A non-government information center on Turkey
Un centre d'information non-gouvernemental
sur la Turquie
A non-government information center on Turkey
Un centre d'information non-gouvernemental
sur la Turquie
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Mars 2005 March N° 319 53 rue de Pavie - 1000 Bruxelles Tél: (32-2) 215 35 76 - Fax: (32-2) 215 58 60 editor@info-turk.be Chief Editor /Rédacteur
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Ankara retarde l'application
du nouveau code pénal controversé
Droits de l'Homme / Human Rights
Ankara retarde jusqu'en juin l'application du nouveau code pénal controversé
Le parlement turc a adopté jeudi un projet de loi qui reporte au 1er juin l'entrée en application, prévue initialement pour vendredi, d'un nouveau code pénal pro-européen, mais le gouvernement a assuré que cette décision relevait de raisons purement techniques.
La raison avancée pour ce report par le parti de la Justice et du Développement (AKP), au pouvoir, est que certains articles du code pourraient créer, entre autres, une défaillance dans la lutte contre la contrebande.
La réforme, qui modifie en profondeur un code pénal vieux de 78 ans et emprunté à l'Italie fasciste, avait été adoptée en septembre afin d'aligner le pays sur les normes de l'Union européenne, que la Turquie souhaite intégrer.
Elle a été saluée principalement pour ses sanctions renforcées à l'égard des auteurs d'atteintes aux droits de l'Homme et ses mesures améliorant les droits des femmes.
Elle était considérée comme la dernière modification importante de la législation turque nécessaire pour que la Turquie puisse obtenir une date pour lancer des négociations d'adhésion à l'UE.
Ces négociations doivent s'ouvrir le 3 octobre prochain, aux termes d'une décision prise par les dirigeants européens en décembre.
Le code était critiqué ces derniers jours en raison des restrictions qu'il apporte à la liberté de la presse, mais cet aspect de la législation n'a pas été évoqué par les responsables turcs.
Même si elle n'est pas ouvertement évoquée par les membres du gouvernement, la vaste campagne menée par les médias pour le report de l'application du code en raison de son attitude restrictive contre la presse aurait eu un impact sur la décision du gouvernement.
Le chef de la diplomatie Abdullah Gul a voulu de son côté rassurer l'UE, indiquant que ce report était "purement pour des raisons techniques".
"Il n'est pas question de ne pas honorer nos engagements (vis-à-vis de l'UE). Nous allons poursuivre le processus de réforme", a-t-il dit à un groupe de journalistes.
M. Gul devait s'entretenir jeudi après-midi au téléphone avec le commissaire européen à l'Elargissement, Ollie Rehn, pour lui expliquer les raisons du retard, a-t-on indiqué de source diplomatique turque.
Le ministre de la Justice Cemil Cicek s'est opposé à cette mesure, estimant que le nouveau délai ne changerait rien.
"Tout le monde, y compris la presse, a eu le temps de réfléchir sur le code", a-t-il dit sur la chaîne privée NTV. "Ce sera une perte de temps".
Selon les experts, les dispositions du code relatives aux médias comportent des termes suffisamment vagues pour permettre aux juges ou aux procureurs de lancer arbitrairement des poursuites et réintroduisent des peines de prison pour les journalistes, abolies pourtant lors d'une précédente réforme.
Des dizaines de journalistes, d'écrivains et d'intellectuels ont été emprisonnés dans le passé en Turquie pour avoir exprimé leurs opinions. (AFP, 31 mars 2005)
Flag Craziness: Those Who Can't Bully USA, Bully Kurds
The 7th article of the Flag Law reads "(...) the flag cannot be torn, burnt, thrown on the ground (...) those acting against this law and statute will be prevented and investigated by the authorities ..."
According to the 8th article, those who are found guilty at the end of the investigation "will be sentenced according to the article 526 of the Turkish Criminal Law unless their crime warrants a heavier sentence." According to that article: "(...) unless the action results in another crime, the sentence will be 3 to 6 months imprisonment in a minimum-security prison and a light fine"
This is the argument the "law of the state" would use to frame the "flag tearing three kids" incident on March 20th Newroz celebrations in Mersin.
Looking at the news media there is nothing to suggest a disfunction in the process of the investigation. As the demonstration was ending an armed police officer took the flag being torn from the grips of the kids, the kids ran away but "14 year old V.S. and 12 year old C.S. were identified from video footage" and were detained last week.
Why is a "crime" committed by children and which has a legal consequence of "minimum-security imprisonment and a light fine" attracting such a barrage of reaction leaving one speechless, exaggerated favors; 2 years worth bonus pay to the police officer who took the flag from the children, audacious remarks, media driven condemnation campaigns and fascist demonstrations of nationalism.
Ultimately, at the "scene of the crime" the flag was prevented from being ripped: there isn't a "negligence of duty", the "suspects", kids, even if we assume that they are "criminals", have been detained and finally arrested: there isn't a "security" issue. Those who organized the rally say "that is our flag also, we wont let it be torn": there is no provocation or open defiance.
So what is the big deal? Why is an issue that legally and by mere common sense should be the responsibility of the "juvenile court", being blown out of proportion? Why are those who should be responsible for warning people who usher civil turmoil and make sure that all is turned back to normal, exploiting this to create a climate of nationalist Armageddon? Why are countless state institutions who are "claiming responsibility", specifically the army, the president, the parliament, the government, the political parties acting so immaturely?
If not grave, very serious...
In a society divided by deep inequalities, wrongfulness and injustices; shouldn't those rulers take a sigh of relief when 3 day long demonstrations accross the country attended by over one million people asserting their identity and culture aren't marred by any significant violence and the only thing that passes for an "incident" is a "light crime" committed by children,
Don't those who rule Turkey know that since 1999, if not before, the leaders of the hundreds of thousands who attend the Newroz demonstrations shape their politics and actions to conform with Turkey's "indivisible land integrity", that this was accepted not because of a "particular choice" but out of " strategical necessity"? Aren't all of these political decisions observed during "weekly meetings" of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan with his lawyers and monitored in the field by the security forces.?
Then, in contrast to the arguments of those, who are fanning the fire albeit knowing all these facts, the real danger is not separation of the country, not secession of the Kurds from Turkey.
The real "big danger" is the disconnection of those who rule the Republic of Turkey, its military force, its social-political and economic control mechanisms from reality and objectiveness. The real "big danger" is their lack of political determinedness and insight to champion policies based on reality and objectiveness vis-à-vis their ultra-nationalist, fascist adversaries and subordinates.
If this wasn't the case would the Military Chief of Staff , who directs an armed force of approximately 1 million and who holds Abdullah Ocalan prisoner, who "reports" the most insignificant intelligence, who are at the head of the most sophisticated state force in Turkey, sink to the level of children and pledge to "protect the country and it's flag to fight even for the price of the very last drop of their blood."
If that wasn't the case would the Military Chief of Staff issue a statement pointing to one sixth of the population by labelling them as "so-called citizens."?
Doesn't this expression strongly imply that their rights as such, their right to free expression and legal equality are also "so-called" rights for the "so-called citizens"?
Doesn't this statement issued by the Military Chief of Staff encourage those who have been hesitant towards trampling the rights of equal citizens that from now on that they have the "army behind them"?
The only reason why there haven't been serious strife among the peoples of diverse ethnic origins is the common sense of citizens. But nobody can guarantee that the same situation will persist if this campaign would continue in similar intensity on all fronts for another year...
The relationship amongst citizens hasn't reached a level of serious tension yet, but it certainly is grave between leaders and society. Ultimately the end result of labelling part of the citizenry as "so-called citizens" and a media sanctioned advertising of this to society with or without "foreseeing " the consequences leads to the same outcome: The state is as such feeds a serious confrontation among the public.
The most important issue today is that those with social and political responsibilities understand the gravity of the situation and act accordingly. Yet for the past three days everyone who holds political powers, from the president to extra-parliamentary opposition groups, have behaved overtly fragile and inept with an almost reflexive reaction to one-up those to the right of them. Consequently "fascism" sets the standard for the actions and comprehension of our leaders.
The media, whose public duty is to check, criticize and warn those in power "fans the fire" and leads to increased public fermentation instead of airing programs to address the seriousness of the situation and help enlighten people.
Those who can't bully the US, bully the Kurds
Let's face up to reality, anyone who is encouraging hatred, enimity, hostility and resentment against the Kurds of Turkey is indeed trying to transfer the price of their incompetence in the international arena on to the shoulders of a "domestic enemy".
*Was the failure of the ridiculous supra-governmental foreign policy strategy of becoming a "regional power" regardless of the economic and cultural poverty due to the Kurds or because of those who foolishly thought they could challenge US interests with military power provided by the US?
*Who is responsible for Turkey being cornered in Cyprus after 30 years. The champions of false assumptions that international law could be disregarded and ambitions of gaining territorial influence outside of the "Anatolian peninsula" who claim ownership of the whole island od the Kurds?
*Who is hurting national pride? The Kurds or a European Union candidate Turkey who has accepted to conform itself with EU standards and agreements yet cannot move a finger unless clubbed by Brussels.
*Who is responsible for the ineffectiveness of "regional power" claims despite 300 billion dollars in internal and external debt? The Kurds or those who have been drawing "red lines" within the territories of other countries?
The rulers of Turkey are paying their inability to replace the cold war status-quo after the fall of the United Soviet Republic of Russia (USSR) with anything but fluff by watching the direct US takeover of the region. The old days of cross-border assertions and practices of regional domination with the direct or indirect approval of Washington are over now.
The rulers of Turkey are paying the price of not implementing a democratic process that respects the multicultural nature of the society and instead subscribing to the "authoritarian democracy" notion what had been approved during the existence of the USSR.
Attacking the Kurds, the poor and the women every time when Ankara's rulers come to loggerheads with crucial allies, international powers and institutions, Washington and Brussels, in the game of global power will never give back the regional influence lost by the rulers of Turkey for their lack of correct policies and foresight.
But it will "legitimize" the revanchism of those who are enraged of the slight tipping of the political balance in the last decade in favor of the poor, oppressed, neglected and excluded, under ultra-nationalism.
Those who feel themselves responsible of the good of Turkey need to see the prevention of such prospects as their number one priority, that is, if they wish not to remain mute before the readers of "Mein Kampf", whose numbers are reported to increase recently. (BIA News Center, Ertugrul KURKCU, March 29, 2005)
Evidence of human rights abuses related toBaku-Ceyhan Pipeline
Two reports published today (Tues 1800) reveal an investigation into BP's Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline has uncovered evidence of human rights abuses, including violations of international fair trial standards in Turkey.
The project is funded by British tax payers via loans from the World Bank, the Export Credit Guarantee Dept (ECGD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Environmental and human rights groups are calling on the development banks to explicitly screen projects for their potential human rights impacts.
The evidence, published by Kurdish Human Rights Project, The Corner House, Friends of the Earth and Environmental Defense, follows a fact-finding mission to the Ardahan and Imranli regions of Turkey, along the pipeline route, which included observing the trial of a Turkish human rights defender [1].
Ferhat Kaya was detained and allegedly tortured in May 2004 as a result of his work with villagers affected by the pipeline. Eleven police officers were accused of ill-treating him [2]. But at his trial, the fact-finding mission observed deficiencies in the amounting to violations of international fair trial standards. The mission was itself subject to police surveillance throughout its visit.
Catriona Vine, a barrister who took part in the fact finding and trial observation mission, said:
"It is particularly worrying that the human rights reforms implemented by the Turkish Government in advance of its EU accession application appear to have had little impact in the North-East region of Turkey as evidenced by the conclusions of both reports."
The mission also found that the project is being implemented in breach of agreed standards, particularly those relating to land acquisition, potentially placing the project in violation of host country law, project loan conditions and the European Convention on Human Rights. Legal reforms recently adopted by Turkey appear not to have been implemented.
Kerim Yildiz of the Kurdish Human Rights Project said: "We recommend that the project lenders now come to terms with the context in which this project is being implemented, including the capacity of BOTAS (the Turkish company responsible for building the pipeline in Turkey) and the Turkish Government to ensure fair expropriation and compensation practices. This should include much closer and more independent oversight, monitoring and scrutiny by project lenders."
The mission also found that problems which had been previously identified had still not been addressed, with severe impacts on villagers. The groups believe that the public financiers subsidizing the project should take greater responsibility for ensuring that international standards are enforced.
Nick Hildyard of The Corner House said: "The UK government has admitted to parliament that there have been significant breaches of project standards but claim they do not justifying suspending the loan. Whilst BP continues to get its money, many affected villagers are still waiting the compensation that is owed to them. Protestors face intimidation, detention or worse, with little prospect of a fair trial."
Friends of the Earth International Finance Campaigner Hannah Ellis said: "BP's project is resulting in human rights abuses on the back of development bank finance. Ferhat Kaya's trial highlights the failure of the project's attempts at consultation with those affected. BP and the banks involved must do more to ensure that the work they fund is not breaching fundamental environmental and social standards." (KHRP, March 29, 2005)
Notes:
[1] The two reports - Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline: Human Rights, Social and Environmental Impacts Turkey Section (ISBN 1 900175 79 7) and The Trials of Ferhat Kaya (ISBN 1 900175 80 0) - are available from Kurdish Human Rights Project (+44 (0) 207 287-2772) or the Baku-Ceyhan Campaign www.baku.org.uk from 1700 (GMT)
The Guardian: Mein Kampf sales soar in Turkey
Mein Kampf, the book Hitler wrote in prison before he rose to power in 1933, has become a bestseller in Turkey, provoking consternation.
The dreams of creating a master race are being snapped up by young Turks. Its publishers believe that more than 100,000 copies have been sold in the past two months.
Its sudden appeal has alarmed Turkey's Jewish community and is causing concern in the EU. A German diplomat said its success "might not give the right signals" to Europeans in advance of Turkey's opening accession talks in October.
"Obviously we're very concerned," Ivo Molinas, one of Turkey's 25,000 Jews, said in Istanbul. "This is a democratic country and the book can't be banned, but it would be good if the Turkish government openly said they don't like it being sold. Unfortunately, there has been no such approach."
Although Jews have been assured by booksellers and the publishers that their motives are "purely commercial and not ideological", Jewish officials say the book's popularity has coincided with a wave of anti-semitic articles in the press.
Mr Molinas, a columnist in the weekly Shalom, said: "There has been a big increase in articles attacking us in the fundamentalist and national ist press, because of what is happening in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian problem and the war in Iraq.
"That has affected readers, and I think boosted sales of Mein Kampf." Analysts believe the book's popularity is related to a rise in nationalism and anti-US sentiment since the invasion of Iraq. A survey last month by the Metropoll Strategic and Social Studies Centre showed that half Turkey's 70 million people were convinced the country was surrounded by enemies.
Many Turks fear that joining the EU will expose their country to permissiveness and force them to give up treasured traditions. (The Guardian, Helena Smith in Athens, March 29, 2005)
Fifty percent of Turks feel surrounded by enemies
Fifty percent of Turks believe that Turkey is surrounded by enemy countries, and a significant portion of society perceives traditional ally the United States as an enemy, an opinion poll has revealed.
The survey, carried out by MetroPoll Strategic and Social Studies Center on Feb. 16-21 in 12 provinces, showed that 38.9 percent of Turks consider the United States to be an enemy. Fully 50.4 percent of those surveyed said they believed that Turkey was surrounded by enemies, while 30.7 percent disagreed.
The survey findings come amid fears of rising nationalism among the Turks, fed by deterioration of ties with the United States, particularly in connection with disagreements over Iraq, and concerns that the reform process for European Union membership is slowing down.
Despite the concerns, however, an overwhelming majority of Turks still look favorably at the EU membership process. Seventy-five percent of respondents said they had positive view of the EU and 75.9 percent said they would support Turkey's accession to the EU in the event of a referendum. This, however, contrasts with a widely held pessimism that Turkey will not be able to join the EU at the end of its accession talks. Some 45.9 percent said Turkey cannot join the union, while 38.9 percent said membership was feasible.
As far as the United States is concerned, however, more than half of those surveyed, 59.5 percent, said they had a negative view of the United States.
Relations between Turkey and the United States deteriorated after Turkey turned down a U.S. request to deploy combat troops on Turkish soil to open a northern front on Iraq.
The tension continued after the war in Iraq was over because of U.S. slowness to respond to Turkish calls for a crackdown on militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq and to prevent Iraqi Kurdish attempts to gain further political influence, which Turkey fears could culminate in the establishment of an independent Kurdish state.
The survey found that Turks still supported the decision not to allow the United States to open a northern front on Iraq from Turkish soil (54.3 percent), while 29.1 said the decision worked against Turkish interests.
A 57.9 percent majority believes the Jan. 30 elections in Iraq increased chances of the Iraqi Kurds having their own state.
But despite the support for rejection of military cooperation with the United States, the participants said that the government's overall policy on Iraq was not successful, a finding which apparently shows that Turks expect a more active government stance on Iraq. (Turkish Daily News, March 28, 2005)
NGO's resign from human rights board
Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association President Kazžm Genç, Turkish Human Rights Foundation President Yavuz Önen, Turkish Human rights Institute President Nevzat Helvacž and Turkish Doctors' Union Deputy President Metin Bakkalcž announced on Thursday that they were resigning as Prime Ministry Human Rights Advisory Board members due to the government's insincerity concerning human rights.
Önen, speaking at a joint press conference, said the government had never asked for the board's recommendations while passing four comprehensive law packages, adding that their request for a meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül had remained unanswered.
He said 14 members of the board were dismissed before their term ended, adding that they condemned the discrepancy in the government's statements and actions. (Turkish Daily News, March 25, 2005)
L'armée et le gouvernement ont déclenché la terreur de drapeau turc
Les associations des droits de l'homme ont été indignées par les déclarations chauvinistes du gouvernement AKP et de l'état major de l'armée turque, concernant l'incident à Mersin du drapeau turc. Les présidents de l'Association des droits de l'homme (IHD) et de l'Association des peuples opprimés (Mazlum-Der) ont déclaré que les déclarations faites par le gouvernement et l'état major pourraient causer du tort à l'atmosphère de paix qui règne en Turquie depuis quelque temps.
D'autre part, après les différentes déclarations de l'état major et des responsables du gouvernement, plusieurs notes comportant des messages d'intimidation ainsi que des menaces ont été accrochés devant les bureaux du DEHAP à Bursa.
Sur les notes, on pouvait lire les menaces comme: "personne ne peut menacer ce pays", "vous allez mourir", "bientôt, nous allons détruire cet immeuble avec vous dedans", "maintenant votre crédit est épuisé" et "le 1er mai, votre sang coulera dans les rues".
Le président de l'IHD, Yusuf Alatas¸, dans une déclaration écrite, a fait savoir que cette année, les célébrations du Newroz se sont déroulées dans un climat de paix et de fraternité.
Alatas a déclaré que les incidents semblable à celui de Mersin sont très rares et a ajouté: "les déclarations de l'état major et des responsables du gouvernement, sont très inquiétantes. Il faut absolument que chacun de nous, reste éloigné de tout propos qui pourrait causer du tort à la paix."
Le président de Mazlum-Der, Ayhan Bilgen, a également fait une déclaration écrite dans laquelle il critique le rôle des médias, des responsables d'association, des hommes politiques et des responsables du gouvernement qui ont joué un rôle de juge dans l'incident de Mersin.
Bilgen a dit: "les personnes qui font des déclarations relatifs à ce genre d'incident, doivent être très prudent pour ne pas provoquer des réactions de lynchage psychologique au sien de la société."
A Mersin, les deux enfants kurdes qui sont soupçonnés d'avoir jeté par terre le drapeau turc, ont été arrêtés le jeudi matin dans la cour de l'école puis ont été emmenés par une équipe de la section criminelle anti-terroriste, dans la maison d'arrêt des mineurs à Mezitli. Les enfants étaient en pleure au moment de l'arrestation.
Lors de l'arrestation des enfants, l'attention a été attirée sur le plus jeune C.S. qui était habillé en uniforme d'école.
La section du DEHAP, qui pense que cet événement n'est rien d'autre qu'une provocation, a envoyé une délégation sur les lieux.
Un membre du comité d'organisation du Newroz de Mersin, Nebî Sahîn, a déclaré qu'un homme âgé entre 25 et 30 ans, après avoir fait le signe des loups gris (parti ultra-nationaliste turc), avait jeté le drapeau au milieu de la foule qui se dispersait.
L'AFP rapporte qu'une vaste démonstration de patriotisme règne derniers jours à travers la Turquie à renforts de drapeaux turcs.
"La Turquie est en émoi depuis qu'un groupe d'adolescents kurdes tentèrent dimanche de brûler le drapeau devant les caméras à Mersin (sud) lors des célébrations du Newroz, le Nouvel An Kurde.
"La presse et les autorités ont crié au scandale et à la provocation en dépit du jeune âge des suspects.
"Les Kurdes de Turquie, une communauté d'une dizaine de millions de personnes, profitent de cette fête qui annonce l'arrivée du printemps, le 21 mars, pour réclamer des droits accrus.Des dizaines de milliers de personnes ont participé aux festivités cette année. Des banderoles ont été déployées en faveur du PKK et des slogans scandés en faveur de son chef Abdullah Ocalan, emprisonné à vie.
"Aspirations pro-européennes oblige, pour la première fois, la police n'est pratiquement pas intervenue contre les manifestants qui ont ouvertement défié l'unité du pays.
"La puissante armée turque, qui a combattu entre 1984 et 1999 contre les rebelles du PKK --dans des affrontements qui ont fait plus de 36.500 morts-- a dénoncé l'outrage dans un communiqué au ton très fort, parlant d'une 'trahison'.
"Une ferveur de patriotisme a embrasé le pays et l'emblème national est aujourd'hui omniprésent.
"Des milliers de drapeaux ont été gratuitement distribués dans les rues et les chaînes de télévision ont placé l'emblème en vignette au coin des écrans. Balcons, terrasses, autobus municipaux, taxis, banques, commerces sont ornés du symbole national.
"Le grand bazar historique d'Istanbul, haut lieu touristique, n'a pas été épargné.
"Une loi stricte existe sur le respect du drapeau et tout contrevenant est passible d'une amende ou d'une peine de prison. Il ne peut être placé dans un endroit où les gens s'assoient ou marchent dessus. Personne ne peut l'insulter, le brûler, le déchirer ou le jeter à terre.
"Certains journaux ont lancé des appels à la retenue à la population pour empêcher d'éventuels incidents entre Turcs et Kurdes, mais les sentiments nationalistes sont à fleur de peau.
"Des analystes s'inquiètent de cette situation dans un pays qui doit amorcer le 3 octobre prochain des négociations d'adhésion avec l'Union européenne.
"'Il y a un sentiment qui dit +y'en a marre+ parmi la population qui définit son identité nationale comme turque' au sujet des visées indépendentistes des kurdes, estime une éditorialiste du journal Radikal. Elle affirme qu'un "racisme" anti-kurde est en recrudescence en Turquie et qu'il faut désormais en parler pour pouvoir y remédier." (Info-Turk, AFP, 24 mars 2004)
Droits de l'Homme: progrès insuffisants de la Turquie (IHD)
Les violations des droits de l'Homme ont diminué en Turquie en 2004 mais restent à un "niveau inacceptable" en comparaison avec les normes européennes, a affirmé vendredi la principale organisation turque de défense des droits de l'Homme.
"On peut parler d'une amélioration générale quand on compare les données de 2004 en matière de droits de l'Homme à celles de 2003", a déclaré le président de l'Association des droits de l'Homme (IHD) Yusuf Alatas, lors d'une conférence de presse présentant le rapport annuel rédigé par l'association.
"Mais si nous examinons les chiffres sans les comparer aux années précédentes, la situation n'est pas encourageante du tout", a-t-il ajouté. "Les violations des droits de l'Homme sont encore à un niveau inacceptable et loin des normes de l'Union européenne".
Un résumé du rapport de l'IHD fait état de 843 plaintes pour torture et mauvais traitements transmises à l'association en 2004, contre 1.202 l'année précédente.
M. Alatas a estimé que ce chiffre démontrait l'échec de la politique de "tolérance zéro" affichée par le gouvernement de Recep Tayyip Erdogan à l'encontre de la torture.
Le rapport mentionne également que neuf publications ont été saisies ou interdites en 2004, contre 285 en 2003, et que le nombre d'organisations non-gouvernementales fermées sur ordre des autorités est passé de 47 à 13 durant la même période.
Le ministère public a lancé en 2004 des poursuites contre 467 personnes pour des motifs relevant du délit d'opinion alors que 1.706 personnes avaient été poursuivies en 2003, poursuit l'IHD.
L'association révèle par ailleurs une augmentation du nombre de personnes ayant trouvé la mort lors d'affrontements armés.
Le bilan passe ainsi de 104 à 240 morts -des chiffres qui semblent refléter la reprise des affrontements entre forces de sécurité et rebelles kurdes dans le sud-est anatolien après l'annonce en juin par le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK, rebaptisé Kongra-Gel) de la fin d'un cessez-le-feu unilatéral.
L'UE a donné en décembre 2004 son feu vert au lancement dès octobre de négociations d'adhésion avec Ankara, mais a recommandé à la Turquie de traduire dans la pratique ses engagements en faveur d'une amélioration de la situation des droits de l'Homme et de la démocratie. (AFP, 18 mars 2005)
Detailed balance-sheet of the State terror in 2004 in Turkey
RIGHT TO LIFE
Extrajudicial Executions: 42 deaths, 36 injured
Deaths/Injuries in Prisons: 32Suicides: 11 deaths and 1 injuredDeaths in Police Custody: 5
Death due to hunger strikes: 1
People who burned themselves: 6 deaths and 1 injured
People murdered or injured by other prisoners 5 death and 9 injured
Deaths due to a lack of treatment 9
Attacks by unidentified assailants: 47 deaths, 76 injured
Suspiciously disappeared: 14
Deaths and Injuries in armed conflicts: 240 deaths, 104 injured
Killed and injured by illegal organizations: 14 deaths, 53 injured
Deaths because of official negligence or error: 27 deaths, 10 injured
Suicides of police and gendarmerie: 18 individuals
People Attacked (Civilian Conflicts): 28 deaths, 535 injuredUniversity Students: 2 deaths, 36 injuredExplosion of Landmines and Unidentified Ordinances: 59 deaths, 139 injured
Members and executives of political parties: 22 deaths, 377 iunjured
Teachers: 2 deaths and 13 injured
Local Executives: 1 death, 10 injured
Others: 1 death, 68 injured
Asylum seekers and migrants: 37 deaths, 52 injuredVIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Women and Children Suicides: 97
Women and Children Suicide Attempts: 49
Honor Killings : 43 deaths, 3 injured
Violence in Families: 82 deaths, 50 injured
Violence Against Women: 57 deaths, 50 injured
Violence and assaults against children: 42 deaths, 52 injuredTORTURE AND ILL TREATMENT
Torture and Ill, Inhuman or degrading treatments or punishments: 843 cases
Torture and ill treatment under police custody: 526
Torture and ill treatments by village guards: 11
Ill treatment and torture outside of the official detention premises: 249
Torture in prisons: 57
Threatened and forced to be reporter: 197
Injured and beaten by security forces during social demonstrations: 213FREEDOM AND SECURITY OF INDIVIDUALS
Turkish citizens taken under detention: 6391
Asylum seekers and migrants taken under detention: 3320
Turkish citizens arrested: 774FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION
Banned cultural activities, theatre, concerts: 31
Banned and Confiscated Books: 4
Banned and Confiscated Journals and reviews: 5
Closed newspapers and journals: 5
Raided newspapers, publishing houses, associations: 20
Televisions and radio channels suspended from broadcasting: 12
TV and radio programmes suspended: 24
Warnings given for radio and television channels: 390
Decisions to launch legal procedures against TV and radios: 78
Investigations Launched against people who expressed their thoughts: 76 for 2488 persons
Trials Launched against people as they expressed their thoughts: 78 for 467 persons
Concluded Trials: In 72 resulted trialsi, 104 individuals acquitted. 693 individuals were sentenced to 30 years 9 months imprisonment and fines totaling to 784 billion 757 million 402 thousand Turkish Liras.FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND MEETING
Meetings and demonstrations raided or restricted: 124
Activities Banned: 8
Investigations Launched: 36 against 1181 individuals
Trials Launched: 27 against 1195
Resulted Trials: 25 trials were resulted, 135 individuals acquitted.134 individuals were sentenced to 159 year 8 months imprisonment and fines of 8 billions 840 millions Turkish Liras.FREEDOM TO ORGANIZE
Raided Organizations: 15
Legal proceedings: 8 against 41 persons
Trials launched: 5 against 18 persons
Legal proceeddings for party or association closures: 23SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS
Dismissals because of political and economic reasons: 13.931
Exiled people: 580
Deaths at work accidents: 181
Injuries ay work accidents: 771La CEDH condamne la Turquie pour la mort d'un suspect lors d'une fusillade
La Cour européenne des droits de l'homme (CEDH) a condamné jeudi la Turquie pour le décès d'un homme, placé en garde à vue et tué dans une fusillade lors d'une opération de police en 1996.
La Cour a estimé que la Turquie avait violé les articles 2 (droit à la vie) et 13 (droit à un recours effectif) de la Convention européenne des droits de l'homme, et alloué au requérant, le frère du suspect décédé, 15.000 euros pour dommage moral.
Semsettin Gezici, avait été interpellé le 12 août 1996 par les forces de l'ordre et placé en garde à vue, a rappelé la Cour dans son arrêt.
A la suite de ses déclarations, une opération de police à laquelle ce dernier assista, fut menée le 19 août au domicile d'un membre présumé de l'organisation séparatiste kurde PKK.
Une fusillade éclata au cours de laquelle Semsettin Gezici et le membre présumé du PKK furent tués.
"Les autorités ont le devoir de protéger les personnes en garde à vue, qui de ce fait sont en situation de vulnérabilité", a souligné la Cour européenne.
"Or, en mettant l'intéressé en présence de la personne qu'il avait dénoncée et sachant qu'elle était en possession d'une arme de guerre, les autorités ont créé une situation potentiellement dangereuse et soumis le frère du requérant à un risque extrême injustifié", a-t-elle poursuivi.
La Cour a également estimé que "la Turquie a manqué à son obligation de mener une enquête adéquate et effective sur les circonstances de la mort du frère du requérant".
Elle a toutefois rejeté les allégations selon lesquelles ce dernier aurait été "victime d'une exécution extrajudiciaire après avoir été torturé par les forces de l'ordre alors qu'il se trouvait en garde à vue", comme son frère le soutenait.
Par ailleurs, dans une autre affaire, la CEDH a également condamné jeudi la Turquie pour "ne pas avoir mené une enquête adéquate et effective sur les circonstances" de la disparition d'un homme, qui, selon son épouse, n'est jamais rentré d'un voyage en avril 1996.
Elle a estimé qu'"il y a eu violation procédurale que l'article 2 impose à l'Etat" et alloué 10.000 euros à cette femme, Talat Türkoglu.
La Cour a en revanche jugé qu'"il n'y avait pas de preuves suffisantes pour conclure", comme celle-ci l'affirme, que son mari - traduit en justice à plusieurs reprises avant sa disparition pour des infractions politiques - ait été tué par des agents de l'Etat ou avec leur complicité. (AFP, 17 mars 2004)
Young Turks' sudden interest in Hitler's Mein Kampf!
Mein Kampf is becoming the book of the month at the D&R bookshop at the Migros shopping center in downtown Ankara. Adolf Hitler's infamous work is selling so fast it has entered the bestseller lists. Rukan Binerbay, store manager, says he has sold at least 1,000 copies in the past few weeks.
At the Remzi bookstore in the rival Armada shopping center, the book has sold out. Manager Emre Demirok says it has been the third highest seller in the past month.
Sales took off after a new edition was published at 5.90 liras a copy ($4.90, €3.50, £2.40).
But who is buying it? "Students, mainly. Young men. Turkish people love this kind of stuff," says Mr. Binerbay.
Perhaps they do, but booksellers and academics are puzzled by the sudden popularity of Mein Kampf (in Turkish, Kavgam). In a country with neither a deep reading culture nor a history of anti-Semitism, but which does have a taste for conspiracy theories, the phenomenon is sparking debate and controversy.
The sudden success of the Nazi tract has alarmed Turkey's small Jewish community. While diplomats say it does not necessarily reflect an awakening of anti-Semitism, Silvio Ovadyo, a spokesman for Istanbul's Jewish community, says its new popularity may reflect the anti-Semitism that features regularly in the extremist wing of Turkey's press. "This is an anti-Semitic book and, yes, we are concerned about it," he says.
There is also concern in Germany. The government of Bavaria, which controls the copyright, goes to great lengths to suppress publication of Mein Kampf around the world. "The availability and rising popularity of this book in Turkey are matters of serious concern for us," says an official at the German embassy in Ankara. The issue looks set to become a thorn in German-Turkish relations.
Ali Carkoglu, a political scientist at Sabanci University, cautions that books can easily become bestsellers in Turkey with relatively low sales. Akin Dirik, an official at the Turkish publishers' union, adds that the publishing industry cannot supply accurate sales figures. Some estimate, however, that more than 100,000 copies of the book are in Turkish are in print.
And it has clearly found an audience.
Tayfun Atay, an academic at Ankara University, says the book has long enjoyed a "covert popularity among hard-line Turkish nationalists". But new readers may be motivated more by curiosity than by any attraction to Hitler's anti-Semitism and fanaticism. "They may be curious about Hitler not because he is a hero but because he is an anti-hero," he suggests.
Mein Kampf's popularity also coincides with the success of Turkey's current runaway bestseller, a novel called Metal Storm.
This depicts a US invasion of Turkey, and has tapped in to anti-American feeling sparked by the Iraq war. US and Turkish officials are currently engaged in a terse transatlantic exchange about how deeply this feeling runs.
There is no doubt, too, some commentators say, that Turkey currently feels vulnerable. Even though the country opens accession talks with the European Union later this year, Dogu Ergil, who runs a think-tank called the Center for the Research of Societal Problems, says many Turks "know in their hearts" that many Europeans do not want them.
"This is a moment of convergence of these feelings which has turned into a social phenomenon," Mr. Ergil says, referring to Turks' reading habits. Mein Kampf readers "are searching for motivation, and here it is, albeit in perverted form. The book is nonsense, and so is the fear." (AZG Armenian Daily, Vincent Boland, March 16, 2005)
Justice Minister: "57,930 prisoners in Turkey of whom 4,519 political"
In reply to a written question at the National Assembly, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek announced that there were 57,930 prisoners in Turkey at the end of 2004. 4,519 out of these prisoners are detained or condemned for political reasons under the pretext of "crimes against the Turkish State".
The minister also said that the number of the prisoners aged betwween 11 to 15 is 299.
The number of the prisons in Turkey rises to 417. (AA, March 12, 2005)
"La police turque est en même temps procureur, juge et exécutante!"
Communiqué de presse du Front pour les Droits et les Libertés(HOC):
Sur demande du Parlement européen, la préfecture de police d'Istanbul vient d'envoyer une note informative au ministère des affaires étrangères concernant la terreur que leurs agents ont semé à Saraçhane-Beyazit lors de la manifestation commémorant la journée internationale de la femme travailleuse.
Dans cette note informative, la police a décrit la Commission des femmes de la section stanbouliote de l'association pour les droits et les libertés (Temel Haklar) et le Front pour les Droits et les Libertés (HÖC) ainsi que diverses associations et revues légales, de "groupes agissant en parallèle aux organisations clandestines".
Or, il n'y a aucune décision de justice qui décrit ces associations ainsi.Mais la police ne voit aucun inconvénient à remplacer les magistrats.
C'est ainsi depuis des années. En effet, voici des années que la police taxe des insititutions légales d' "antennes d'organisations illégales" et de "terroristes" ceux qui luttent pour les droits et les libertés. La police mène régulièrement des razzias dans leurs locaux et n'hésite pas à exécuter leurs membres en pleine rue.
Et le plus grave, c'est que dans bien des cas, pas un seul organe judiciaire, pas un seul média bourgeois n'a réagi aux "verdicts" de la police.Les tribunaux distribuent des condamnations à tours de bras, à partir des rapports de police et les médias leurs sont subordonnés.
D'après la police, sont "terroristes", tous ceux qui ne raisonnent pas comme elle.
Voici une preuve de plus que notre pays est dominé par un Etat policier qui terrorise et persécute les progressistes, démocrates et révolutionnaires sous le couvert de la lutte contre le terrorisme.
La note informative de la Préfecture de police d'Istanbul n'est pas anodine. Elle donne une idée sur le caractère policier de l'Etat.
La police se voit au-dessus des lois et du pouvoir judiciaire.
Nous appelons tout le monde et surtout les juristes, les insitutions juridiques et la presse, a réagir contre la terreur policière. (www.haklar-ozgurlukler-cephesi.org, 12 mars 2005)Mazlum-Der presents last violations statistics in Turkey
The Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (Mazlum-Der) yesterday issued a human rights report summarizing human rights violations reported during the first two months of this year, reported the Anatolia news agency.
The report states that 75 people had been killed during the first two months of 2005, in violation of the right to life. The deaths noted in the report were mostly classified as murders, extra-judicial executions and torture.
Speaking at a press conference held at the associations' headquarters, Chairperson Ayhan Bilgen said the findings of the report were prepared based on the work of the association's Commission of Monitoring Human Rights Violations and from information gathered from the press.
According to the report, in addition to other violations, the state has banned three broadcasting reports and has exercised restrictions on media institutions five times over the first two months. The report also gives statistics indicating violations of various human rights including, the right to work in a favorable environment, the right to belief and the right to be treated equally.
Speaking on the Women's Day incidents, "The ideology or goal of the protesters in any particular case, should not affect the attitude of the security forces," said Bilgen, adding, "Security forces are in charge of protecting demonstrators and protecting the environment from any damage that could come from protesters. They should not go beyond their authority and try to punish protesters on the street."
Bilgen also said that the problem is one of Turkey's own problems. "It should not only be considered with respect to Turkey's harmonization process with the European Union."
Referring to Russian forces' killing of Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov, Bilgen said he sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding him to let Maskhadov's family bury his remains in peace. (Turkish Daily News, March 12, 2005)
Critical Report By IHD: In 2 Months 2855 Rights Violations Occurred
The Human Rights Association (IHD) Diyarbakir Branch Office has issued its monthly reports for January and February 2005. In these reports the IHD states that there were 2855 rights violations in this period.
According to the reports, 126 torture and mistreatment violations were registered; in these two months 1886 investigations were opened and 64 people were arrested. In armed conflict 7 were killed, while 5 people lost their lives in extra-judicial and summary killings, 6 were wounded, and 12 women were subjected to violence.
IHD Vice-President Lawyer Reyhan Yalcindag stated that everyone anticipated that there would be positive steps taken in terms of human rights following the 17 December agreement to open European Union negotiations; in reality, however, after this date developments appear to be not so good.
In the last two months the most serious rights' violations occurred during armed conflict, followed by the right to demonstrate, freedom of speech, torture and violence against women.
The IHD statement states that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government relaxed control after 17 December and it appears that all the violations were committed after that date. The statement continued with the following:
"There were especially perplexing hard interventions against people using their right to meeting and protest, the most clear evidence of which are violations against the right to life, arbitrary custodies and arrests after demonstrations. The most dramatic example of this is the killing of Umit Gonultas in Mersin just because he was using his right to demonstrate. In our region in the last 2 months 80 people were taken into custody and 109 people were injured during demonstrations. There were investigations opened against 1886 people for expressing their thoughts! All these developments in respect of human rights show us once again that the state has not changed its autocratic and oppressive character."
"There is a measure of democracy and human rights but these are limited by how much the state allows. Demands beyond this limit are treated by the government as anti-state and deserving of destruction. Despite the directives and seminars held by the Interior Ministry with the purpose of educating the police, forces who disperse demonstrators pursue people trying to run away for hundreds of metres and once they catch them they are beaten with rafters and truncheons. This work is carried out even by police officers in senior positions who are leading their forces. However, there are no administrative investigations opened against any security officer practising these violations."
The IHD statement said that the intolerance shown against Kurdish citizens wanting to use their right to demonstrate and their fundamental rights reached alarming levels in the last 2 months; most of the harsher violations have occurred in the East and Southeast Anatolia Region. The statement contains the following statement:
" The government shows serious contradictions between what it says and what it practices. The serious violations in our region cast a shadow over the positive steps being taken. For this reason we request that the government establish a special committee to monitor violations in this region. It should work in close dialogue with human rights organisations."
Violations are as follows:
In January:
Death in Combat: 7 dead - 6 wounded,
Extra-judicial Killings, Attacks, Summary Killings: 5 dead
Number of Detentions: 29
Claims of Torture and Ill-treatment: 6
Missing Persons Claims: 3
Arrests: 20
Expulsion from Work: 165
Administrative Investigations and fines in working environment: 36
Investigations and Fines against freedom of thought and speech: 1868
Requests to dispatch to prison: 4
Violence against Women: 9
Right to Health: 14
Suicide: 4
Total Number of Violations: 2186
There were a total of 59 applications sent to the IHD Diyarbakir Branch Office in January.In February:
Taken into custody: 97
Violence during Social Events: 102
Torture and Ill-Treatment: 120,
a) By Officials of Gendarmerie: 44,
b) By Officials of Security Forces: 74
c) By GKK: 2
Arrests: 44
Administrative Investigations and fines in working environment: 11
Investigations and Fines against freedom of thought and speech: 18
Requests to dispatch to prison: 3
Violence against Women: 3
Suicides: 2
Total Number of Violations: 669There were a total of 249 applications sent to the IHD Diyarbakir Branch Office in February. The number of violations of rights in January and February is 2855. There were 308 applications made just to the IHD Branch Office in Diyarbakir. (IHD Diyarbakir Branch, March 8, 2005)
Le parlement européen condamne les brutalités de la police turque
Le Président du Parlement européen Josep Borrell a tenu "à condamner de la manière la plus forte la répression dont ont été victimes les femmes qui célébraient par anticipation la journée internationale des femmes du 8 mars.
Les images des violences commises par la police anti-émeutes et les arrestations qui ont été opérées m'amènent à rappeler le plus fermement possible aux autorités turques les engagements qui ont été les leurs lors du Conseil européen de décembre 2004, qui a décidé de l'ouverture prochaine des négociations d'adhésion.
Les manifestantes réclamaient un droit qui leur est dû; l'égalité des droits homme/femme. Le gouvernement turc doit tout mettre en oeuvre pour sanctionner les auteurs de ces actes inqualifiables qui sont incompatibles avec les ambitions de la Turquie d'appartenir un jour à l'UE. La poursuite des réformes et le changement des mentalités doivent demeurer une priorité absolue."
D'autre part, le Parlement européen, réuni le 10 mars 2005 à Strasbourg, a adopté une résolution sur le suivi du programme d'action de la quatrième conférence mondiale sur les femmes (Pékin + 10). Dans cette résolution, "vu les incidents graves qui se sont produits le 6 mars 2005 à Istanbul lors d'une manifestation liée à la Journée internationale de la femme," le Parlement européen a fermement condamné la brutalité de la police turqueet a invité la Commission européenne à lui présenter un rapport circonstancié sur les faits.(Communiqués de presse du PE, 8-10 mars 2005)
European Parliament Socialists today condemned Turkish police violence
European Parliament Socialists today condemned Turkish police violence against women demonstrating in Istanbul ahead of International Women's Day.
Said Martin Schulz, leader of the 202-strong Socialist Group:
"The use of batons and tear gas to break up a demonstration by women and young people is absolutely appalling. We condemn this police violence categorically.
"The police behaviour demonstrates the gulf that exists between the official position that reforms are underway and the reality of life on the ground.
"I welcome the firm response of the Turkish authorities in voicing their determination to prevent such scenes from happening again. I urge them to press ahead with the reform process - and ensure the implementation of human rights reforms - so that there is no shadow over the opening of Turkey's talks with the EU on 3 October."
Group vice-president Jan Marinus Wiersma, who is responsible for policy on the wider Europe, echoed the sentiments. "This incident demonstrates the need for strict monitoring of human rights and the rule of law to remain in place in the run-up to the opening of negotations and afterwards." (EP Socialists press release, March 7, 2005)
Droits de l'homme: l'UE demande à la Turquie de faire plus
La Turquie doit faire plus en matière de droits de l'homme, a estimé mercredi la présidence luxembourgeoise de l'Union européenne, estimant que la répression dimanche de la manifestation à Istanbul ne montrait pas "vraiment" le visage d'une "Turquie du 21ème siècle".
"La Turquie a fait beaucoup de progrès sur la question des droits de l'homme au cours des trois dernières années", a reconnu le ministre luxembourgeois des Affaires étrangères, Jean Asselborn, dans un entretien à la radio allemande Deutschlandfunk dont le transcript a été rendu public à Bruxelles.
Mais "ce dimanche a montré que ce n'est pas assez dans un pays comme la Turquie en phase de transition pour la mise en place de lois contre la torture, pour les droits de l'homme, pour la liberté de culte etc", a-t-il ajouté.
"Pour moi, ce n'était pas vraiment une Turquie du 21è siècle, mais plutôt une Turquie où l'on voit tellement de brutalité", a encore poursuivi le ministre luxembourgeois.
Dimanche, des images diffusées par les chaînes de télévision ont montré la police anti-émeutes faisant usage de matraques et de gaz lacrymogènes contre des manifestantes rassemblées devant des locaux de la municipalité d'Istanbul à l'occasion de la journée internationale des femmes. (AFP, 9 mars 2005)
European Commission's reaction against Turkish police's brutality
This is a press release from the European Commission:
Statement by the EU Troika following incidents during a women's rights demonstration in Istanbul on 6 March 2005
Ahead of a Ministerial Meeting between the EU Troika and Turkey in Ankara on 7 March, the representatives of the European Union - Jean Asselborn, current President of the Council of the European Union, Olli Rehn, European Commissioner in charge of Enlargement and Denis MacShane, British Minister for Europe - issued the following joint statement:
"We were shocked by images of the police beating women and young people demonstrating in Istanbul in connection with International Women's Day. We condemn all violence, as demonstrations must be peaceful.
On the eve of a visit by the EU during which the rights of women will be an important issue, we are concerned to see such disproportionate force used against demonstrators.
We ask the Turkish authorities to carry out an investigation into this event to prevent similar incidents in the future." (EC press release, March 8, 2005)
AI Protest: Police brutality against peaceful demonstrators
Amnesty International is greatly concerned by the disproportionate use of force by police officers against individuals who had gathered peacefully in Istanbul on 6 March to celebrate Women's Day early. Police used truncheons and pepper gas to disperse some 500 people who had gathered in the Sarachane and Beyazit quarters of Istanbul, which resulted in 63 individuals being detained and at least three people being reportedly hospitalized.
The police had reportedly intervened on the basis that the demonstration had not been authorized. While images of the ill-treatment received wide press coverage internationally because of the European Union Ministerial Troika that began in Ankara today, such scenes are regularly broadcast in Turkey in which police appear to particularly target demonstrators from opposition groups for brutal treatment.
The government has made numerous changes to the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations in an attempt to address concerns regarding the policing of demonstrations. However, allegations of ill-treatment during demonstrations have very rarely resulted in prosecution of law enforcement officials, and sanctions have often been limited. On the other hand, those complaining of ill-treatment are themselves frequently prosecuted for resistance to public officials or for violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.
Amnesty International welcomes news that the government has opened an investigation into the incident but calls on the authorities to publish the full findings of the investigation, to ensure that perpetrators of human rights violations are brought to justice and to take further urgent steps to ensure that police officers conform to international standards on the right to freedom of assembly and on the use of force. (AI Index, 7 March 2005)
Rassemblement des femmes en Turquie réprimé, l'UE choquée
La police anti-émeutes turque a arrêté dimanche 63 manifestants qui participaient à un rassemblement pour marquer la journée internationale des femmes du 8 mars, selon les media turcs.
Les policiers ont ordonné aux quelque 150 manifestants, rassemblés devant les bureaux de la municipalité dans la partie européenne de la ville, de se disperser, affirmant que leur manifestation était illégale, mais ceux-ci ont refusé, a indiqué l'agence de presse Anatolie.
Selon des images diffusées par la télévision NTV, les policiers ont utilisé des matraques et des gaz irritants contre les manifestants et ont traîné les personnes arrêtées dans des bus.
La police est intervenue pour disperser un second rassemblement d'environ 250 manifestants qui criaient des slogans dans le district de Beyazit, également dans la partie européenne d'Istanbul.
Les policiers ont fait usage de gaz irritants. Les manifestants se sont dispersés dans les rues environnantes. Les vitres d'un véhicule de police ont été brisées.
Les femmes font partie du paysage politique turc depuis 1934, quand elles ont obtenu le droit de vote sous le régime de Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, fondateur de la Turquie moderne.
En milieu urbain, de nombreuses femmes se sont émancipées. Mais la majorité des femmes turques restent soumises aux traditions patriarcales et les violences contre les femmes restent un problème important dans un pays qui a reçu le feu vert à l'ouverture de négociations d'adhésion à l'Union européenne.
Rassemblement réprimé par la police turque: l'UE "choquée"
L'Union européenne s'est déclarée lundi "choquée" par la dispersion menée par la force par la police anti-émeutes turque d'un rassemblement organisé dimanche à Istanbul à l'occasion de la journée internationale des femmes.
"Nous avons été choqués par les images de la police frappant des femmes et des jeunes gens manifestant à Istanbul à l'occasion de la journée internationale des femmes", a souligné la "troïka" européenne dans une déclaration.
"Nous condamnons toutes sortes de violences... et demandons aux autorités turques de mener une enquête sur cette affaire de façon à prévenir à l'avenir des incidents similaires", a ajouté le texte.
La déclaration de la "troïka" est signée par le ministre luxembourgeois des Affaires étrangères, Jean Asselborn, dont le pays assure la présidence de l'Union, ainsi que par le commissaire européen pour l'Elargissement, Olli Rehn, et le ministre britannique pour les Affaires européennes, Denis MacShane.
Le Royaume-Uni succèdera au Luxembourg à la présidence de l'UE au second semestre de 2005.
Des images diffusées par les chaînes de télévision ont montré des éléments de la police anti-émeutes faisant usage de matraques et de gaz irritants à l'encontre de manifestants qui s'étaient rassemblés devant des locaux de la municipalité d'Istanbul. Soixante-trois manifestants ont été arrêtés, selon les médias turcs.
"Il est bien clair que la Commission ne pense pas que ce soit un comportement normal", a souligné lors d'un briefing de presse la porte-parole de la Commission européenne, Françoise Le Bail.
Rappelant que Olli Rehn était déjà en Turquie, la porte-parole a souligné que le commissaire européen avait "fait savoir" aux autorités d'Ankara "qu'il était important que la Turquie ne fasse pas de pause dans ses réformes".
Et le commissaire "a mis l'accent en particulier sur les réformes en matière de droits des femmes, en matière des droits des communautés religieuses non-musulmanes et de la liberté d'expression", a poursuivi Françoise Le Bail.
La dispersion musclée du rassemblement d'Istanbul survient au moment même où la "troïka" européenne conduit, lundi à Ankara, des entretiens avec les autorités turques sur l'ouverture des négociations d'adhésion à l'UE. Cette ouverture a été fixée au 3 octobre lors du sommet européen de décembre dernier. (AFP, 6-7 mars 2005)
US report says torture remains widespread in Turkey
The United States noted improvements in Turkey's human rights record over the past year but said problems remained in a number of areas, including widespread torture and ill-treatment by security forces.
"Members of the security forces continued to torture, beat, and otherwise abuse persons regularly, particularly in the southeast," an annual report on human right practices across the world said in its Turkey section. The report noted "a number of unlawful killings" by security forces particularly in southeastern Anatolia, one example of which is a November killing of Ahmet Kaymaz and his 12-year-old son in the southeastern city of Mardin's Kžzžltepe district, and complained of the continuing practice of arbitrary arrest and detention.
"Courts investigate many allegations of ill treatment and torture by security forces, however they rarely convicted or punished offenders. Administrative and bureaucratic barriers impeded prosecutions and contributed to the low number of torture convictions," the report said.
This year's report comes amid tension in Turkey-United States relations over Iraq, which pushed high anti-American sentiments in Turkey, something that sparked anti-Turkey comments in U.S. media in turn. At an official level, however, both sides reiterate commitment to cooperation and shared values that have kept the two countries' decades-old alliance.
Paula J. Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, said at a press conference in Washington while releasing the report that democracy could function in many Muslim countries similar to the way it functions in Turkey. But the way she referred to Turkey, together with Iraq and Afghanistan, raised eyebrows among the skeptical media audience in Ankara.
"If freedom and democracy work in Muslim nations like Indonesia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iraq, why should they not be the norm in Iran, Libya, Syria and Saudi Arabia?" Dobriansky asked in Washington.
In Ankara, a senior U.S. official said this was not to say Turkey was lumped into the same category with Iraq and Afghanistan. "I would not say this is anyway equating or comparing the state of democracy in Iraq with that of Afghanistan or of Indonesia or of Turkey. It is very evident from differences among the four countries," the official said.
The U.S. official said the report used the word "widespread" to explain that torture was not "localized in one particular area but spread across Turkey." (Turkish Daily News, March 2, 2005)
La Turquie condamnée pour avoir puni de prison les propos d'une syndicaliste
La Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme (CEDH) a condamné mardi la Turquie pour violation de la liberté d'expression à la suite de l'emprisonnement en 1997 d'une enseignante syndicaliste de 40 ans qui avait prononcé un discours critique à l'égard du ministre de la Justice.
La Cour a alloué à la requérante, institutrice et membre du syndicat des travailleurs de l'enseignement et de la science, 4.000 euros pour dommage moral, 4.000 euros pour dommage matériel et 1.500 euros pour frais et dépens.
Elle a jugé sa condamnation à un an d'emprisonnnement "disproportionnée aux bus visés" et dès lors "non nécessaire dans une société démocratique".
Le discours de la syndicaliste, sur "la démocratie et les droits syndicaux", présentait "certains passages particulièrement acerbes" qui brossaient "un tableau des plus négatifs de la personnalité du ministre de la Justice", a noté la Cour, tout en relevant qu'il ne s'agissait "pas d'un discours de haine" exhortant à la violence. (AFP, 1er mars 2005)
TIHV's Recent Human Rights Reports in Brief
March 30, 2005
Stop WarningŠ On 29 March Van Heavy Penal Court of First Instance No 2 continued to hear the case against the non-commissioned officers Atalay Boylu and Halil Karakas, privates Müslüm Demir and Halil Kül in connection with the killing of Yücel Solmaz, who was a civil servant on charge at a clinic in Van. Demir testified to the effect that the car kept going despite the "stop warning". He said: "Upon this I randomly fired once. Later I learned that a person died". The hearing was adjourned to 28 April. (Özgür Gündem)
Torture in DetentionŠ The students who were detained during the press statement staged on 25 March to protest the dismissal of 14 students from Istanbul University announced that they were tortured. Student Aygün Kumru stated the followings after he was released: "They detained us in accordance with the expectations of the EU. While they were detaining us silently before the eyes of the press they tortured our friends inside. They harassed our female friends." (Özgür Gündem)
Juvenile ThreatenedŠ T.U. (16), student of Bingöl Lyceum, made an official complaint on the allegations that police officers forced him to be an informer, continuously followed and disturbed him. T.U announced at the HRA Bingöl branch that he was detained by three civilian dressed police officers while he was going home on 23 March and taken to Düzagaç Police Station. He told that he was asked to be an informer: "They told that a journal with the name Asmin would be published in Bingöl by a group of people including me. They wanted me to inform them about the works conducted for the journal, what were done by Egitim-Sen and Bin-Dep-Der and what were spoken. They told they would pay me YTL 150-200 per month, pay for the private courses, help me to enter a university and help at the university". T.U. told that he took YTL 20 from the police officers on the grounds that he was afraid and he was released one hour later. He also announced that he met the police officers on 24 March once. (Özgür Gündem)
Demonstrators on TrialŠ A case was launched against the members of organizing committee of the festivity organized in connection with "1 September World Peace Day" on 5 September 2004 in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul. The indictment wants the defendants Hürriyet Sener (former chairwoman of HRA Istanbul branch), Sah Ismail Karagöz, Engin Yasar, Yildiz Aktas, Lawyer Oya Ersoy Ataman, Hasan Toprak, Hüseyin Bektas and Çetin Ova to be sentenced for violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations. The case would commence on 28 April at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 1. (TIHV)
Demonstration HinderedŠ Police intervened a group who wanted to stage a press statement in Istanbul in order to protest the exaggerated reactions against the burning of Turkish flag during the Newroz celebration in Mersin. On 29 March members of Rights and Freedoms Front gathered on 29 March on Taksim Square objected the police who wanted them to stage their action nearby the tram stop on Istiklal Avenue. Upon this police dispersed the group by force and detained 24 persons including 7 women. (Radikal)
Susurluk CaseŠ On 29 March Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 2 continued to hear the re-trial of former DYP MP Sedat Edip Bucak. The Court of Cassation had quashed the acquittal decision against him. In his summing up the case public prosecutor demanded the court to decide in the acquittal of Bucak. The hearing was adjourned to 27 May for awaiting the new Turkish Penal Code to come into force. (Cumhuriyet)
Clash and Attacks in the SoutheastŠ According to the announcement by HPG, more than 20 soldiers were allegedly killed during the clashes broke out during the operations conducted by the security forces on between 23 and 27 March on Cudi Mountain nearby Sirnak. G. Çam (17) and Zuhal Çam (19), who were detained on 20 March after the killing of two HPG militants during the clash nearby Çay village of Derik district (Mardin), were arrested. After Serif Yalçin was announced as one of the seven KADEK militants who were killed during the clash broke out in the region between Kurtalan district of Siirt and Besiri district of Batman in August 2003, Yalçin was buried in Tunceli by his family after he was identified. (Özgür Gündem)
March 29, 2005
Incident in Mersin... A molotov cocktail was thrown in the garden of a theological lyceum in Mersin on 28 March. Aydin H. was reportedly detained in connection with the incident. (Milliyet)
Mine and Bomb Explosions... Zafer Biroglu and Cahit Essiz were wounded when the bomb they found in the military zone on Ziyaret peak nearby Dicle district of Diyarbakir exploded. Zafer Biroglu lost 2 fingers and Cahit Essiz's face was wounded during explosion. Harun Kaygu (13) was wounded the howitzer he found exploded nearby Geneyik village of Gaziantep. The howitzer was allegedly left there by the troops from 5th Armoured Brigade after manoeuvres on 22-26 March. (Radikal-Özgür Gündem)
Detentions and Arrests... Umut Demirkol, who was detained on 25 March in Diyarbakir for tearing a paper flag into pieces, was reportedly arrested on 26 March. žn Istanbul 4 persons were detained for "being member of Kongre-Gel" and 10 persons on the allegation of "being member of radical Islamist organization Hizb-ut Tahrir". (Cumhuriyet-Radikal)
Attacks and Clashes in Southeast... The names of the HPG militants, who were killed during the clash on 26 March nearby Çay village in Derik district of Mardin, were disclosed as Nusret Bali and Abdullah Deniz. Kadriye Gürel (10) was shot at his head and seriously wounded during the clash. She was taken to Dicle University Research Hospital. Nusret Bali was allegedly the HPG militant who escaped during the incident on 21 November 2004 in Kiziltepe district of Mardin when Ahmet Kaymaz and his son Ugur Kaymaz were killed. (Radikal-Özgür Gündem)
March 28, 2005
Torture in Izmir... The juveniles G.Ç., A.S., G.K., O.A., M.D., V.Y., E.Ö., R.S., O.S. and M.K., who were detained on 24 March after a quarrel between high school students in Menemen district of Izmir, were allegedly tortured in Menemen Police Station. According to the news appeared on daily Özgür Gündem G.Ç., A.S., G.K., O.A., M.D., V.Y., E.Ö., R.S. and O.S. were detained after quarrel and beaten by the police in custody. Upon detention of his friends M.K. wanted to set himself to fire in front of the station. M.K. was also detained and according to the news a police officer with first name Ramazan threatened M.K. by pointing a gun. (28 March, Özgür Gündem)
Newroz Celebrations... Public prosecutor in Diyarbakir launched a court case against 9 persons for violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations in connection with the Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakir on 21 March organised by DEHAP province organisation. An investigation against the organising committee and 5 Norwegians is still ongoing. 6 women incarcerated in Diyarbakir E-type Prison were given one month's ban on receiving visits for burning their old clothes to celebrate Newroz. The prisoners Ilknur Özden, Güzel Becerikli, Sohbet Yildiz, Yildiz Dündar, Gülümser Yuca and Güler Çelik asked for firewood to celebrate, but since their demand was rejected they burned clothes in the garden. M.F. (14), who was detained in connection with the burning of Turkish flag during Newroz celebrations in Mersin, was arrested on 25 March. Engin Gündüz (21), who was detained in Turgutreis town of Bodrum in Mugla for tearing a paper flag into pieces, was arrested on 25 March. Miraç Vayiç and Osman Bingöl, students at Gazi University, organised a press conference in the premises of IHD Ankara branch on 26 March and announced that they were beaten on 23 March by the rightists who organised a meeting under the title "Flag Demonstration". (25-27 March, Cumhuriyet-Evrensel-Radikal-Özgür Gündem)
The Umut (Hope) CaseŠ On 25 March Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 11 continued to hear the case against 8 persons who were charged with 22 actions, including the killings of journalist Ugur Mumcu, Dr. Bahriye Üçok, Prof. Dr. Muammer Aksoy and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taner Kislali. The hearing was adjourned to 13 May. (26 March, Milliyet)
Demonstration Prevented... The police intervened a press announcement on 25 March in Beyoglu (Istanbul) organised by "Youth Federation" to protest in the dismissal of 14 students from Istanbul University. 13 persons were detained during the incidents; they were released same day. After their release they conducted hunger strike in Taksim Walking Park until 27 March. (26-27 March, Sabah)
Detentions and Arrests... Ferman Demir, Hasan Ekinci and Murat Aksu were detained in Istanbul on he allegations of "being member of Kongre-Gel". (26 March, Star)
Attacks and Clashes in Southeast... 2 HPG militants were killed during the clash on 26 March nearby Çay village of Derik district in Mardin. The name of one militant was disclosed as Abdullah Deniz. (27 March, Evrensel)
March 25, 2005
Lawyer Attacked.... Nedim Degirmenci, former Chairman of Progressive Lawyer Association (ÇHD) and former executive of Izmir Bar Association, was heavily beaten by rightists on 24 March. According to the Announcement by ÇHD Degirmenci was allegedly beaten by 10-15 persons with iron sticks on the grounds that he tearing a paper in shape of Turkish flag plastered on the window of a cafe. His chin and some of his tooth were broken during the incident and he was taken to hospital. (BIA)
Child Killed... IHD commission, who went to Düzce village of Nusaybin district in Mardin to investigate the killing of the child Selahattin Günbay on 19 March, was prevented by gendarmerie. Mihdi Perinçek, member of IHD executive board, announced that IHD Chair for Mardin branch Hüseyin Cangir, members of Social Democrat Party in Germany and DEHAP who wanted to see the relatives of Günbay and the eyewitnesses in Dirçomer village, were prevented without any reason. (BIA)
Newroz Celebrations... E.B. (18) and F.B., M.A.A., S.T. who are under 18 years were detained in connection with the burning of Turkish flag during Newroz celebrations in Mersin. The children V.S. and C.S. were previously detained for the same reason. 6 children were arrested afterwards. R.T. (15), who was detained on 22 March, was released to be tried without remand. Aytaç Ayhan, Hasret Tusun, Burhan Aytaç, Behçet Güngör, Sinan Sümer, Dilek Karahan, Hatice Özüç and Nihat Firat, who were detained in connection with the Newroz celebrations in Ankara, were arrested on 24 March. (Milliyet)
Attack against DEHAP Premises... A group of rightists attacked DEHAP premises in Üsküdar district of Istanbul on 22 March. According to the announcement by DEHAP a group of persons who attended the meeting organised in connection with the burning of Turkish flag during Newroz celebrations in Mersin got into the DEHAP premises, damaged the furniture and broke the windows. The attacker allegedly went to MHP district organisation after the incident. The windows of the DEHAP premises in Eskisehir were broken on the same day. (Özgür Gündem)
Incident at the UniversityŠ On 24 March a quarrel broke out between the rightist students and the students who are the supporters of TKP at Marmara University. Four students were wounded during the incident. (Sabah)
Detentions and Arrests... The writer Necmiye Alpay was detained on the in Diyarbakir where she went for a conference under the title "Cultural Diverity, Lingual Diversity" co-organized by Pen and Kurdish Pen. He was detained on 24 March at 5am in the hotel she was spending the night on the allegations that there was an arrest warrant against her. She was released at 10am on the grounds that there was a mistake since the old criminal records were not erased. (Radikal)
Clashes and Attacks in the Southeast... According to an announcement by HPG one officer and 7 privates were killed on 22 March during a clash on Cudi Mountain nearby Sirnak. (Özgür Gündem)
March 24, 2005
Extra-Judicial ExecutionŠ On 22 March Hakkari Heavy Penal Court continued to hear the case against the non-commissioned officer Murat Sener in connection with the killing of Fevzi Can nearby Örencik hamlet in Ortaklar village in Semdinli district of Hakkari on 30 November 2004. The court refused the demand of the lawyers acting as sub-plaintiff for the investigation of the place of incident and Can's clothes by the Forensic Institute. The hearing was adjourned to 10 May. (Özgür Gündem)
Torture TrialŠ On 22 March Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 5 started to hear the case against 2 police officers launched on charges of torturing Sezai Karakus, who had been detained on the allegations of "being member of Kongra-Gel" on 28 September 2004 and had committed suicide on 22 November 2004 in Tekirdag F-type Prison. Selim Okçuoglu, lawyer of Sezai Karakus stressed the fact that the defendants did not attend the hearing and demanded the defendants to be taken to the next hearing by police. The court decided to write a letter to Istanbul Security Directorate for bringing the defendants to the hearing. (Özgür Gündem)
Killing of JuvenileŠ The village guard Ahmet Dinç, villagers Abdurrahim Dinç and Hasan Dinç were arrested on 22 March in connection with the killing of the juvenile Selahattin Günbay on 19 March in Düzce village Nusaybin distrcit (Mardin). (Özgür Gündem)
Journalist Beaten... Ümit Kiliç, Ardahan correspondent of Dogan News Agency, was heavily beaten by Ufuk Çimsit, Bülent Karaçay and Nemli Çimsit, headman of Akçakale, on 22 March. Kiliç was sent to Kars State Hospital after the diagnosis celebral hemorrage. Kiliç's left arm is reportedly broken. Ümit Kiliç announced that he might have attacked in connection with his news about illegality in distributing aids to farmers and the photo he took while Çildir Security Director Arif Senal was hunting although hunting was banned. (Milliyet)
Newroz CelebrationsŠ Two persons who were detained on the allegations that they carried the poster of Abdullah Öcalan during Newroz celebration in Ankara were arrested on 22 March. 31 persons in Diyarbakir, 28 persons in Istanbul, 26 persons in Izmir, 6 persons in Eskisehir, 3 persons in Konya were detained. A clash broke out between the police and the demonstrators during the Newroz celebration in Kadifekale quarter of Izmir on 21 March. Three police cars and a vehicle of a local TV channel were damaged. 18 of the 23 persons who were detained on 20 March during the Newroz celebrations in Mersin were arrested on 22 March. Meanwhile the juveniles V.S. and C.S. who allegedly burned the Turkish flag during the celebrations were detained on 23 March. Demonstrations were organized in various cities mostly by followers of MHP and members of Idealists' Unions in connection with this incident. Member of Newroz Organization Committee in Mersin Nebi Sahin told the followings in connection with the incident: "I started to walk to home after signing the minutes certifying that the demonstration passed without incident. I saw a group was marching. A person aged around 25-30 having a flag went towards the group. The group and this person started to quarrel and the flag fell down. One of the children took the flag and threw it to the ground." (Cumhuriyet-Özgür Gündem)
Armed Attack in HazroŠ After the incidents broke out on 21 March in Hazro district of Diyarbakir, three more houses belonging to the relatives of Hamit Ergin, mayor of Hazro, were allegedly set on fire. On 23 March Hazro Peace Penal Court issued arrest warrants against Hamit Ergin and Azad Ergin. Azad and Hamit Ergin were reportedly put in the convict wards in the hospital. Azad Ergin was reportedly arrested on the allegations of "killing Mehmet Karakas" and Hamir Ergin was arrested for "inciting his brother to kill". Ergin's lawyer Fuat Cosacak announced that they would object the decision of arrest on the grounds that it was issued before testifying. (Özgür Gündem)
Refugees DiedŠ On 22 March a boat carrying refugees from Ayvalik district of Balikesir to Lesbos island of Greece sank. Two Mauritanian citizens died, eight Iranian citizens and a Mauritanian citizen were saved. (Hürriyet)
Clashes and Attacks in the SoutheastŠ According to the announcement of HPG a soldier was reportedly killed during the clash broke out in the area between Aricak district of Elazig and Dicle district of Diyarbakir on 20 March. (Özgür Gündem)
March 22, 2005
Killed VillagersŠ Parliamentary Human Rights Commission announced the report prepared in connection with the killing of the villagers Kenan Çubukçu and Olcay Bayrak, and wounding of Selahattin Çubukçu and Ismail Sari on 17 September 2004 nearby Elmaçukur village of Siran district (Gümüshane). The report prepared by AKP MP for Diyarbakir Cavit Torun and CHP MP for Diyarbakir Mesut Deger includes the following findings: "PKK has never organized a terrorist action in the region and nobody has have a relation with the organization. The news saying that 'there will be terrorist actions in the region' is not true. The incident was shown as if happened at 22.30 although it happened around at 20.00-20.30 in the evening. 40 minutes later than the operation they opened fire one time by the shotgun the villagers in order to show as if "the villagers opened fire first and the operation upon this fire". (Yeni Safak)
Armed Attack in HazroŠ An Armed attack broke out in Hazro district of Diyarbakir between the relatives of the former and current mayors in connection with "dismissal of workers from municipality". One person was killed while three persons were wounded. Curfew imposed in the district where two houses were set to fire. According to the news gathered Abit Çiçek, relative of former mayor Recep Dolan, was fired from his job. On 21 March Dolan's relatives encountered with mayor Hamit Ergin and his relatives at the district centre. The quarrel between them turned into an armed clash after a while. Mehmet Karakas from the Dogan family died, mayor Hamit Ergin, his brother Azad Ergin and his relative Veysi Daskesen were wounded. Some two hours later than the incident houses of two relatives of the mayor were set to fire. After these incidents curfew imposed in the district. On the other hand, according to the news appeared on the daily Özgür Politika some relatives of Dolan encountered Hamit Ergin on 20 March at the district centre and reportedly cursed at him and opened fire into air. Police reportedly raided Hamit Ergin's house in the evening upon the complaint of Dolan family. According to the news, On 21 March mayor Hamit Ergin and his brother Azad Ergin were subjected to armed attack in a cafe where they stopped by while they were going to municipality on 21 March. Armed clash started upon this incident. Ergin made an announcement after having taken to hospital: "Former mayor Recep Dolan and his relatives opened fire on us while we were sitting in the cafe. Particularly Recep Dogan shot me. Upon this my relatives responded. I was wounded like my brother and my cousin Veysi Daskesen. A bullet came into my arm and got out from my back. My brother's legs were wounded. Mehmet Karakas died during the clash. We were taken to District Gendarmerie Commandership just after the incident. They did not take us to a clinic for security reasons. We were taken here after the first intervention of the military doctor. Mehmet Karakas was taken to the hospital too. The number of the wounded persons was said to be higher." (Sabah-Özgür Gündem)
Death in DetentionŠ Güven Karakus (21), who was detained on the grounds that "he escaped from the army", died in Çaycuma (Zonguldak) Gendarmerie Station. Karakus allegedly hung himself to the window of the toilet in the custody. Karakus was in Balikesir for his military service and came to his hometown Karapinar (town of Çaycuma district of Zonguldak) after escaping on 5 March. He was reportedly detained by the gendarmerie. (Sabah)
Newspaper ConfiscatedŠ Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No12 confiscated the newspaper Ülkede Özgür Gündem on 20 March in connection with the news titled "Öcalan announces his democratic project at Newroz - Confederalism is Declared Today". The decision was taken according to the Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law and Article 25/2 of the Law on Press on the grounds that "the articles, news and pictures on the pages 1 and 6 include propaganda for an illegal organization". Police raided Gün Printing House on 19 March at 16.30 and asked the newspaper dated 20 March. They seized the papers while they were being printed. (BIA)
Newroz CelebrationsŠ Newroz celebrations held in various cities on 21 March passed without incident. A police officer was slightly wounded during the clash between police and a group who closed the road to traffic in 19 Mayis quarter of Adana. A person who was carrying the poster of Abdullah Öcalan was detained during the celebrations in Konya. Lezgin Asan, Nezir Baskak, Ozan Bekçi, Vedat Geyikogullari, Ferhan Alkan, Erdogan Bayhan, Necmettin Çeçen, Diren Yalçin and Kiymet Toprak, who were detained during the operations conducted in Mersin before the Newroz celebrations, were arrested on 21 March. Many persons including the correspondent with Dicle News Agency (DIHA) Erhan Sahin were reportedly detained during the Newroz celebrations in Eskisehir on 20 March. Erhan Sahin was released on 21 March but his camera was seized. (Milliyet-Özgür Gündem)
Detentions and ArrestsŠ Sait Üçlü, who was detained on the allegations that "there was an arrest warrant in absentia against him", was arrested on 21 March. Sait Üçlü had been arrested in 1981 for "leading being of PKK" and released in March 2001. (Özgür Gündem)
March 21, 2005
Child Killed... Selahattin Günbay (13) was reportedly killed by village guards on 19 March nearby Düzce village of Nusaybin district in Mardin. Selahattin Günbay, his relative Zeki Günbay (12) and Seyithan Gürkan were grazing the animals on the day of incident. According to the news gathered the village guards from Kayadibi village warned them not to graze the animals on that pasture and fired afterwards. Zeki Günbay and Seyithan Gürkan were wounded. The children were allegedly attacked by H.D., I.D., I.D., A.D. and M.D. (21 March, Radikal-Özgür Gündem)
Trial on Death in Custody... On 18 March, Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 2 continued to hear the case against the police officers Ibrahim Dedeoglu, Sadi Çayli, Hasan Cavit Orhan and Süleyman Sinkil in connection with the death in custody of student Birtan Altinbas on 16 January 1991. The defendant Hasan Cavit Orhan said that he would present important evidences at the next hearing that was adjourned to 29 April. Orhan tried to take the camera of the correspondent of daily Milliyet Serdar Özsoy who wanted to take a photo and cursed at him. 1st Chamber of Court of Cassation had quashed in December 2004 the verdict against four police off
