| Paris –
Geneva, 6th May 2003
The FIDH and the OMCT, in the framework of their joint programme
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders,
express their deepest concern after the raids operated this
morning against the headquarters of the Human Rights Association
(IHD) in Ankara, as well as the Ankara branch office of the
IHD, by members of the Anti-Terror Forces.
According to the information received, the raids against both
offices were launched at the same time at 9h30 AM and lasted
two hours. All the equipment of the offices were taken, including
computers, hard disks, files, video-tapes, etc. The forces were
accompanied by the Prosecutor of the Ankara State Security Court,
who went first to the headquarters and then to the branch office.
The IHD employees were told that this operation was ordered
by the State Security Court for preliminary investigation, in
the framework of a public prosecution for, in particular, “helping
an illegal organisation” (art. 169 of the Penal Code,
which includes a very large definition of crimes).
The FIDH and the OMCT note that these acts are part of recurrent
acts of repression against human rights defenders in Turkey,
in particular through judicial means (See Observatory International
and Legal Observation Mission Report - Turkey - Judicial Harassment
Against Human Rights Defenders - December 2002).
Our organisations stress the fact that these raids occurred
immediately following the attendance by members of IHD at the
sessions of the Committee Against Torture of the United Nations
(2 – 5 may 2003), during which a member of the Turkish
delegation questioned the appropriateness of the queries made
by the Rapporteur of the Committee regarding the situation of
harassment of human rights defenders in Turkey. On 5th May,
while answering the Committee’s questions, the delegation’s
member denied any repression against human rights defenders
as well as the existence of a link between judicial procedures
against Turkish human rights defenders and their human rights
activities. The events of this morning constitute a flagrant
contradiction of these official declarations.
The FIDH and the OMCT ask the Turkish authorities to:
- immediately put an end to any kind of repression, including
judicial persecution, against the IHD and all human rights defenders
in Turkey
- abide by the provisions of the Declaration on the Protection
of human Rights Defenders adopted on the 9th of December 1998,
by the UN General Assembly particularly Article 1 "Everyone
has the right, individually and in association with others,
to promote and to strive for the protection and realization
of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and
international level".
- comply in any circumstances with the Copenhagen criteria allowing
for membership in the European Union, as well as with the provisions
of all human rights instruments ratified by Turkey. |
