The Freedom Convention Turkey 2023 will shed light on critical issues that have garnered international attention in Turkey addressing the democratic backslide, collapse of the rule of law, abuse of anti-terror laws, ramifications of restricted freedom of expression and multifold dwindling human rights.
Freedom Convention 2022
Since the failed coup attempt in 2016, Turkish government has been carrying out 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.
AST, deeply concerned about Turkey’s government’s disregard of human rights, has been organizing The Freedom Convention since 2020. Remarking on the international covenants, of which Turkey is a state party, this year the convention will address the arbitrary deprivation of civil and political rights and crack down on freedom of expression in Turkey.
FREEDOM CONVENTION 2021: GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY
Freedom Convention Turkey 2021; that will address injustices, inequalities, human rights violations taking place under the current regime in Turkey; will be held virtually on December 10th, Human Rights Day.
Consisting of three panels, the convention will shed a light on human rights violations in Turkey.
Mark your calendars to hear from exclusive voices on these topics.
Joint Letter by the Human Rights Advocates on the Release of Political Prisoners in Turkey’s Jails
PROMINENT GROUP OF 205 SIGNATORIES CONSISTING OF ACADEMICS, JURISTS, JOURNALISTS, POLITICIANS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS CALL ON TURKEY TO URGENTLY RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS IN THE MIDST OF PANDEMIC.
The notoriously overcrowded prisons in Turkey pose serious health threats to inmates during the coronavirus pandemic. The justice reform law passed by the Turkish Parliament that permanently released thousands of prisoners excluded inmates serving time for political crimes, so-called “terrorism.” As many prominent human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, acknowledged, those inmates are being held in pretrial detention or sentenced without evidence that they committed violent acts, incited violence, or provided logistical help to outlawed armed groups and their lives are at risk. As indicated in the complaints by the written and oral statements of their families, the inmates’ rights to life – which is among the most basic and universal human rights and is protected by the 10th amendment of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey and the article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – are under clear, serious, and near threat. We are deeply concerned about the escalation of health issues of aforesaid prisoners since cancer and other severe illnesses have increased in Turkish jails. The undersigned jurists, academics, human rights activists, journalists, and politicians, who are concerned with human rights issues, call on the Turkish authorities to urgently release the political prisoners and the prisoners of conscience in Turkish jails before the risk of mass death hits.
SIGNATORIES FROM JURISTS, ACADEMICS, POLITICIANS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, AND JOURNALISTS
1- Mike O’neal, Attorney, O’neal Consulting, Kansas
2- Dr. James C. Juhnke, Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas
3- Rimsie McConiga, Journalist, Kansas 4- Laurie Dipadova-stocks, Park University
5- Tom Nanney, Visiting Associate Professor University of Missouri/Kansas City School of Law
6- Marcella Sirhandi, Emeritus Professor, Oklahoma State University
7- Doris Chang, Professor of History
8- Prof. Eve Levin, University of Kansas
9- Jude Huntz, Professor of Philosophy, Devry University,
10- Mary Gibson McCoy, Attorney, Missouri
11- Delores Chambers, Professor, Kansas State University,
12- Edgar Chambers, Professor, Kansas State University,
13- Deb Woodard, UMKC Associate Teaching Professor Emerita, Missouri
14- Sofia Khan, MD, Human right activist, founder of K.C. for Refugees, Kansas
15- Gulnar Eziz, Harvard University, MA
16- Stephanie Sabato, Professor Emerita, JCCC, Kansas
17- Judy Ancel, UMKC professor Emerita, Missouri
18- Vince Wetta, State Representative, Kansas
19- Arbana Xharra, Journalist, NY
20- Shruti Mukherjee, Scholar, Stony Brook Univ, NY
21- Steve Sunderland, Ph.D., Director of Cancer Justice Network
22- Gretchen Eick, Ph.D., Professor of History, Emerita, Friends University, Wichita, Kansas Visiting Professor, University of Dzemal Bijedic, Mostar, Bosnia, and Herzegovina
23- Kai Breaux, Scholar, Stony Brook Univ, NY
24- Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar / AEI, USA
25- Lucinda White, Attorney, Kansas
26- Valerie Moyer, Scholar, Stony Brook Univ, NY
27- Carlos Mondlane, Judge, Mozambique
28 – Former Canadian Senator Nancy Ruth.
29- Ruth Schowalter, Lecturer / Georgia Tech Language Institute, GA
30- Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Professor, Writer, Kansas Poet Laureate, Kansas
31- Scott Thumma, Professor of Sociology of Religion Director, D.Min. Program Director, Hartford Institute for Religion Research, CT
32- Kari O’rourke, Human Rights Activist, Missouri
33- Wendi Lynn See, Attorney, South Carolina
34- Hakan Acar, LLB, LLM, CPLLM, Ph.D. Barrister and Solicitor Law Society of Ontario, Canada
35- Beth Murano, Attorney, Missouri
36- Curtis Smith, Professor Emerita, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas
37- Sheila Sonnenschein, Human Rights Activist, Community Volunteer, Kansas,
38- Rev. Jennifer Bryan, Human Rights Activist, Kansas
39- Martin Okpareke, Community Outreach and Refugee Family Strengthening Program Manager, Jewish Vocational Services, Missouri
40- Sister Celia Deutsch, Human Rights Activist and Interfaith Coordinator of Our Lady of Refuge Church, New York
41- Sally Hipscher, Human Rights Activist and Chair of Interfaith Coalition of Brooklyn, New York
42- Rabbi Heidi Hoover, Rabbi, Beth Shalom v’Emeth, Brooklyn- NY
43- Margaret Rausch, Ph.D., Independent Scholar, and Freelance Editor and Translator, Kansas
44- Kelly Hansen, Chaplain, Human Rights activist, Missouri
45- Delores Jankovich, Social Worker, Human Rights activist, Missouri
46- The Honorable Judy Sgro, Member of Parliament, Canada
47- Anca Dumitrescu Jelea, Lawyer, JAD Law, CANADA
48- Syndey Carlin, State Representative, Kansas,
49- Lebert Shultz, Attorney at Law, Sheridan at Overland Park, Kansas
50- Dennis Hill, Teacher, Human Rights Activist, Missouri
51- Sophia Pandya, Professor of Religious Studies, Department Chair, California State University at Long Beach, California
52- Kathleen Kirby, Human right activist, and Teacher New Hampshire
53- Josh Hoops, Associate Professor at William Jewell College, Missouri
54- Ed Chasteen, Professor, President HateBusters, Missouri
55- Zoey Shu-Yi Chu, Scholar, Stony Brook University, NY
56- Calvin Hayden, Johnson County Sheriff – Johnson County, KS
57- Shannon S Shaw, lecturer, Texas State University, TX
58- Nance Davies, Artist, Scholar at Massachusetts College of Art and Design
59- Anne Conger, Human Rights Activist, a student in Union Theological Seminary, NY
60- Ramou Colley, Executive Director, the Rahma Project, Sussex, ENGLAND
61- Marina Colorado, News Journalist, France 24 Espanol, Colombia
62- Mario Goico, Retired State Representative, Kansas
63- Sherry Dean Rovelo, Ph.D. Professor, Speech Communication Richland College, Dallas, TX
64- Dr. Ruben L.F. Habito/Professor of World Religions and Spirituality / Director of Spiritual Formation / SMU (South Methodist University) / Texas
65- Rosanne Marie Oates, Human Rights Activist, New York University, NY
66- Elena Chung, Human Rights Activist, New York University, NY
67- Cecilia McLaren, Human Rights Activist, New York University, NY
68- Yasmine Garay, Human Rights Activist, New York University, NY
69- Jodie Adams Kirshner, Research Professor, New York University, NY
70- Corliss Jacobs, Human Rights Activist, Vice President of Board, Cross Border Network for Justice and Solidarity, Kansas
71- Melissa Stiehler, Human Rights Activist, Vice President of Board, Cross Border Network for Justice and Solidarity, Kansas
72- Peggy Neal, Melissa Stiehler, Human Rights Activist, Board Member, Cross Border Network for Justice and Solidarity, Kansas
73- Clara Irazabal, Professor, Director, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Missouri
74- Marc Garcelon, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Missouri
75- Joseph D Jacobs, Human Rights Activist, Missouri
76- G. Dale Mathey, Human Rights Activist, Board Member, Cross Border Network for Justice and Solidarity, Kansas
77- Maeve Cummings, Professor, Pittsburg State University, Kansas
78- Lynne Vanahill, Director of International Student Support Services, Kansas
79- Theresa Torres, Professor, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Missouri
80- Ronald A. Slepitza, President, Avila University, Missouri
81-Michael Poage, Human rights Activist, Author, Kansas
82- Manuela Gonzalez-Bueno, Professor, University of Kansas, Kansas
83- Gail Finney, State Representative, Kansas
84- Tyler A. Shipley, Ph.D. Professor of Culture, Society, and Commerce, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, CANADA
85- Morgan Phillips, City Editor of TulsaPeople Magazine, Oklahoma
86- Dr. Catherine Webster, Dean of Liberal Arts College, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma
87- Patrick Raglow, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma
88- Christopher Wright, Scholar / Montana State University, MONTANA
89- Lauren Petersen, Esq, immigration attorney, CT
90- Parvez Mohsin, Director of Nashville International Center for Empowerment, Nashville TN
91- Dr. Ron Massier, Emeritus Professor, Nashville TN
92- Rev. Ellen Sims, pastor, Mobile, AL
93- Kristen James, Chief Development Officer(Non-profit Leader), 29 Acres, TX
94- Styliani Markaki Attorney, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
95- Amanda Roche, Artist, Human Rights Activist, Nashville TN
96- Ellen Gilbert, Executive Director, Global Education Center, Nashville TN
97- Reverend (Rev.) Debra Loudin-McCann, TX
98- John O’Neil, Associate Superintendent, Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Newark
99- Nelda K. Latham, Mathematics Professor, Bergen Community College, NJ
100- Ruth Feigenbaum, Mathematics Professor, Bergen Community College, NJ
101- Valeria Correa, Human Rights Activist, Rutgers University, NJ
102- Asma Bawla, Human Rights Activist, New York University, NY
103- Edward E. Goode, Human Rights Activist, Missouri
104- Caroline Davies, Associate Professor, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Missouri
105- Stu Shafer, Professor, Johnson County Community College, Kansas
106- Akash Patel, Human Rights Activist, Founder of Happy World Foundation Inc., Oklahoma
107- Shona Tritt, Ph.D., Clinical psychologist, Lecturer, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus
108- Lisa Wolfe, Professor, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma
109- Rev. Dr. Richard Nelson, Scholar, Nashville TN
110- Honorable Phil Ramos Deputy Majority Leader. New York State Assemblyman, Brentwood NY-Honorable
111- Bob Sweney Former New York State Assemblyman, Lindenhurst, NY
112- Honorable Michelle Schimel, Former New York State Assemblywoman, Port Washington, NY
113- Tom Goodhue Executive Director Emeritus, Long Island Council of Churches, New York, NY
114- Rabbi Steven Moss, Chair Emeritus, Suffolk County Human Rights Commission, Oakdale, NY
115- Rev. William F. Brisotti Pastor, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, Wyandanch NY
116- Reverend JoAnn Barrett, The founder of Gathering of Light Interspiritual Fellowship. Huntington, NY Co-Chair, Suffolk County Anti-Bias Task Force, NY
117- Rev. Dr. Walter H. Wagner, Ph.D. Professor, Pastor and Author, Bethlehem, PA
118- Richard Koubek, Ph.D. Community Outreach Coordinator, Long Island Jobs with Justice, Suffolk County NY
119- Thomas Petriano, Ph.D. Professor of Religious Studies, St Joseph’s College Patchogue NY
120- Latifa Woodhouse and Colin Woodhouse Co-Chairs Shared Humanity of USA, New York
121- Soh Young Lee-Segredo, Former Nassau County Human Rights Commissioner, NY Multicultural Council of NY
122- Edward Andrew, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5s 3G3, Canada. Ed Andrew
123-Catherine Green, Professor, Missouri
124- Peter Milliken, Former Canadian Member of Parliament and the Speaker of Canadian Parliament from 2001 to 2010.
125- David Kilgour, Former Member of Parliament (M.P.) and Secretary of State. Canada
126- Ornela Bego, Lawyer, TX
127- Karman Kurban, Assistant Professor, North American University
128- Lisa DiCarlo, Professor & Human Right activist, Brown University, Rhode Island
129- Aesetou Hydara, Human Rights Activist, New York University
130- Jihad Elgouz, Human Rights Activist, New York University
131- Jenna Elshahawi, Human Rights Activist, Rutgers University
132- Miguel Isidoro, Human Rights Activist, Pace University
133- Benjamin S. Yost, Professor of Philosophy, Adjunct, Cornell University
134- Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Professor of History and Religion, Brown University
135- Johan Heymans, Lawyer, Belgium
136- Rev. Don Cottrill, Human Rights Activist, Louisiana
137- Robert Mann, Professor, Manship Chair, Louisiana
138- Vicki Dauterive, Human Rights Activist, Together Baton Rouge, Louisiana
139-Jane Chandler, Professor, Louisiana
140- Sissy Stephans, Human Rights Activist, Louisiana
141-Dauda Sessay, Human Rights Activist, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, Louisiana
142-Rev. Michael Habert, Human Rights Activist, Louisiana
143-Alcibiades P. Tsolakis, Professor and Dean, College of Art and Design, Louisiana State University, Louisiana
144-Roxanne Stoehr, Professor, Southeastern Louisiana University, Louisiana
145-Sonny Marchbanks, Political Consultant, Mars De Banques, Louisiana
146-Vicki Brooks, Human Rights Activist, Together Baton Rouge, Louisiana
147-Al Gensler, Retired, Urban Development Director, City of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
148-Marilyn Gensler, Human Rights Activist, Louisiana
149-Dawud Sesay, Human Rights Activist, Louisiana
150-Dr. Richard Webb, Professor, and Dean Emeritus, Southern University Baton Rouge, Louisiana
151-Christopher Gerdes, Professor of History, North American University, TX
152- Sherly Sullivan, Attorney, Oklahoma
153- Prof. Amy Remensnyder, Professor of History, Brown University
154- Laura Faria-Tancinco, Human Rights Activist, Rhode Island College
155- Sevdenur Cizginer, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Brown University
156- Mohammad Niamat Elahee Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of International Business, Quinnipiac University, CT
157- Naoko Shibusawa, Associate Professor of History, Brown University, RI
158- Bathsheba Demuth, Assistant Professor of Environment and Society & History, Brown University, RI
159- Lopita Nath, Ph.D., Professor, University of the Incarnate Word, TX
160-Martha Ann Kirk, Ph.D., Professor of Humanities, University of the Incarnate Word, TX
161-Armen Babajanian, Executive Director at World Affairs Council of San Antonio, TX
162-Simran Jeet Singh, Ph.D., Visiting Professor, Union Seminary, NY
163-Larry Hufford, Ph.D., Professor, St. Mary’s University, TX
164-Pastor Paul Ziese, Human Rights Activist, TX
165-John Comer, Professor Emeritus, Chair of Political Science Department, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska
166-Nancy Comer, Retired Teacher, Lincoln Public Schools, Vice Pres of Friendship Force, Lincoln, NE
167-Professor Thomas Dinapoli, Languages DepartmentLouisiana State University, Louisiana
168- Dr. Ahmet Sanic, Former Vice President Alatoo-International University, United Kingdom
169- Seyit Kaya, Information Communication Technology, Educator, United Kingdom
170- Rev. James C. Harrington, Human Rights Activist, Texas
171 Dr. Ramin Ahmadoghlu, Researcher, Emiry University, Georgia
172- Omer Kuru, Professor, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
173- Ali Yurtsever, Human Rights Activist and Executive Director, İslamic Society of Midwest, Illinois
174- Isaac Gold, Executive Director, Huddled Masses, Illinois
175- Mehmet Sayın, Professor, Texas
176- Kamaruddin Mohd Yusoff, Professor, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
177- Robert Adan Williams, Educator, California
178- Mehmet Karadayi, Ph.D., Educator, Colombia
179- Salih, Professor, Georgia
180- Avery Rollins, Retired FBI Agent, Mississippi
181- Catherine Freis, Emerita Professor of Greek and Roman Studies at Millsaps College, Mississippi
182- Richard Freis, Emeritus Professor of Greek and Roman Studies at Millsaps College, Mississippi
183- Jeremy Tobin, Priest and Human Rights Activist, Mississippi
184- Adele Crudden, Professor, Mississippi
185- Robert McElvaine, Professor of History at Millsaps College, Mississippi
186- Joan Mylroie, Retired Faculty at Mississippi State University, Mississippi
187- Steve Smith, Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Millsaps College, Mississippi
188- Rims Barber, Mississippi Human Services Coalition, Mississippi
189- Judy Barber, Mississippi Human Services Coalition, Mississippi
190- James Bowley, Professor and Chair of Religious Studies at Millsaps College, Mississippi
191- Dr. Mark McLain, M.D., Mississippi
192- Sen. Hillman Frazier, Mississippi State Senator, Mississippi
193- Dr. David Breaux, Former Dean, College of Arts and Sciences at Delta State University, Mississippi
194- Ali Dag, Associate Professor, Creighton University, Nebraska,
195- Ferhat Ozturk, Ph.D., Biomedical Science Teacher, Texas
196- Thomas Dinapoli, Professor, Louisiana State University, Louisiana
197- Adv. Ashraf Muhammed, Former Chairman of Western Cape and Member of National Association of Democratic Lawyers(NADEL), Cape Town, South Africa
198- Amina Frense, Council Member of South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) and Chairperson at the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism, Johannesburg, South Africa
199- Kisten Govender, Elected Member of South African Legal Practice Council, Durban, South Africa
200- Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, Founder of Gandhi Development Trust, Durban, South Africa
201- Judy Sandison, Founder Member of South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF), Former Provincial Editor of South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Durban, South Africa
202- Dr. Huseyin DURU, Professor, Texas
203- Dr. Havva Simsek, Professor, United Kingdom
204-Howard Gordon, Presbyterian Minister, Activist, Arkansas
205-Mehmet Halidun, Assistant Professor, Arkansas Tech University, Arkansas
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KEY HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKEY SINCE THE SO-CALLED COUP ATTEMPT
Following the so-called coup attempt on the 15th of July 2016, the Turkish government under the authoritarian leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a wave of oppressive actions against not only the alleged coup plotters but also those that are perceived as critics of the regime. Currently, as part of Turkey’s post-coup crackdown, more than 130,000 people including judges, academics, teachers, journalists, police and military officers, and other public servants have been dismissed from their jobs. In correlation, more than 217,000 have been detained and 160,000 have been arrested. Amnesty International reports that detainees were “being held arbitrarily” with “no evidence establishing reasonable suspicion of criminal behavior” and that “only a tiny minority of them were accused of taking part in the actual events of the attempted coup”.
Amid the massive crackdown of hundreds of thousands of dissidents, human rights organizations and the U.N. Human Rights Council have noted that human rights are violated on a large scale by the Turkish government. Arbitrary killings, suspicious deaths of people in custody, forced disappearances, tortures, ill-treatments, injustice, and threats – mostly against the followers of the Gulen Movement, Kurds, and the Leftists – have been reported widespread during this large-scale witch-hunt.
As people continue to be arrested and many more tortured and abducted, the present brief of Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) highlights some of the key human rights concerns that have taken place in Turkey during this on-going period.
● UNPRECEDENTED SCALE OF DISMISSALS:
More than 130,000 public servants, with their names attached in lists to emergency orders, were dismissed by emergency decrees. These public servants included over 4,463 judges and prosecutors, 6,021 academics, 6,000 health-care professionals, 33,500 teachers, and 44,500 police and military officers. Not only were people dismissed arbitrarily but also banned permanently from working in the public sector – many were even banned to practice their profession.
- COLLAPSE OF JUDICIARY SYSTEM:
With approximately 4,463 judges and prosecutors (including two judges from the Turkey’s highest court) dismissed permanently, over one-fifth of Turkey’s judiciary has been removed. Of those dismissed, at least 2,200 were jailed with their assets frozen due to their alleged links to the Gulen movement. Consequently, the climate of fear paralyzed the judges and prosecutors who still have their positions. The fear combined with the heavy government influence in the court system led to the collapse of the judiciary system and the deterioration of human rights in the country. As a result, Turkey ranked 109 out of 126 countries in 2019 on the rule of law index of the World Justice Project.
- VICTIMIZATION OF LAWYERS:
Lawyers are among the many groups affected by the post-coup crackdown in Turkey. They were unlawfully associated with their clients’ alleged crimes. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that many lawyers were targeted with criminal investigations with little or no evidence. According to the Arrested Lawyers Initiative, over 1,500 lawyers were persecuted over the past three years including 14 lawyers who were presidents of provincial bar associations – of those persecuted lawyers, one third remained imprisoned before and during their trials, and 274 were convicted of membership of armed terrorist organizations and sentenced to long prison sentences. Furthermore, approximately 34 bar associations were shut down by presidential decree with alleged affiliations to terrorist organizations.
- PERSECUTION OF ACADEMICS:
Following the coup attempt, 3,003 private schools and 15 universities linked to the Gülen movement were closed by a presidential decree. Eventually resulting in the displacement of over 60,000 students across the country. Over 8,500 academics reportedly lost their jobs either due to direct dismissals or university closures since September 2016 – and many of them were imprisoned. Large-scale dismissals of academics and teachers significantly damaged the education sector thus diminished the right to education.
- BOOKS DESTROYED:
Turkey’s education minister Ziya Selçuk announced last week that 301,878 books had been destroyed as the government cracks down on anything linked to Fethullah Gülen. Turkish newspaper BirGün reported that 1.8m textbooks had been destroyed and reprinted for containing the “objectionable” word Pennsylvania, which is where Gülen lives.
- THE MEDIA PURGE FOLLOWING THE ATTEMPTED COUP:
In the aftermath of the failed coup, the government closed down 200 media outlets – including 53 newspapers, 37 radio stations, 34 TV channels, 29 publishing houses, 20 magazines, and six news agencies – with accused links to the Gulen movement, Kurdish opposition, or Leftists groups. Consequently, a total of 2,308 media workers and journalists have lost their jobs. The government canceled hundreds of press accreditations and revoked passports of an unknown number of journalists and their family members to ban them from traveling abroad. In addition, the government imprisoned a record-breaking number of journalists in the wake of the coup attempt – with that, Turkey became the world’s largest prison for journalists. The Platform for Independent Journalism (P24) reported that at least 126 journalists and media workers were in prison in Turkey as of October 2019 – among them, many were put in long solitary confinement.
The absence of freedom of expression is not only a recurring problem for journalists but for citizens as well. In 2018, the Ministry of Interior reported that more than 7,000 individuals were detained for their social media posts after investigating 631,233 digital materials. In relation to the censorships and content restrictions in the country, Wikipedia has been blocked in Turkey since April of 2017. Currently, out of the 180 countries, Turkey ranks 157th on the Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders and is listed among ‘not free’ countries by the Freedom House.
- CRACKDOWN ON HEALTH CARE SECTOR:
Turkish government has shut down 14 hospitals and 36 medical centers after the coup attempt on the pretext of alleged ties to the Gülen movement. Therefore, an estimated 21,000 health care professionals were laid off – including doctors, academics, nurses, midwives, and other hospital staff. Of those, 5,261 are medical doctors and academics who specialize in the medical sciences. The figures of how many health care professionals have been detained, arrested or currently in prison are estimated in the thousands. Given the longstanding issue of hospital and staff shortages in the country, the dismissals of health care professionals and the closure of hospitals left many patients in despair of medical care.
- PRISON CONDITIONS:
With the persecution of tens of thousands of critics, the current population in Turkish prisons is 4-5 times higher than the normal capacity – it has increased from 171,267 inmates in 2015 to 260,144 in 2018. Given the capacity of 211,766, inmates are forced to remain in overcrowded cells. In order to free up space for more political prisoners, the government released nearly 34,000 convicts from prisons. The inadequate provision of health care to prisoners also remains a serious problem. Officially reported by the Ministry of Justice Prison and Correctional Facilities, there were 271 doctors serving nearly a quarter-million of the prison population – of whom, only eight were full-time. Insufficient access to freshwater, proper heating, ventilation, and lighting are other concerns for prison conditions. There are 62,669 political prisoners, 4,000 of them being women and 780 of them being children.
- TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT:
Despite the government’s zero-tolerance claim for torture policy, human rights groups have reported widespread and systematic use of torture and ill-treatment in police custody following the coup-attempt – including severe beatings, threats of sexual assault and actual sexual assault, electric shocks, waterboarding, sleep deprivation, stress positions, long solitary confinement, and depriving of food and water. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated acts of torture and ill-treatment aimed “at extracting confessions or forcing detainees to denounce other Individuals” in its report on Turkey in 2017. The Human Rights Association (HRA) reported that the number of incidents where prisoners were subjected to torture and ill-treatment in detention centers and prisons was 2,178 in 2016, 2,415 in 2017, and 1,505 in 2018. The Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) reported a total of 126 suspicious deaths and suicides since the coup attempt – most of those occurred in detention centers and prisons, seemingly a direct result of torture and ill-treatment.
- ABDUCTIONS AND ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES:
In the aftermath of the coup attempt, forced disappearances made a comeback in Turkey. Opposing politicians and respected human rights groups claimed at least 128 abductions or possible enforced disappearances of individuals. Most of the victims were identified as dismissed public servants with alleged ties to the Gulen movement or critics of the government. Allegedly, victims were abducted outside detention facilities and illegally questioned and tortured by Turkey’s intelligence agency. Moreover, Turkey’s intelligence agency reportedly abducted over more than 100 alleged Gulen affiliates from 18 countries – individuals often deported illegally – against the universal conventions – by cooperative governments without due process.
- WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN PRISON:
The prison conditions for women and children are exceedingly alarming. According to the Justice Ministry, as of 2017, nearly 10,000 women and 3,000 children under 18 are in Turkey’s prisons. The inhumane prison conditions also hold weight in women prisons. They face additional issues of the male security staff frequently obstructing their privacy during hospital visits, oftentimes leading to an incomplete examination. Among the prisoners, there are more than 30 pregnant women or women who just gave birth and 780 children under 6 years old imprisoned along with their mothers – including 149 infants under 1-year-old. Pregnant women are forced to stay with other inmates in overcrowded cells, also denied access to proper prenatal care – posing serious risks to their well-being. Likewise, mothers with children are also forced to share a cell with inmates.
Even when prison authorities are willing to let the child see a doctor, they do not allow mothers to accompany them. Children have to sleep in the same bed with their mothers and are not assigned a cradle or a separate bed.
The state pays $2 a day per prisoner for food. Since children are not technically incarcerated, they are not allotted any daily food rations and share their mother’s meals.
More than %80 of children in jail with their mothers do not receive any education.
Only %18 receive kindergarten or nursery services, but even then, there is a shortage of educational materials.
- RESTRICTIONS ON RIGHT TO TRAVEL:
Another unlawful activity being pursued during this period is revoking the passports of government critics with perceived affiliations to the Gulen movement, Kurdish opposition, Leftists groups and their family members. On this ground, the Turkish government put restrictions on approximately 155,000 passports, reported by the SCF. Since their passports are restricted, many people, with the fear of persecution, use smuggler routes to flee from the country. Unfortunately, many died in the Evros River and the Aegean Sea. Turkey revoking its citizens’ passports also causes travel struggles for those across the world.
- SEIZURE OF DISSIDENTS’ ASSETS:
The Turkish government abuses laws to seize assets of its critics. As of March 2018, the government had seized the assets of approximately 1,124 businesses and 127 individuals. According to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Turkey, the net worth of the seized assets is an estimated $32.24 billion since the 2016 coup attempt. Moreover, in most cases, the government freezes the assets of those on trial, financially crippling them and their families.
SOURCES
- https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/07/turkey-independent-monitors-must-be-allowed-to-access-detainees-amid-torture-allegations/ https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/europe-and-central-asia/turkey/report-turkey/
- https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/turkey/
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/TR/2018-03-19_Second_OHCHR_Turkey_Report.pdf
- https://turkeypurge.com/turkey-jails-2431-judges-prosecutors-dismisses-4424-to-date-top-court
- https://worldjusticeproject.org/sites/default/files/documents/ROLI-2019-Reduced.pdf
- https://silencedturkey.org/lawyers-on-trial-abusive-prosecutions-and-erosion-of-fair-trial-rights-in-turkey-2
https://arrestedlawyers.org/2019/09/01/new-report-mass-prosecution-of-lawyers-in-turkey/
- https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/AcademicsAtRisk.pdf
- https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/aug/06/turkish-government-destroys-more-than-300000-books
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/11/brothers-critical-turkish-regime-arrested-after-tv-programme
https://tr.euronews.com/2019/07/12/verilerle-15-temmuz-sonras-ve-ohal-sureci
- https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of-expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-211/
- https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/turkey/
- http://www.tuik.gov.tr/PreHaberBultenleri.do?id=27610
- https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/turkey/
- https://www.ihd.org.tr/sample-page-2/
- 2016 https://www.ihd.org.tr/2016-yili-turkiye-insan-haklari-ihlalleri-bilancosu/
- 2017 https://www.ihd.org.tr/2017-turkiye-insan-haklari-ihalleri-bilancosu/
- 2018 https://www.insanhaklaridernegi.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2018IHDYillikRapor_Bilanco.pdf
- https://stockholmcf.org/suspicious-deaths-and-suicides-in-turkey-updated-list/
- https://correctiv.org/en/top-stories-en/2018/12/06/black-sites/
- http://www.tuik.gov.tr/PreHaberBultenleri.do?id=27610
https://7dnews.com/news/inmates-facing-poor-living-conditions-and-death-in-turkish-prisons
- https://stockholmcf.org/turkeys-dismissed-academics-want-their-passports-back-after-state-of-emergency-lifted/
- https://twitter.com/platformpj/status/1234421262052732928/photo/1
http://www.platformpj.org/report-the-erosion-of-property-rights-in-turkey/
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AST REPORT 2018-2019
WORDS FROM THE ADVOCATES
When the Turkish President declared in an infamous speech that “old Turkey no longer exists. This Turkey is new Turkey”, the story of Turkish authoritarianism had once and for all taken on a new character. Since July of 2016, the Turkish government has improperly imprisoned 130,214 homemakers, teachers, NGO workers, academics, judges, prosecutors, and journalists.
We are a group of lawyers, judges, academics, journalists, and hundreds of activists who cherish democratic ideals and universal human rights. We are prisoners of conscience wanted by the Erdogan’s regime, relatives of political prisoners, and victims who have lost their jobs, property, and family members to the current administration which has been described as a Mafia State. We are the Advocates of Silenced Turkey. We, the Advocates, have made it our mission to champion the rights of Silenced Turkey until universal human rights and democratic governance are established and sustained as the utmost priorities of the Republic of Turkey.
AST GIVES A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS…
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Key Human Rights Concerns in Turkey since the So-called Coup Attempt
Following the coup attempt on the 15th of July 2016, the Turkish government under the authoritarian leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a wave of oppressive actions against not only the alleged coup plotters but also those that are perceived as critics of the regime. Currently, as part of Turkey’s post-coup crackdown, more than 170,000 people including judges, academics, teachers, journalists, police and military officers, and other public servants were dismissed from their jobs. In correlation, more than 217,000 were detained and 80,000 were arrested. Amnesty International reports that detainees were “being held arbitrarily” with “no evidence establishing reasonable suspicion of criminal behavior” and that “only a tiny minority of them were accused of taking part in the actual events of the attempted coup”.
Amid the massive crackdown of hundreds of thousands of dissidents, human rights organizations and the U.N. Human Rights Council have noted that human rights are violated on a large scale by the Turkish government. Arbitrary killings, suspicious deaths of people in custody, forced disappearances, tortures, ill-treatments, injustice, and threats – mostly against the followers of the Gulen movement, Kurds, and the Leftists – were reported widespread during this large-scale witch-hunt.
As people continue to be arrested and many more tortured and abducted, the present brief of Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) highlights some of the key human rights concerns that took place in Turkey during this on-going period.
● Unprecedented scale of dismissals: More than 130,000 civil servants, with their names attached in lists to emergency orders, were dismissed by emergency decrees. These civil servants included over 4,200 judges and prosecutors, 7,000 academics, 6,000 health-care professionals, 33,500 teachers, and 44,500 police and military officers. Not only were people dismissed arbitrarily but also banned permanently from working in the public sector – many were even banned to practice their profession.
● Collapse of judiciary system: With approximately 4,200 judges and prosecutors (including two judges from the Turkey’s highest court) dismissed permanently, over one-fifth of Turkey’s judiciary has been removed. Of those dismissed, at least 2,200 were jailed with their assets frozen due to their alleged links to the Gulen movement. Consequently, the climate of fear paralyzed the judges and prosecutors who still have their positions. The fear combined with the heavy government influence in the court system led to the collapse of the judiciary system and the deterioration of human rights in the country. As a result, Turkey ranked 109 out of 126 countries in 2019 on the rule of law index of World Justice Project.
● Victimization of lawyers: Lawyers are among the many groups affected by the post-coup crackdown in Turkey. They were unlawfully associated with their clients’ alleged crimes. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that many lawyers were targeted with criminal investigations with little or no evidence. According to the Arrested Lawyers Initiative, over 1,500 lawyers were persecuted over the past three years including 14 lawyers who were presidents of provincial bar associations – of those persecuted lawyers, one third remained imprisoned before and during their trials, and 274 were convicted of membership of armed terrorist organizations and sentenced to long prison sentences. Furthermore, approximately 34 bar associations were shut down by presidential decree with alleged affiliations to terrorist organizations.
● The media purge following the attempted coup: In the aftermath of the failed coup, the government closed down 179 media outlets – including 53 newspapers, 37 radio stations, 34 TV channels, 29 publishing houses, 20 magazines, and six news agencies – with accused links to the Gulen movement, Kurdish opposition, or Leftists groups. Consequently, a total of 2,308 media workers and journalists have lost their jobs. The government cancelled hundreds of press accreditations and revoked passports of an unknown number of journalists and their family members to ban them from traveling abroad. In addition, the government imprisoned a record-breaking number of journalists in the wake of the coup attempt – with that, Turkey became the world’s largest prison for journalists. The Platform for Independent Journalism (P24) reported that at least 126 journalists and media workers were in prison in Turkey as of October 2019 – among them, many were put in long solitary confinement.
The absence of freedom of expression is not only a recurring problem for journalists but for citizens as well. In 2018, the Ministry of Interior reported that more than 7,000 individuals were detained for their social media posts after investigating 631,233 digital materials. In relation to the censorships and content restrictions in the country, Wikipedia has been blocked in Turkey since April of 2017. Currently, out of the 180 countries, Turkey ranks 157 th on the Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders and are listed among ‘not free’ countries by the Freedom House.
● Persecuting academics: Following the coup attempt, 1,043 private schools and 15 universities linked to the Gülen movement were closed by a presidential decree. Eventually resulting in the displacement of over 60,000 students across the country. Over 8,500 academics reportedly lost their jobs either due to direct dismissals or university closures since September 2016 – and many of them were imprisoned. Large-scale dismissals of academics and teachers significantly damaged the education sector thus diminished the right to education.
● Crackdown on health care sector: Turkish government has shut down 14 hospitals and 36 medical centers after the coup attempt on the pretext of alleged ties to the Gülen movement. Therefore, an estimated 21,000 health care professionals were laid off – including doctors, academics, nurses, mid-wives, and other hospital staff. Of those, 5,261 are medical doctors and academics who specialize in the medical sciences. The figures of how many health care professionals have been detained, arrested or currently in prison are estimated in the thousands. Given the longstanding issue of hospital and staff shortages in the country, the dismissal of health care professionals and closure of hospitals left many patients in despair of medical care.
● Prison conditions: With persecution of tens of thousands of critics, Turkey’s prisons have never been fuller – the prison population has increased from 171,267 inmates in 2015 to 260,144 in 2018. Given the capacity of 211,766, inmates are forced to remain in overcrowding cells. In order to free up space for more political prisoners, the government released nearly 34,000 convicts from prisons. The inadequate provision of heath care to prisoners also remains a serious problem. Officially reported by the Ministry of Justice Prison and Correctional Facilities, there were 271 doctors serving nearly a quarter million of the prison population – of whom, only eight were full-time. Insufficient access to fresh water, proper heating, ventilation, and lighting are other concerns for prison conditions.
● Torture and ill-treatment: Despite the government’s stated zero tolerance for torture policy, human rights groups reported widespread and systematic use of torture and ill-treatment in police custody following the coup-attempt-including severe beatings, threats of sexual assault and actual sexual assault, electric shocks, water boarding, sleep deprivation, stress positions, long solitary confinement, and depriving of food and water. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated acts of torture and ill-treatment aimed “at extracting confessions or forcing detainees to denounce other Individuals” in its report on Turkey in 2017. The Human Rights Association (HRA) reported that the number of incidents where prisoners were subjected to torture and ill-treatment in
detention centers and prisons was 2,178 in 2016, 2,415 in 2017, and 1,505 in 2018. The Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) reported a total of 126 suspicious deaths and suicides since the coup attempt – most of those occurred in detention centers and prisons, seemingly a direct result of torture and ill-treatment.
● Abduction and enforced disappearance: In the aftermath of the coup attempt, forced disappearances made a comeback in Turkey. Opposing politicians and respected human rights groups claimed at least 28 abductions or possible enforced disappearances of individuals. Most of the victims were identified as dismissed public servants with alleged ties to the Gulen movement or critics of the government. Allegedly, victims were abducted outside detention facilities and illegally questioned and tortured by Turkey’s intelligence agency. Moreover, Turkey’s intelligence agency reportedly snatched over more than 100 alleged Gulen affiliates from 18 countries – individuals often deported by cooperative governments without due process.
● Women and children in prisons: The prison conditions for women and children are exceedingly alarming. According to the Justice Ministry, as of 2017, nearly 10,000 women and 3,000 children under 18 are in Turkey’s prisons. The inhumane prison conditions also hold weight in women prisons. They face additional issues of the male security staff frequently obstructing their privacy during hospital visits, often times leading to incomplete examination. Among the prisoners, there are pregnant women or women who just gave birth and 677 children under 6 years old imprisoned along with their mothers – including 149 infants under 1 year old. Pregnant women were forced to stay with other inmates in overcrowded cells, also denied access to proper prenatal care – posing serious risks to their well-beings.
Likewise, mothers with children were also forced to share a cell with inmates.
● Restrictions on right to travel: Another unlawful activity being pursued during this period is revoking the passports of government critics with perceived affiliations to the Gulen movement, Kurdish opposition, Leftists groups and their family members. On this ground, the Turkish government put restrictions on approximately 155,000 passports, reported by the SCF. Since their passports are restricted, many people, with the fear of persecution, use smuggler routes to flee from the country.
Unfortunately, many died in the Evros River and the Aeagean Sea. Turkey revoking its citizens’ passports also causes travel struggles for those across the world.
● Seized the critics’ assets: The Turkish government abuses laws to seize assets of its critics. As of March 2018, the government had seized the assets of approximately 1,124 businesses and 127 individuals. According to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Turkey, the net worth of the seized assets is an estimated 49.4 billion liras ($9.4 billion) since the 2016 coup attempt. Moreover, in most cases, the government freezes the assets of those on trial, financially crippling them and their families.
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PRESS RELEASE: The so-called coup attempt july 15 serves as a justification for the complete conversion of a country’s administrative system and persecution of hundreds of thousands in Turkey.
The so-called coup attempt July 15 serves as a justification for the complete conversion of a country’s administrative system and persecution of hundreds of thousands in Turkey.
On July 15, 2016 Turkey witnessed an attempted but failed military coup against Erdoğan government. During this horrific uprising, hundreds of people were killed and thousands of others were injured. Right after the coup attempt, the Turkish government has taken a wave of oppressive actions against not only the alleged coup plotters but also those that are perceived as critics of the regime. With that, the country’s political spectrum has been completely changed. Amid massive crackdown on media outlets and hundreds of thousands of the dissidents, President Erdoğan further consolidated his power with a controversial referendum in 2017 that changed the country from a parliamentary democracy into one-man rule. Being seen a setback from the rule of law, the new presidential system deepened concerns on human rights.
Marking a monumental turning point in Turkey’s history, the uprising has not been thoroughly investigated. Questioning the government’s narrative has caused many to imprisonment. The leaked details fueled the suspicions on the government’s narrative thus diminished its credibility. The narrative along with the massive crackdown on the dissident groups and Erdoğan’s consolidation of power faced heavy criticism from almost all quarters of the democratic world. In fact, a former representative of the European Parliament and well-known politician Andrew Duff defined it as “quick and relentless so-called coup”. The present report of Advocates of Silenced Turkey (AST) provides an overview of controversies and dark points on the “so-called coup” along with the human right concerns during the ongoing post-coup crackdown on the Turkey’s dissident groups.
Some of the highlights from the report are:
- A coup with no plan of action: Every coup has a certain plan of action, yet no official document has been presented so far for the July 15 coup attempt or the list of individuals involved with the Yurtta Sulh Council that has allegedly masterminded the coup.
- A “blessing from God”: Right after the coup attempt, Erdoğan described the incident as a “blessing from God”, implying that he had finally found the opportunity to carry out the purge on his dissidents.
- Step by step towards a presidential regime: Within less than a year, a referendum for constitutional change was held and the new Turkish-style presidential system was put into effect. Following this, Erdogan became the first president of the new regime through early elections.
- A coup notice from TSK to MIT: Osman Karacan, a major in TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) went to the MIT (National Intelligence Organization) headquarters on July 15 at 2:20pm to give notice about the planned coup. Yet, no real precautions were taken to prevent or suppress the coup until 10.00pm.
- Chief of MIT and Chief of Defense are still in office: Chief of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Hakan Fidan, Chief of Defense Hulusi Akar and 2nd Chief of Defense Yaşar Güler reportedly held a series of meetings following the notice at 2:20pm on the planned coup but did not notify President Erdoğan until 7:00pm, yet they kept their office.
- The conflicting explanations from Erdogan regarding time of coup: When speaking to national and international media, Erdoğan stated contradicting times with regards to the time when he was informed of the planned coup.
- The “controlled coup”: Turkey’s main opposition party (CHP) described what happened on the July 15 as “controlled coup”.
- Planes on standby for escape: It is discovered that 4 different airplanes at 4 different locations were arranged for Erdoğan to be on standby that night, implying Erdoğan’s possible knowledge of the planned coup attempt.
- Secret meetings a day before the coup: It is revealed that Akar, Chief of Defense, and Fidan, Chief of MIT (National Intelligence Organization), held a one-on-one confidential meeting that lasted four hours, a day before the coup.
- “I received the orders to reinforce the Chief of Defense Forces from Zekai Aksakallı”: Colonel Fırat Akkuş stated this during the court hearing, bringing into question the role of Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı in the coup.
- Erdoğan did not allow an investigation: The Turkish Grand National Assembly’s July 15 Investigation Commission wanted to listen to the testimonies of Chief of Defense Hulusi Akar and MIT Chief Hakan Fidan. However, President Erdoğan did not allow either of the names to appear in front of the commission.
- “Let an international commission investigate the coup and we will accept its findings”: The proposal of Fetullah Gülen who was blamed for masterminding the coup attempt is not accepted by the Turkish government.
- Events not yet taken place written into the July 15 Official Report, how did that happen? It was revealed that the official report for July 15 prepared by Serdar Coşkun, the Constitutional Order Attorney General of the time, contained written reports of events that would take place at a later date written as though they had taken place at the time of the written record.
- Purge lists prepared early on: Attorney General Serdar Coşkun admitted that the first cases of individuals being taken into custody and being arrested on July 16 were carried out based on the official report of the events. However, 3,000 judges and prosecutors were arrested on July 16 based on coup involvement although there is no evidence to support the allegations.
- A project I disliked is July 15: When Binali Yıldırım, the PM of the time, was asked by a group of journalists if there were any projects that he felt a bit too demanding, his reply, in a sarcastic tone, was “Well, July 15 was a project I did not like at all.”
We urge;
- international organizations to establish an independent commission to investigate and clarify the infamous July 15 coup attempt in Turkey,
- international bodies to examine politically motivated coup charges in order to end the purge and grave human rights violations that are affecting millions of innocent lives justified through this controversial coup attempt,
- the Turkish government to end arbitrary detentions, to find the perpetrators of enforced disappearances and bring them to justice, to reinstate the unlawfully dismissed public sector workers and to ensure the rule of law in Turkey.
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So-Called Coup Attempt, July 15th
THE SO-CALLED COUP
THAT SERVES AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR THE COMPLETE CONVERSION OF
A COUNTRY’S ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM
AS WELL AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR THE VICTIMIZATION OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
- The date of July 15, 2016, has become, without a doubt, one of the most significant turning points in the history of the Republic of Turkey and thus calls for extensive discourse and deliberation. July 15 is truly such a bizarre incident, one that has been personally described by the alleged July 15 victim (!) President and General Director of the Justice and Development (AK) Party, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as being a “blessing from God”; one bizarre incident that has been used as justification—by way of taking advantage of the atmosphere of coup and terror—to establish a one-man regime by seizing control of all democratic institutions including the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the government, and the judicial system; one truly bizarre incident of which the clearing of speculations surrounding it has been hindered by its “victim” (!) himself. Despite the fact that many questions wait to be answered surrounding this ominous incident that has cost hundreds of thousands of people their homes and their jobs, tens of thousands of people their freedom and hundreds of people their very lives, an incident that has been used as a justification to completely transform the administrative system of an entire country, the beginning of a period of oppression and tyranny that has continued for years on end, and the fact that these sought out answers continue to be covered up persistently, this project has been put together and presented for your consideration, bearing the thoughts that finding and presenting the contradictions and oddities that have surfaced will be beneficial in both understanding the truth behind July 15 as well as recording it as history. Hoping that the dark clouds and curtains of fog be lifted as soon as possible and that the victimizations being carried out under the excuse of July 15 finally come to an end.
- A Coup With No Plan of Action
- Every coup has a certain plan of action, yet so far no official document has been presented as to the plan of action regarding the July 15 coup attempt or the list of individuals involved with the Yurtta Sulh (Peace in the Fatherland) Council, which has been alleged to have masterminded the coup. In order for a coup to be successful, the following needs to be specified; the plan of action, the team of individuals who will carry out the plan of action, and the chain of command by which the plan will be executed. However, in the case of July 15, none of these are present.https://stockholmcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/15_July_Erdogans_Coup_13.07.2017.pdf (p. 11)
- “Blessing From God”
- On the night of July 15, after the coup attempt had been suppressed, Erdogan described the incident as a “blessing from God.” He was implying that he had found the opportunity to carry out the purge which he had been wanting to carry out but was unable to on account of the law. Through a purge operation which was initiated the very next morning, tens of thousands of people were arrested. Over 100,000 civil service employees and public servants were dismissed from their jobs.http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/644388/_Allah_in_buyuk_lutfu_.html
- Step by Step Towards a Presidential Regime
- Following July 15, the Turkish-style presidential system was established. While the Turkish people had been in opposition to this system prior to the coup attempt—as indicated by public opinion polls— after July 15, things had turned around completely. Within a time period of less than a year, a referendum for constitutional change was held, and the new Turkish-style presidential system was put into effect. And two years after the coup attempt, Erdogan became the first president of the new regime through early elections. He now had consolidated all authority at the tip of his very fingers.https://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/1314879-kilicdaroglu-baskanlik-sistemi-15-temmuz-sehitlerine-ihanettir
- Calling People to the Streets, Instead of Suppressing Coup Attempt
- Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor Okan Bato stated that on July 15 at 3:00 pm, he had notified Erdogan of the preparations for the coup. However, Erdogan took no action whatsoever to suppress the coup attempt. If, after being notified beforehand of the planned coup attempt, Erdogan had taken action to prevent the coup instead of calling on the people to go out into the streets, the 250 individuals (killed on that day) would be alive today.https://www.hrw.org/tr/world-report/2017/country-chapters/298690
- Coup Notice from the TSK to the MIT
- A major (Osman Karacan) in the TSK [Turkish Armed Forces] went to the MIT [National Intelligence Organization] headquarters on July 15 at 2:20 pm to give notice about the planned coup. Yet, from that hour until nighttime around 10:00 pm, no real precautions were taken to prevent or suppress the coup.http://www.tr724.com/kurgu-kontrollu-darbe-ihbarci-binbasi-2-yildir-mite-calisiyormus-ismi-de-farkliymis/
- Chief of MIT and Chief of Defense Are Still in Office
- Chief of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) of Turkey Hakan Fidan, Chief of Defense Hulusi Akar and 2nd Chief of Defense Yaşar Güler, held a series of meetings at the Chief of Defense Headquarters following the notice they had received regarding the planned coup. They have stated that around 7:00 pm that evening they called Erdogan, could not reach him and thus they notified his Head Bodyguard Muhsin Köse. So far Erdogan has not removed either Hakan Fidan, Hulusi Akar, or Muhsin Köse from their positions.http://www.tr724.com/cumhurbaskanligi-koruma-muduru-zan-altinda-sefer-can/
- Conflicting Explanations from Erdogan Regarding Time of Coup
- President Erdogan, while speaking of when he first became aware of the coup attempt, continuously made reference to different hours of the day. On the night of July 15, he said, “In the afternoon, unfortunately, there was a certain restlessness present within our armed forces.” On July 18, during an interview he gave to CNN International, he said, “I was notified that night around 8:00 pm.” On July 20, when speaking to Al-Jazeera, he used the expression, “My brother-in-law notified me around 8:00 pm.” On July 21, to Reuters, he explained, “My brother-in-law called me around 4:00–4:30 pm and said to me there’s some commotion going on around Beylerbeyi.” Whereas the starting hours of the commotion in Istanbul Beylerbeyi where the coup attempt first broke out was around 9:30 pm. And on July 30, during a joint broadcast between ATV and A Haber, he said, “We heard of something starting up that day around 9:15 pm. My brother-in-law called me up at 9:30 pm.” The fact that Erdogan gave so many conflicting explanations regarding such a specific matter raised a question mark in people’s minds.http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/foto/foto_galeri/575077/9/Darbe_girisimini_ne_zaman_ogrendi__Erdogan_in_sozlerindeki_saat_farkliliklari.html” I learned about it in the afternoon.” July 15th.
- ” I was notified around 8:00 pm.” July 18th.
- “My BROTHER-IN-LAW told me about it around 8:00 pm at night.” July 20th.
- ” My brother-in-law called around 4:00–4:30 and said ‘There’s some kind of commotion around Beylerbeyi.’ ” July 21st.
- “We heard of something starting up around 9:15 pm. My brother-in-law called me at 9:30 pm.” July 30th.
- Controlled Coup
- It was discovered that Erdogan had been notified of the coup attempt before the actual execution and even though he could have taken action to prevent the coup from happening, he chose not to. In a report put together by Turkey’s main opposition party CHP in June 2017, July 15 was described as a “controlled coup.” In other words, Erdogan, rather than preventing the coup—of which he had been aware of beforehand—allowed it to be carried out in a controlled manner and, afterward, used the aftermath to his advantage.https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-39478777
- Planes on Standby for Escape
- It was discovered that Erdogan had arranged for 4 different airplanes at 4 different locations near Marmaris to be on standby that night. In addition to the airplane in Dalaman which Erdogan was using, there were airplanes ready for use in Denizli, Izmir, and Aydin. In order for these airplanes to have been ready for a potential flight that night, they would have to have been notified at least by 5:00 pm that evening. The fact that Erdogan had made such arrangements beforehand is another indicator that he had been aware of the planned coup attempt. In that case, again, the question arises of why he did not take action to suppress the uprising within the military.http://aktifhaber.com/15-temmuz/15-temmuzda-hazir-bekleyen-dort-ucak-h98846.html
- Chief of Defense Hulusi Akar Who Failed to Prevent the Coup Becomes Head of Ministry of Defense, How So?
- In a confidential statement given to the Ankara 14th High Criminal Court on March 17, 2017, the Special Forces Commander of the time Zekai Aksakallı said, “Inside the Turkish Armed Forces, when times of crises and states of emergency arise, as soon as any notification is received, the orders that ‘personnel cannot leave their post’ is given. Commanding officers continue their duties at their given posts. This fundamental and simple principle applied in every instance was, however, not put into practice on July 15, 2016, when the first notification was received. If it had been put into effect, the coup attempt would have come to light from the very beginning.” In other words, he advocated that the coup could have been prevented had these orders been delivered. The Chief of Defense of the time, Hulusi Akar, failed to give these orders. Despite this fact, President Erdogan called him a “hero” and had the people applaud him during an AKP rally. Not only did he not dismiss Akar from his position, but he also appointed Akar to be the Minister of Defense as part of the first presidential cabinet formed after the early elections of June 24, 2018.
- http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/aksakalli-kural-uygulansa-darbe-girisimi-bastan-aciga-cikardi
- Secret Meetings A Day Before the CoupIt was discovered that Akar, Chief of Defense, and Fidan, Chief of MIT (National Intelligence Organization), held a one-on-one confidential meeting that lasted four hours, a day before the coup. It was also found out that, following this long meeting, Fidan and Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı also held a one-on-one confidential meeting that lasted about an hour. The fact that these three names played the most critical role during the coup that took place the very next day raises quite a bit of suspicion.
- https://t24.com.tr/haber/hulusi-akar-ile-hakan-fidan-darbe-girisiminden-bir-gun-once-6-saat-basbasa-gorustuiddiasi,391229
- “I Received the Orders to Reinforce the Chief of Defense Forces From Zekai Aksakallı
- In the fourth court hearing of the trials held for the cases of the 221 defendants regarding actions taken within the Chief of Defense forces during the course of the July 15 coup attempt, Staff Colonel Fırat Alakuş, in his defense, stated that he had personally received the orders to “reinforce the Chief of Defense forces in case of any potential actions certain terrorist organizations may take” from Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı. Alakuş said, “I was assigned the duty by Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı himself. As for the details of the assignment, I was told that I would be receiving them from Colonel ümit Bak.”https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/genelkurmay-baskaninin-urkutucu-dedigi-darbeci-komutan-konustu
- Air Forces Commander not Notified of The Ban on Flights, Could It be Related to the Secret Meeting at the Palace?
- Although Akar, Chief of Defense, put a ban on all military flights/missions throughout the country as of 7:00 pm, neither the Air Forces Commander nor the Naval Forces Commander was notified of this ban. It was discovered that the then Air Forces Commander Abidin ünal had been secretly visiting the palace of President Erdoğan using a vehicle belonging to MIT and holding secret meetings there from the month of April prior to the coup onwards. Not only did Abidin ünal fail to take any sort of action to prevent a coup from taking place on the night of July 15, but also he did not allow any preventive measures to be carried out.http://www.shaber3.com/abidin-unal-gizlice-erdogan-a-gitti-haberi/1320819/
- Erdoğan Did Not Allow an Investigation
The TBMM (Turkish Grand National Assembly) July 15 Investigation Commission wanted to listen to the testimonies of Chief of Defense Hulusi Akar and MIT Chief Hakan Fidan. However, President Erdoğan did not allow either of the names to appear in front of the commission. Akar and Fidan were not able to stand in front of the commission and answer their questions.https://twitter.com/15temmuzgercegi/status/1018414216288407552
- Fethullah Gulen: “Let an international commission investigate the coup, and we will accept its findings.”In multiple interviews, including the New York Times, Financial Times, Sky News, and The Guardian, Fethullah Gulen said: “If there are allegations that I directed this coup attempt, let an international commission investigate it, and we will accept its findings.”
https://t24.com.tr/haber/fethullah-gulen-uluslararasi-bir-komisyon-darbeyiarastirsin-sonucunu-simdiden-kabul-ediyoruz,350385
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- Events Not Yet Taken Place Written into the July 15 Official Report, How Did That Happen?
- It was discovered that the official report for July 15 prepared by Serdar Coşkun, the Constitutional Order Attorney General of the time, contained written reports of events that would take place at a later date written as though they had taken place at the time of the written record. The official report had been written up at 01:00 am yet it contained the records of events such as the bombing of the TBMM (Turkish Grand National Assembly), the bombing of the Presidential Palace intersection, and the air raid at the Ankara Police Headquarters none of which at that point in time had taken place. Moreover, these incidents had not even taken place in the way in which they were described in the report. What’s, even more, is the fact that events which never even took place were recorded as though they had actually happened.http://www.tr724.com/savci-15-temmuzu-sarsacak-belgeyi-dogruladi-o-gece-olaylar-yasanmadan-tutanaklardayazilmis/
- Binali Yıldırım (Former Prime Minister): A Project I Disliked, July 15
- When Yıldırım was asked by a group of journalists, “Were there any projects that you felt were a bit too demanding?”, his reply, in a sarcastic tone, was, ” Well, July 15 was a project I did not like at all.”
- Purge Lists Prepared Early On
Attorney General Serdar Coşkun admitted that the first cases of individuals being taken into custody and being arrested on July 16 were carried out based on the official report of the events. For instance, he gave orders to have approximately 3,000 judges and prosecutors to be arrested. However, on July 16 there was no evidence to support the allegations that the said 3,000 judges and prosecutors had been involved in the coup. No evidence to that effect was found later on either. The purge lists had been prepared in advance. And they were put into effect right after the coup attempt. In the morning of July 16, at 01:00 am, only three hours after the military insurrection had started, 2,745 judges and prosecutors were dismissed from their duties. The official report prepared by Attorney General Serdar Coşkun was also written up at the same time that night, 01:00 am.https://www.ahmetdonmez.net/iste-serdar-coskunun-skandal-tutanaktan-sonraki-ilk-talimati/
- MIT conspiracy towards Akın Öztürk?It was discovered that MIT official and retired soldier Sadık üstün, a close friend of MIT Chief Hakan Fidan since the time they met during their time serving in the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces), had called up certain commanders and told them that the number 1 role in the coup would be General Akın Öztürk. It was discovered that at that time Akın Öztürk, who had—as later discovered—been assigned to the Akıncılar Base by Air Force Commander Abidin ünal, was still in his home. It was discovered that Sadık üstün had been working together with Air Force Commander Abidin ünal.https://www.ahmetdonmez.net/mitci-sadik-ustun-savci-serdar-coskunu-da-aradi-mi/
- “So-called Coup” explanation from Andrew Duff
Former European Parliament representative and well-known politician Andrew Duff made the following statements regarding the report written by July 15 public prosecutor Serdar Coşkun, “We have finally figured out how Erdoğan was able to exploit this so-called coup in such a quick and relentless manner. This report shows us that certain incidents were prepared beforehand, ERDOĞAN allowed for the insurrection to be carried out in a controlled manner and afterward put his own version of a constitutional coup into action.”https://www.ahmetdonmez.net/andrew-duff-savci-coskunun-tutanagi-bazi-seylerin-onceden-hazirlandigini-gosteriyor/
“QUICK AND RELENTLESS SO-CALLED COUP”
- What Kind of Connection Does the Religious Affairs Council have with MIT?
It was discovered that on the night of July 15, Moaz al-Khatib, the man Erdoğan wants to see as the leader of Syria, and the President of the Religious Affairs Council, Görmez, were also present at the MIT headquarters.
https://odatv.com/gormezden-sonra-sira-fidan-ve-akarda-mi-2707171200.html
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July 15 Purge in Numbers
249 people lost their lives
612,347 people were interrogated
160,000 people were arrested
152,000 state officials were arrested
62,669 political prisoners were charged with terrorist activity
7,907 incidents of human rights violations
3,502 victims were subjected to torture and ill-treatment
686 torture incidents occurred during detention
51 prisoners died in suspicious circumstances
69,301 students were incarcerated (highest number of students incarcerated at any given time in the history of the country)
2,767 teenagers, aged between 12 and 18, were incarcerated
197 teenagers, aged between 12 and 18, were incarcerated due to the alleged involvement in terrorism
102,000 people were jailed due to the alleged use of ByLock mobile application
Assets valued at $11,000,000,000 were seized
130,000 public officers were suspended from work
80,000 citizens were arrested
4,000+ judges or prosecutors were dismissed from work
2,300+ private educational institutions were closed
7,257 academics were dismissed
1,600+ non-profit and non-governmental organizations were closed
1,500+ public associations and foundations were closed
200 public media companies were closed
2,500 journalists and media workers were left unemployed
19 unions were closed
15 private universities were closed
1,539 lawyers were put on trial
580 lawyers were arrested
103 lawyers were sentenced to long terms in prison
5,705 academics were suspended
8,240 armed forces employees were dismissed
1,067 NATO-supporting members of the armed forces were dismissed
28 individuals were abducted
100+ members of the Gulen Movement were abducted and brought back to Turkey from 18 different countries by the National Intelligence Organization
Widget not in any sidebars
