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TAKE ACTION ; STAND UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HUMAN RIGHTS, DECEMBER 10TH

On December 10th, Human Rights Day, we stand up for our rights and those of others. The absence of equality, justice, and freedom causes violence and prevents peace as we are seeing today in Turkey.  Human rights are relevant to all of us, every day and on this day in particular, we are going to hold a bigger and better rally in the center of Manhattan.  Our last vigil and peaceful protest (made possible by you!) was very successful. More than 500 people are expected to be in attendance on December 10th. By working together, we can have a bold voice for a great impact. Please show up and be a part of the protest in New York that day!

2. Visibility is fundamental to creating awareness about the ill-treatment of people, especially young children and babies in jail, in Turkey. AST will design and display an 8-second digital billboard advertisement for 4 weeks. This 14’ x 48’ billboard placement has the potential of reaching over 1.6 million viewers.

Click for Register and Tickets

You can support the vigil from GoFundMe

 

 

 

 

 


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TAKE ACTION ; Vigil in remembrance of those who died in the Aegean Sea while fleeing from the persecution in Turkey.

On Friday, September 27, 2019, the boat carrying desperate people fleeing persecution in Turkey sank. Seven out of 19 people on the boat passed away.

Mustafa Said Zenbil, 12 years old
Meltem Zenbil, 40 years old
Kevser Sezer, 58 years old
Mahir Isik, 4 months old
Ibrahim Isik, 3 years old
Mustafa Kara, 6 years old
Gulsum Kara, 8 years old

Funerals were held and 2 of the deceased were buried on the slope of Chios with the help of Greek citizens.

While the Greek media published the news as, “The angels escaping from Erdogan lost their lives in the Aegean Sea,” about the unfortunate event, the Turkish media used inappropriate name-calling.

Please join us on Saturday, October 26, 11:00 am -1:00 pm in Bryant Park, New York in remembrance of those who died in the Aegean Sea.

After the collective prayer for those who passed away, flyers with information about this sad event will be distributed.  Cookies will be shared for the benefit of those who passed away.

In Turkey, 278 people have already died due to not being able to stand the persecution, having heart attacks and other serious medical conditions, from torture, while fleeing from persecution, after car accidents, or by the struggle for survival under difficult conditions.

Don’t be silent about this persecution! Take action and come to Bryant Park on Saturday, Oct. 26!

For more information and to find out about all of our activities, please follow us @silencedturkey

Send us an email if you want to participate

Willing contributions of any size are always accepted and appreciated.

 

 

 


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TAKE ACTION TO FREE AHMET ALTAN

Ahmet Altan (born 1950) is a Turkish journalist, prominent novelist, and author. A working journalist for more than 20 years, he has served in all stages of the profession, from being a night shift reporter to editor in chief in various newspapers and he was the editor-in-chief of Taraf newspaper a liberal newspaper between 2007-2012. Ahmet Altan was arrested on September 10, 2016, in a dawn raid for allegedly giving subliminal messages the night before the failed coup on July 15, 2016. He was charged with attempting to overthrow the “constitutional order,” “interfering with the work of the national assembly,” and “interfering with the work of the government” through violence and sentenced to life in prison. Altan is among thousands of prisoners of conscience in Turkey. We urge the Turkish authorities to free Altan and stop human rights violations against him.

On Thursday, a press release will be made by AST on behalf of the release of journalist and intellectual Ahmet Altan.

Send a letter or video Message for ALTAN:

More details will be shared when the time approaches. You can share your letter and a video message to Ahmet Altan or other political prisoners via AST.

CAMPAIGN DETAILS

● A special video is being prepared by AST for the release of the political prisoners and will be published on Thursday.
● The press release will be made to the relevant places;
● Social Media campaign will be organized;
● The signature campaign for ALTAN will be launched;
● The issue will be transmitted to international institutions again;

ACTION ITEMS

● You can send a letter or video message to Ahmet Altan by yourself or through AST; You can send your message to [email protected]
● You can support the campaign that will be held on Thursday;
● You can voluntarily support the work of AST or share your feedback through [email protected]
● You can financially support the work of AST by donating to Www.silencedturkey.org/donatenow

 

Willing contributions of any size are always accepted and appreciated.

 

 

 


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TAKE ACTION World Refugee Day, June 20 Turkish Translation

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68.5 million individuals have been forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations. Highest levels of displacement on record. One person becomes displaced every 2 seconds.

Take Action to increase understanding about refugee families from Turkey who fled from the persecution under Erdogan Regime.


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TAKE ACTION to International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, June 26

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Facts About Torture & Deaths in Turkey:

  • 236 incidents of torture in a year according to UN
  • 328 allegations of torture according to State Dep.
  • 2,278 victims faced maltreatment and torture according to UN
  • At least 51 suspicious deaths in custody and prisons in the last 3 years according to State Dep.

Donate Now

 

 

 


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TAKE ACTION World Refugee Day, June 20

View PDF to See What You Can Do to Take Action

68.5 million individuals have been forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations. Highest levels of displacement on record. One person becomes displaced every 2 seconds.

Take Action to increase understanding about refugee families from Turkey who fled from the persecution under Erdogan Regime.


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TAKE ACTION to free incarcerated mothers in Turkish Jails on “Mother’s Day”

View PDF to See What You Can Do to Take Action

After the failed coup attempt of July 2016 in Turkey, there has been a tremendous rise in human rights violations. Hundreds of thousands of public officers, academicians, journalists, teachers, civil servants are dismissed, along with thousands of arbitrary detentions with groundless allegations. Currently, there are thousands of mothers in jails along with hundreds of children, whose access to health care is not allowed in jails.


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TAKE ACTION to Free the Journalists in Turkey on World Press Freedom Day

View PDF to See What You Can Do to Take Action

Turkey, the biggest jailer of journalists, shut down at least 155 media outlets and made mass imprisonments of press members due to their work after the coup attempt in July 2016. As of January 2019, 155 journalists and media executives are in jail according to the International Press Institute (IPI).


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URGING AUTHORITIES TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS FOR THE PROTECTION OF HIZMET PARTICIPANTS

Urging Authorities To Take All Necessary Steps For The Protection of Hizmet Participants

As it is known Turkish government has been taking strict measures to silence dissidents from various ideologies recently. Gulen Movement has been the main target of the government, which is a faith-based group of people engaging in different voluntary activities such as education, business and health. Alleged supporters of the Movement in Turkey have been dealing with arrest, imprisonment, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, confiscation and passport seizure. Regrettably, Turkish government’s actions against the Gulen Movement are not limited to Turkish borders but are also extraterritorial. There are many examples of abductions and physical violence incidents in several countries as well as threats by pro-government people referring to the supporters abroad. Individuals linked to the Movement cannot feel safe abroad either.

It is evident that the actions of the government have cross-border impacts putting even people abroad at risk. People that are perceived as linked to the Gulen Movement are justifiably right to be afraid of the possible incidents. Therefore, we as the Advocates of Silenced Turkey urge foreign governments to take all the necessary steps to ensure safety to these people before it is too late. Security officers must be aware of the potential risks. Officials working for the Turkish government abroad must be watched closely, they must be prevented if they are in preparation of any harm. Lastly, both individuals and organizations that are deemed to be Hizmet participants must be provided extra protection when there is an imminent risk targeting them.

We, as the Advocates of Silenced Turkey, remind foreign security officers and relevant bodies of the foreign governments the risks Hizmet participants may face, and to request all necessary steps to be taken to provide sufficient protection ensuring human rights and fundamental freedoms.

For more detailed information about these risks, 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: AST_Report_Threats_Gulen Movement

STEP 1:
Sign the petition. We will deliver the petitions to foreign security officers and relevant bodies of the foreign governments to request support in reducing risks Followers of the Gulen Movement face.

The petitions will be delivered to following addresses

U.S. Homeland Security
United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
International Court of Justice
The Federal Intelligence Service of Germany

Or

Express your views or send attached statement to following addresses:
(Some of the institutions do not have an email address. You would need to submit it to them through their submission form on their websites)

Download sample statement as a word document: AST_Letter_Threats_Gulen Movement

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/

14) The Federal Intelligence Service
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+49) (0) 30 4 14 64 57
Website: http://www.bnd.bund.de/EN/_Home/home_node.html

15) Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Email: http://www.mfa.gr/en/contact/mfa-en-contacts/hellenic-ministry-of-foreign-affairs.html
Phone: (+30) 210 368 1000
Fax: (+30) 210 368 1717
Website: http://www.mfa.gr/en/

STEP 2:
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Turkish Family Drowned in Aegean Sea Escaping from Erdogan’s Regime

This statement is a short summary of the Position Paper prepared by the AST to call the international and non-governmental human rights organizations to raise awareness about the drowned Maden family and other families that are forced to take tough choices to escape injustice in Turkey. For detailed information please download the Position Paper below.

Victims of Erdogan’s regime are increasing everyday, as there has not been an effective mechanism preventing him. On November 21, 2017, Greek media reported that Greek authorities have found bodies of five, including three children, short time ago on the Greek Island of Lesvos. Identities of the bodies were revealed through the ID cards found on them, which were handed out to the Turkish police to check the records. On the other hand, relatives of the Maden family have not heard from them for some time. Reportedly, the bodies were the Maden family who has been trying to flee from Erdogan’s Turkey. The father, Huseyin Maden, and mother, Nur Maden, were allegedly linked to the Gulen Movement that has been blamed for everything going wrong in Turkey just like a scapegoat. According to the gathered information, both were sacked from their jobs as a result of the government’s actions targeting everyone in connection with the Gulen Movement. Moreover, there were detention warrants on their names accusing them of being a terrorist, therefore, it was speculated that the family was trying to escape from Erdogan’s autocratic regime in the search for freedom. The Greek police presume that the family was a part of a larger refugee group escaping from the country and thus questioning recently arrived refugees. The investigations are still on going to lighten the case.

We, as the Advocates of Silenced Turkey, are calling all the international and non-governmental human rights organizations to raise awareness about the drowned Maden family and also to take immediate action as regards the problems in Turkey to prevent other families and children from suffering as such.

Download the Position paper: AST_Maden Family Position Paper

STEP 1:
Sign the petition. We will deliver the petitions to international and non-governmental human rights organizations to raise awareness about the drowned Maden family and also to take immediate action.

The petitions will be delivered to following addresses:

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION
FREEDOM HOUSE and Annie Boyajian, Advocacy Manager
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (UN HRC)
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT

Or

Express your views or send attached statement to following addresses:

Download sample statement as a word document:  AST_Sample-Statement-for-Maden Family

1) 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/

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

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

2) UNICEF

Twitter: @UNICEF | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unicef/

National Committee, New York
Mail Address: United States Fund for UNICEF 125 Maiden Lane, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Phone Number: 212 686 5522
E-mail: http://www.unicefusa.org/about/contact/

Headquarters, New York
Mail Address: UNICEF House 3 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York, 10017, U.S.A.
Phone Number: 212 326 7000
E-mail: http://www.unicef.org/

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

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

6) 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]

7) UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (UN HRC)

Twitter: @UN_HRC | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNHRC

Civil Society Section
Phone Number: +41 22 917 9656
E-mail: [email protected]

8) NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

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

CONTACT US (202) 378-9700 | [email protected]

9) 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]

10) 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

11) 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

STEP 2:
Share with your friends.


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