IHD's Call to Voters
IHD's Call to Voters
Human Rights Association (IHD) made a call to voters concerning the general elections on June 12; “Vote for peace, freedom, equality and justice. Cast your votes for a new and democratic constitution”.
Human Rights Association announced its opinions concerning the coming elections, political parties and independent candidates. Demanding the preparation of a new and democratic constitution, IHD listed the basic issues and principles they demand to be included in this constitution. IHD also made a call to voters to cast their votes for rights and freedoms.
IHD’s statement is as follows; “With the start of EU full membership negotiation process in December 1999, Turkey has entered a partial reform process. Despite all harmonization packages, constitution amendments so far, Turkey's constitutional and legal system is still anti-democratic, rejecting differences, monist and authoritarian. The 2011 human rights violation report of our association and the events in 2011 showed that Turkey has regressed from Copenhagen Criteria to Ankara Criteria and become a police state.
Human Rights Association still maintains most of its opinions from the 1995, 1999, 2002 and 2007 periods because a new and a democratic constitution has still not been enacted.
Our demands for a new civil and democratic Constitution and for the basic issues and principles are as follows;
“The official ideology on the constitution should be ended, the constitution should be emancipated from its ideological content and it should underline a together and common future of all peoples and the society of the country, the right to resist should be accepted for a peaceful common life and genocide and crimes against humanity should be rejected at all times and under all circumstances,
The pluralism, clarity and participation principles of Democracy should be obeyed in full compliance for a true democratic order, the obstacles before participation in politics should be removed, the election threshold should be abolished,
The priority of law should be constituted, full security of the right to a fair trial,
Commitment to human rights should be the base, universal human rights law should be approved and applied for all individuals and groups, conscientious objection should be recognized, the constitution should be against militarism,
The rights of peoples and groups in terms of ethnic, language and religion should be recognized in accordance with universal human rights law, the right for participation in government should again be fully implemented in accordance with principle of administration,
The personal, political, economic, social and cultural rights of all individuals and groups, solidarity right in particular, should be guaranteed,
Everyone’s freedom of organization and their union rights should be guaranteed and include the collective bargaining right and the right to strike,
Social gender equality and women's human rights should be assured, the right for sexual orientation should be recognized,
For the coming elections, parties and independent candidates remark that a new consititution will be enacted. Please vote for those who want to enact a constitution in compliance with the mentioned principles.
Besides, vote for those who defend human rights and freedoms!
want to solve the Kurdish problem through democratic and peaceful ways, for those who will stop the ongoing violence and bring peace,
will recognize the freedom of religion and conscience and ban compulsory religious lessons object to tutelary regime,
explain that the freedom of expression and organization will fully be assured,
will stick to economic, social and cultural rights and defend social state against the mortal attacks of liberalism,
will fight against all kinds of discrimination in accordance with the principles of universal law, stand against torture on anyone at all places and under all circumstances, defend fair trial and promise to close special authority High Criminal Courts,
give a struggle for the rights of oppressed individuals, genders, classes, peoples and nations,
disapprove death penalty under all circumstances and everywhere in the world.
Vote for Peace, Freedom, Equality and Justice.
Do not vote for those who promise to reenact the death penalty.
And never vote for those who abuse and will continue to abuse human rights!
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
Human Rights Association announced its opinions concerning the coming elections, political parties and independent candidates. Demanding the preparation of a new and democratic constitution, IHD listed the basic issues and principles they demand to be included in this constitution. IHD also made a call to voters to cast their votes for rights and freedoms.
IHD’s statement is as follows; “With the start of EU full membership negotiation process in December 1999, Turkey has entered a partial reform process. Despite all harmonization packages, constitution amendments so far, Turkey's constitutional and legal system is still anti-democratic, rejecting differences, monist and authoritarian. The 2011 human rights violation report of our association and the events in 2011 showed that Turkey has regressed from Copenhagen Criteria to Ankara Criteria and become a police state.
Human Rights Association still maintains most of its opinions from the 1995, 1999, 2002 and 2007 periods because a new and a democratic constitution has still not been enacted.
Our demands for a new civil and democratic Constitution and for the basic issues and principles are as follows;
“The official ideology on the constitution should be ended, the constitution should be emancipated from its ideological content and it should underline a together and common future of all peoples and the society of the country, the right to resist should be accepted for a peaceful common life and genocide and crimes against humanity should be rejected at all times and under all circumstances,
The pluralism, clarity and participation principles of Democracy should be obeyed in full compliance for a true democratic order, the obstacles before participation in politics should be removed, the election threshold should be abolished,
The priority of law should be constituted, full security of the right to a fair trial,
Commitment to human rights should be the base, universal human rights law should be approved and applied for all individuals and groups, conscientious objection should be recognized, the constitution should be against militarism,
The rights of peoples and groups in terms of ethnic, language and religion should be recognized in accordance with universal human rights law, the right for participation in government should again be fully implemented in accordance with principle of administration,
The personal, political, economic, social and cultural rights of all individuals and groups, solidarity right in particular, should be guaranteed,
Everyone’s freedom of organization and their union rights should be guaranteed and include the collective bargaining right and the right to strike,
Social gender equality and women's human rights should be assured, the right for sexual orientation should be recognized,
For the coming elections, parties and independent candidates remark that a new consititution will be enacted. Please vote for those who want to enact a constitution in compliance with the mentioned principles.
Besides, vote for those who defend human rights and freedoms!
want to solve the Kurdish problem through democratic and peaceful ways, for those who will stop the ongoing violence and bring peace,
will recognize the freedom of religion and conscience and ban compulsory religious lessons object to tutelary regime,
explain that the freedom of expression and organization will fully be assured,
will stick to economic, social and cultural rights and defend social state against the mortal attacks of liberalism,
will fight against all kinds of discrimination in accordance with the principles of universal law, stand against torture on anyone at all places and under all circumstances, defend fair trial and promise to close special authority High Criminal Courts,
give a struggle for the rights of oppressed individuals, genders, classes, peoples and nations,
disapprove death penalty under all circumstances and everywhere in the world.
Vote for Peace, Freedom, Equality and Justice.
Do not vote for those who promise to reenact the death penalty.
And never vote for those who abuse and will continue to abuse human rights!
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
