Turkey: OBS Calls Turkey To Release Jailed Human Rights Defenders Immediately, Unconditionally

August 12, 2017

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme between the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has urged Turkey to release jailed human rights defenders in the country. The Observatory urges Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally release these people and put an end to all forms of harassment against them, read a statement released by the Observatory on Saturday.

Acting on an anonymous tip Turkish police raided a hotel on Büyükada, one of the Princes’ Islands off İstanbul on July 5,  2017, and detained İdil Eser from Amnesty International, İlknur Üstün from the Women’s Coalition, lawyer Günal Kurşun from the Human Rights Agenda Association, lawyer Nalan Erkem from the Citizens Assembly, Nejat Taştan from the Equal Rights Watch Association, Özlem Dalkıran from the Citizens’ Assembly, lawyer Şeyhmus Özbekli, Veli Acu from the Human Rights Agenda Association and two foreign trainers, Ali Garawi and Peter Steudtner.

After interrogation at the anti-terror branch of the İstanbul Police Department, on July 17, the 12th day of their detention, the 10 human rights defenders, who are accused of membership in a terrorist organization, were referred to the İstanbul Courthouse. Six of the activists were subsequently arrested, while the court decided to release four of them on judicial probation. On July 21 İstanbul’s Adalar Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants for the four human rights defenders, including Taştan and Özbekli, who were released by the court.

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https://stockholmcf.org/obs-calls-turkey-to-release-jailed-human-rights-defenders-immediately-unconditionally/

http://www.omct.org/human-rights-defenders/urgent-interventions/turkey/2017/08/d24485/

https://www.turkishminute.com/2017/08/12/intl-rights-organizations-call-on-turkey-to-release-jailed-human-rights-activists/

The Post Coup Purge Evolved to The Humanitarian Crisis

Turkey: Arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Mr. Taner Kilic

June 16, 2017

​TUR 003 / 0617 / OBS 064

Arbitrary detention /

Judicial harassment

Turkey

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Turkey.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Mr. Taner Kılıç, a founding member of Amnesty International Turkey, and Chair of its Board of Directors since 2014. Mr. Kılıç has also played a strong role in advocating for refugee rights as a lawyer, and among domestic non-governmental groups and others working on the issue.

According to the information received, on June 6, 2017, at 6:30 am, Mr. Taner Kılıç was detained at his place of residence by the Anti-Terror Branch of the Izmir police. The Turkish police searched both his home and office. 18 other lawyers were detained alongside with Mr. Taner Kılıç. The detention orders were issued referring to the ongoing investigation into individuals suspected to be members of the so-called “Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organisation”, which the Turkish Government accuses of having instigated the failed coup d’état last year.

On June 9, 2017, the Turkish prosecution charged Mr. Taner Kılıç with “membership of a terrorist organisation”, namely the “Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organisation”. At the court hearing, the prosecution pointed out as “evidence” of Mr. Taner Kılıç’s alleged link with the Gülen movement his alleged use of a secure mobile messaging application, called Bylock, that the authorities claim to have been used by members of the Gülen movement. Mr. Taner Kılıç denies ever having downloaded or used Bylock, and no concrete evidence was provided in court against Mr. Taner Kılıç.

As of publishing this Appeal, Mr. Taner Kılıç remains in pre-trial detention in Izmir.

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http://www.omct.org/human-rights-defenders/urgent-interventions/turkey/2017/06/d24390/

Kenya: 2017 elections: Broken promises put human rights defenders at risk – Publication of an international fact-finding report

May 3, 2017

The abduction, torture and killing of renowned Kenyan human rights lawyer Willie Kimani in June 2016 shocked the entire world, provoking a wave of outrage at national and international level. This is only the tip of the iceberg of a widespread pattern of violence and harassment aimed at silencing dissenting voices and perpetuating impunity, declared the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT-FIDH partnership) in the mission report it published today.

Kenya, a country that in 2010 voted a very progressive Constitution strengthening the country’s human rights framework in compliance with international standards, has in recent years chosen a different path. So far the freedoms enshrined in the constitutional Bill of Rights have not been fully incorporated into domestic legislation, and, most importantly, are not upheld or implemented in practice.

“To date, the effective implementation of this progressive framework unfortunately remains a mirage and still needs substantial improvement”, declared OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock. “With all the right instruments put in place to bring about change, lack of implementation and political will appear to be the main reasons for such disillusionment”.

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http://www.omct.org/human-rights-defenders/reports-and-publications/2017/05/d24320/