HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Political prisoner denied treatment after hunger strike 

  Suleyman Benzer, who ended his hunger strike of 152 days in the solitary cell he was held in the Duzce Prison, is being denied treatment despite bleeding in his intestines.
• UN: 12 cases of extrajudicial executions in Colombia in 2018 

  A 62-page report published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on international humanitarian law in Colombia during 2018, reveals that there have been 12 cases of extrajudicial executions.
• Urfa Bar Association: Torture in Halfeti is systematic since 2015 

  After the clashes in Halfeti, 51 people were detained in Bozova and Halfeti districts and subjected to severe torture and inhuman treatment.
• IHD: Violations of rights of prisoners who were on hunger strike 

  After the end of the hunger strike in prisons, many rights violations related to the medical treatment of prisoners continue to be on the agenda. 
• International award for Amed Bar Association 

  The Amed Bar Association has been awarded the 2018 Ludovic Trarieux Jury Prize for their efforts for human rights, their actions and the pain it has suffered.
• Halfeti people: We were tortured in custody 

  10 more of the persons detained in Halfeti have been released. The victims spoke about the torture.
• Saturday Mothers awarded Human Rights, Peace and Democracy award 

  The Human Rights, Peace and Democracy Award organized by Istanbul Medical Chamber was given to the Saturday Mothers.
• Prisoners on death fast have radios confiscated 

  Asli Dogan and Ardil Cesme’s radios were confiscated after their wards were raided on day 21 of their death fast in the Gebze Type M Closed Women’s Prison.
• Solidarity with jailed academics in London 

  A number of associations held a demonstration in solidarity with jailed academics in London on Saturday.
• Response from lawyers regarding the ban on visits with Öcalan 

  "It is a legal obligation that Mr. Öcalan establishes his full legal rights, including consultation with his lawyers and visits by his family, to receive letters, telephone calls and his right to other means of communication."
• HDP Van MP Temel tabled motion over torture in prison 

  HDP Van MP Tayip Temel who himself has been on an indefinite hunger strike since March, has tabled a parliamentary question on reports of torture in Elazığ Prison.
• Öcalan’s lawyer: Ban on contact with Imralı still in effect 

  The Turkish government has lifted the contact ban for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. His lawyers continue to see the ban in effect as only one visit has been approved since the decision made in April.
• Prisoners’ mothers tortured with strip searches 

  Mothers detained during their vigil in front of the Bakirköy Closed Women’s Prison to draw attention to the hunger strikes and death fasts were subjected to strip searches in custody.
• Victims of execution in Iran commemorated in Stockholm 

  Noting the importance of supporting the hunger strike resistance led by Leyla Güven, Sadie Vekili urged people in Europe and Kurdistan to stand by the hunger strikers and support the resistance. 
• Amnesty International accused by Kurdish activists of hypocrisy  

  Are Amnesty human rights defenders, or are they human rights abusers? asked Kurdish activists when the organisation called the police to remove their peaceful action.
• Relatives of prisoners on hunger strike rally for solidarity 

  In Turkey and northern Kurdistan, relatives of prisoners take to the streets to draw attention to the hunger strikes against the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. In Izmir, police have forbidden the demonstrators to pronounce the word "isolation".
• IHD: Enable contact with Öcalan! 

  The Amed Human Rights Association has called for the immediate removal of Abdullah Öcalan's isolation.
• Repression increased in Silivri Prison in Istanbul 

  About 200 PKK prisoners are on hunger strike there demanding the end of isolation in Silivri Prison, in Istanbul.
• Legal consultations for prisoners on hunger strike restricted 

  In the prisons in Van province, the right to solicitor consultations for hunger strikers has been restricted.
• Turkey has a long way to go to ensure children's rights 

  According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) the employment participation rate for children in 2018 was 21,1%.
• Human Rights Association announced its 2018 Violations of Rights 

  The Human Rights Association (IHD) announced its 2018 Violations of Rights Report. 
• FARC mourned killing of 7-month-old baby 

  Samuel Gonzalez died as a result of an attack against his father, former FARC guerrilla Carlos Enrique Gonzalez.
• Prisoners not allowed to mention hunger strikes on phone calls 

  Prisoners in the Urfa Type T Prison No.2 who have been on a hunger strike since March 1 protesting the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan reportedly have their phone calls are cut off if they “mention the hunger strikes”.
• Prisoner on day 118 of hunger strike put in solitary confinement 

  Never ending repression by the Turkish regime against Kurdish political prisoners.
• Former FARC commander Santrich: one year of unjust prison 

  One year has passed since the unjust imprisonment of peace negotiator and former FARC commander Jesús Santrich.