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FIDH: `Turkey Must End Impunity of Political Violence

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  • FIDH: `Turkey Must End Impunity of Political Violence

    BIA, Turkey
    Feb 17 2008


    FIDH: `Turkey Must End Impunity of Political Violence

    'Following a mission in Turkey on the occasion of the third hearing
    of the Hrant Dink murder trial, the FIDH published a report on 13
    February, calling for action on human rights.

    FIDH

    17-02-2008


    The Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
    undertook a mission in Istanbul from February 9 to 11, 2008, on the
    occasion of the third hearing of the Hrant Dink murder trial.

    Hrant Dink, the founder and editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian
    weekly Agos newspaper, was shot dead in front of his office on 19
    January 2007. This mission was deployed in follow-up to FIDH's
    mobilisation alongside Hrant Dink's family and lawyers, and in
    support of their struggle for justice.

    Following the third hearing, FIDH welcomes the filming of the
    proceedings, as transparency is an essential element to guarantee the
    fairness of the procedure. Nevertheless, FIDH Secretary General
    Florence Bellivier has called on the Turkish authorities « to ensure
    full access to the documents related to the case to the lawyers of
    Dink's family, in particular the results of the investigation into
    the behaviour of State security agents ».

    Satisfaction at Ergenekon operation, and Malatya and Santoro trials
    Meanwhile, FIDH has expressed its satisfaction following the arrest,
    on January 22nd, and the opening of a judicial investigation against
    a group of ultra-nationalist individuals said to be members of the
    illegal paramilitary group Ergenekon. Among them is Veli Kücük, a
    retired general of the Turkish army.

    Without prejudice to the results of the investigation, FIDH welcomes
    the opening of proceedings against individuals whose names have
    appeared repeatedly in a number of cases of political violence,
    notably the murder of Hrant Dink, the massacre of a Christian pastor
    and two of his practitioners in Malatya on April 18th 2007, and the
    killing of a Catholic priest on February 4th 2006 in Trabzon.

    `FIDH hopes that these investigations will enable the determination
    of higher levels of responsibility in the instigation of these
    crimes, and break the cycle of political violence,' said Secretary
    General Florence Bellivier.

    Beyond the trial, the mission was an opportunity to discuss several
    of the main human rights violations that Turkey is facing today. In
    this respect, FIDH wishes to highlight the following:

    The Kurdish Question
    FIDH and its Turkish member organisation, the Human Rights
    Association (IHD), express their deep concern about continuing human
    rights violations in the South-Eastern provinces. The organisations
    are particularly concerned with the bombing of civilian areas, in
    violation of fundamental principles of international human rights and
    humanitarian law. The organisations repeat their call to the
    authorities for a political and peaceful settlement of the Kurdish
    question, and urge the government to open talks with Kurdish
    organisations and civil society in this respect.

    Freedom of opinion and expression.
    FIDH has repeated its call for the abolition of Article 301 of the
    Penal Code. Freedom of expression should not be criminalised and
    Turkey should conform with the recommendations addressed by all UN
    special rapporteurs and treaty bodies in this respect. Newspapers
    such as Free-Agenda (Özgür Gündem), documenting the situation of
    Kurdish or other minorities as well as the consequences of the
    conflict in the South-East, should be able to publish their stories.

    Situation of human rights defenders
    FIDH is worried about the continuous harassment of human rights
    defenders, intellectuals and journalists who promote human rights. As
    documented by the Observatory for the protection of human rights
    defenders (FIDH-OMCT), Ethem Acikalin, the Chair of IHD's section in
    Adana, as well as the former chair and an administrator of the Ankara
    section remain under arbitrary detention. FIDH calls for their
    immediate release.

    FIDH further remains concerned about the judicial harassment against
    the Vice-President of the IHD, Reyhan Yalcindag, the pending court
    case to close down the Mersin section of IHD in southern Turkey, as
    well as about the prosecution of members of the National Commission
    on Human Rights, Professors Ibrahim Kaboglu and Baskin Oran, for
    having published a report on minorities in Turkey. FIDH calls for the
    suspension of all charges in these trials.

    Counter-terrorism and human rights, use of torture
    FIDH is finally worried about information reported by another Turkish
    member organisation, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV), on
    the broad and vague definition of the acts defined under the
    Anti-terror Act, in violation of the principle of legality of the
    International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

    The organisations further deplore the continuous use of torture with
    impunity and the light sentences resulting from the few
    condemnations. They call upon the Turkish authorities to comply with
    the recommendations of the UN Independent Expert on counter-terrorism
    and human rights, as well as the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.
    (FIDH/AG)
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