URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
New information
TUR 001 / 1015 / OBS 081.1
Arbitrary detention /
Provisional release /
Judicial harassment
Turkey
October 6, 2015
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Turkey.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Association (İHD) about the provisional release of İHD’s Siirt branch Chairperson Mr. Zana Aksu as well as İHD manager Mr. Azat Taş, and about the ongoing arbitrary detention of İHD executive manager Mr. Mirza Ekin.
According to the information received, on October 3, 2015, the Siirt 1 Peace Court provisionally released Messrs. Zana Aksu and Mr. Azat Taş pending trial, while Mr. Mirza Ekin was placed in detention and transferred to the Siirt E Type Closed Prison pending trial. All three were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Law (Law 3713 of April 1991) at the end of September (see background information).
The Observatory welcomes the release of Messrs. Zana Aksu and Mr. Azat Taş, but strongly deplores the ongoing judicial harassment against them, as well as the ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. Mirza Ekin in the framework of the same case. The Observatory calls upon the Turkish authorities to immediately release Mr. Mirza Ekin since his detention is arbitrary as it only aims at sanctioning his human rights activities, and to put an end to any kind of harassment, including at the judicial level, against the three above-mentioned human rights defenders.
Background information:
The three human rights defenders were arrested on September 30, 2015 by a police operation launched against Kurdish political parties and non-governmental organisations in Siirt province in southeastern Turkey. The operations resulted in the arrest of at least ten people. During the illegal raid, the police confiscated books, reports and other documents, as well as computers belonging to İHD.
This case is an illustration of a wider trend of repression against human rights defenders in Turkey. The Observatory recalls in particular that the Anti-Terrorism Law has been repeatedly used by the authorities as a tool to harass and imprison human rights defenders.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities in Turkey, urging them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Zana Aksu, Azat Taş and Mirza Ekin as well as all human rights defenders in Turkey;
ii. Release Mr. Mirza Ekin immediately and unconditionally, as well as all other human rights defenders currently in detention, since their detention is arbitrary as it only aims at curtailing their human rights activities;
iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Messrs. Zana Aksu, Azat Taş and Mirza Ekin, as well as other İHD members and all human rights defenders in Turkey;
iv. Put an end to the crackdown on civil society under the pretext of countering terrorism and recognise the legitimate role of human rights defenders in line with Turkey’s international commitments;
v. Comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with:
– its Article 1, which provides that “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 levels”;
– its Article 6(a), which foresees that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”;
– its Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;
vi. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Turkey.
Addresses:
· President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi 06560 Beştepe-Ankara, Tel: (+90 312) 525 55 55, Fax: (+90 312) 525 58 31, E-mail: contact@tccb.gov.tr
· Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu tel: (0312) 422 10 00 ; Fax: +90 (312) 403 62 82
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, No: 8 Balgat / Ankara - Turkey 06100; Tel: +90 (312) 292 10 00
· Minister of Justice, Mr. Kenan Ipek, 06659 Kizilay, Ankara; Tel: +90 (312) 417 77 70; Fax: +90 (0312) 419 33 70; E-mail: info@adalet.gov.tr
· Minister of Interior, Mr. Selami Altınok; tel: +90 (312) 422 40 00; Fax: +90 (312) 425 61 30; Email: ozelkalem@icisleri.gov.tr
· Ambassador Izzet Selim Yenel, Diplomatic Mission of Turkey to the European Union in Brussels, Avenue des Arts 36-38, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium; Fax: + 32 2 511 04 50
· Ambassador Mehmet Ferden Çarikçi, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations in Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28B 1211 Geneva 19, Tel: +41 22 918 50 80; Fax: +41 22 734 08 59; Email: mission.turkey@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Turkey in your respective country.
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Paris-Geneva, October 6, 2015
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of human rights defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29