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human rights violations

PRESS RELEASE: CRUCIAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY AND VIGIL FOR DECEASED PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION

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FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

CRUCIAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY AND VIGIL FOR DECEASED PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION

On July 15, 2016, Turkey witnessed an attempted but failed coup which made an accelerating impact on Turkey’s already fraying democratic mechanisms and allowed the administration to launch a sweeping purge to cleanse public service and security bureaucracy of his political opponents and critics. More than 150,000 public workers, including generals, admirals, judges, prosecutors, doctors, teachers, police officers and etc., have been summarily sacked by emergency decrees without due process. For more than 3 years we have been facing ruthless 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. As a result of those inhumane operations of the authorities and also during escapes through the Evros River and the Aegean Sea, so many deaths have occurred. Recently 7 people including 5 young children lost their lives while trying to flee the persecution by boats like other thousands of people did. Today we are gathered to commemorate those deceased people whether directly murdered by being tortured, denied medical treatment, or indirectly killed by being forced to dangerous ways of escapes. As we always do, today once more again, we call on the Turkish government to ensure human rights all over the country and follow the rule of law. We also urge the international community to take action to stop these crucial human rights violations in Turkey.

 

Hafza Y. GIRDAP
Spokesperson
[email protected]

 

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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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Report on 278 persecuted lives in Erdogan’s regime

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October 2019 / (31 pages)

The Erdogan government is showing disregard to the rights of its dissidents. Hundreds of thousands of people have been detained and arrested. Among the prosecuted are journalists, civil servants, teachers, politicians, academics, human rights defenders, public workers, law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, torture and ill-treatment have become a dire reality in custody. As a result of those inhumane incidents also escapes through the Evros River and the Aegean Sea, so many deaths have occurred.
Today we have launched a booklet about deceased people because of persecution. Media is silenced so the deaths have been occurring without any media coverage due to the political pressure on the media.  Some of the news coverage was looked into and later was confirmed after they were shared on social media platforms. The list was further scrutinized and the news coming from unreliable sources were removed. The remaining names were included in this study.
Considering the limited access to accurate data in Turkey, the number of deceased people are also limited in this booklet. Yet, we will continue to follow up on this issue and update the study we gather new information. If you are aware of someone who was not included in this list, you may reach us by visiting “www.silencedturkey.org” or by emailing [email protected]

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Vigil and Protest for 864 Babies In Jail in Turkey

864 Babies are in Jail Protests Booklet

The imprisonment of babies is just one element of the Turkish government’s crackdown on innocent people. Approximately 217,000 people have been detained and more than 82,000 people have been arrested on terrorism charges. Those prosecuted include journalists, civil servants, teachers, politicians, academics, human rights defenders, police officers, and military personnel. The prosecutions often lack compelling evidence of criminal activity. As a result, government 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.


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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

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Gokhan Acikkollu, a teacher tortured and died in Turkey

Gokhan Acikkollu, a teacher tortured and died in Turkey. 

He was tortured both physically and psychologically and hospitalized 2 times in Turkey. Unable to bear the torture and died on August 5, 2016.

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PRESS RELEASE: URGENT CALL TO GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PROMINENT DISSIDENTS OF ERDOGAN REGIME ABROAD AGAINST ABDUCTIONS ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE VICTIMS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES 8/30/2019

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FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

URGENT CALL TO GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PROMINENT DISSIDENTS OF ERDOGAN REGIME ABROAD AGAINST ABDUCTIONS ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE VICTIMS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES 8/30/ 2019

We regretfully acknowledge that, in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt in July 2019, 119 persons have been abducted in Turkey and also on the soils of different countries worldwide. Those abduction cases have been operated by the alleged special agents assigned by Turkish authorities.

As Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST), we kindly request from governments around the world and all relevant international organizations caring about human rights to promptly take all necessary preemptive steps to ensure the safety of the prominent dissidents of Erdogan regime before it is too late, including to;

• Identify individuals in the country who are likely targets of the Turkish National Intelligence Agency and the
The Turkish government and that is in danger of being threatened, abducted, tortured and/or killed or illegally
extradited,
• Investigate evidence of the Turkish government’s illegal activity, including potential perpetrators’ actions,
behaviors and abductions; extrajudicial assassinations of targets; and the torture or illegal removal of person(s)
from the country.
• Urge the Turkish government to immediately dissolve the Office for Human Abduction and Executions.
• Support Human Rights Defenders in Turkey and abroad, and prevent arbitrary deprivation of life and
extrajudicial killings,
• Turkish diplomats that have been working as spies, must be watched closely, and they must be prevented if they
are in preparation of any harm,
State departments should urgently call in Turkish ambassadors to attain information of whether they are working
on similar illegal abductions operations against the dissidents of Erdogan Regime.

Yours sincerely,

Hafza Y. GIRDAP
Spokesperson
[email protected]

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PRESS RELEASE: TURKISH JOURNALIST AHMET ALTAN’S ARBITRARY IMPRISONMENT AND CALL FOR HIS RELEASE 8/29/2019

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FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

TURKISH JOURNALIST AHMET ALTAN’S ARBITRARY IMPRISONMENT AND CALL FOR HIS RELEASE

Ahmet H Altan is an acclaimed Turkish novelist with more than ten published books, columnist, journalist, editor-in-chief of a newspaper, and avid defender of democracy, civil rights and freedom of speech for all layers of the society. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole with the accusation of being a member of a terrorist organization, attempting to overthrow the government and the constitutional order, interfering with the work of the government and the national assembly. Turkish Supreme Court overturned the decision on him in January 2019. However,  the court denied Ahmet Altan’s petition for release. He was also convicted for insulting the president later in 2019.

Ahmet Altan had spent his career of more than 30 years by dissecting the visible and hidden fault lines threatening democracy and civil rights in Turkey. Throughout his career, Altan has always been subject to attacks and praises for lauding democracy, human rights, and civil liberties for all. He was sentenced to prison for 20 months in 1995 for defending the rights of Kurdish citizens  -his sentencing was later delayed on the condition of not repeating the same “crime”. He published documents obtained from military and bureaucratic sources much like “Pentagon Papers” and “Watergate scandal”. His leadership in enabling investigative journalism in Turkey and his stance on many subjects made him the recipient of more than 100 lawsuits instead of journalism awards. His stand-off with military and government and his principled defense of minorities remind us the likes of Ben Bradlee of The Washington Post (Watergate, Pentagon Papers) and Ralph McGill of Atlanta Constitution (Defending anti-segregation in Jim Crow era Georgia).

In December 2013, a graft probe by the prosecutors against five ministers and their sons as well as the son of the prime minister of the time, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was abruptly nipped in the bud by Erdogan. Altan’s defense of and emphasis on the justice system in a three-legged democratic system ruffled a lot of feathers and brought him the wrath of the government right after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Shortly after, he was detained and arrested. Though he was released on probation, his pseudo-freedom lasted only 24 hours. Upon leaving the courtroom, Ahmet spoke to the press, saying “This country is ours, we are not afraid. We’ll always defend law and democracy”.  During the trial, the prosecutors even claimed that he used his TV appearance the day before the coup attempt to give “subliminal messages” in support of the coup. He also shared the records of his experience during the trial with his lawyer to be made public for future generations. His notes were published and translated to English with the name “I WILL NEVER SEE THE WORLD AGAIN”.

 Snippets from Altan’s writings:

  • “We may die or be killed, be jailed or be tried in the courts, be left unemployed, be tortured or shot, but we may never be defeated. We are the defenders of life.”
  • “How crowded is our loneliness! Wherever we turn, we bump into ourselves!”
  • “Love is like a sword wound! It heals but surely leaves its mark.”
  • “You can imprison me, but you cannot keep me here. Because, like all writers, I have magic, I can pass through your walls with ease.”
  • “I will never see the world again; I will never see a sky unframed by the walls of a courtyard. I am descending to Hades. I walk into the darkness like a god who writes his own destiny. My hero and I disappear into the darkness toge”

Today, we urge the Turkish government to enforce the rule of law and to immediately terminate Ahmet Altan’s arbitrary imprisonment! We also call on the international community to urge the authorities in Turkey for his immediate release and Ahmet Altan’s colleagues, friends, readers to speak out!

 

Hafza Y. GIRDAP

Spokesperson

[email protected]

 

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Free Journalist Ahmet Altan Flyer

TAKE ACTION TO FREE AHMET ALTAN

“We may never be defeated. We may die or be killed, be jailed or be tried in the courts, be left unemployed, be tortured or shot, but we may never be defeated. We are the defenders of life.”
#FreeAhmetAltan
#AhmetAltanaÖzgürlük

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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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