1 (646) 480-2377
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CALL FOR INVESTIGATION: Brutal Stabbing Attack on Businessman Hazim Sesli at Menemen Penitentiary

 

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Brutal Stabbing Attack on Businessman Hazim Sesli at Menemen Penitentiary

Advocates of Silenced Turkey urges all relevant institutions of the International Human Rights community to petition the Government of Turkey as follows:

  1. The Ministry of Justice and the Menemen Type T Penitentiary must urgently carry out a thorough, prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the attack in the custody of Businessman Hazim Sesli in order to determine (a) how a deadly weapon was brought into the prison, (b) why the assailant was left unsupervised for the duration of this nearly fatal attack, and (c) whether prison staff have been involved in planning the attack.
  2. Turkish authorities must urgently provide information to resolve questions and suspicions about the Hazim Sesli incident as well as all other allegations of ill-treatment, including violations by guards and other prisoners, of Hizmet Movement members imprisoned for political reasons.

Facts of the Hazim Sesli Incident

Businessman Hazim Sesli, arrested after being detained as part of the investigations against the Hizmet Movement, was attacked while talking on the phone with his family at 4:20 PM on March 11, 2020, at the Menemen Prison. Sesli was stabbed in 7 different parts of his body by another prisoner. Sesli first received medical attention in the prison infirmary in the aftermath of the attack and was later transferred to a hospital for further treatment.

According to information received by AST, Hazim Sesli, as part of Usak 2. Assize Court’s case No. 2016/204 E, has been a prisoner at the Menemen Type T Closed Penitentiary since October 21, 2015.

Testimony received by TR 724 News indicates that while Mr. Hazim Sesli stayed in an 8-person dormitory-style cell until September 9, 2016, he was arbitrarily transferred into solitary confinement without an official explanation from the Menemen Type T Closed Penitentiary Administration. It was asserted that this transfer was requested by the Ministry of Justice. However, in all applications submitted by Hazim Sesli’s legal representatives, they were told by the Ministry of Justice that a transfer request had not been made; the ministry added that the decision to transfer Sesli was at the discretion of the Menemen Penitentiary.

Hazim Sesli had not been interviewed since his transfer to solitary confinement. On March 11, 2020, at exactly 16:20, Hazim Sesli was stabbed by Fatih Oktay while on a phone call with his family. While on the phone, Hazim Sesli first noticed the attack when the assailant accidentally stabbed the phone in his hands. Sesli attempted to protect his life against the stabber who repeatedly attempted to stab his heart. Prison guards intervened, however, Sesli had incurred 7 severe injuries, including two stabbing wounds on his left hand, two wounds on his left leg, and 3-4 wounds on his hips.

The assailant, Fatih Oktay, is a two-time murderer and known for skinning the head of another prisoner in the past. The fact that Oktay, a violent criminal, was left in the same phone area as Hazim Sesli without supervision raises suspicions and numerous questions about the security conditions at the Menemen Penitentiary. More crucially, when Hazim Sesli was brought back from the hospital after his treatment, a prison guard has reportedly intentionally brought Sesli to the assailant’s cell to confirm Sesli’s return to the penitentiary.

Relevant Human Rights Institutions

  1. United National Human Rights Committee

Petitions Team
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10 (Switzerland)

Fax: + 41 22 917 9022 (particularly for urgent matters)
E-mail: [email protected]

  1. Committee Against Torture

Petitions and Inquiries Section
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

E-mail: [email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]

  1. Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
5100 O’Neill House Office Building
200 C Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20515
United States of America

Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
Fax: +1 (202) 226-6584
Email: [email protected]

  1. S Helsinki Commission

234 Ford House Office Building
3rd and D Streets SW
Washington, DC 20515

Email: [email protected]

  1. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Mr. José Guevara,
Ms. Leigh Toomey,
Ms. Elina Steinerte,
Mr. Sètondji Adjovi,
Mr. Seong-Phil Hong

Email: [email protected]

  1. The Honorable Dunja Mijatovic

Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe
Avenue de I’Europe F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 34 21
Fax: +33 (0)3 90 21 50 53
Email:  [email protected]

  1. The Honorable Abdülhamit Gül

Minister of Justice
06659 Kizilay
Ankara, Republic of Turkey

Email: [email protected]

 

Contact Us:

[email protected] 
Phone: 646-504-2088

 

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RELEASE ABDULLAH AYDOGAN: The 74 Year Old Political Prisoner

AST has written an official complaint letter to be shared with relevant United Nations institutions. Please join us in sending a letter to Nils Melzer in order to urge the Special Rapporteur to take action on Turkey’s cruel treatment of Abdullah Aydogan

Re: International Law Obligations to Release Abdullah Aydoğan

Dear Special Rapporteur Nils Melzer,

We write on behalf of Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST), an advocacy group of concerned human rights defenders who promote international human rights, the independence and security of human rights defenders, the integrity of legal systems and the rule of law through advocacy, education, and research. AST plays a major role in documenting and disseminating information regarding human rights violations committed in the Republic of Turkey.

The Republic of Turkey, under the combined leadership of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has systemically detained, arrested, charged and/or imprisoned victims who suffer from old age and chronic health problems without exploring potential non-custodial measures. The presiding Turkish government’s ill-treatment of critically ill prisoners has been extensively documented by the United Nations’ Independent Experts, domestic NGOs, and international human rights organizations. In fact, there are 458 critically ill prisoners in Turkey’s criminal justice system.

In this instance, we are writing with respect to Abdullah Aydoğan, a 74-year old prisoner. Mr. Aydoğan has been in prison since 2017, continues to suffer a multitude of life-threatening health problems, and all of his appeals, legal and otherwise, have been unequivocally rejected by the Turkish judicial system.

Further Background

Abdullah Aydoğan, a 74-year old illiterate retiree, husband, and father of 1 daughter has been in prison since 2016. In August 2016, Aydoğan was taken into custody and later imprisoned for his alleged managerial role in the Gulen Movement. Until his first encounter with the criminal justice system, Aydoğan had no prior criminal record. After nearly 9 months in custody, Aydoğan was convicted for acquiring a banking account from Asia Bank (“Bank Asya”) in 1997; traveling abroad three times for hajj, umrah, and his daughter’s graduation ceremony; participating in a relief organization which organized charity activities in underserved villages and towns. Aydoğan was initially sentenced to 9 years and 9 months; the Supreme Court later reduced his sentence to 6 years and 3 months, confirming and ascertaining his sentence.

According to the information we have received through AST’s original research, Mr. Aydoğan was unable to leave his home prior to his imprisonment due to health issues. He spent his time exclusively at home for nearly five years and depended on his wife for care. A board of medical examiners unanimously agree that Aydoğan’s health problems pose a dire threat to his health if left untreated. Mr. Aydoğan suffers from bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, movement disability due to gonarthrosis (a degenerative joint issue), senile cataract, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Legal Analysis

The UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Special Rapporteur’s Mission to Turkey have both concluded after careful consideration that detentions, arrest, and convictions of critically ill persons may amount to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The ill-treatment of disabled and sickly prisoners by imprisonment and deprivation of medical services violates fundamental human rights outlined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Finally, the Turkish government’s systemic persecution of disabled prisoners violates Articles 10, 14, and 15 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Conviction or detention of vulnerable persons is therefore unlawful.

A close investigation of Abdullah Aydoğan’s case reveals that his particular situation has been covered and protected by four distinct human rights instruments:

  1. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

  2. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment

  3. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

  4. Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners

While the violations of the first two instruments are self-evident, we would like to explain the violations of the other two instruments.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The detention and imprisonment of Abdullah Aydoğan constitute a grave violation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to which Turkey is a state party. Most importantly, Article 15 provides, “(2) States Parties shall take all effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, from being subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The October 2019 report by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provides further clarification of the State duty to protect human rights of disabled members of society by delineating shortcomings of Turkish institutions:

  1. The absence of information about measures to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and prevent abuse and involuntary admission to psychiatric hospitals, residential facilities or other institutions;

  2. Insufficient accommodations available for persons with disabilities in prisons, reports of ill-treatment of persons with disabilities in prisons, limited access to remedies in cases of ill-treatment, and risks of reprisals;

  3. The lack of information about monitoring of residential facilities to prevent ill-treatment and the restrictions on monitoring by civil society organizations of persons with disabilities deprived of liberty

Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners

In 1990, the United Nations established a set of principles for the protection of civil rights of prisoners while in custody. Principle 4 establishes the “responsibility of prisons for the custody of prisoners and for the protection of society against crime shall be discharged in keeping with a State’s other social objectives and its fundamental responsibilities for promoting the well-being and development of all members of society.” In light of this principle, Abdullah Aydoğan who has been unable to leave his home for nearly five years prior to his imprisonment poses absolutely no danger to the Turkish society at large. Furthermore, charges leveled against Aydoğan pertain exclusively to his involvement with various non-violent charity activities, meaning Aydoğan has never posed a danger to society at any point of his life. In short, Mr. Aydoğan cannot and does not pose a danger to society due to the condition of his health. Therefore, the Turkish State’s responsibility for the protection of society against crime can be effectively discharged in this instance.

Conclusion 

AST urges the Office of the Special Rapporteur to urge the Government of Turkey to:

  1. Immediately and unconditionally release from imprisonment Abdullah Aydoğan

  2. Immediately release from imprisonment all other critically ill men and women who suffer from life threatening illnesses and pose no risk to the social safety

  3. Put an end to the practice of imprisoning old, critically-ill, and disabled prisoners

  4. Put an end to the practice of charging Turkish citizens with criminal offenses based simply on their affiliation with government-sanctioned charity organizations

  5. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.
Advocates of Silenced Turkey.
Letters can be sent by mail AND email:
Mailing Address:
Special Rapporteur on Torture
c/o Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

EMAIL: [email protected]

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SEND A LETTER : TORTURE ALLEGATIONS

 

 

Urge Turkish authorities to investigate and stop the torture of 18 ex-Intelligence
employees in Ankara at the counter-terrorism department on December 18th and
bring perpetrators to justice.

Dear (Mr. Senator) (Law Enforcement Officials),

According to information provided by Bold Medya from ex-MIT employee H.Ç’s wife (a lawyer), the detainees were interviewed at 10:30 PM on December 18th, 2019 and threatened with rape using bottles in the counter-terrorism department in Ankara, Turkey.

“My husband was threatened with [my safety], although he did not give details about this part. I think this hurt him deeply. He was threatened with his family and his mother. Then they showed him bottles lined up side by side and threatened him saying ‘Look, we oiled this bottle for you. Today we’re only saying hello, you can guess what we will do tomorrow’” said H.Ç, a lawyer and the wife of one of the detainees.

During the last two years following the so-called coup attempt on July 15, 2016, almost all democratic processes and fundamental human rights have been suspended in Turkey.

The Erdogan administration has greatly restricted access to basic human rights and has abandoned the values of equality and respect for human dignity in the sense that the western civilization stipulates, and in this regard, it has completely broken its ties with the modern world. Other reports prepared by many internationally recognized human rights institutions clearly state the same. For example, the Human Rights Watch published a report about kidnapping and torture in Turkey (Police Custody Torture and Abductions in Turkey) on October 2017 while the United Nations published a report on March 20, 2018, about the widespread human rights violations including torture during Turkey’s state of emergency.

The High Commissioner for UN Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, mentioned that about 160,000 people were detained in Turkey; 152,000 state officials, including teachers, judges and lawyers, among whom the vast majority were arbitrarily expelled or investigated; nearly 200 journalists were arrested, 201 media outlets and hundreds of websites were closed during the state of emergency period. There were many cases of torture, rape, and kidnapping, which were only partially reflected in the reports. As a result of the criminal announcements regarding these issues, the limited investigations in Turkey provided no positive results.

Similarly, the UN rapporteur expressed that 100 pregnant women or women with newborns were taken into custody, severely separated from their children on the grounds that they were “affiliates” with their husbands or older children suspected
of being linked to labeled organizations. As best said by the UN rapporteur, “This is not merely excessive, but entirely cruel!”

FACTS ABOUT TORTURE & DEATHS IN TURKEY

Gokhan Acikkollu, a 42-year old history teacher suffering from diabetes was dismissed from his job then detained & tortured for 13 days under police custody. The result was his death.

The torture allegations documented by the Ankara Bar Association against 6 ex-diplomats of the Turkish Foreign Ministry were detained at Police Headquarters in Ankara on May 26th are another prominent example of torture in Turkey.

According to the UN, there were 263 incidents of torture in the space of a single year and 2,278 victims faced maltreatment and torture. By the count of the State Department, there were 328 allegations of torture and at least 51 suspicious deaths in custody and prisons in the last 3 years.

We urge the Turkish authorities to investigate and end state-sanctioned torture in addition to bring the perpetrators to justice.
We urge all international bodies and human rights organizations to take the necessary steps to STOP TORTURE in TURKEY and bring all the perpetrators to justice.

DOC LINK

Source:
http://aktifhaber.com/m/iskence/mitin-18-eski-calisani-ankara-temde-iskence-goruyor-
h140867.html

#StopTortureInTurkey
Mention List
@adalet_bakanlik
@UNHumanRights
@StateDept
@HelsinkiComm

Advocates of Silenced Turkey
[email protected]
1-540-209-1934
Silencedturkey.org
Twitter: @silencedturkey
Facebook: @silencedturkey

Dear Hon. Rep. Chris SMITH
Washington, DC Office
2373 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
phone (202) 225-3765
fax (202) 225-7768

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, U.S. HELSINKI
COMMISSION
234 FORD HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
3RD AND D STREETS SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20515
TEL: 202-225-1901 | FAX: 202-226-4199 |
EMAIL: [email protected] |
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission/#

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
Twitter: @UN_HRC | https://www.facebook.com/UNHRC
Phone Number: +41 22 917 9656
E-mail: [email protected]
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Address: 2201 C St NW, Washington, DC 20520
Phone Number: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @StateDept
https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Twitter: @amnestyusa | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyusa

[email protected]
@amnesty
@aforgutu

UN HUMAN RIGHTS
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH- 121 I Geneva 10. Switzerland
Email: [email protected]
REP. CHRIS SMITH -NJ (LANTOS COMMISSION)
Washington, DC Office
2373 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
phone (202) 225-3765
fax (202) 225-7768
https://chrissmith.house.gov/contact/
REP. HASTINGS-FL (HELSINKI COMMITTEE)
Washington, D.C.
2353 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-1313
Fax: (202) 225-1171
https://alceehastings.house.gov/contact/

Abdülhamit Gül
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
06659 Kizilay
Ankara, Republic of Turkey
Email: [email protected]

 

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SEND A LETTER: SENATORS and LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT THREATS AGAINST TURKISH CITIZENS

PDF LINK

DOC LINK

 

Re: Calling every dissident abroad as a terrorist, Erdogan vows to kill “terrorists”(!)  by justifying this attempt with a referral to the operation against Baghdadi

Dear (Mr. Senator) (Law Enforcement Officials),

It has now been over three years since the failed coup attempt and the Turkish government has been targeting its dissident citizens abroad since then. Until very lately, the issue was a concern of countries where some kidnappings and abductions took place and where authorities acceded to Ankara’s demands for their extradition.

However, lately, The U.S. administration also came to face the unpleasant reality of such inhumane practices after the unlawful arrests and imprisonments of American citizens in Turkey. Moreover, while opponents of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have been captured in Moldova, Ukraine, Kosovo, Malaysia, Gabon, and many other countries, last year Erdogan’s spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin hinted that Turkey would conduct such operations on the U.S. soil as well. Following all these intimidations in terms of human rights, this week we faced the most concrete and frightening threat voiced by the Turkish President. While giving a speech on recent happenings in Syria and Baghdadi’s death, Erdogan said Turkey’s actions would be justified in targeting individuals living in foreign countries if these individuals are viewed as terrorists by them and labeled as threats to national security. President Erdogan also added that he hoped he could deliver “good news” on this issue soon. Attached you may find the links to detailed information about the issue.

I, as a critic of Erdogan and the Turkish government, write to you to emphasize our great concern about such targeting threats and urge the U.S. authorities to seek clarification from the Turkish administration over these threatening remarks. In this respect, a determined stance by the U.S. would play a deterring role for any reckless attempt by the Turkish government against Turkish dissidents living in the U.S. We would be glad to see you address this issue and attract attention to threats in your official capacity.

Best Regards,

 

https://youtu.be/HR3A6-tEVuk

https://ahvalnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/ahvalnews.com/turkey-us/erdogan-hints-turkey-could-follow-us-lead-assassinate-enemies-abroad?amp

https://www.turkishminute.com/2019/10/30/erdogan-says-turkey-has-right-to-kill-people-abroad-who-threaten-national-security/

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/turkey/2017-11-30/turkey-turning-mafia-state

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/912938/Turkey-Erdogan-fascist-state-vigilante-military-coup-armed-civilians-HOH-latest-democracy

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/14/c_136893638.htm

 

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATIONS.

1) U.S. Homeland Security
Email: https://www.dhs.gov/online-forms-and-email / [email protected]
Phone: 202-282-8000
Twitter: @DHSgov
Website: https://www.dhs.gov/

2) The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Email: (need to submit form online)
Phone: 202-278-2000
Twitter: @FBI
Website: https://www.fbi.gov/

3) U.S. Department of State
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

4) U.S. Department of Justice
Email: https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
Phone: 202-353-1555
Twitter: @TheJusticeDept
Website: https://www.justice.gov/

5) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

6) European Court of Human Rights
Email: http://appform.echr.coe.int/echrrequest/request.aspx?lang=gb
Phone: (+33) 0 3 88 41 20 18
Fax: (+33) (0)3 88 41 27 30
Website: http://www.echr.coe.int/pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts

7) 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

8) European Union
Email: (need to submit form online)
Phone: 80067891011
Twitter: @EU_Commission
Website: https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en

9) Interpol
Email: https://www.interpol.int/Forms/CPO
Fax: +33 4 72 44 71 63
Twitter: @INTERPOL_HQ ‏
Website: https://www.interpol.int/

10) The Federal Government of Germany
Email: (need to submit form online)
Website: https://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/EN/Homepage/_node.html

11) Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Email: (need to submit form online)

12) Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Email: (need to submit form online)
Phone: (+49) 911 9430
Twitter: @BAMF_Dialog
Website: http://www.bamf.de/EN/Startseite/startseite-node.html

13) The Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany
Email: https://www.bundestag.de/en/service/contactform
Phone: (+49) (0) 30 227-0
Fax: (+49)(0) 30 227-36878
Twitter: @INTERPOL_HQ ‏
Website: http://www.bundestag.de/en/

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FREE MERVE GOKKAYA BEFORE PERMANENTLY LOSING HER HEALTH

CALL TO STOP PERSECUTION UNDER LEGAL PRACTICE. FREE MERVE GOKKAYA BEFORE PERMANENTLY LOSING HER HEALTH

   According to Article 16/6 of the Turkish Penal Code No. 5275, patients who cannot meet their daily needs by themselves in prison should be released until they are healthy.

   According to a report issued by the Human Rights Association, there are 1333 detainees with illnesses in prisons in Turkey, 457 of which are severe. This is an immense Human Rights Violation.

   Merve Gokkaya (29), a detainee for 37 months, explains her situation in a letter she sent out to her friend. Ever since she was detained, she was dealing with her health issues. Due to the structure and conditions of the prison, her illness keeps getting worse and she doesn’t get the treatment she needs. She explains that during this process she was taken to a hospital a few times but none of the medicine or the shots worked, and her condition is still undiagnosed.

   Merve Gokkaya: “It is impossible to put into words what it is like to live in difficult conditions in a narrow space and in an icy environment. Every day I climb up and down the 24-step stairs with the help of someone, asking someone to take me to use the restroom, barely standing in the shower, and struggle for life in prison by having to wait for someone’s help. I’m being held and I can’t get up from where I sat at that time, and I can’t even lift one leg. During some attacks, I could not move my fingers, so I could only eat and drink with the help of someone.”

   “In the most beautiful time of my life, in the first years of my marriage, when I had dreams to live up to, I was imprisoned with a slander. I am still being detained even though my health condition is getting serious. Why have I been held here for so long?”

   “Of course, my innocence will come out one day and justice will truly be fulfilled. How will it be possible to compensate for this damage – the health that I have started to lose-  when the judgment is given to me as a result of inaccuracies falls one day?”

   “I’m desperately looking for a cure for my illnesses. Unfortunately, I can’t find it because I’m unjustly a prisoner. I keep having serious and painful attacks that disable me to take care of myself. Diagnosis cannot be made because I am not immediately transferred to a hospital at the time of the attacks.”

   “Many people in my situation are currently arrested without a trial. Although I have written letters to the authorities and petitioned for being released, yet I have not received a positive response. I’m desperate.”

   “While sitting on a chair, I notice that my knees and ankles are numb. I can’t stand up for longer than 15 minutes. I can’t lay on my back for a long time when I go to bed. When I turn to my right there is a pain, I can only sleep comfortably by lying to the left and pulling my knees towards my chest. It takes me half an hour to get this proper position.”

Resource:

 

We urge everyone who is concerned with this human right violation to take action. Express your views or send attached statement below to following addresses:

 

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

The Honorable Ms. Michelle Bachelet Jeria/High Commissioner
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION

234 Ford House Office Building 3rd & D streets SW, Washington, DC 20515
TEL: 202-225-1901 | FAX: 202-226-4199 |
EMAIL: [email protected]
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission

UNITED NATIONS & EU

United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

The Honorable Zeid Ra’ad AI Hussein
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH- 121 I Geneva 10. Switzerland
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable David Kaye
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression
Palais des Nations
CH- 121 I Geneva 10. Switzerland
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Elizabeth Broderick 
U.N. Working Group on discrimination against women and girls
[email protected]

The Honorable Leigh Toomey
U.N.  Working Group on arbitrary detention
[email protected]

The Honorable Catalina Devandas Aguilar 
Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
[email protected]

The Honorable Ahmed Shaheed
U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
[email protected]

The Honorable Agnes Callamard
U.N. Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
[email protected]

The Honorable Nils Melzer French 
Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
[email protected]

The Honorable Federica Mogherini
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200/Wetstraat 200 B-1049
Brussels, Belgium
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Thorbjørn Jagland
Secretary-General of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
Avenue de l’Europe F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex, France
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Christos Giakoumopoulos
Directorate General
Human Rights and Rule of Law
Council of Europe
Avenue de l’Europe F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex, France
Email: [email protected]

HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS

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

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

Freedom House
Twitter: @FreedomHouseDC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomHouseDC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202-296-5101
Fax: 202-293-2840

Annie Boyajian, Advocacy Manager
[email protected]

Amnesty International
Twitter: @amnestyusa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyusa
[email protected]

International Federation for Human 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

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

CONTACTS FROM TURKEY

The Honorable Abdulhamit Gul
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
06659 Kizilay
Ankara, Republic of Turkey
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Feridun Hadi Sinirlioǧlu
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Turkey to the United Nations
821 UN Plaza 10th Floor
New York, NY, USA 10017
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Selcuk Unal
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Canada
Turkish Embassy in Ottawa
197 Wurtemburg Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 8L9, Canada
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Serdar Kılıç
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the United States
Embassy of the Republic of Turkey
2525 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC, USA 20008
Email: [email protected]

Türkiye İnsan Hakları ve Eşitlik Kurumu
Telefon+90312 422 78 00
Faks+90312 422 78 99
GSM+90 532 000 00 00
E-posta [email protected]
AdresYüksel Cad. No: 23 | 06650 | Kızılay-ANKARA

COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES 

The Honorable Mike Pompeo
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC, USA 20520

The Honorable Chrystia Freeland
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G2, Canada

The Honorable Nikki Haley
United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations
United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY, USA 10017

The Honorable Philip Kosnett
Chargé d’Affaires of the United States to the Republic of Turkey
Embassy of the United States
110 Atatürk Blvd. Kavaklıdere 06100
Ankara, Turkey

Read more

SEND A LETTER: STOP TORTURING DIPLOMATS

SEND A LETTER: STOP TORTURING DIPLOMATS

Send a letter to Congressman Hastings, the chair of Helsinki Commission or Hon. CHRIS SMITH- NJ from Lantos Commission to urge them to take action against Turkish authorities involved in torturing 6 Ex-MFA Diplomats in Turkey.

Sample letter to send Congressman Alcee L. HASTINGS.  & Congressman Chris SMITH

Dear Hon. Rep. Alcee L. HASTINGS
Washington, D.C.
2353 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Tel: (202) 225-1313
Fax: (202) 225-1171
https://alceehastings.house.gov/contact/

Urge Turkish Government to investigate the serious torture allegations to ex-diplomats in the capital Ankara, Turkey

Dear Honorable Congressman,

I deeply concerned about the torture allegations documented by the Ankara Bar Association. 6 ex-diplomats of Turkish Foreign Ministry have been detained at Police Headquarters in Ankara.  HDP MP Omer F. Gergerlioglu; Erinc Sagkan, President of Ankara Bar Association, and CHP MP Sezgin Tanrikulu spoke out about the allegations immediately..

According to the Ankara Bar Association’s report, 5 detainees were harshly beaten, knocked unconscious and sexually abused (anally raped with batons). The detained diplomats were forced to sign a statement of confession. A tortured diplomat lost his consciousness due to severe beatings and was hospitalized. However,  he was refused to be given a medical report. According to the UN report on March 2018, 263 incidents of torture in detention occurred in Turkey. Grave human rights violations like torture cannot be tolerated.

I will greatly appreciate if you urge the Turkish government to investigate these serious allegations and to bring the perpetrators of the horrible torture incidents to justice and If you share your thoughts about torture on your social media.

Thank you for your support to persecuted and oppressed innocent people in Turkey.

Yours Sincerely.

Or

Dear Hon. Rep. Chris SMITH

Washington, DC Office
2373 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
phone (202) 225-3765
fax   (202) 225-7768
https://chrissmith.house.gov/contact/

Full Report Link and more information :

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/05/29/world/europe/ap-eu-turkey-torture.html

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/a-new-phase-in-turkeys-crackdown-as-recep-tayyip-erdogan-tortures-diplomats

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/diplomats-tortured-in-turkish-jail-tz3r0lb7t

https://twitter.com/ankarabarosu/status/1133375623727058944?s=19

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-torture-idUSKCN1SY26O

https://www.euronews.com/2019/05/28/turkish-lawyers-group-says-foreign-ministry-staff-tortured-in-custody

https://twitter.com/silencedturkey/status/1133407264742760448?s=19


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SEND A LETTER: GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY

AST STATEMENT REGARDING GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY ON
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, DECEMBER 10

Under the state of emergency, imposed after the July 2016 attempted coup and lifted on July 2018, President Erdogan presided over the cabinet, which could pass decrees without parliamentary scrutiny or the possibility of appeal to the constitutional court. Many decrees adopted contained measures that undermine human rights safeguards and conflict with Turkey’s international human rights obligations. The routine extensions of the state of emergency within two years have led to profound human rights violations against hundreds of thousands of people – from arbitrary deprivation of the right to work and to freedom of movement, to torture and other ill-treatment, arbitrary detentions and infringements of the rights to freedom of association and expression.

The Erdogan government is showing disregard to the rights of its dissidents. Approximately 217,000 people are detained and over 82,000 people are arrested on terrorism charges. Those prosecuted include journalists, civil servants, teachers, politicians, academics, human rights defenders as well as police officers and military personnel. The prosecutions often lack compelling evidence of criminal activity. Thereby the State officials use torture and ill-treatment in custody, including severe beatings, threats of sexual assault and actual sexual assault, electric shocks, waterboarding and interference with medical examinations.

Public officials continued to be dismissed or suspended by decree without due process, with more than 170,000 dismissed since July 2016. Those dismissed from their jobs lost their income, social benefits, medical insurance, and even their homes, as various decrees stipulated that public servants “shall be evicted from publicly-owned houses or houses owned by a foundation in which they live within 15 days”.

Websites including Wikipedia are blocked. Hundreds of media outlets, associations, foundations, private hospitals, and educational establishments that the government shut down by decrees are still closed, their assets were confiscated without compensation. The states of emergency have been used to severely and arbitrarily curtail the human rights of a very large number of people which is also declared by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

One of the most alarming actions of the Turkish authorities is incarceration of women who are pregnant or have just given birth. Some are incarcerated with their children and others violently separated from them. At this moment, seven hundred forty-three (743) children under the age of six are in jails across Turkey with their mothers, detained or arrested as part of the government crackdown on its dissidents. One hundred forty-nine (149) of these children are infants under a year old. “This is simply outrageous, utterly cruel, and surely cannot have anything whatsoever to do with making the country safer” as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein” also emphasized.

Another alarming action of the Turkish government is the overseas operations conducted by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) to capture perceived political opponents of President Erdogan’s administration. Abductions are perpetrated by violating international legal norms.

We, as Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST), want to emphasize our deep concern and make you aware of human rights violations in Turkey. We want the Turkish government to change its seizure policies and reinstitute human rights all over the country and follow the rule of law. Turkey is in breach of its International Law Obligations. We, as AST urge you to address this situation and attract attention to it in your official capacity. AST urges to stand against the unlawful practices of the Turkish government after the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

In this regard, we call upon the Government of the Republic of Turkey to:

● Stop arbitrary arrests, detentions and wrongful prosecution of political prisoners and release them;

● Stop arbitrary arrests, detentions and wrongful prosecution of women and children;

● Stop illegal overseas operations to capture perceived political opponents;

● Stop, prevent and punish the use of torture and ill-treatment by State officials;

● Reinstate, those wrongly detained, prosecuted and dismissed from their posts;

● Ensure and safeguard the independence of the legal profession.

You can download the AST Statement’s PDF version about Grave Human Rights Violations in Turkey

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Human-Rights-Day-Letter.pdf

SEND AN EMAIL OR MAIL

We urge you to express your views or send attached sample statement to following addresses:

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Human-Rights-Day-Letter.docx

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

#FreePrisonersofConscience
#StandUp4HumanRights

Video about Children and their Mothers are Prisoners of Conscience in Turkey

AST FLYER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/HUMAN-RIGHTS-DAY-FLYER.jpg

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATIONS.

United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner

The Honorable Ms. Michelle Bachelet Jeria/High Commissioner
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION

234 Ford House Office Building 3rd & D streets SW, Washington, DC 20515

TEL: 202-225-1901 | FAX: 202-226-4199 |
EMAIL: [email protected]
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission

UNITED NATIONS & EU

The Honorable Zeid Ra’ad AI Hussein
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH- 121 I Geneva 10. Switzerland
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Dr. Koumbou Boly Barry
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education
Palais des Nations
CH- 1 2 1 1 Geneva 1 0. Switzerland
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable David Kaye
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression
Palais des Nations
CH- 121 I Geneva 10. Switzerland
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Federica Mogherini
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200/Wetstraat 200 B-1049
Brussels, Belgium
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Thorbjorn Jagland
Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
Avenue de I’Europe F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex, France
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Nils Muiznicks
Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe
Avenue de I’Europe F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex, France

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Phone: (202) 647-6575

 


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Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND NGOS

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

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

FREEDOM HOUSE

Twitter: @FreedomHouseDC | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomHouseDC

For all general inquiries, please contact
Freedom House: [email protected] or call our main line: 202-296-5101, fax 202-293-2840

For Congressional inquiries, please email
Annie Boyajian, Advocacy Manager, at [email protected]

Freedom House Washington Office Address:
1850 M Street NW, Floor 11
Washington D.C. 20036

Freedom House New York Office Address:
120 Wall Street, Fl. 26
New York, NY 10005

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Twitter: @amnestyusa | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyusa

If you believe your human rights have been violated and you need referrals for assistance or want to share your story, contact our research team
[email protected]

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

Twitter: @NEDemocracy | Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/National.Endowment.for.Democracy

Ph: (202) 378-9700
E-Mail: [email protected]

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL

Twitter: @anticorruption | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TransparencyInternational/

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT

Address: Alt-Moabit 96 10559 Berlin Germany

General contact:
Telephone: +49 30 3438 200
Fax: +49 30 3470 3912
Email: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HUMAN 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

HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST

Twitter: @humanrights1st | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsfirst

New York
Human Rights First
75 Broad St, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: (212) 845 5200
Fax: (212) 845 5299

Washington
Human Rights First
805 15th Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: (202) 547 5692
Fax: (202) 543 5999

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

Read more

SEND A LETTER: CONFISCATED BUSINESSES

PROPERTY RIGHTS UNDER THREAT IN TURKEY

Property rights in Turkey are unfortunately no longer protected. Since 2015 and mainly after the failed coup attempt in 2016, the Erdogan government is showing disregard to the rights of its dissidents. The followers of the Gulen Movement, specifically the businesspeople who supported the movement and many opponents of the Erdogan government have become the victim of this merciless purge.

The Erdogan government published the number of confiscated businesses. Muhiddin Gülal, the head of Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (TMSF), a government organization that operates the confiscated companies, told in July 2018 that, at the time, 937 companies had been managed by trustees, reaching TL 19.4 billion (USD 3.3 billion) in equity and TL 50 billion (USD 8.5 billion) in assets. The numbers Gülal mentioned do not even include the assets of 127 individuals, 19 unions, 15 private universities, 49 hospitals, 174 media outlets, 1,419 foundations, and another 2,271 education companies confiscated by the government. The total value of all assets confiscated is estimated to be about TL 100 billion (USD 17 billion). Moreover, if we calculate this amount per the exchange rates of the confiscation date, the total number will be close to USD 40 billion.

Confiscated businesses illustrates the violation of the fundamental human right of private property in Turkey. There is no longer liberal economic politics in Turkey, rather they are despotic and coercive in nature, and no government opponent is economically safe. We want the Turkish government to change its seizure policies and reinstitute the property rights all over the country and follow the Rule of Law.

You can download the sample letter and implement your own story of confiscated businesses or seized properties

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Letter-sample-for-businessman-confiscated-property.docx

TRANSLATION & LAWYER

AST volunteers will help you in your local area to translate your story to English. If you could not find anyone to translate your story send your story to [email protected]. we will translate and send it back to you to be signed and send to relevant contacts. If you want to get legal advice pls send an email to [email protected] to be contacted with a legal consultant till January 1st.

SEND AN EMAIL OR MAIL

We urge the victims of confiscated businesses or seized properties to take action. Express your views or send attached statement to following addresses:

United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner

The Honorable Ms. Michelle Bachelet Jeria/High Commissioner
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while countering terrorism

Ms. Fionnuala D.Ni Aolain

[email protected]
[email protected]

The European Parliament Human Rights Committee

Per Antonio Panzeri/Chair
Barbara Lochbihler/Vice-Chair
Francisco Assis/Member
Amjad Bashir/Member
Klaus Buchner/Member
Wajid Khan/member
Kati Piri/Substitute
Judith Sargentini/Substitute

[email protected]

The European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs

David McAllister/Chair
Javier Couso Permuy/Vice-Chair
Nikos Androulakis/Member
Michele Alliot Marie/Member
Petras Austrevicius/Member
Johannes Cornelis van Baalen/Member
Mario Borghezio/Member
Aymeric Chauprade/Member

[email protected]

The European Parliament Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Roberto Gualtieri/Chair
Peter Simon/Vice-Chair
Kay Swinburne, Vice-Chair
Hugues Bayet/Member
David Coburn/Member
Thierry Cornillet/Member
Jonas Fernandez/Member
Sven Giegold/Member

[email protected]

The European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Jerzy Buzek/Chair
Patrizia Toia/Vice-Chair
Jaromir Kohlicek/Vice-Chair
Morten Helveg Petersen/Vice-Chair
Bendt Bendtsen/Member
Xabier Benito Ziluaga/member
Jakob Dalunde/Member
Adam Gierek/Member

[email protected]

European Court of Human Rights Judges of the Court

Guido Raimond
Angelika Nußberger
Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos
Ganna Yudkivska
Robert Spano

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL OF EUROPE
67075 STRASBOURG CEDEX FRANCE
Tel: + 33 (0)3 88 41 20 18
Fax: + 33 (0)3 88 41 27 30

Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe

Türki̇ye konusunda çali̇şan raportör üyeler:

– Ingebjørg Godskesen (Norway, CE) @IngAmGod
– Marianne Mikko (Estonia, SOC) @mariannemikko

Co-rapporteurs of the the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Turkey:

– Marianne Mikko (Estonia, SOC) @mariannemikko
– Nigel Evans (United Kingdom, EC) @nigelmp
– Bernd Fabritius (Germany, EPP/ CD) @BerndFabritius (rapporteur on ‘new threats to the rule of law in Council of Europe member States – selected examples’
– Raphael Comte (Switzerland, ALDE) @RaphaelComteCE (rapporteur on ‘state of emergency: proportionality issues concerning derogations under Article 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights’)

Head of the Secretariat/ Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

Schirmer Guenter
[email protected]

KATI PIRI

[email protected]

President of German Bar Association

Raun Ulrich Schellenberg (advocated against ECtHR’s decision)
Kurfürstendamm 182 10707 Berlin

​Correspondence to:

​German Lawyers Association
Littenstraße 11, 10179 Berlin
Phone : +49 (30) 726152-140
Fax : +49 (30) 726152-192
[email protected]

International Monetary Fund

Srikant Seshadri / Resident representative for Turkey
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +903 12 446 5007
Fax: +903 12 446 5266

World Bank

Johannes Zutt / Country Director for Turkey, Europe and Central Asia
Tel : +(880-2) 8159001
[email protected]

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

https://www.hrw.org/contact-us

HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION

Thor Halvorssen/President
[email protected]
[email protected]

Our Team

Human Rights Without Frontiers
[email protected]
Human Rights and Democracy Network
[email protected]
European Association for the Defense of Human Rights
[email protected]
Platform of European Social NGO’s
[email protected]
European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)
[email protected]
OSCE-Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
[email protected]

European Commission

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Credit rating Agencies

MOODY’S
[email protected]

STANDART & POOR’S
[email protected]

FITCH RATINGS
[email protected]
[email protected]

Mixed

The Honorable Thorbjørn Jagland
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Council of Europe
​Avenue de l’Europe F-67075
​Strasbourg Cedex, France
Email: [email protected]

The Honorable Nils Muižnieks
Commissioner for Human Rights Council of Europe
​Avenue de l’Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France
twitter:@CommissionerHR

Honorable Christos Giakoumopoulos
Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law Council of Europe
Avenue de l’Europe F-67075 ​Strasbourg Cedex, France
Email: [email protected]

Martin Schulz
President of European Parliament
twitter:EP_President
EP contact: https://www.secure.europarl.europa.eu/atyourservice/en/askEP.html
Address:European Parliament Bât. Altiero Spinelli ​60 rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60 B-1047 – Bruxelles/Brussels Belgium Phone: +32(0)2 28 42111
Fax: +32(0)2 28 46974

Donald Tusk
President of the European Council
twitter:@eucopresident
Send e-mail to President: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/

Jean-Claude Juncker
President of the EU Commission
twitter:@junckerEU
e-mail to EC: http://europa.eu/contact/write-to-us/index_en.htm

Frederica Mogherini
High Representative of the EU for foreign affairs and Security Policy-Vice President of the EU Commission
twitter:@FedericaMog

NEWS & ARTICLES

Assets worth $11bn seized in Turkey crackdown
https://www.ft.com/content/fed595d0-631e-11e7-8814-0ac7eb84e5f1

Turkish Businesses Snagged In Government’s Post-Coup Crackdown
https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/08/03/541360939/turkish-businesses-snagged-in-governments-post-coup-crackdown

Turkish business suffers under Erdogan’s post-coup Gulen purge
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/07/turkish-business-suffers-under-erdogans-post-coup-gulen-pur
ge.html

Turkey seized 879 companies since failed coup, worth 40.3 bln lira -state fund
https://www.reuters.com/article/turkey-security-companies-idUSI7N1II00J

Turkey Sees Foes at Work in Gold Mines, Cafes and ‘Smurf Village’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/business/turkey-akin-ipek-fethullah-gulen-recep-tayyip-erd
ogan.html

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/turkish-economy-heading-toward-crisis-under-erdo
gan-a-1141363.html

Turkey Corruption Report
https://www.business-anti-corruption.com/country-profiles/turkey/

https://www.economist.com/europe/2017/02/02/turkeys-purges-are-hitting-its-business-class
/

Turkey confiscates some 50 religious properties from Christian minority
https://www.foxnews.com/us/turkey-confiscates-some-50-religious-properties-from-christian-min
ority

REPORT

For more information click the 36 pages detailed report about some confiscated businesses in Turkey.

“A predatory approach to individual rights: Erdogan’s government unlawful seizures of private properties and confiscated businesses companies in Turkey”

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/A-PREDATORY-APPROACH-TO-INDIVIDUAL-RIGHTS_-ERDOGAN-GOVERNMENT’S-UNLAWFUL-SEIZURES-OF-PRIVATE-PROPERTIES-AND-COMPANIES-IN-TURKEY.pdf

VIDEO

Government seizes businesses in Turkey

https://www.dw.com/en/government-seizes-businesses-in-turkey/av-37084560

 


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After Yearlong Struggle, Turkey’s Crackdown Reaches Afghan Schools

Turkey’s global purge and the crackdown on Gulen-affiliated schools never show signs of abating. The latest attempt took place in Afghanistan on Sunday, with all the hallmarks of previous ones already displayed in various times in Turkey or other countries.

Early on Sunday, officials linked with Turkey’s state-run Maarif Foundation took control of two schools in Herat province of Afghanistan. In a submission to unyielding demands from Ankara, the Afghan Education Ministry already relinquished the control of a number of private Afghan-Turkish schools affiliated with the Gulen Movement to Ankara-backed Maarif Foundation earlier this year.

The decision set off a yearlong showdown between new officials and the families of students who were adamantly opposed to any takeover of the schools by Ankara.

Previous attempts to run schools hit a snag after families’ unflinching and stubborn resistance. But this Sunday, Maarif-linked officials came to the school, touching off a new episode of clashes between families and the Afghan authorities.

While Turkey’s efforts to seize Gulen-affiliated schools across the world mostly took place without much fuss, things in Afghanistan developed differently as families vowed to fight against the seizure as long as possible within their capacity.

The Sunday takeover resulted in a number of brief detentions, local media reported. Police and security forces laid a siege to all-girls and all-boys schools in Herat. A Turkish official working for
Afghan-Turkish school network divulged details of how the events transpired in schools with media.

Police blocked access to schools, assembled students to a gathering point and seized their cellphones to restrict diffusion of the news throughout media. They detained some teachers and students who attempted to resist those attempts.

When news of the crackdown filtered through social media and the local community, parents of students began to amass outside schools. The committee of student families was summoned by the provincial education bureau of the Afghan government in Herat for consultations and briefing. An official who talked to AST on the condition of anonymity claimed that the summoning served as a distraction as Afghan authorities descended on one of the schools’ principal office at the same time to finalize the management change.

They even held a symbolic ceremony for the commencement of new administrators. When police and security forces left the school, graduates, students and a group of families forced the newly installed Maarif officials out of the school after a brief scuffle.

Maarif directors took refuge in armed vehicles of Afghan security forces outside one of the schools. A melee followed thereafter as graduated schools displayed their fury against the takeover of the school.

This invited a large force of reinforcements as top education official in Herat sought new forces to break up the protest and suppress the resistance by families. The deployment of additional police forces within school sparked some clashes. The police forcefully detained many students.

As things escalated into some violent showdown, more than 400 people assembled outside the school to demand the release of detained students.

So far now, no Turkish teachers were taken into custody, something that always occurred in other countries where such school takeovers took place.

In first official remarks on the incident, Herat Governor’s Spokesman Jelani Farhad confirmed that security forces carried out a court order against Gulen-linked schools. He also acknowledged that the raid was conducted to change the school director.

But the official denied any wrongdoing and insisted that the whole takeover took place as part of an official agreement between the governments Afghanistan and Turkey.

Afghan-Turk Cag Educational (ATCE), an NGO that previously ran the schools, condemned the police raid, portraying it as a move incompatible with civil law, constitution, the criminal code of the country, not to speak of international norms.

Turkey’s yearlong efforts were repeatedly foiled by a group of determinant families. The attitude displayed by student parents and NGOs defending education rights of the Afghan people offer some form of a solace in a country where civil society barely exists. In a repudiation of the perception that civil society is just a letter on paper, devoid of any substance, in Afghanistan, the families pledged to prolong their fight against Maarif’s brazen takeover.

A large-scale demonstration is expected to take place on Monday. Afghanistan, which goes through a decades-long war between Western-backed government forces and a resurgent Taliban, suffers a shortage of teachers and education facilities. In the face of depleted sources and tremendous hardships, the last thing Kabul needs is to alienate a group of volunteers and NGOs which, for their unswerving commitment to Afghan people, did not leave the country even in the face of a protracted and deadly war. Kabul should return the favor by ignoring Turkey’s norm-defying demand for the takeover of the schools, which have become beacons of success and advanced education.

We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached letter or your own letter to following addresses:

You can find a sample letter at the following link.

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Letter_to_officials_erdogans_long_arm_in_afghanistan.pdf

You can find your U.S Senator at the following link.

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

You can find your U.S Representatives at the link.

https://www.house.gov/representatives

1) Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, U.S. Helsinki Commission
Phone: 202-225-1901
Fax: 202-226-4199
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission/

Chairman: Senator Roger F. Wicker
Address and Contact:
555 Dirksen 555 Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-6253 |Fax: (202) 228-0378 | Twitter: @SenatorWicker
Email: [email protected]

Co-Chairman: Representative Christopher H. Smith
Washington DC Office: 2373 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3765 | Fax: (202) 225-7768 | Twitter: @RepChrisSmith
https://chrissmith.house.gov/contact/zipauth.htm

2) Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
Fax: +1 (202) 226-5887
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @TLHumanRights

3) Congressional Afghan Caucus
Phone: +1 (202) 225-2411
Fax: +1 (202) 225-2013
Federal Caucus Member: Pete King, [email protected],
Federal Caucus Member: Bill Pascrell, [email protected]

4) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

5) U.S. Department of State
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

6) Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States
Phone: 202-456-6213
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @VP

7) Senator Cory Booker
Phone: (202) 224-3224
Fax: (202) 224-8378
Email: https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=contact
Twitter:@SenBooker

AFGHANISTAN

1) President Ashraf Ghani
Twitter: @ashrafghani
Phone: 0202104444,
0202104445
Hamdullah Mohib, National Security Advisor (Former Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the United
States)
Twitter: @hmohib

2) Shah Hussain Murtazawi,
Acting Spokesperson for President’s Office
Phone: +93 (0) 728 998 907
Email: [email protected]

3) Salahuddin Rabbani. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Address: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan,
Malek Asghar St. Kabul, Afghanistan
Phone: 0093 (0) 20 2100372,
0093 (0) 20 2100371
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @mfa_afghanistan http://mfa.gov.af/en/form/contactus

4) Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the United States
Address: Embassy of Afghanistan, 2341 Wyoming Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 Phone:
202-483-6410
Fax: 202-483-6488
[email protected]

Contact Us

5) Mahmoud SAIKAL, Ambassador and Permanent Representative Permanent Mission of
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New York Address: 633 Third Avenue Floor 27A, New York,
NY 10017
Phone: 212-972 1212
Fax: 212-972 1216
@AfghanMissionUN
[email protected]

6) U.S. Embassy Kabul
Phone: (00 93) (0)700-10-8000
Fax: (00 93) (0)700-108-564 @USEmbassyKabul
[email protected]

7) DR. ABDULLAH ABDULLAH(CEO)
Special Assistant Ahmet Zahit Anwari
0093700291626
0093202106803
[email protected]
[email protected]

8) Chief of Staff Abdul Kahar Abed
0093744200000
0093700281980
[email protected]

9) Spoke person
Dr. Mucibur Rahman Rahimi
PH: 0093702103333
[email protected]

10) Ministry of Foreign Affairs

0093202100372
0093202100371
[email protected]

Social media posts on the raid:

HASHTAG
#DoNotPoliticizeAfghanSchools

 


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SEND A LETTER | PURGED PUBLIC WORKERS

PURGED BEYOND RETURNS

SEND A LETTER to COUNCIL OF EUROPE, VENICE COMMISSION & MEMBER OF CABINET

“On the evening of 15 July 2016, elements within Turkey’s armed forces attempted a violent coup. The coup attempt was quickly thwarted as thousands of people took to the streets and state forces overpowered the coup plotters. Hundreds died, and thousands were injured in a night of terrible violence. The government declared a state of emergency soon afterwards on 20 July 2016 with the stated aim of countering threats to national security arising from the coup attempt. While the state of emergency was initially declared for three months, it would be renewed seven times, and its remit broadened to include combatting ‘terrorist’ organizations. The state of emergency finally ended on 18 July 2018, two years after it was first announced, having ushered in a period of tremendous upheaval in Turkish public life.

During the state of emergency, the government had the extraordinary power to issue emergency decrees with the force of law. These decrees were used to enact a wide variety of measures, affecting diverse issues from detention periods and NGO closures to snow tyre requirements. Around 130,000 public sector workers were dismissed by emergency decrees. Those dismissed include teachers, academics, doctors, police officers, media workers employed by the state broadcaster, members of the armed forces, as well as people working at all levels of local and central government. Their dismissals did not include specific evidence or details of their alleged wrongdoing. Instead, the decrees offered a generalized justification that they ‘…had links to, were part of, were connected to, or in communication with…’ proscribed groups.
The arbitrary dismissals have had a devastating impact on those who lost their jobs and their families. They did not only lose the jobs they occupied; in some cases, they were entirely cut off from access to their professions, as well as housing and healthcare benefits, leaving them and their families without livelihood opportunities.

For a long time, these dismissed public sector workers did not have any recourse against their dismissal as they had no access to ordinary administrative or legal channels in Turkey. Following considerable domestic and international pressure, the government passed an emergency decree in January 2017 setting up a ‘State of Emergency Inquiry Commission’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Commission’) to review decisions taken by the emergency decrees, including the appeals of purged public sector workers. Amnesty International research, which involved a review of procedures and a sample of decisions taken by this Commission and interviews with dismissed individuals and their families, reveals that the Commission – by its very design – is not set up to provide an effective remedy to the thousands of public sector workers dismissed from their jobs by emergency decrees. The combination of factors – including the lack of genuine institutional independence, lengthy review procedures, absence of necessary safeguards allowing individuals to effectively rebut allegations about their alleged illegal activity and weak evidence cited in decisions upholding dismissals – resulted in the failure of the Commission to provide a recourse against dismissals, leaving more than a hundred thousand individuals – their livelihoods on hold – without a timely and effective means of justice and reparation. The Commission does not have institutional independence from the government as its members are largely appointed by the government and may be dismissed simply by virtue of an ‘administrative investigation’ on the basis of suspicion of links to proscribed groups. Thus, the provisions for
appointments and dismissals could easily influence the decision-making process; should members fail to make decisions expected of them, the government can just as easily dispense with them.”

Purged Beyond Return Report by AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, pp. 4-5, October 2018.

SEND A LETTER AS A DISMISSED PUBLIC WORKER OR DEFENDER

The Commission of Europe invited OHAL commission to Strasbourg in November about their political decisions and the violation of rights of the dismissed 130,000 public workers. We urge the dismissed public workers or their defenders to write letters to the commission, member of the parliament, President of the Council of EU and Secretary of Venice Commission:
In order to comply with the human rights standards that they profess to uphold, Turkish authorities should reinstate all the dismissed public sector workers and, in any cases where individuals are reasonably suspected of wrongdoing or misconduct in their employment, or of a criminal offense, any decision on their dismissal should be made solely in a regular disciplinary process with full procedural safeguards.

3 SAMPLE LETTERS FOR PUBLIC WORKERS

Below are the sample letters created for a dismissed teacher, doctor and public worker. Do not forget to include your own story by changing the related parts.

You can download TEACHERS SAMPLE LETTER here…

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Teacher_sample_letter.pdf

You can download DOCTORS SAMPLE LETTER here…

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Doctors_sample_letter.pdf

You can download PUBLIC WORKER SAMPLE LETTER here…

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/public_servants_Sample_letter.pdf

CONTACT INFORMATION TO SEND YOUR LETTER.

1) PRESIDENT OF EUROPEAN COUNCIL
Donald TUSK
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/contact/general-enquiries/send-message/?IsPresident=true

2) PRESS OFFICE
[email protected]

3) PRESS CENTER
[email protected]
[email protected]

4) SECRETARY OF VENICE COMMISSION
Thomas Markert
[email protected]

4) RIAA OOMEN
Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy: Bureau of the Assembly
[email protected]

5) BERNARD BRUNET
Bernard Brunet is currently Head of Unit “Thematic Support, Monitoring, and Evaluation” in the
European Commission (DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement
[email protected]

6) JOHANNES NOACK
Member of Cabinet
[email protected]

7) MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE on Political Affairs and Democracy
http://www.assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/AssemblyList/AL-XML2HTML-EN.asp?lang=en&XmlID=Committee-Pol

8) TWITTER

—-VENICE COMMISSION—-
@venicecomm

—-EUROPEAN COUNCIL—-
@EUCouncil

“PURGED BEYOND RETURN” 28 pages report released by Amnesty International about the
130,000 dismissed public workers in Turkey. You can reach the report from the link;

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur44/9210/2018/en/

NEED HELP?

If you need help to translate your story, AST volunteers in your local community will help you.
If you could not find an AST volunteer for the translation of your letter from Turkish to English to submit, you can send the Turkish letter to [email protected] until November 15. We will try to do our best to translate your letter by our volunteers and empower you to submit your letter to the relevant commissions and officials in Europe

 


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