Turkey: İştar Gözaydın beraat etti

31/01/18

İzmir Gediz Üniversitesi’nde öğretim üyesiyken FETÖ üyeliği suçlamasıyla tutuklanıp 3,5 ay tutuklu kaldıktan sonra tahliye edilen Prof. Dr. İştar Gözaydın Savaşır’ın davasında karar çıktı.

FETÖ’nün 15 Temmuz’daki darbe girişimi sonrasında kapatılan İzmir Gediz Üniversitesi’nde öğretim üyesiyken FETÖ üyeliği suçlamasıyla tutuklanıp 3,5 ay tutuklu kaldıktan sonra tahliye edilen Prof. Dr. İştar Gözaydın Savaşır’ın davasının görülmesine devam edildi.

İstanbul 27. Ağır Ceza Mahkemesi’nde 4.celsesi görülen duruşmaya, 7,5 yıldan 15 yıla kadar hapis istemiyle yargılanan Prof. Dr. İştar Gözaydın Savaşır ve avukatları katıldı. Duruşmada mütalaasını açıklayan savcı Onur Ekinci, sanık İştar Gözaydın Savaşır’ın “örgüte üye olmamakla birlikte, örgüte bilerek ve isteyerek yardım etme” suçundan cezalandırılmasını istedi.

“HAYATIM BOYUNCA HİÇBİR SİYASİ GÖRÜŞE SEMPATİ DUYMADIM”

Mütalaaya karşı söz verilen sanık İştar Gözaydın Savaşır, “Katılmış olduğum televizyon programı bir fikri ortaya koymak için katıldığım bir programıdır. Davet edildiğim her basın organlarına akademisyen ve hukukçu olarak katıldım. Benim söylediğim bir hukukçu, bir siyaset bilimci olarak herhangi bir yapının terör örgütü olarak kabul edilmesi için yargı kararı olması gerektiğidir. Hayatım boyunca hiçbir siyasi görüşe sempati duymadım” diye konuştu.

…

https://odatv.com/istar-gozaydin-beraat-etti-3101181200.html

https://www.gercekgundem.com/profesor-istar-gozaydin-1-yil-sonra-beraat-etti-316794h.htm

http://gazetekarinca.com/2018/01/3-ay-tutuklu-kalmisti-prof-dr-istar-gozaydin-beraat-etti/

https://tr.sputniknews.com/turkiye/201801311032054377-istar-gozaydin-beraat-etti/

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/917037/Prof._Dr._istar_Gozaydin__teror_orgutu_uyeligi__sucundan_beraat_etti.html

http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade-ozgurlugu/193886-profesor-istar-gozaydin-94-gun-tutuklu-kaldi-1-yil-sonra-beraat-etti

https://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/i/7ldnMv/prisvinnende-professor-frikjent-i-tyrkia (NORWEGIAN)

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/jailed-turkish-academic-istar-gozaydin-released (ENGLISH)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%B0%C5%9Ftar_G%C3%B6zayd%C4%B1n (ENGLISH)

(N.B. Law professor Istar Gozaydin was acquitted today on the charge of intentionally and willingly helping a Gülen “terrorist” organization without being a member of the organization, punishable by a penalty of from 7 1/2 to 15 years in jail.  Last year she was detained for 3 1/2 months.)

China/Hong Kong: Hong Kong group calls for release of China lawyers

January 31, 2018

A Hong Kong group has staged a rally calling for the release of Chinese human rights lawyers detained by mainland authorities.

Fifteen members from the China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group took to the streets on Tuesday.

They marched up to the Chinese government’s liaison office in the territory, chanting that the lawyers are not guilty. They demanded the release of Yu Wensheng and other Chinese human rights lawyers in front of the office.

Yu, a Beijing-based lawyer, was held under police custody on January 19th. He had posted an open letter that said the head of state should be chosen from multiple candidates in open elections. He is suspected of “inciting subversion of state power.”

In 2015, Chinese authorities took into custody or questioned more than 200 human rights and other activist lawyers. Chinese leaders are intensifying their crackdown on human rights lawyers in the past years.

The head of the support group, Albert Ho, said the group strongly protests such a prolonged crackdown. He pointed out that President Xi Jinping has been keeping people who oppose him under long detention periods, and they violate China’s Constitution.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180131_09/

http://www.chrlawyers.hk/en

http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2018/01/china-human-rights-lawyer-arrested-after-urging-for-democratic-reform.php

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/interview-i-came-to-live-a-life-free-from-surveillance-01302018095509.html

Turkey: Turkey court releases Amnesty head Taner Kilic

January 31, 2018

A court in Istanbul has ordered the release of the head of human rights group Amnesty International in Turkey, who was detained last June.

Taner Kilic had been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, an accusation the London-based group had described as “baseless”.

The court ordered his release on bail. Ten other activists are also on trial.

The arrests were part of a crackdown following the failed coup attempt of July 2016.

In a statement, Amnesty welcomed Mr Kilic’s release, but said it would continue to pressure for the charges against the 11 activists, including another Amnesty member, to be dropped.

Gauri van Gulik, the group’s Europe director, said: “These unfounded prosecutions are an attempt to silence critical voices within Turkey but have only served to highlight the importance of human rights and those who dedicate their lives to defending them.”

…

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42890224

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/istanbul-court-orders-release-of-amnesty-internationals-turkey-chair-taner-kilic-126584

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-rights/turkish-court-releases-local-chair-of-amnesty-international-lawyer-idUSKBN1FK1P9

https://www.dailysabah.com/investigations/2018/01/31/amnesty-turkeys-chair-only-remaining-arrested-defendant-in-buyukada-trial-released-by-court

https://www.icj.org/the-constitutional-conflict-in-turkey-is-there-still-an-effective-remedy-for-human-rights-violations/

https://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/buyukada-davasinda-taner-kilica-tahliye,u-9s6EE7dEuu8wVrC02nYA (TURKCE)

http://www.iha.com.tr/haber-taner-kilic-tahliye-edildi-707496/ (TURKCE)

http://tr.euronews.com/2018/01/31/uluslararas-af-orgutu-turkiye-yonetim-kurulu-baskan-taner-k-l-c-tahliye-edildi (TURKCE)

https://www.laminute.info/liberte-conditionnelle-pour-le-president-detenu-damnesty-en-turquie/ (FRANCAIS)

https://www.amnesty.fr/presse/turquie-un-tribunal-libre-le-prsident-damnesty-apr (FRANCAIS)

http://www.liberation.fr/direct/element/le-president-damnesty-turquie-remis-en-liberte_77034/ (FRANCAIS)

https://www.agenpress.it/notizie/2018/01/31/turchia-rilasciato-taner-kilic-presidente-amnesty-international-quasi-otto-mesi-carcere/ (ITALIANO)

http://www.abogacia.es/2018/01/31/turquia-un-tribunal-libera-al-presidente-de-amnistia-internacional-tras-casi-ocho-meses-de-carcel/ (ESPANOL)

http://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2018/01/31/5a71cd40468aeba3018b459b.html (ESPANOL)

http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/tuerkei-amnesty-chef-freilassung-101.html (DEUTSCH)

https://www.amnesty.nl/actueel/turkije-vrijheid-in-tijden-van-onderdrukking (NEDERLAND)

https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/efe/2018/01/31/tribunal-concede-liberdade-condicional-a-presidente-da-ai-na-turquia.htm (PORTUGUES)

http://www.liberal.gr/arthro/188401/epikairotita/2018/tourkia-apofulakizetai-upo-orous-o-topikos-epikefalis-tis-diethnous-amnistias.html (GREEK)

Greece/ECHR: J.R. AND OTHERS V. GREECE: A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS IN EUROPE

January 25, 2018

On 25 January 2018 the ECtHR issued its Judgement in the case J.R. and Others v. Greece.
Despite other aspects of criticism one may have about this Judgement (and these are many), the Human Rights Defenders Support Network alerts on what is clearly a dangerous precedent for human rights lawyers in Europe, regarding the art.34 ECHR complaint (par.148-153 of the Judgement) “added” by the German Lawyer representing the applicants at the Observations stage.

Some months after the ECHR application was lodged, the 1st applicant was called to the police station of hios, where he was made to answer questions under oath about the EHR application he had lodged and about his contacts and his correspondence with his lawyer. He claimed that his summoning and the interrogation he was subjected to had an intimidating effect on him and that these events cannot be interpreted differently than an attempt to dissuade him from continuing with his application.

The Government declared that in establishing the facts of the EHR case, it estimated as necessary to verify the duration of the applicants’ stay (sic) in Vial and where they stayed after leaing Vial, that allegedly being the only reason why the 1st applicant was called to have “a conversation” with a policeman, in the presence of an interpreter. The reiterated that the Greek authorities facilitate the exercise of art.34 ECHR right to any person in their territory and, in particularr, by orregular migrants finding themselves in detention and “reception” centres.

…

http://dyyad.blogspot.fr/2018/01/jr-and-others-v-greece-dangerous.html

http://echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=home

France: CHANTIERS DE LA JUSTICE, ENTRE ORWELL et KAFKA

le 31 janvier, 2018

Depuis le 15 janvier 2018 ont été présenté les propositions des cinq chantiers de la justice que l’on peut retrouver en ligne: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/la-garde-des-sceaux-10016/restitution-des-chantiers-de-la-justice-31181.html

Je ne sais pas si l’on doit en rire ou en pleurer, tellement la somme de ces propositions de réforme sont totalement décalées avec les comportements humains que l’on constate dans les prétoires et tribunaux.
Lorsque l’on en parle avec les professionnels l’attitude de votre interlocuteur varie entre questionnement en pensant qu’il s’agit d’un mauvaise farce ou rires crispés en prévoyant la catastrophe institutionnelle qui est dorénavant à portée de décret.

En tout cas, le gouvernement veut aller vite. Après avoir mené une consultation à la hussarde, la ministre pense déposer ses projets de loi avec un passage devant le Conseil d’Etat le 15 février, et le vote en urgence pour le printemps.

Y avait-il une urgence si importante de réformer la procédure civile dans la précipitation? Certes il faut simplifier, il faut donner de la visibilité à tout un tas de réformes législatives qui se sont empilées ces dernières années. Il eut été possible d’améliorer le service de la justice avec un peu de bonne foi et de la concertation. Ce n’est pas le choix qui a été fait: Intégré dans un projet global dénommé Etat Plateforme, le justice va être virtualisée et de-territorialisée.

…

https://blogs.mediapart.fr/gillessainati/blog/310118/chantiers-de-la-justice-entre-orwell-et-kafka

http://www.paris-normandie.fr/dieppe/les-avocats-de-dieppe-inquiets-pour-le-tribunal-de-grande-instance-AC12104062

http://www.paris-normandie.fr/breves/normandie/herve-morin-plaide-le-maintien-plein-et-entier-des-cours-d-appel-a-caen-et-a-rouen-CC12108921

https://www.francebleu.fr/emissions/tous-europeens/tous-europeens-du-jeudi-5-mai-2016

https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/02/01/2733186-future-carte-judiciaire-invite-rentree-solennelle-tgi.html

http://www.courrierdelouest.fr/actualite/anjou-les-elus-soutiennent-unanimement-l-extension-de-la-cour-d-appel-dangers-31-01-2018-348261

https://www.leberry.fr/bourges/faits-divers/2018/02/01/me-stephanie-jamet-batonnier-de-bourges-nous-ne-sommes-pas-encore-rassures_12722869.html

http://www.lemonde.fr/police-justice/article/2018/01/31/le-tribunal-des-petits-tracas_5249489_1653578.html

http://www.paris-normandie.fr/dieppe/la-rentree-solennelle-du-tribunal-de-dieppe-perturbee-ED12113575

https://www.deltafm.fr/info-locale/dunkerquois/dunkerque/confiants-avocats-dunkerquois-poursuivent-mouvement/

http://www.lemoniteur77.com/jerome-gavaudan-la-conference-des-batonniers-prone-une-profession-moderne-3455.html

http://www.paris-normandie.fr/breves/normandie/chantiers-de-la-justice-au-havre–le-conseiller-departemental-ps-jerome-dubost-interpelle-le-premier-ministre-BB12130753

http://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/edition-de-briey/2018/01/30/eviter-au-tgi-de-briey-d-etre-vide-de-sa-substance?preview=true

http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/310655/article/2018-02-03/le-senateur-bas-pourrait-venir-lui-meme-expliquer-la-reforme-de-la-carte

http://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/edition-de-briey/2018/02/03/briey-il-faut-mobiliser-contre-le-demenagement-du-tribunal-a-nancy

http://www.paris-normandie.fr/region/rouen-et-caen-font-appel-GG12142703?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F

https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/02/05/2735828-les-elus-ecrivent-a-la-garde-des-sceaux.html

Click to access Les_br%C3%A8ves_fev18_V3.pdf

https://secure.avaaz.org/fr/petition/tout_public_SAUVEZ_LES_TRIBUNAUX_DE_LONGWY_ET_BRIEY/?aZgtJab (SIGNEZ LA PETITION!)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYAoke-LGvKlQVIp5rWqhD34uUiWCq0L0C8k7Eop222k54jg/viewform?c=0&w=1 (SIGNEZ LA PETITION SVP!)

https://www.facebook.com/Sauvez-Les-Tribunaux-De-Longwy-Et-Briey-164205770879782/

#Cartejudiciaire #Réforme #Justiceprocheducitoyen #Touchepasamacour

 

Vietnam: Interview: ‘His Resolve is Unflinching’

January 30, 2018

Vietnamese dissident and lawyer Nguyen Van Dai, founder of the Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam, was taken into custody in December 2015 after leaving his Hanoi home to meet with European Union representatives who were researching human rights abuses in the one-party communist country. Authorities have extended Dai’s time in detention since then, and he remains behind bars without having been brought to trial. On Monday, Jan. 29, Dai’s wife Vu Minh Khanh visited her husband in prison, and later spoke to RFA’s Vietnamese Service.

Vu Minh Khanh:  Yesterday, Jan. 29, we spoke for 30 minutes using phones and separated by glass. I am very worried about him because I know he is under a lot of stress after eight and a half months in the detention center. He is not allowed to tell me what sort of stress he is under, though. I just asked him if he was stressed, and he said, “Of course, it’s a prison. It goes without saying.”

At present my husband has many health problems of concern. First, he suffers from bone pain because he has to sleep on a cement block while the weather in Vietnam changes dramatically with the seasons. This winter especially has been very cold, while the upcoming spring is expected to be very wet. It is now as cold in his cell as it is outside, because there are two windows through which the wind comes in.

The prison is designed in an evil way to torture the prisoners.

…

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/resolve-01302018145415.html

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/case-history-nguyen-van-dai

https://reliefweb.int/report/viet-nam/world-report-2018-vietnam-events-2017

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/vietnam-jails-three-activists-over-anti-state-videos-0

Turkey/Council of Europe: PACE urges release of Amnesty’s Turkey chair ahead of Jan 31 hearing

January 31, 2018

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) has called for the release of Amnesty International’s (AI) Turkey chair Taner Kilic, under arrest for more than 7 months now.

In a written statement issued a day before Kilic’s court appearance on Jan 31, PACE’s co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Turkey, Marianne Mikko (Estonia, SOC) and Nigel Evans (United Kingdom, EC) reiterated their call for the right defender’s release.

“Taner Kilic, like any other individual, should feel safe and secure to express himself and assemble in Turkey. We urge once again the Turkish authorities to ensure that these fundamental freedoms are duly and effectively secured, and put an end to the continuous arrests and detentions of those expressing dissenting and critical opinions, which cannot be a crime in itself”, they said.

”In this context , we are deeply concerned about today’s arrest of Turkish Medical Association board members, including its chair, as well as hundreds others for criticizing Turkish military intervention in Afrin. We call on the Turkish authorities to act and react in full respect of Council of Europe standards”, the co-rapporteurs also added.

Kılıç, a lawyer, a founding member of AI Turkey and chairman of its board of directors since 2014, was arrested by an İzmir court on June 9 as part of an investigation into the Gülen group. Set to appear during a court appearance on Wednesday, he faces terror charges along with 10 other rights defenders who could be jailed up to 15 years if convicted.

…

https://turkeypurge.com/pace-urges-release-amnestys-turkey-chair-ahead-jan-31-hearing

https://euobserver.com/opinion/140766

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/30/amnesty-workers-terrorists-repressive-new-turkey-ngo-draconian-government

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taner_K%C4%B1l%C4%B1%C3%A7

http://www.dw.com/tr/af-%C3%B6rg%C3%BCt%C3%BC-insan-haklar%C4%B1-savunucular%C4%B1-hedef-al%C4%B1n%C4%B1yor/a-42370670 (TURKCE)

http://www.dw.com/tr/b%C3%BCy%C3%BCkada-davas%C4%B1na-devam-ediliyor/a-42369447 (TURKCE)

http://www.haberdar.com/gundem/af-orgutu-insan-haklari-savunuculari-hedef-aliniyor-h77701.html?mnst=30949 (TURKCE)

https://www.evrensel.net/haber/344538/hak-savunucularinin-buyukada-davasi-basladi (TURKCE)

https://www.amnesty.org/fr/latest/news/2018/01/turkey-more-than-a-million-people-demand-freedom-for-amnesty-chair-as-trial-resumes/ (FRANCAIS)

http://www.aichacher-zeitung.de/welt/art44,145732 (DEUTSCH)

https://www.publico.pt/2018/01/31/mundo/opiniao/lutar-para-respirar-sob-o-peso-da-repressao-1801312 (PORTUGUES)

#FreeTaner

今日，国际特赦组织 #土耳其 分会主席泰纳的庭审将继续。
因揭露国内侵犯人权的行径，泰纳自去年6月起就一直被当局监禁，面临“恐怖主义组织”成员这一荒谬的指控。
我们的同事于科伦坡摆出 #FreeTaner 的造型，再次呼吁土耳其政府释放他。http://amn.st/6187D3UqH

(国际特赦组织中文 Amnesty International Chinese Facebook)

We are live from outside the Istanbul Penal Court – where our friends and colleagues İdil Eser, Taner Kiliç and 9 other human rights defenders have their third hearing in an ongoing criminal trial against them. We are also talking to prominent human rights defender and lawyer, Gunal Kursun who is also standing trial today.

(Amnesty International Facebook)

Russia/HRW: Ivan Pavlov, Russia 2018 Recipient of the Alison Des Forges Award for Extraordinary Activism

January 30, 2018

Human Rights Watch’s Alison Des Forges Award celebrates the valor of individuals who put their lives on the line to protect the dignity and rights of others. Human Rights Watch collaborates with these courageous activists to create a world in which people live free of violence, discrimination, and oppression.

Ivan Pavlov is a human rights lawyer and activist in Russia, defending those wrongly accused by security services of disclosing state secrets, high treason, and espionage. He is also well-known for his tireless efforts to ensure public access to government information and to provide guidance to activists threatened by the state. Pavlov has persevered against overwhelming odds, including intrusive government surveillance, harassment by security officials, and work-related threats of violence. He has taken on numerous high-profile cases, saving many clients from long jail sentences and political repression.

In 2004, Pavlov founded the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) – with the aim of monitoring public access to socially significant information and pressuring key state institutions to make information related to their activities available online. In 2014, the Russian government designated IDFI a “foreign agent” under the 2012 repressive law, which demonizes foreign-funded advocacy groups as foreign agents. Undeterred, Pavlov continued his work by forming Team 29, an informal association of human rights lawyers. Team 29 provides free consultations and legal aid to individuals asserting their right to receive and distribute information, defends victims abused by law enforcement and security agencies, and publishes user-friendly advice for activists and others who face harassment, arrest, searches, interrogation, and recruitment attempts by security officials.

…

https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/01/30/ivan-pavlov-russia

https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/01/30/rights-activists-honored

https://www.rferl.org/a/hrw-awards-russian-lawyer-pavlov/29009692.html

https://www.hrw.org/fr/news/2018/01/30/hommage-deux-defenseurs-des-droits-humains (FRANCAIS)

http://www.europapress.es/internacional/noticia-activista-saudi-hala-dosari-abogado-ruso-ivan-pavlov-ganan-premio-alison-des-forges-20180130075725.html (ESPANOL)

Mauritius: Brutalité policière: une ONG créée par des avocats pour défendre les droits des hommes

le 31 janvier, 2018

Une association d’avocats bénévoles pour venir en aide aux victimes de brutalité policière et conscientiser le public sur les droits humains. C’est l’ambition d’un panel d’avocats. Parmi eux, Sanjeev Teeluckdharry, «leading counsel» dans l’affaire David Gaiqui. Ce dernier en a fait l’annonce, hier, à sa sortie de la cour.
Avec l’arrivée de Ravi Rutnah, le panel d’avocats défendant David Gaiqui passe à six hommes de loi. Une photo de ce dernier, nu et enchaîné à une chaise au poste de police de Curepipe, a relancé le débat sur la brutalité policière. Si plusieurs des avocats de ce panel ont des couleurs politiques prononcées ou sont des membres du gouvernement, ils ont mis de côté les discours politiques pour s’attaquer au problème de brutalité policière. Leur ambition : mettre en place une ONG qui défendra bénévolement les victimes de brutalité policière. L’annonce a été faite par Me Sanjeev Teeluckdharry après la comparution de son client en cour.

…

Vendredi prochain, les avocats de David Gaiqui vont présenter et débattre trois motions. La liberté conditionnelle de leur client sera «la motion principale», a fait savoir l’avocat Neeven Moonesamy. Par la suite, les motions pour que les charges provisoires d’interdiction de voyager qui pèsent sur David Gaiqui soient rayées seront débattues. Cet habitant de Pailles a été arrêté vendredi dernier car il est suspecté dans plusieurs cas de vol. Son avocat d’alors, Me Anoup Goodary, avait pris une photo de son client, nu et enchaîné à une chaise, au poste de police de Curepipe.

Anoup Goodary n’a pas enfreint le code d’éthique, selon ses avocats

Il fait face à une charge pour «Breach of ICT Act» car il a partagé la photo nue de son ancien client sur les réseaux sociaux. Mais son avocat, Me Shakeel Mohamed, est d’avis que son client n’a enfreint aucune loi. «La stratégie adoptée par les forces de l’ordre est scandaleuse» a-t-il martelé. Me Yousouf Mohamed, qui s’occupe également de l’affaire, a tenu à souligner que les avocats dénoncent souvent les méthodes illégales utilisées par la polic,e mais se retrouvent sur le banc des accusés par la suite. Les deux avocats ont unanimement condamné les propos de Vinod Appadoo et de l’inspecteur Jaylall Bhoojawon, qui ont affirmé, dans «l’express» du dimanche 28 janvier, que dénuder un prisonnier est normal.

https://www.lexpress.mu/article/325670/brutalite-policiere-une-ong-creee-avocats-pour-defendre-droits-hommes

https://www.lexpress.mu/article/325666/yousuf-mohamed-anoup-goudary-na-pas-viole-code-dethique

https://www.channelnews.mu/2018/01/28/brutalite-policiere-alleguee-anoup-goodary-convoque-aux-casernes-centrales/

https://www.lexpress.mu/article/325640/suspect-nu-et-enchaine-une-chaise-anoup-goodary-sollicite-lintervention-bar-council

https://www.lexpress.mu/article/325652/affaire-gaiqui-bar-council-veut-mesures-rapides-et-concretes-cp-mario-nobin

Cameroon/Nigeria: News of Ambazonia leaders’ extradition to Cameroon throws South West Region in mourning

January 30, 2018

An atmosphere of grief and melancholy, Monday, January 29, 2018, enveloped the South West Region when the Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, during a press conference in Yaounde, revealed that the Nigerian Government has finally handed over some Anglophones arrested in Nigeria to the Cameroon Government to face the music of law.

Among those extradited were leaders of the Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia led by the President, Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe.

Tchiroma’s January 29 press conference finally shed light on the whereabouts of the leaders who were arrested at Nera Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria on Friday, January 5, 2018, and held incommunicado.

Before the Communication Minister’s outing on Monday, French media organs like France 24, TV 5 Monde, Vision 4 and other print media were already awash with reports that the Ambazonian leaders were already in Yaounde, while both the Government of Nigeria and that of Cameroon maintained sealed lips.

After Tchiroma’s confirmation, the hitherto busy South West Regional capital, Buea went dead. Most tax drivers in circulation grounded their cabs and the general mood of the Region was like a national day of mourning.

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It would be recalled that Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, Dr. Nfor Ngala Nfor, Dr. Fidelis Nde Che, Dr. Henry Kimeng, Prof. Awasum, Dr. Cornelius Kwanga, Tassang Wilfred, Barrister Eyambe Elias, Dr. Ojong Okongho and Barrister Nalowa Bih, were arrested in Nigeria while they were holding a meeting to discuss about the plight of thousands of Anglophones who have fled to Nigeria as refugees in the wake of the socio-political crisis rocking the country.

https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/news-ambazonia-leaders-extradition-cameroon-throws-south-west-region-mourning/

https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/01/30/nigerians-mistakenly-deported-cameroon/

http://allafrica.com/stories/201801240009.html

https://www.voanews.com/a/cameroon-jails-cabinet-members/4230773.html

http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20180201-legal-questions-raised-about-nigerias-extradition-cameroonian-separatists

https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/audio-assassination-anglophone-leaders-go-viral/

http://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2018/2/5a731fcf4/unhcr-condemns-forced-returns-cameroon-asylum-seekers-nigeria.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201802050034.html

https://www.journalducameroun.com/nigeria-avocat-demande-retour-de-47-detenus-extrades-cameroun/ (FRANCAIS)