Urgent action about detainments of six Turkish educationists in Moldova
On September 6, 2018, six Turkish nationals in Moldova were detained. SIS agents of Moldova conducted the detainment of Vice Director and five educationists in Orizont Moldovan-Turkish Educational Institutions early hours in the morning. The detainees’ names were affirmed as Riza Dogan, Hasan Karacaoglu, Yasin Ozdil, Mujdat Celebi, Huseyin Bayraktar and Feridun Tufekci. The wife of Hasan Karacaoglu, the Vice director, stated that they have been living in Moldova for 20 years. Except for Huseyin Bayraktar, five of the detainees are asylum seekers who are supposed to be granted by the end of September.
Additionally; the director of Orizont Schools, Turgay Sen, was detained without any explanation in March 2018 and released in April after applying for asylum.
It is internationally known that Turkish government tracks the Gulen followers or sympathizers who have been targeted oppressively since the failed coup attempt. Abductions, detainments, and deportations take place in such countries where rule of law and democracy are not applied. And the Turkish government urges those countries to implement these illegal actions. Given the recent abduction cases in different countries such as Mongolia, Kosovo, Ukraine, Malaysia, Kirghizistan, Pakistan and also threats of deportation to Turkey where a fair trial is not likely nowadays and there is fear of torture; an urgent action to release these people and to provide protection for them is extremely vital.
As reported by families of detainees and local media resources, the lawyers are not allowed to communicate with them. Amnesty International Moldova Director Cristina Pereteatcu stated that a possible deportation would be taken into consideration. It was also reported that the operation was conducted by SIS Antiterror agents which means judicial authorities are not involved in the case. Whereabouts of detainees are still unknown. The Minister of Justice stated that Moldova could be exposed to a penalty by ECHR because of the detainment and possible deportation of Turkish educationists.
We write you today to emphasize our great concern about the detainment and prospective extradition of these six educationists and also to request to take urgent action from the Government of Moldova to release and provide protection of human rights of them along with all other Hizmet movement affiliated people.
Sincerely,
AST letter PDF:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Moldova-case.pdf
