By decision of Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, the assets of 39 individuals and 19 organizations, including the GÖÇIZDER association, which deals with the situation of migrants and internally displaced persons, were frozen. The decision was published in the Official Gazette and came into force on Monday.

GÖÇIZDER invited people to a press conference on the court decision at the association's building in Istanbul on Monday. Members of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), the Anatolian Association for Aid and Solidarity with Families Who Have Lost Their Relatives (ANYAKAY-DER), the Kurdish Research Society, the Solidarity Network for Migrants and Refugees and the Solidarity Network for Human Rights Activists attended the event.

"This is an attempt to exercise repression"

Mine Buse of the Migrant and Refugee Solidarity Network stated that with the decision to freeze GÖÇIZDER's assets, the regime is trying to put increasing pressure on civil society organizations and threaten them. She said: "But we know that this repression will not succeed. Today, in this order where war and exploitation continue, GÖÇIZDER will continue its work. As a migrant and refugee solidarity network, we would like to emphasize that GÖÇIZDER will not continue its work alone. In view of this decision, we call on all those who are committed to work and democracy to stand in solidarity with GÖÇIZDER against this decision."

"This repression will not succeed"

Kamile Kandal, co-chair of GÖÇIZDER, stressed that the reprisals were not a new occurrence and pointed out that members of the association had already been brought to court for similar reasons in the past. She stressed that they had always been fully acquitted and stressed that freezing assets against their association represented an attack on the personality and constitutional rights of the association and its members.

Ministers' justification unlawful

In justifying their decision, the ministers referred to a case before the 4th Criminal Court of Ankara in which the association was linked to "a terrorist organization". Kandal explained that the court had obviously decided differently, however, and accused the ministers of interfering in the judiciary: "The same court acquitted the association of membership in this illegal organization in the same case, which is now trying to establish a connection to terrorism. The decision published by the Ministry of Finance, which again claims a connection to terrorism, leads us to believe that the principle of the rule of law was deliberately overridden and that political motives were at play. What we can say is that legal decisions should be made, not political decisions."

This approach is an attempt to isolate the association, said Kandal, adding: "They want to sever the bond between the people and civil society organizations. The fact that the government is taking such a decision despite a verdict is a disregard for the law and the judiciary. However, we would like to stress that this repression will not lead to any results."

"Our solidarity with those seeking protection continues"

Kamile Kandal concluded by announcing that the association would continue its work despite all repression, and said: "In a region, in a world where war and exploitation continue, where millions of people are forcibly displaced and turned into refugees, we as an association will continue our work, our research, our defense of the rights of migrants and refugees and our solidarity, despite all attempts to defame us and criminalize us through decisions made in back rooms."

Fighting for the rights of refugees and migrants since 2016

GÖÇIZDER was founded in Istanbul in 2016 to build effective social solidarity with migrants and people on the run. In this context, the situation of the approximately 500,000 internally displaced people in 2015/16 as a result of the destruction of northern Kurdish cities played a particularly important role. With its reports and investigations, the association tries to focus on the situation of internally displaced persons and to support them in taking action against violations of rights. Since it repeatedly addresses the most serious human rights violations and war crimes committed by the Turkish state, the association is repeatedly targeted by repression.