HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• IHD: 1,552 people died in the Kurdish region during the past one year 

  According to an IHD report, 1,552 people -who include soldiers, police, village guards, militants and civilians- died in the Kurdish cities during the period from July 24, 2015 to July 24, 2016. 1,683 others were wounded.
• UN experts urge Turkey to adhere to its human rights obligations 

  A group of United Nations human rights experts urged the Turkish Government to uphold its obligations under international human rights law, even in the current time of declared emergency following an attempted coup.
• Kurdish political prisoner Mohammad Abdullahi executed in Iran 

  Kurdish political prisoner Mohammad Abdullahi and five other prisoners have been executed in Urmia Prison Tuesday morning.
• Öcalan denied access to newspapers 

  It has come to light that the newspapers sent to Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan under strict isolation in İmralı Prison weren’t given to him and were returned.
• International Imrali Delegation urges CPT to uphold its responsibilities 

  The international Imrali Peace Delegation has sent an open letter calling upon the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture -CPT to uphold its responsibilities for Abdullah Öcalan.
• Öcalan's lawyers apply to the UN against aggravated isolation 

  Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's lawyers applied to the United Nations on July 12 for an examination in İmralı Island Prison into the conditions of aggravated isolation.
• UN Commission of Inquiry: ISIS committing genocide against Yazidis 

  ISIS is committing genocide against Yazidis, according to a report, “They Came to Destroy: ISIS Crimes Against the Yazidis”, issued today by the independent international Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic.
• Lawyers apply to the ECHR for the retrial of Öcalan 

  After the Turkish Constitutional Court’s rejection of applications for a retrial of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, lawyers applied to the European Court of Human Rights for this purpose.
• 15 more prisoners join the hunger strike in Şakran prison 

  The hunger strike started by 13 inmates in İzmir's Şakran Prison continues in its 14th day. 15 more prisoners have joined the hunger strike today.
• What happened in prisons over the last 3 months? 

  TUHAD-FED issued a report on the rights violations in prisons over the last three months, and stated that the prisons implemented practices reminiscent of the September 12 coup days, which have intensified after the genocidal operations.
• Children tortured in prison 

  More than 40 imprisoned children in the Adana Kürkçüler E Type Closed Prison were exiled to other prisons after being beaten and tortured.
• CPT vows to visit İmralı 

  Kurdish youths occupied the building of the CPT in protest at the CPT's silence on the aggravated isolation of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and the AKP atrocity in Northern Kurdistan territory.
• Women call upon the CPT to act for Öcalan 

  TJK-E protested the ongoing isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan in front of the CPT, EC and ECHR in Strasbourg.
• 15 more political inmates exiled to Şakran Prison 

  Within the scope of the recently enhanced exile operations against political prisoners, 15 more inmates have been exiled to Şakran T Type Prison in the western province of İzmir.
• TIHV: At least 310 civilians died in the Kurdish region since August 

  Between the dates August 16th, 2015 and March 18th, 2016 there has been 63 officially confirmed, open-ended and round-the-clock [all daylong] curfews in at least 22 districts of 7 cities in Southeastern Turkey.
• Lawyers launch international petition against the isolation of Öcalan 

  Lawyers launched an international petition campaign against the isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, emphasizing that the isolation threatened peace, had torturous aspects, and should end immediately.
• European Parliament recognizes ISIS crimes as genocide 

  The European Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution recognizing an ISIS genocide against Christians, Êzîdîs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria.
• Constitutional Court rejects application for measure on those in basement 

  Turkish Constitutional Court has rejected an application denouncing a right violation against dozens of people trapped in the basement of a largely demolished building in Cizre's Cudi neighborhood for one week.
• HRW reports abuses amid collapsed Kurdish peace process in Turkey 

  Human rights violations increased following the breakdown of the Kurdish peace process in 2015, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2016.
• European Lawyers Delegation visits Amed for investigation 

  A delegation of European lawyers will visit the main Kurdish city Amed (Diyarbakır) from 21st to 24th January 2016. The 13 participants come from Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Austria.
• Prisoners exiled from İmralı: This is a message to Öcalan rather than us 

  Lawyers visited Çetin Arkaş and Nasrullah Kuran in Silivri Prison after their recent 'exile' from İmralı where they were being held together with Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan to serve as his secretariat during the resolution process.
• Hüseyin dies before the enforcement of ECtHR's interim injunction 

  As Turkish state forces continue to commit war crimes in the Kurdish towns under their siege for over a month now, genocidal attacks on civilian areas do also result in severe violations of basic rights.
• Öcalan's lawyers voice concerns as two prisoners exiled from İmralı 

  Lawyers from Asrın Law Office, which undertakes advocacy of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, voiced concerns over the situation on İmralı Island after two prisoners here were exiled to Silivri Prison in Istanbul.
• 20-year-old Rojava citizen killed in Turkish custody 

  Dılo Derviş from Rojava has been killed in custody by Turkish police after his detention in the southern province of Adana last August.
• ECtHR asks for defence from Turkey on curfew in Cizre 

  The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has asked defence from the Turkish state regarding the ongoing curfew and state of siege in Cizre district of Şırnak. Turkey has been asked to submit their defense until 8 January.