Twitter: @fidh_en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FIDH.HumanRights
FIDH AT THE UN (NEW-YORK)
110 East 42nd street, Suite 1309 NY 10017 New-York
Phone Number: 001 646 395 7103
8) International Court of Justice
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+31) 70 302 23 23
Fax: (+31) 70 364 99 28
Twitter: @CIJ_ICJ
Website: http://www.icj-cij.org/en
NEWS ARTICLES ON THIS SUBJECT:
“Paralyzed teacher being held in Manisa prison for 22 months over coup charges”
https://turkeypurge.com/paralyzed-teacher-being-held-in-manisa-prison-for-22-months-over-coup-charges
“21 aydır tutuklu bulunan eğitimci İsa Kara sağlık sorunları nedeniyle zor günler geçiriyor”
http://aktifhaber.com/iskence/21-aydir-tutuklu-bulunan-egitimci-isa-kara-saglik-sorunlari-nedeniyle-zor-gunler-geciriyor-h117333.html
“Ağır hasta 34 yıllık öğretmen cezaevinde ölüme terk edildi”
http://www.shaber3.com/agir-hasta-34-yillik-ogretmen-cezaevinde-olume-terk-edildi-haberi/1306518/?733317766
TWEETS ON THIS SUBJECT:
#TamamKapatıyoruz
Diyoruz ama ZKP önderliğinde ki Zulüm Ağır kalp hastası olan İsa KARA Öğretmene Manisa'da devam ediyor
Hasta olan tutukların da yaşamaya hakkı var ve yargılanacaksa da TUTUKSUZ yargılanmalı#KapatGitsin bu konuları demeyin yarın MAZLUM olursanız anlarsınız. pic.twitter.com/WAubKJcJS6— Selim Kerimoğlu (@selimkerimoglu_) May 18, 2018
PICTURES ON THIS SUBJECT:
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