Turkey: NGOs unite to defend civil society from destruction

February 27, 2019

 

Leading NGOs in Turkey have come together to call for the dropping of absurd allegations levelled against Osman Kavala and 15 other prominent figures and demand an end to the escalating crackdown and criminalization of civil society.

The open letter, signed by the organisations including Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders and eight other NGOs, calls for an end to the orchestrated campaign of intimidation and judicial harassment of civil society activists in Turkey.

FULL TEXT OF LETTER

We stand united against efforts to destroy civil society

In response to the absurd allegations levelled against Osman Kavala and Yiğit Aksakoğlu, who are both imprisoned pending trial, as well as 14 other civil society figures, all of whom are accused of “attempting to overthrow the government”, we, the undersigned human rights organizations, call for the escalating crackdown on and criminalization of civil society to end.

For the last five days, alleged details of an indictment against these 16 civil society actors have been leaked through the mainstream media in Turkey in a coordinated campaign of misinformation. According to purported leaks from the indictment, which has yet to be seen by lawyers representing the accused, the allegations focus on the 2013 Gezi Park protests, an overwhelmingly peaceful protest movement that was suppressed by the government amidst widespread police violence.

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https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/02/turkey-ngos-unite-to-defend-civil-society-from-destruction/

https://www.dailysabah.com/investigations/2019/03/13/turkish-court-sentences-feto-linked-firm-lawyer-to-12-years-in-prison?fbclid=iwar1kxai43gd4lzb8kqfx6_9n69ch-y40gtdok4b2z5fad7fain_djx71_ye

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/02/15/78-lawyers-academics-and-union-leaders-blast-council-of-europes-abject-failure-to-hold-turkey-to-account/

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/02/15/78-lawyers-academics-and-union-leaders-blast-council-of-europes-abject-failure-to-hold-turkey-to-account/

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/hanifi-baris-arrested?fbclid=IwAR0sikxXaAmvOSLg9tME9a0F7d-hLvZ0Rfxohl7XVt1GTrKVTgklWW6VDcE

http://asbarez.com/177872/prophetic-death/

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/new-open-source-investigation-sheds-light-2015-killing-turkish-human-rights-lawyer

https://www.france24.com/en/20190208-strong-suspicion-turkey-police-shot-rights-lawyer-local-bar-association

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-justice-while-you-persecute-lawyers-turkey-told-xhrbbgw5p

https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-turkey-rights-lawyer-slaying-20190220-story.html

UN Committee against Torture blasts Turkey over wide-spread torture, and institutional negligence on investigating torture incidents

https://www.ibanet.org/Article/NewDetail.aspx?ArticleUid=f61c45b8-38d6-4615-8509-e687ae4750ad&fbclid=IwAR3gzEmv5ruBIWkWWzARC6G07TCyJOQODLCbYZ71Q4SfGkxYg0totQET-YE

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/14-lawyers-arrested-and-charged?fbclid=IwAR2q0U2ejrqg_-5TWQjzkkJPfHg_sN0eH0yi3Tbf_mtpRw–0Y2tt2YKnnM

An Awareness Raising Campaign by the Arrested Lawyers Initiative

http://www.doganpresse.com/articles-detail?article-no=3810&nf=SOUTIEN+ET+LIB%C3%89RATION++DES+AVOCATS++EMPRISONN%C3%89S+EN+GR%C3%88VE+DE+LA+FAIM+EN+TURQUIE&fbclid=IwAR1Yh88jSapiv4x4EeuYH7wQSF9g0Etyq6CWpwInL76dB-72qLMp2k2tZXA

https://stockholmcf.org/us-2018-human-rights-report-restrictions-on-fundamental-freedoms-continued-in-turkey/

http://kurdistanhumanrights.net/en/human-rights-lawyer-released-on-bail/?fbclid=IwAR3LcRC1FKFvO0CxjcWBfOC0lNEmoOnVUJIRJPogKeYO7oVN1uNko-Na71Q

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-justice-while-you-persecute-lawyers-turkey-told-xhrbbgw5p

https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/gundem/2019/03/04/kanadadan-selcuk-kozagacli-ve-11-avukat-icin-erdogana-mektup/?fbclid=IwAR105_0B72nGdwXnu-kmxTDID1BjB_39UMWItpyfLlB0hdEGxwtUxyPTHE0 (TURKCE)

 

Like 2017 report, US @StateDept gave reference to data compiled by @ArrestedLawyers in the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017 which has been just published. pic.twitter.com/XzI744gVQQ

— The Arrested Lawyers (@ArrestedLawyers) March 14, 2019

 

Tagged: Amnesty International, Turkey