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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Avril 2005 April N° 320 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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L'intervention de Dogan Özgüden sur le génocide arménien Ankara lance une nouvelle campagne
négationniste encore plus agressive
Toutes les informations depuis 1998
All informations since 1998
Informations de ce mois...
Informations of this month...Droits de l'Homme / Human Rights
Ankara condamnée pour violations des libertés d'expression et de réunion
La Turquie a été condamnée mardi par la Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme (CEDH) pour violation de la liberté d'expression et violation de la liberté de réunion dans deux affaires distinctes.
La CEDH a donné raison à Bulent Falakaoglu, un ancien rédacteur en chef du quotidien Yeni Evrensel, inculpé pour propagande séparatiste après la publication, en mars 2000, d'un article portant un regard critique sur la question kurde.
Il avait été condamné en 2002 à une peine de deux ans de prison, convertie par la suite en une amende d'environ 1.050 EUR pour "incitation du peuple à la haine fondée sur une race et une région".
La Cour a estimé que les motifs retenus n'étaient pas "suffisants pour justifier l'ingérence dans le droit du requérant à la liberté d'expression" et condamné la Turquie à lui verser 1.000 EUR pour dommage martériel et 3.000 EUR pour dommage moral pour violation de l'article 10 (droit à la liberté d'expression).
La CEDH a par ailleurs jugé que la dissolution du Parti de la Démocratie et de l'Evolution (DDP) en 1996 constituait une violation de l'article 11 (droit à la liberté d'expression). Créé en 1995 pour promouvoir le développement de la langue kurde, le DDP avait été dissous par les autorités turques au motif que son programme "était de nature à à porter atteinte à l'intégrité territoriale de l'Etat et à l'unité de la nation".
La Cour de Strasbourg a estimé que le DDP avait été dissous "sur la seule base de son programme, avant même d'avoir pu entamer ses activités" et qu'"en l'absence de projet politique de nature à compromettre le régime démocratique dans le pays", sa dissolution ne pouvait pas "être considérée comme répondant à +un besoin social impérieux+". Elle a décidé d'allouer 4.316 EUR conjointement aux deux requérants pour frais et dépens. (AFP, 26 avril 2005)
New Criminal Law Threatens Human Rights
"New Criminal Code should be certainly amended if Turkey would escape from the prospect of facing an inflation of journalists in prison," says the Head of Turkey Journalists' Association Orhan Erinç.
Erinç's comments came after two meetings of the Working Group, assembled by the Ministry of Justice in 13-16 April, in order to review the Criminal Code with an eye to the criticisms that it is restrictive of freedom of press.
The Criminal Code of Turkey was amended on 12 October 2004 as a part of the legal harmonization process for Turkey's EU accession bid. Replacing the former code after 78 years in force the new code alongside appraisals for progressive amendments was also sharply criticized for violating fundamental civil rights and freedoms.
In spite of original legislation that the New Code should go under effect on 1 April it, particularly due to Foreign Ministry's efforts, was postponed for two months in order to reconsider loud "negative reactions by the media and the NGOs".
However, according to reports the government was also warned by the Court of Appeals that certain high priority fraud cases would inevitably be dropped with the legal blind spots to be caused in the interim period.
The Head of the Journalists' Association Erinç is of the opinion that the Working Group's meetings were unfruitful particularly due to the non-compromising attitudes of the advisors from the Ministry of Justice.
Apparently the efforts for abolishing the legal notion of "crimes of thought" failed Erinç says. Yet, punishments for petty crimes such as fraud and corruption have received further reduction, he observes.
The Federation of International Journalists (FIJ) also criticizes the New Code in an April open letter to Turkish authorities that 25 articles of the Code curbs the rights and freedoms of journalists of Turkey.
Erinç points out that the advisors from the Ministry of Justice continue to ignore the importance of this matter. He underlines that modifications are required in the New Criminal Code for saving Turkey from topping the list of countries with most imprisoned journalists.
Erinç believes that the New Criminal Code is against both the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and the 10th article of the European Convention on the Human Rights. Moreover, Erinç says that decision of the European Council Committee of Ministers on encouraging the public officials and the politicians for behaving more tolerantly towards issues regarding communications and freedom of information.
The Head of the Journalists' Association added that they hope that Turkey will relieve itself of the concept of crimes of thought and trail along the efforts to become a European Union member by making the necessary amendments in along EU guidelines. (BIA, April 22, 2005)
AI Calls for Retrial of Torturers in Turkey
Amnesty International calls for Turkey's Court of Appeal to urgently re-examine the case of four police officers acquitted of the torture and rape of two teenage girls.
"This trial has already taken over four years and has been postponed more than 30 times," said James Logan, researcher on Turkey at Amnesty International. "For it to be dismissed at this stage over an entirely bogus technicality is abominable. Justice has not been served."
The police officers had been charged with subjecting Nazime Ceren Salmanoglu, then 16 years old, and Fatma Deniz Polattas, then 19 years old, to horrific torture including rape with serrated objects, beatings, suspension by the arms, and forced "virginity tests" in early March 1999.
The women say they were also denied food and drink, prevented from sleeping or using the toilet, and forced to strip and remain naked in a cold room. Confessions regarding their membership in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) obtained during the torture, were used to sentence both women to long prison terms. Nazime Ceren Salmanoglu was released at the end of last year under changes made to the Turkish penal code. Fatma Deniz Polattas is still in prison.
The court today dismissed the case against the police officers because of "insufficient evidence", based on the General Board of the Forensic Medical Institute's assessment that the psychiatric reports submitted did not constitute valid evidence.
According to Amnesty International, This is unacceptable for several reasons.
* "First and most critically because at least one of the doctors on the Board had previously received disciplinary punishment for covering up torture.
* "In addition, many members of the Board are not specialists in these types of cases, and in any case an expert committee from the Institute had previously determined that this evidence was indeed valid."
Extraordinary delays have marked the judicial proceedings from the outset and only after extensive psychiatric evaluations corroborated the allegations did the trial finally begin on 14 April 2000. The court then waited 28 months for medical reports to be forwarded from Turkey's Forensic Medical Institute.
Amnesty International urges the Court of Appeals to reverse this decision to allow investigations and prosecution to take place and bring those responsible for these violent crimes to justice.
"The Turkish justice system has failed victims of human rights violations once again," said James Logan. "If the Court allows this decision to stand, it will be sending the clearest message yet that the state sanctions violence and brutality committed by police and security officers." (BIA, April 25, 2005)
Three IHD officials received death threats
Three members of the Human Rights Association (IHD) have received death threats, and Amnesty International believes they are in grave danger.
Eren Keskin is head of the organization's Istanbul branch. Saban Dayanan is its secretary, and Dogan Genç is a coordinator of the IHD's activities in the Marmara region, which includes Istanbul.
All three received threatening letters at their home and work addresses on 19 April, from an ultra-nationalist group called the Turkish Revenge Brigade (Türk Intikam Tugayi). This group claimed responsibility for an armed attack in 1998 on the then IHD president, Akin Birdal, in which he was critically wounded.
Recently there has been a surge of ultra-nationalist activity in Turkey, after a group of children attempted to burn a Turkish flag in the city of Mersin, south-eastern Turkey on 21 March. This incident sparked off nationwide demonstrations across the country to show support for the Turkish flag. Turkey's most senior military officer described the perpetrators as "so-called citizens". On 6 April, five activists distributing leaflets in the northern city of Trabzon, protesting against solitary confinement and isolation in Turkey's prisons, were reportedly nearly lynched by a mob who thought they were burning a Turkish flag. There have been a number of similar incidents throughout Turkey since then.
The letters from the Turkish Revenge Brigade refer to the flag-burning, and say that every provision must be made to protect the Turkish flag, "...a symbol of a nation's history written with blood...". They also refer to the May 1998 attempt by the Turkish Revenge Brigade to assassinate Akin Birdal, who was shot and critically injured by two members of the group, at the IHD headquarters in Istanbul. The letters say that the recipients may not be as lucky as he was to survive.
Eren Keskin has been receiving death threats for years. These increased when she represented Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the armed opposition group the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). (For details see UA 92/01, EUR 44/022/2001 and follow-up.) She has been prosecuted many times for her activities in defence of human rights. Most recently, on 5 April a court in the eastern town of Tunceli sentenced her to five months' imprisonment for a speech she had made in November 2002, to a conference in the town on "The Role of Women in Society". In her speech she had said that, in her opinion, torture in Turkey was systematic, and that all female inmates were subjected at some point to some form of sexual harassment while in prison. The sentence was handed down in accordance with Article 159 of the Turkish Penal Code for "insulting and belittling the Turkish state and its security forces" and was subsequently converted to a fine of 1,050 New Turkish Lira (about US$770). Saban Dayanan was stabbed by a man who forced his way into the IHD's Istanbul office in November 2001, armed with a pistol and a knife, and threatened to kill everyone working there. (AI, 20 April 2005)
HRW Raises Concerns for Threats against IHD officials
New York based international rights group Human Rights Watch Express concern for recent death-threats directed against staff of the Istanbul branch of the Turkish Human Rights Association.
Human Rights Association Istanbul branch officials Wednesday made a press statement that they received messages threatening their lives undersigned by Turkish Revenge Brigade (TIT). A shadowy organization linked to the extreme right, the organization had during late 1970s civil strifes assumed the assassinations of left wing intellectuals and activists.
In a public letter addressed to the president of Turkey, and copied to relevant ministries, Rachel Denber Acting Executive DirectorEurope and Central Asia division of the HRW calls for "investigation of the threats, government measures to protect the human rights defenders, and a public statement affirming the positive role of human rights organizations in Turkey's developing society".
In their public letter, "the threats deserve an urgent and convincing official response," HRW says.
HRW recalls that "extrajudicial killings and disappearances have claimed the lives of thirteen members of the Human Rights Association over the past 14 years."
"It is not clear to what extent the Turkish Revenge Brigade is a continuous and distinct organization, but certainly several fatal and near-fatal attacks have been carried out in its name," they say.
"These include the murders of parliamentary deputy Mehmet Sincar and the journalist Ferhat Tepe in 1993, and the attack on Akin Birdal, president of the Human Rights Association in 1998. These same members of the Istanbul branch of the HRA who have just received threatening letters had narrowly escaped an armed attack by a lone gunman in 2001.
Human Rights Watch calls on the Turkish president "to ensure that these threats are investigated urgently by the Istanbul prosecution service." (BIA News Center, April 21, 2005)
Grave concerns on protecting the torturers at trial proceedings
A trial of police officers in Turkey accused of the torture and rape of two teenagers is to resume on Friday 22 April. The two young women have still not received justice six years after the judicial process first began. Amnesty International has serious concerns about the proceedings and will send observers to monitor the trial.
"The repeated delays have called into question the ability of the courts to bring suspected perpetrators of human rights violations to justice," said Amnesty International. "The Turkish authorities must take steps to ensure that all allegations of torture are immediately investigated thoroughly, independently and impartially, and any perpetrators are brought swiftly to justice."
Nazime Ceren Salmanoglu, then 16 years old, and Fatma Deniz Polatta_, then 19 years old, were detained by police officers and taken to the Anti-Terror Branch of Police Headquarters in Iskenderun in early March 1999. They say they were subjected to horrific torture including rape, beatings, suspension by the arms as well as forced "virginity tests" by doctors. The "confessions" obtained under this torture provided the basis for sentencing the women to long prison terms.
There is an increasing risk that the case will reach the statute of limitations -- in this case seven and a half years - and charges against the suspects will be dropped. Amnesty International is also calling on the Turkish government to remove the statute of limitations in cases of serious human rights violations such as torture and killings by the security forces.
From the start obstacles have impeded the case's progress. State doctors' reports initially covered up the torture, which led the prosecutor to decide there were no grounds for a trial to be opened. Extensive psychiatric evaluations subsequently corroborated the allegations of torture, so that the prosecutor's decision was overturned. The trial finally began on 14 April 2000, but then the court waited 28 months for medical reports to be forwarded from Turkey's Forensic Medical Institute.
This is not the first time the Turkish justice system has failed victims of human rights violations, particularly where police officers stand accused of torture and other abuse. In November last year Amnesty International highlighted several other cases in which, despite the Turkish government's declaration of 'zero tolerance for torture', the courts were unwilling or unable to take action.
For background information please see press releases Turkey: Kurdish girls raped and sexually abused in police custody,19 November 1999, and Turkey: Insufficient and inadequate -- judicial remedies against torturers and killers,16 November 2004. (AI Index, 21 April 2005)
Deux bombes explosent devant des locaux d'un parti d'extrême-droite
Deux bombes de faible puissance ont explosé samedi soir devant les locaux du Parti de l'action nationaliste (MHP, extrême-droite) à Sakarya (nord-ouest de la Turquie) et Istanbul, causant des dégâts et blessant légèrement une personne, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.
Une première bombe à explosé à 19H35 (16H35 GMT) à Sakarya, soufflant la porte d'entrée et les vitres d'un local appartenant au MHP, suivie par une deuxième explosion à 20H20 (17H20 GMT) devant le bureau du MHP à Kadikoy, un quartier de la rive orientale d'Istanbul, qui a fait un blessé léger, selon Anatolie.
"Il a été établi que l'engin explosif était une bombe assourdissante. Il n'y a eu que des dégâts matériels", a affirmé le chef de la police de Sakarya, Mustafa Aydin, cité par l'agence.
"Le fait qu'une explosion similaire ait eut lieu à la même heure à Istanbul indique qu'il s'agit d'une opération organisée", a poursuivi M. Aydin. (AFP, 17 avril 2005)
L'anthologie poétique en hommage aux prisonniers politiques en Turquie
Le 8 avril dernier, a eu lieu à Bruxelles une soirée de "Chants et poésies" pour la liberté d¹environ 4500 prisonniers politiques détenus en Turquie. Ceux-ci agonisent jour après jours dans d¹aberrantes conditions de détention et sous l¹indifférence des autorités du pays.
Cette activité, qui fut organisée par le Comité Tayad, le Collectif Européen contre l¹Impunité au Chili, et le Collectif Rodriguiste chilien, a réuni un vaste éventail de poètes du monde de la gauche alternative provenant du Canada et de pays latino-américains. Parmi eux, Elias Letelier, Endré Farkas, Laura Ciancaglini,, Isabel Lipthay, María del Socorro Soto et Cesar Castillo.
Ces poètes, en tournée européenne, viennent de publier "Chant à un prisonnier", une anthologie de poètes américains en hommage aux prisonniers politiques de Turquie. Pour plus d¹information vous pouvez visiter la page http://www.presos.com .
A cette occasion, ont étés soulevés face à une centaine de personnes : le problème de l¹impunité au Chili, celui des prisonniers politiques et la question de la campagne de solidarité au tour de la consigne "Non à l¹extradition, Oui au refuge politique " de Galvarino Apablaza, arrêté récemment en Argentine.
Nous reproduisons ci-dessous frd rctraits de l'entretien que le poète chilien Elias Letelier-Ruz a accordé à Bahar Kimyongür, coordinateur de leur tournée en Europe:
Quelle a été votre motivation pour la publication d'une telle anthologie ?
Sur notre continent, il y a un manque d'information sur la Turquie, et dans ce cadre, nous avons considéré nécessaire de faire un pont entre nos différentes sociétés et cultures en lutte. Spécialement quand la lutte du peuple turc ressemble tellement à la lutte que nous avons eue en Amérique latine, de part la fierté de ces femmes et hommes qui s'organisent pour défendre leur droit à vivre avec dignité et en paix.
Et pourquoi avez-vous spécifiquement choisi de parler des prisonniers politiques de Turquie?
On voit avec douleur, le silence qui recouvre l'Amérique à ce sujet. Un silence qui ne touche pas seulement notre historique devoir internationaliste mais aussi notre devoir avec nous-mêmes. Vous savez, nous avons des milliers de prisonniers politiques en Amérique latine: au Pérou, au Chili, en Argentine, en Colombie, au Brésil etc. Et sur eux retombe un grand silence aussi. Mais à notre angoisse s'ajoute l'ignominieuse conduite du gouvernement turc qui a développé un programme machiavélique selon une méthode behaviouriste destinée à l'élimination psychophysique de l'individu. Par cette méthode basée sur l'isolement aujourd'hui connue sous le nom de "prisons de type F", le gouvernement essaie de détruire l'esprit et l'identité d'une lutte qui, au-delà de la mort, a clairement manifesté son irréductibilité. On a aujourd'hui, un enchaînement de victimes, de héros, d'exemples qui ont laissé leur vie dans les grèves de la faim. Il est important d'établir et ici, il faut le dire avec une grande fermeté, ma radicale opposition à la grève de la faim. C'est une désolation énorme de voir ces êtres humains célébrer la vie pour la vie jusqu'à la mort. Leur courage et leur volonté de défendre leurs principes jusqu'au décès est incommensurable. Je suis convaincu que ces êtres humains aimaient la vie avec une grande profondeur. Mais bien sûr, une vie digne. Et avec cette même dignité, ils se sont battus en devenant un point de référence et un modèle dans une lutte pour laquelle il faut continuer à rêver afin d'arrêter l'injustice. C'est très difficile de parler de ces personnes. On peut le faire du point de vue scientifique, médical ou émotionnel. Et sans doute, on ne peut aboutir qu'à une seule conclusion : leur courage surpasse toute notion de volonté humaine. Il faut être très conscient de ses idées pour les défendre ainsi. Nous comme poètes, nous avons pour seule option et ça c'est l'option qu'ils nous laissent, de transformer leur résistance en un chant à travers la poésie. C'est notre seul moyen de contrer un système social dégradant qui impose la mort aux êtres humains porteurs des rêves et pour qui il est interdit de rêver de liberté. Il est important d'établir que l'Etat est responsable de ces décès, qu'il faut le condamner pour ses exécutions parce que cela, c'est un génocide contre l'idée.
L'anthologie que nous avons publié est un ouvrage composé de 94 poètes et leur vers sont des chants d'amour destinés à dire de tous les coins de l'Amérique, " nous sommes ici et nous vous écoutons " mais aussi pour exprimer notre tristesse à l'égard du grand silence et de la désolation qui touche les peuples de Turquie. Aussi, nous saluons une résistance où le peuple, au milieu de la nuit, ouvre les yeux pour faire fuir ce que l'Etat nie. Quel courage! (Tayad Komite-Bruxelles, 15 avril 2005)
Un membre de HÖC assassiné par des agresseurs d'extrême-droite à Gazi
Le 8 avril au soir, un militant du Front pour les droits et les libertés (HÖC), Esat Atmaca, 26 ans, a été assassiné à coups de couteaux par 5 agresseurs d'extrême-droite, dans le quartier de Gazi à Istanbul où il habitait.
Esat Atmaca travaillait au sein du personnel de sécurité de l'hôpital pédiatrique de Sisli à Istanbul.
Ces derniers jours, à Trabzon dans le nord-est de la Turquie, des membres de TAYAD ont été roués de coups et lynchés par une foule galvanisée par les médias, l'état-major de l'armée et les partis politiques sous prétexte que ces activistes auraient brûlé le drapeau turc alors qu'ils ne faisaient que distribuer des tracts dénonçant la situation des détenus politiques dans les prisons de type F.
De pareilles actes de lynchage visant les membres de TAYAD se sont également produits à Sakarya, Zonguldak, Samsun, Hopa et Eskisehir.
Malgré cette vague de terreur, la population de Gazi a réagi immédiatement en se regroupant devant l'hôpital où se trouvait Esat Atmaca, en manifestant sa colère aux cris de "Gazi sera la tombe du fascisme", "Nous allons noyer le fascisme dans le sang qu'il a versé".
La population du quartier s'est rendue à l'endroit où se réunissaient les assassins. Après avoir vidé le lieu, ils y ont bouté le feu et ont ainsi démontré leur détermination à défendre le quartier contre la terreur fasciste.
Depuis des années, une politique de déstabilisation du quartier de Gazi, fort d'une longue tradition révolutionnaire, est mise en place.
Le 12 mars 1995, les unités de la contre-guérilla et les "loups gris" avaient perpétré un massacre dans le quartier de Gazi qui donna lieu à une bataille de barricades de plusieurs jours contre l'armée et la police. Plusieurs dizaines de manifestants furent tués et de nombreux militants furent enlevés puis exécutés par la contre-guérilla.
Par la suite, les milices fascistes assistées par les services secrets ont régulièrement tenté d'introduire de la drogue et des nights clubs dans le quartier, de créer des tensions parmi les habitants et d'amener les différentes communautés à entrer en conflit.
Malgré cela, Gazi ne cède pas et a encore une fois montré sa lucidité et sa détermination à travers sa réaction face aux attaques fascistes appuyées par l'Etat turc. (HÖC Info, 13 avril 2005)
Nationalist Violence Spreads to other cities
Seven activists of northwestern town of Sakarya Youth Association were Tuesday attacked by a group of 30 when they made a public declaration to "end provocations", protesting against rising nationalist violence across the country.
The activists particularly referred to attempted lynching of the members of TAYAD (Association of Solidarity of the Families of the Imprisoned and the Convicts) in northern town of Trabzon last week.
Five members of TAYAD, who distributed leaflets to protest against maximum security prisons, hardly survived a mob lynch when yet unidentified persons provoked the people against the activists, charging them with "burning the national flag". City police forces hardly rescued the activists from the hands of the enraged mob in an armored carrier.
Tension remains in Trabzon
Meanwhile, tension remains in Trabzon, the biggest Black Sea port city. Albeit five activists have been arrested under charges of "instigating disturbances", TAYAD members have continued protest on Monday, yet facing a second lynch attempt raged with the slogans of "Trabzon is Turkish and will remain Turkish". Four activists were injured.
Hüseyin Yavuzdemir, governor of Trabzon accuses the members of TAYAD with disturbing the public order. The governor also demanded that the people of Trabzon remain calm. Meanwhile, a four people investigative delegation from the Human Rights Commission of the Grand National Assembly was sent to Trabzon. The delegation interviewed the jailed TAYAD members and issued a statement declaring that "Distributing pamphlets is a democratic right".
Nevertehless, the lynching attempts were cherished by some columnists of Trabzon local media, who preached that "Taking lives are sacred and justified in certain cases". (BIA News Center, April 13, 2005)
Des intellectuels s'inquiètent de la montée du nationalisme en Turquie
Quelque 200 personnalités turques, dans une lettre ouverte rendue publique lundi, s'inquiétent d'une montée du nationalisme en Turquie qui, selon elles, pourrait engendrer une recrudescence des tensions entre turcs et kurdes.
"Nous constatons que l'on tente d'entraver par de récents événements le processus de paix et de démocratisation dans notre pays. Nous craignons un retour à la violence et à une atmosphère de combat", ont affirmé les signataires du texte.
Celui-ci signé par des ONG, académiciens, écrivains, journalistes, artistes et musiciens, fait référence à une tentative de lynchage la semaine dernière par une foule survoltée de 2.000 personnes à Trabzon (nord-est) de cinq militants qui distribuaient des tracts dans un marché en faveur des droits des détenus.
Les jeunes gens, pris par les commerçants et les passants pour des activistes kurdes après des rumeurs selon lesquelles ils auraient brûlé un drapeau turc, ont été sauvés in extremis par une intervention de la police et écroués pour atteinte à l'ordre public.
Un outrage par des adolescents kurdes à l'emblème national lors des célébrations du nouvel an kurde le 21 mars à Mersin (sud) a provoqué une fièvre nationaliste à travers la Turquie.
"Les réactions à cet incident perpétré par un groupe d'enfants ont dérapé, avec le soutien des établissements de l'Etat, vers le racisme et le nationalisme", regrettent les intellectuels, qui évoquent une "hystérie de masse engendrée par le nationalisme kurde et turc".
Les intellectuels demandent par ailleurs le limogeage immédiat d'un sous-préfet qui avait ordonné la saisie dans sa localité de Sutculer (sud-ouest) des romans de l'écrivan turc Orhan Pamuk, défrayant la chronique dans un pays qui aspire à intégrer l'Union européenne.
"Cette procédure rappelle la période nazie", précise le texte.
Dans un excès de zèle, le responsable, contrarié par des déclarations de l'écrivain en faveur des Arméniens, avait publié une circulaire avant que celle-ci soit annulée par son supérieur.
Pour respecter les normes européennes de démocratie, la Turquie a octroyé des droits culturels à la communauté kurde, estimé à quelque 10 millions de personnes.
Le respect des droits de l'Homme en Turquie est un enjeu majeur alors que l'Union européenne a décidé le 17 décembre d'ouvrir dès octobre 2005 des négociations d'adhésion avec Ankara. (AFP, 11 avril 2005)
Une deuxième tentative de lynchage à Trabzon
Les membres de l'Association TAYAD voulant faire une déclaration concernant le lynchage par des nationalistes de 5 membres de leur association, il y a 4 jours, ont failli être lynchés à leur tour.
Les 30 membres de l'association TAYAD qui s'étaient réunis sur la place Atatürk du quartier d'Iskender Pasa, afin de faire une déclaration à la presse concernant le lynchage de 5 de leur membre le 6 avril dernier alors qu?ils distribuaient des tracts, ont failli se faire lyncher à leur tour.
Lors de la conférence de presse, le groupe a été attaqué par des nationalistes suite à des provocations faites par des personnes aux alentours, en accusant le groupe TAYAD d?être des membres du PKK.
Le groupe a trouvé refuge dans l'immeuble utilisé par plusieurs syndicats liés au KESK.
Une autre attaque a eu lieue à Zonguldak.
Un étudiant nommé Hakan Koca a affirmé avoir été lynché par des étudiants nationalistes, à la faculté technique Karabük de l'université de Karaelmas.
Koca, dont les traces de coups étaient bien visible sur le visage, qui s'est rendu à la gendarmerie de la région afin de porter plainte, affirme n'avoir pas été entendu par les gendarmes, prétextant une fin lointaine à l'affaire, lui ont conseillé de ne pas courir derrière cette affaire.
Les réactions contre la vague de fascisme, qui a débuté par une provocation faite au tour du drapeau turc, a pris de l?ampleur par l?attaque perpétré contre l'immeuble du parti DEHAP et le lynchage des 5 membres de l'association TAYAD, continuent.
A Siirt, l'association de Soutien aux familles de prisonniers, les représentants du DEHAP ainsi que les représentants de l'Association des droits de l'homme ont organisé une conférence de presse commune devant l'immeuble de l'association des droits de l'homme afin des protester le lynchage des 5 membres de l'association TAYAD à Trabzon.
Les membres du front des droits fondamentaux et des libertés de la ville d'Elazig ainsi que les membres de l'association de la jeunesse de Dicle ont aussi protesté le lynchage des jeunes kurdes à Trabzon.
Des jeunes qui voulaient faire une déclaration à la presse pour protester le lynchage ont du renoncer à cause d'une tentative de provocation pouvant les mettre en danger. (roj.tv, 10 avril 2005)
La montée inquiétante d'un nationalisme paranoïaque en Turquie
Les avions de combat américains pilonnent Ankara et Istanbul. "Les bombardements intenses ont duré plus de quatre heures et il y a d'importantes pertes civiles. Les ponts sur le Bosphore sont coupés." La scène est supposée se passer en mai 2007. L'opération "Tempête de métal" vient de commencer et vise, entre autres, à s'emparer des très importants gisements turcs de bore. "L'occupation de la Turquie par les Etats-Unis", clame le sous-titre barrant la couverture du livre, un criard montage photographique de GI hurlants et de mosquées en flammes.
Sorti mi-décembre, Metal Firtina (Tempête de métal) pulvérise tous les records, dépassant déjà les 300 000 exemplaires. Du jamais vu dans un pays où un best-seller vend, dans les meilleurs cas, dix fois moins. "C'est de la politique fiction, mais ce roman évoque une théorie du possible et brise un tabou. Dans notre inconscient, ce sentiment était là depuis des années, mais nous n'osions pas l'admettre, car nous vivions dans la peur d'une crise ouverte avec les Etats-Unis", explique Burak Turna, 30 ans, journaliste économique et coauteur, avec Orkun Ucar, de ce succès de librairie. Le premier a apporté l'idée, l'autre, auteur et éditeur spécialisé en science-fiction, son savoir-faire. Le style est sommaire et la trame, manichéenne, débouche sur l'inévitable "happy end": la victoire d'Ankara après la déroute initiale de ses forces armées. Sur fond de tensions croissantes américano-turques depuis le début de la guerre en Irak, la recette marche à merveille. "Ce n'est pas un livre antiaméricain, mais un livre contre la politique de Bush qui précipite la région dans le chaos", se justifie Burak Turna, au diapason de ses concitoyens: selon un sondage de la BBC, 82 % des Turcs considèrent les Etats-Unis comme LA menace pour la paix mondiale, battant tous les records européens.
"Mein Kampf" réédité
Le livre trône partout. Il est en vitrine au fin fond de l'Anatolie dans des échoppes où même la presse nationale n'arrive pas régulièrement. On le voit dans les kiosques des aéroports comme dans les bonnes librairies d'Istanbul ou d'Ankara. "Il y a d'abord eu la curiosité. Maintenant, l'effet de mode fonctionne à plein", explique un libraire. Les intellectuels se pincent le nez mais beaucoup d'hommes politiques adorent, notamment ceux de l'AKP (Parti de la justice et du développement), le parti au pouvoir issu du mouvement islamiste dont certains ténors dénoncent sans trêve "le génocide" commis par les Américains en Irak. Les nationalistes de gauche ne sont pas en reste. Partout, les piles de Tempête de métal voisinent avec celles de Da Vinci Code, succès mondial de la théorie du complot, ou celles de Mein Kampf, le sinistre manifeste d'Adolf Hitler. Traduit la première fois en 1939, ce livre était régulièrement réédité par l'extrême droite avec des tirages confidentiels. Les nouvelles éditions ont dépassé les 50 000 exemplaires et mettent le titre en quatrième position des meilleures ventes. "Nous avons pensé que dans la période actuelle, le livre pourrait bien marcher", se justifie Sami Celik, propriétaire des éditions Emre assurant avoir obéi à des raisons "purement commerciales".
"Tempête de métal cristallise des peurs latentes mais réelles et Mein Kampf vient dans le sillage. L'un et l'autre sont les révélateurs d'un air du temps xénophobe et d'un nationalisme défensif, dépressif, toujours plus paranoïaque, nourri de ressentiments vis-à-vis des Etats-Unis et de l'Union européenne", souligne Ahmet Insel, professeur d'économie à l'université Galatasaray d'Istanbul et à Paris-I.
Les sondages montrent une opinion toujours massivement favorable à une future adhésion (seuls 12 % des Turcs y sont hostiles) et 43 % des personnes interrogées se déclarent "optimistes sur l'avenir". Mais dans les profondeurs de la société turque, les frustrations bouillonnent. Inquiètes pour l'image du pays, les autorités ont réagi au succès de Mein Kampf en rappelant "qu'il n'y a pas de tradition antisémite en Turquie". Avec une amère ironie, Türker Alkan, du quotidien libéral Radikal, souligne que "le fascisme turc n'a pas besoin de la technique allemande et ceux qui torturent dans les commissariats n'ont pas besoin de lire Mein Kampf". Dans le même journal, Haluk Shahin n'hésite pas à dénoncer les "Milosevic turcs". Le grand romancier Orhan Pamuk a récemment fait les frais du climat ambiant. Dans une interview à un journal suisse, il avait évoqué "le million de morts arméniens de 1915 et les 30 000 Kurdes tués dans les années 80-90". Dénoncé comme "traître" par la presse nationaliste, menacé, il a préféré s'éloigner quelque temps d'Istanbul.
"Il y a une part d'exagération médiatique, mais des sentiments antioccidentaux montent à cause de la campagne antiturque en Europe, et surtout du fait de la politique américaine en Irak", confirme Sefi Tashan, directeur de l'Institut de politique étrangère à Ankara. Longtemps pilier du flanc sud-est de l'Otan face au bloc soviétique, la Turquie vit des relations toujours plus conflictuelles avec Washington. Tout a commencé au printemps 2003, avec le refus du gouvernement de l'islamiste modéré Recep Tayyip Erdogan d'autoriser le déploiement de 80 000 GI pour ouvrir un front nord contre Saddam. Depuis, la polémique s'est envenimée. Ankara s'est montré réservé sur le résultat des élections irakiennes. La capitale turque reste l'un des derniers appuis du régime syrien. Les ténors des think tanks républicains d'outre-Atlantique dénoncent toujours plus ouvertement un pays "ingrat, antisémite et paranoïaque où monte l'islamisme".
Magasins "interdits aux Américains"
"Ce qui est nouveau dans cet antiaméricanisme et le rend si fort est le fait qu'il ne se limite plus aux franges de l'extrême droite ou des islamistes radicaux, mais qu'il est désormais partagé par une partie des élites et même par certains militaires", souligne Ahmet Insel. Les attaques dérapent facilement dans la dénonciation du "complot sioniste" et la presse ne se prive pas de rappeler à l'occasion les "origines ethniques" - c'est-à-dire juives - de l'ambassadeur américain Eric Edelman, qui a fini par démissionner à cause de ses relations exécrables avec les autorités locales.
L'antiaméricanisme est encore plus évident au niveau populaire, notamment dans la base de l'AKP. En janvier dernier, des affiches "interdit aux Américains" sont apparues sur les vitrines de nombreux magasins de Kale, le vieux quartier d'Ankara, avant d'être enlevées après une protestation de l'ambassade américaine. Dans les forums Internet, la parano explose. "Ils attaquent les pays musulmans voisins... Pourquoi nous épargneraient-ils?" clame un internaute sur l'un des sites de discussion les plus fréquentés.
"Les Turcs ont trop longtemps accepté sans réagir que les Etats-Unis se servent d'eux, mais ils refusent maintenant que Washington joue ouvertement la carte kurde au détriment de leurs intérêts", martèle Burak Turna. Les auteurs de Metal Firtina font démarrer la guerre turco-américaine en Irak du Nord, épicentre du contentieux, là où, protégés des Américains, les Kurdes irakiens consolident aujourd'hui leur autonomie. Ceux-ci sont en passe de prendre le contrôle de la ville de Kirkouk, dont les riches réserves pétrolières assureraient à un éventuel Etat kurde les moyens de son indépendance. Au risque de susciter l'hostilité en Turquie, où les Kurdes représentent environ 12 millions des 70 millions d'habitants du pays. S'inspirant directement de cette réalité, le livre contient tous les ingrédients à même de satisfaire les fantasmes locaux. On y trouve ainsi l'inévitable capitaliste ploutocrate qui convainc George Bush de se lancer dans l'aventure avec le soutien des chrétiens fondamentalistes qui veulent reconquérir Constantinople.
Les auteurs de Tempête de métal sont invités à des dizaines de débats celui organisé par l'AKP d'Istanbul a été annulé au dernier moment sur ordre du gouvernement soucieux de ne pas aggraver son contentieux avec Washington. Ils reçoivent des milliers de messages de félicitations. Les seules critiques leur reprochent d'avoir montré l'armée turque indécise, mal organisée et incapable de faire face...
Des Kurdes, agents américains
"L'antiaméricanisme existe partout en Europe, mais il faut être sourd et aveugle pour ne pas voir qu'en Turquie il est en train de nourrir un racisme antikurde qui va croissant", s'inquiète Cengiz Candar, intellectuel libéral. Car les Kurdes, considérés comme des agents américains, cristallisent désormais tous les ressentiments. Dans la revue Birikim, Tanil Bora, professeur de sciences politiques à Ankara, a analysé les messages circulant sur le Net, appels délirants à lancer "un nettoyage ethnique préventif" contre les Kurdes ou à utiliser contre eux "les armes de destruction massive". Le 21 mars, jour de Newroz (nouvel an des peuples d'Asie centrale), à Mersin, grand port du Sud, trois gosses ont tenté de brûler un drapeau turc, finalement sauvé par un policier. Cette provocation est devenue un psychodrame national. "Une telle détestation du drapeau par de prétendus citoyens est totalement inexplicable et injustifiable", a souligné un communiqué de l'état-major. Les grands médias ont aussitôt appelé les citoyens à exposer partout les couleurs nationales.
"L'hostilité manifestée par la Turquie vis-à-vis de ses citoyens kurdes ne peut que ralentir notre marche vers l'Europe", reconnaît, préoccupé, Cengiz Candar. Après avoir reçu un feu clignotant des "25" pour l'ouverture des négociations d'adhésion en octobre prochain, le gouvernement traîne dans la mise en oeuvre des réformes et Bruxelles dénonce toujours plus durement "ces retards". Dans les talk-shows télévisés, europhobes et souverainistes triomphent, dénonçant "l'hypocrisie des Européens" sinon leurs projets de dépeçage du pays. "Il faut qu'ils nous disent finalement clairement s'ils veulent ou non de nous dans l'Europe", affirme Burak Turna. Habile à sentir le vent, il est en train d'achever son prochain livre sur une guerre entre la Turquie... et l'UE. "Cela commence avec des massacres de Turcs sur fond de propagande raciste et néonazie en Europe", explique l'auteur qui veut ainsi "faire réfléchir les Européens comme il a tenté de faire réfléchir les Américains". Il est convaincu que ce sera le best-seller turc de l'été. (Liberation, Marc Semo, 6 avril 2005)
Attempted lynching in Trabzon over leaflet distribution
A mob in the Black Sea city of Trabzon tried to lynch four activists who were trying to distribute a declaration calling for an end to solitary confinement and isolation in Turkey's prisons and to stop related deaths on Wednesday.
Zeynep Ertugrul, representative of the journal Ekmek ve Adalet (Bread and Justice), Nurgül Acar, Emre Batur and Ihsan Özdil were attacked by a crowded group of people in Trabzon while they were distributing leaflets on 6 April.
According to the news gathered, a traffic police officer attempted to prevent four persons who were distributing leaflets in Kunduracilar Avenue. When Zeynep Ertugrul and her friends denied giving the leaflets they were attacked by the people around. The four persons started to run away but they were caught and heavily beaten by the crowd who followed them upon the allegation that "Tukish flag was burned" and the activists were putting up flags of the outlawed PKK.
Local police were forced to intervene to save the lives of the four when crowds gathered in a circle around them and tried to lynch the activists.
Despite calls to the crowd by authorities to calm down the police had to use armoured vehicle to get the activists away from the scene of the incident, which lasted for about an hour.
The crowd, carrying Turkish flags, then marched to the office of the Trabzon governor. They chanted slogans and sang the Turkish national anthem in front of the governor's office.
A statement issued by the local police station said that the four activists were not linked to the PKK but had been conducting activities to end the isolation of cells in prisons. The four activists were also wearing waistcoats calling for end isolation in prisons. (ntvmsnbc.com-Milliyet-TIHV, April 7, 2005)
La Turquie condamnée pour des détentions provisoires de plusieurs années
La Turquie a été condamnée mardi par la Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme dans deux affaires de personnes ayant passé quatre et cinq ans en détention provisoire.
Ali Hidir Polat, 45 ans, a été arrêté en mars 1996, inculpé et placé en détention provisoire pour appartenance à une organisation illégale (le Parti communiste marxiste-léniniste, MLKP) et participation à des actions armées visant au remplacement de l'Etat.
Après de multiples demandes de libération, il avait finalement été libéré après cinq ans et trois mois de détention provisoire, en juin 2001. La procédure pénale engagée contre lui est toujours pendante.
Nabi Kimran, 40 ans, a été arrêté en septembre 1996, inculpé et placé en détention provisoire pour appartenance et assistance au MLKP.
Il avait été libéré en juin 2001 après quatre ans et neuf mois de détention, avant d'être finalement condamné par la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat à 18 ans et neuf mois de prison (moins la durée de la détention provisoire).
Dans les deux cas, la Cour européenne a souligné que la justice turque avait prononcé le maintien en détention "en se fondant sur des formules presque toujours identiques, pour ne pas dire stéréotypées, telles +la nature du crime reproché+ et +l'état des preuves+".
La Cour européenne, reconnaissant que "l'existence et la persistance d'indices graves de culpabilité" peut constituer un facteur "pertinent", a estimé que cela ne pouvait suffire à justifier "le maintien en détention litigieuse pendant une si longue période".
La Turquie a ainsi été condamnée pour violation de l'article 5 paragraphe 3 (droit d'être aussitôt traduit devant un juge) de la Convention européenne des droits de l'Homme et devra verser pour dommage moral 4.000 euros à M. Polat et 3.500 euros à M. Kimran. (AFP, 5 avril 2005)
Soirée poétique en hommage aux prisonniers politiques de Turquie
Voilà près de 1630 jours que les prisonniers politiques de Turquie observent une grève de la faim au finish pour protester contre leurs conditions de détention inhumaines qui se sont significativement aggravées depuis leur transfert sanglant vers les prisons cellulaires de type F en décembre 2000.
A ce jour, 118 personnes ont perdu la vie des suites de leur jeûne ou des brutalités commises par les forces de 'sécurité' et près de 600 d'entre eux ont été mutilés des suites de l'alimentation forcée.
Durant le mois de mars, près d'une centaine de poètes américains du Nord, du Centre et du Sud se sont ligués pour dénoncer ce massacre silencieux en publiant une anthologie dédiée aux prisonniers grévistes de la faim et à leurs familles.
Six de ces poètes seront en tournée en Europe du 8 au 12 avril prochain pour exprimer leur solidarité à travers des lectures de poésie et des conférences de presse. Leur première escale se fera à Bruxelles où ils animeront une soirée exceptionnelle accompagnée d'instruments traditionnels anatoliens.
Nous vous invitons donc à venir nombreux à leur rencontre ce Vendredi 8 avril à 20h - Salle "de Rinck", Rue du Chapitre n°1 - 1070 Bruxelles (Anderlecht). Entrée libre.
(Contact: Marco Paulsen: 00 32 477 / 58 64 32; Bahar Kimyongür: 00 32 485 / 37 35 32)
Threatened Lawyer Charged with "Defamation"
Huseyin Aygun, former president of the Bar Association of southeast province of Tunceli is charged with "defamation" for his complaints about local gendarme command.
Journalists Irfan Ucar and Hasan Bayar are also charged for publishing Aygun's remarks in their newspaper.
The case was initiated following a complaint by the City Gendarme Captain Namik Dursun and will begin on May 13 at the Criminal Court of First Instance.
Aygun, in an interview with Bianet says that he has been charged charges were brought against him even though the statement he gave to the newspaper was published on February 26th.
Aygun, lawyer and the publisher of the newspaper Munzur Haber, had announced at a February 13 press conference at the Elazig Branch of the Human Rights Association that Gendarme Captain Dursun was threatening his life.
Aygun dates the recent attack began to February 3rd when the regiment commander made slanderous allegations towards himself and his profession.
Aygun says that he requested an appointment with the commander which took place on February 7th and the threat was repeated in person.
Lawyer Aygun, Executive Editor of the Ozgur Gundem Newspaper Irfan Ucar and Managing Editor Hasan Bayar will be tried according to article 424/4 of the Turkish Criminal Code and will be facing a sentence of 3 months to one year imprisonment and a fine. It has also been requested that one sixth of the sentence be increased one third according to
article 273 of the law.
The journalist and 14 others are being charged with "insulting and ridiculing the Republic" and "promoting criminal actions" for defending the right to education in the mother tongue during the 2002 Newroz celebrations.This trial where Aygun is specifically being charged with "criticizing practices in Turkey and Tunceli and leading chants" will continue.
Owner Aygun and administrator Inan Yilmaz of the "Munzur Haber" newspaper were also investigated for publishing a Human Right's Association report outlining military threats against village leaders in Hozat.
The journalists were being charged with "insult and ridicule" but the investigation was discontinued.
Journalists Aygun and Yilmaz were also reported by the City Gendarme Command for running a story titled "They Burnt My House Down". This complaint was also discontinued on January 12. (BIA News Center, April 1st, 2005)
Survey on Problems of Homosexuals in Turkey
Lambdaistanbul (The Homosexual Non-Governmental Initiative) will, for the first time in Turkey, conduct a survey about violence and discrimination against homosexuals and compile the results in a book.
Serdar Soydan from Lambdaistanbul said homosexuals will be responsible for all stages of the project, from preparing the questions to interpreting statistics.
"We are facing many social problems," said Soydan, "But there are no statistical data to prove this. Academics sometimes publish data but we find those to be partial".
The survey to be conducted face-to-face among 400 people in Istanbul, will take two months.
Lambdaistanbul is calling on people to participate in the survey to help reflect the enormity of the problems to the society:
"Let's have our voices heard by answering questions on the 'violence and problems we face,' survey. Let the outcome of the survey be our evidence. Let the society know about our problems. We are having our voices heard. Speak up!"
The following are the information Lambdaistanbul gave about the research:* The survey will be conducted face-to-face by gay, lesbian and bisexual Lambdaistanbul members.
* Women will conduct the survey among women, and men among men.
* The survey will take an hour on the average.
* All information gathered during the survey will only remain on paper and there will be no release of identity.
Those who would like to participate in the survey may contact Lambdaistanbul by calling their offices or sending them an e-mail. (BIA News Center, April 1st, 2005)
TIHV's Recent Human Rights Reports in Brief
April 29, 2005
Stop Warning... On the night of 27 April police officers opened fire against a car allegedly because he did not listen to stop warnings and kept driving in Göztepe quarter of Istanbul and Hasan Kursun (23) was shot to death. According to the news gathered police officers wanted a car to stop on Cemil Topuzlu Avenue. The car kept driving and hit a police officer Yücel Ülger and officers opened fire. Hasan Kursun was left after the incident in front of the emergency service of Dr. Lütfi Kirdar Education and research Hospital by the persons who were in the car. Kursun died in the hospital. (Radikal)
Destruction of Squatters' Houses... Nurhan Giram (47) whose eyes were shot by the tear gas bomb thrown by the police officers during the destruction of squatters' houses in Sariyer district of Istanbul last week became blind. Giram said: "A quarrel broke out between the officers and the inhabitants of the quarter. When I got out of my house and wanted to take care of our cattle my eyes were hit by a tear gas bomb. I fell down. My relatives and neighbours took me to Istinye State Hospital." She lost her left eye and she reportedly has hemianoptic loss in her right eye. (Milliyet)
8 March Women's Day... Inspectors of General Directorate of Security completed the first phase of the investigation against the police officers started in connection with the beatings of the persons during the demonstration staged in connection with the 8 March Women's Day in Beyazit and Saraçhane quarters of Istanbul on 6 March. The inspectors wanted six police officers who were suspended from duty on the allegation of using unproportioned and excessive force after the incident to be charged for ill-treatment according to the Article 245 TPC. They also wanted the officers to be warned according to the Article 13 of Disciplinary Regulation. Central Disciplinary Council at General Directorate of Security would give the final decision. The investigation against the chief officers is still ongoing. (Radikal)
Fine Sentence Against Paper... On 28 April, Beyoglu Penal Court of First Instance No 2 sentenced the daily Özgür Gündem to a compensation of TL 50 billions to Cemal Kaya, AKP MP for Agri, for the news appeared on the paper under the titles "MP who knows how to butter his bread" and "Not the Kurds but the Adjudications". If the fine were not paid a court case would be launched. Irfan Uçar, editor-in-chief of Özgür Gündem, testified at the hearing to the effect that denial of Cemal Kaya was published on the paper on order of Ankara Peace Penal Court. Lawyer of the paper Inan Akmese announced that 304 cases were launched against Ulkede Özgür Gündem which was published 423 issues. 54 cases are heard at Beyoglu Penal Court of First Instance No 2, 241 are at Special Heavy Penal Court, established in the place of SSCs. 9 cases are held in different provinces. Akmese added that 27 of those cases were concluded and in 18 cases the paper was acquitted. (Özgür Gündem)
Party Executive Detained... Sahin Ayaz, founder of Kurdish Democracy Culture and Solidarity Association (Kürt-Der) and Rights and Freedoms Party (Hak-Par), was detained when he was leaving the hotel in Bursa where the discussion programme "Thought Camp" broadcasted on Flash TV. The programme was started on 6 March on Flash TV and 8 persons representing different points of views were discussing the issues on the agenda in a hotel. Kurdish question was also discussed during the programme. The programme ended on the night of 27 April and the police detained Sahin Ayaz. He was taken to Bursa Security Directorate. He was released after testifying to public prosecutor. Yilmaz Tunca, producer of the programme, also testified. (Radikal)
Association Executive and Journalist on Trial... On 28 April, Urfa Penal Court of First Instance No 3 started to hear the case against Sehmuz Ülek, Vice-President of Mazlum-Der, and Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the daily Agos. The case was launched in connection with the speeches they made during the panel organised by Mazlum-Der Urfa branch on 14 December 2002 under the title "Global Security, Terror and Human Rights, Multi-culturalism, Minorities and Human Rights". The court adjourned the hearing to 7 July. The indictment wants the defendants to be sentenced according to the Article 159 TPC. (BIA)
Journalist on Trial... On 27 April, Adiyaman Penal Court of First Instance continued to hear the case against Haci Bogatekin, editor-in-chief and the owner of the newspaper "Gerger Firat" published in Gerger district of Adiyaman, which was launched in connection with the article "Çete Devlet" (Gang State) that had been published on the 151st edition of the newspaper according to Article 159 TPC. Bogatekin wanted some persons to be heard, but court rejected the demand. Bogatekin wanted recusation of the judges. The court sent the files to Adiyaman Heavy Penal Court the to investigate the demand. The hearing was adjourned to 11 May. (BIA)
May DayŠ The posters prepared by DEHAP for May Day were seized on order of Beyoglu Peace Penal Court under the Article 81/c of Law on Political Parties on the grounds that the posters were in Kurdish. The posters prepared by Socialist Democracy Party (SDP) for May Day saying "War against Occupation, Peace with Kurds, Long Live Socialism" were banned by Mersin Penal Court of First Instance No 2 under the Article 312 TPC. (BIA-Özgür Gündem)
Dev-Sol CaseŠ 9th Judicial Chamber of the Court of the Cassation announced its decision in connection with case against 31 persons who were charged with the killings of 16 persons (13 of them police officers) between 1991-1993 and "being member of Devrimci Sol (Dev-Sol) (Revolutionary Left)". Court of the Cassation quashed the verdicts against 12 defendants on the grounds of deficient investigation. The court approved the decision of closing the cases against the remaining defendants for lapse of time. (Hürriyet)
Detentions and Arrests... A house in Hakkari was raided on 28 April on the grounds that a militant was sheltered in the house. Sükrü Kaya and Cemile Kaya were detained. Cemile Kaya and her nephew Kadir Tan were reportedly beaten and the windows were broken by the police. (Özgür Gündem)
April 28, 2005
HRA Executive ConvictedŠ On 26 April Tunceli Penal Court of First Instance concluded the case against Eren Keskin, Chairwoman of the HRA Istanbul branch, launched in connection with her speech at the panel "Women in Social Life" organized by the Tunceli branch of the teachers' union Egitim-Sen in 2002. The court sentenced Keskin to 5 months' imprisonment under the Article 159 TPC on the grounds that she stated "women are subjected to sexual harassment in detention". The imprisonment sentence was commuted into a fine of YTL 1000. (Özgür Gündem)
Hindered ActivityŠ University administration did not give permission for the summer festival that would be organized by the students of Marmara University on 27 April. Upon this decision the students took permission from Kadiköy Municipality but police prevented them while staging the festival at Iskele square. (Birgün)
Demonstrators on TrialŠ Public prosecutor in Mersin launched a case against 9 persons who participated the press announcement organized by DEHAP to protest the killing of Ümit Gönültas during the demonstration staged at the anniversary of Abdullah Öcalan's being brought to Turkey. Lawyer Ali Bozan announced that Fahri Turgut is charged for "being member of an illegal organization" while the indictment wants Abdurrahman Gültekin, Remzi Beyter, Gülistan Inan, Nezahat Kaya, Remziye Inan, Remziye Sarica, Kadriye Ilbas and Mustafa Ilgen to be sentenced according to the Article 125 TPC. The case would commence at Adana Heavy Penal Court (Özgür Gündem)
Clashes and Attacks in the SoutheastŠ A village guard died, 2 village guards were wounded whey they stepped on mine nearby Dicle district of Diyarbakir. (Milliyet)
April 27, 2005
Journalist on TrialŠ On 26 April Iskenderun Penal Court of First Instance No 2 continued to hear the case against Ersen Korkmaz, the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper Democratic Iskenderun, and Necmettin Salaz, executive of Turkish Communist Party (TKP), in connection with the panel organized by TKP on the allegation that "security forces were insulted" in the speech of Salaz and in the news written by Korkmaz about the panel. The hearing was adjourned to 21 June. The indictment wants the defendants to be sentenced according to 159 TPC. (BIA)
Students AttackedŠ The students who were putting up posters for May Day in Tinaztepe Campus of Dokuz Eylül University (Izmir) on 24 April were first attacked by rightist students and then the civilian dressed police officers and the crowd around. Atilla Sultan, who was one of the students subjected to the attack, told the incident as follows: "When the poster tension was about to be overcome police and special security units started to mass at the gates of the campus. Upon this we went to the campus in order to learn whether our friends needed help or not. There were friends from Ege University with us. 7 civilian dressed persons, who were waiting at the entrance of the campus and told that they were police officers started to attack on us. When the people around started to throw stones police attacked on us with guns and afterwards escaped. The police officers who got into the cars drove the cars towards us. We went to the friends in the school as we worried about our life. The fascists were still attacking in different ways. We left the school when the tension was subsided. During that time a car of civilian police started to follow. When I saw that the attackers were beating our friend Emre Zencir with sticks on a street I returned to save him. Meanwhile a police officer pointed a gun on my head and laid me down. Four police officers beat me with planks and sticks. Then they dragged me about 50 meters by holding from my hair and took me in front of the coffee houses nearby the premises of Idealists' Union. They provoked the people around by saying 'he burned flag, kill him'. They beat me there some half an hour. I remember they were saying 'lets burn his hair', put a knife on my neck, sent dogs over me. After a while police officers wearing uniforms came but they did not intervene. Meanwhile they hosed something to my eyes that prevented me to see for two hours. Then an ambulance came and took me to Buca Social Security Hospital where I was given medical report." (Birgün)
Student AbductedŠ Sara Aktas, student at Hacettepe University, announced that she was abducted by three armed persons on the evening of 24 April in front of her house in Eryaman quarter of Ankara and threatened. Sara Aktas, who appealed to the HRA Ankara branch, stated that after having been imprisoned for 10 years for "being member of the PKK" she had been released in 2004 and started to continue her education. She told she was forcibly put into a car by three armed persons at around 9pm on 24 April: "They said, 'if you think that you will have a normal life you are mistaken. Everything has just started'". Aktas put that after having been assaulted for around 1,5 hours in the car she was released. (Özgür Gündem)
Detentions and ArrestsŠ M.A., Z.A. and two other juveniles were detained during the house raids conducted on the night of 25 April in Mersin on the allegations that "they participated the demonstrations staged in favour of Abdullah Öcalan and Newroz celebrations". Hüsna Yakut, representative of the journal Genç Bakis, Sinan Çaglar and Nihat Abay who were arrested after the press announcement staged by Independent Youth Movement (BAGEH) on 9 April were released on 26 April. Adem Basdinç, executive member of DEHAP Youth Wings in Antep, was detained on 26 April on the allegations that there was an arrest warrant in absentia against him. (Özgür Gündem)
April 25, 2005
Persons Killed by Police... The police opened fire on the night of 20 April against 2 persons who allegedly got into a market for theft in Tarsus district of Mersin. Hüseyin Dogan was shot to death and Murat Keles was detained. (22 April, Radikal)
Conscious Objector Arrested.... The conscious objector Mehmet Tarhan, who was arrested on 11 April, was transferred to military hospital on 19 April for an examination whether he was capable of conducting military service. "Solidarity Initiative for Mehmet Tarhan" announced that he was forcibly taken to hospital and he was not allowed to see his lawyer or members of family. The case against Mehmet Tarhan on charges of "disobedience to orders in order not to serve" would commence on 28 April. (20 April, BIA)
Student Beaten... Mehmet Emin Özyalçin, student at Gazi University, announced that he was beaten by some 15 rightists: "When I was leaving the campus I saw a group of suspicious students waiting. I went to the room of the instructor Ihsan Küreli. I told him I was in danger and wanted to come with me. When we were leaving his room some 15 rightists attacked and beat me. The instructor intervened and they ran away." Özyalçin was given a report certifying 3 days' inability to work. He made an official complaint against the attackers. (24 April, Özgür Gündem)
Torture Trial... On 3 March, Iskenderun Heavy Penal Court concluded to hear the case of the police officers Murat Çikar, Halil Özkan, Aysun Yüksel and Gürkan Ilhan, head of the desk of Political Affairs, in connection with the torturing of Fatma Deniz Polattas and Nazime Ceren Samanoglu, who were detained in Iskenderun in March 1999. The defendants were acquitted on grounds of "lack of evidence" relying on the report by Forensic Institute dating 13 January. The denial of Poalttas and Samanoglu for an examination of virginity was regarded in the report as the prevention of examination of traumatic findings. It was also alleged in the report that patients can easily misinform the physician under these circumstances. (23-24 April, Milliyet)
Massacre in PrisonŠ On 20 April, Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court No 3 continued to hear the case against 1 doctor, 6 prison guards, 36 police officers and 29 soldiers charged in connection with the killings of 10 and injuries of 23 prisoners in Diyarbakir E-type Prison on 24 September 1996. The court adjourned the hearing to 6 June to wait for new TPC. On 26 January, in his summing up the case public prosecutor alleged "the defendants intervened because of necessity and self-defence while performing an order but exceeded the limit and caused the deaths". Public prosecutor wanted 54 defendants to be sentenced 8 years' imprisonment according to 452/1 TPC (killing without intent) and decreasing the sentences to 4 years' on the grounds that they did the action under provocative condition. Prosecutor wanted the two security officials to be acquitted and demanded the case against the doctor of the prison Serdar Gök and nine defendants, who are indicted for "misconduct of duty", and six prison official, who are indicted for "killing without intent", to be dropped on the grounds of lapse of time. (21 April, Özgür Gündem)
Theatre Play Banned... Governor in Malazgirt (Mus) banned the theatre play "Bigot (Yobaz)" by Aziz Nesin on the grounds that the play was obscene, was humiliating persons, and was exploiting religious beliefs. (21 April, Radikal)
Physicians on Trial... On 20 April, Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 7 concluded to hear the case against 85 persons including executives of Turkish Medical Association (TTB), union for the workers in health sector SES, unions, professional chambers and Patients' and Patients' Relatives' Rights Association (HAYAD) who attended the actions organised by TTB and SES on 5 November 2003. In his summing-up the case the public prosecutor wanted the defendants to be acquitted on the grounds that they had the right to struggle for the rights according to the national and international laws. The court acquitted the defendants. (21 April, Radikal)
DEP MPsŠ On 22 April, Ankara Special Heavy Penal Court No 11 continued to hear the retrial of former DEP MPs Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak. The court accepted the demand of the defence lawyers 8 persons, former MP Sedat Edip Bucak, defendant in Susurluk trial, and Halit Aslan, previously testified against the defendants, to testify. The court adjourned the hearing to 23 May. (23 April, Radikal)
Juveniles on TrialŠ On 21 April, Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 continued to hear the case of 24 alleged members of the Turkish Communist Labour Party/Leninist (TKEP/L), aged between 16 and 23, who had been detained in March 1996. Lawyer Gülizar Tuncer wanted Bülent Gedik, who was in prison for 9,5 years, to be released relying on the previous decisions of ECHR. The court rejected the demand and adjourned the hearing to wait for the new TPC. The indictment wants Devrim Öktem, Bülent Gedik, Ismail Altun, Özgür Öktem and Erbil Kizil to be sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of "being leading member of illegal organization". Zülcihan Sahin, Müstak Erhan Il, Izzet Tokur, Arzu Kemanoglu, Bilgin Ayata, Sinan Kaya, Ebru Karahanci, Ulas Bati, Okan Kaplan, Sevgi Kaya, Mustafa Yazici, Ilyas Koçak, Güven Dagdelen, Ahmet Olgun, Zuhal Sürücü, Serpil Koçak, Cemal Bozkurt, Ali Kiliç and Levent Bagdadi have to expect imprisonment. The case against 6 officers who tortured the juveniles had been concluded on 5 February 2003 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court of First Instance No 6. Mustafa Sara had been sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment for "torturing Bülent Gedik and Devrim Öktem". The case against Ali Çavdar was closed due to his death, the cases against Mustafa Taner Paylasan, Ahmet Bereket, Fatih Berkup and Yakup Dogan were closed due to lapse of time. (22 April, Cumhuriyet)
Detentions and Arrests... Mesut Karabulak and Sefik Soydan, who were detained for making propoganda of an illegal organisation during the Newroz celebrations in Yüksekova district of Hakkari, were arrested on 20 April. Abdurrahim Tanyel, Mehdi Adak, Emin Ang and Cevdet Özkurt were detained in Istanbul on the allegations of "being member of PKK". Nihat Turan, alleged leading member of Osman Öcalan's "Party of Democratic Patriots", was detained in Mus. Tahir Duru, Sekvan Duru and Mehmet Okur, who were detained in Cizre district of Sirnak on the allegations of "aiding an illegal organisation", were arrested on 22 April. During house raids conducted on 22 April in Hakkari Hüseyin Sevmis, Hizir Sevmis, Ibrahim Sevmis, Nusret Kurt and an unknown person were detained. (21-23 April, Milliyet-Özgür Gündem-Star)
Clashes and Attacks in Southeast... During a clash in Dereler region of Sirnak on 18 April 5 HPG militants died. 11 members of security forces were wounded. The name of one of the HPG militants who were killed on 12 April on Cudi Mountain in Sirnak was announced as Muhammed Ibrahim. 5 soldiers were allegedly killed during a clash on 20 April in Kurtderesi region nearby Ovacik district of Tunceli and 4 soldiers suffocated in a stream. (21-24 April, Milliyet-Radikal)
April 20, 2005
Villages BombedŠ The investigation concerning the bombing of Kuskonar and Koçagili villages of Sirnak that caused death of 36 persons on 26 March 1994 was put on the agenda agian. The persons who lost their relatives during the incident filed an official complaint recently for punishment of the responsible and to benefit from the Law on Compensation of Damages Caused by Terror and Anti-Terror Struggle". The file, that was not put under proceedings by Diyarbakir SSC on the allegations that "the villages were bombed by the PKK" and "the assailants were not found", was handled again. Public prosecutor in Diyarbakir completed the investigation on the file and decided that "there was no evident that proves the PKK bombed the villages", "the bombs were thrown from a plane or helicopter". Public prosecutor in Diyarbakir wanted the public prosecutor in Sirnak to conduct an efficient investigation as soon as possible in order to avoid Turkey from problems in the future according to the articles 2 and 13 of the ECoHR. Lawyer Tahir Elçi, acting as sub-plaintiff, stated the followings about the decision: "Many public prosecutors have come and gone since 1994 but none of them have made such an investigation. It seems that if we did not make an complaint the file would be neglected for 10 years more. However, it is hopeful that file was investigated again. Ömer Kalkan, Mahmut, Ali, Nurettin, Ömer, Abdullah, Çiçek, Ay_e Benzer, Ibrahim Borak, Serife, Melike, Saban, Irfan, Hunav, Elmas, Asiye, Kerem Yžildirim, Fecriye, Haci, Kerem Altan, Mahmut, Ayse, Adil Oygur, Huhi, Semsiye, Sirin, Sehriban, Ahmet Kaçar, Fatma, Ayse, Huri Bengi, Fatma Bedir, Asiya Erdin, Hatice Bayi, Hazal Kiraç ve Zahide Kiraç had died, many people were wounded during the bombings. (Cumhuriyet)
Person Killed bu PoliceŠ Police killed Hakan Bektas, wounded Yavuz Erzor during the raid conducted to a house in Halkali district of Istanbul on 19 April. Ayhan Duygu and B.B. (16) who also in the house were detained. (Zaman)
Person Beaten by PoliceŠ On 19 April, police shot Nihat Gülbeyaz (30) when they opened fire in order to catch another person at terminal station in Bornova district of Istanbul. Gülbeyaz was heavily wounded. Police officers on charge at Izmir Security Directorate and Organized Crimes Department allegedly opened fire when the person they searched for did not obey "stop warning". (Radikal)
Lawyers on TrialŠ A case was launched against Abdurrahman Sarioglu, lawyer of the defendants of the case launched in connection with the bomb attacks in Istanbul on 15 and 20 November 2003. In the indictment it was put that Abdurrahman Sarioglu insited to stand although the president of the court wanted him to sit and he said: " The regime is secular. I am a muslim. I deny standing before the secular regime". According to the indictment he reportedly said in an interview published on the journal Nokta on 6 June 2003, "I kept standing in order not sit and stand before the secular system". The indictmen wants him to according to the Article 312 TPC. (Zaman)
Pressures in PrisonsŠ Ali Akpinar, father of Hüseyin Akpinar incarcerated in Tekirdag F-type Prison and suffers from Wernicke Korsakof syndrome, announced that he cannot visit his son on the grounds that he cannot pass from the X-Ray machine in the prison due to his heart cell. He told the guards did not let him to enter when he went to visit his son on 31 March although he showed his medical report saying that "he should not pass through the X-Ray machines" and a special ID given to persons who have cells in their hearts. Ali Akpinar also added that he want them to make a bodysearch but the refused it. (Cumhuriyet)
Activity HinderedŠ The panel "Aleouites and Minority" that was planned the organize in the framework of "Folk Science Fetivity" by Folk Science Club in Istanbul University on the allegation that "it would provocate rightist students". (Cumhuriyet)
Detention and ArrestsŠ Saygin S. was detained on the allegations that "he was a member of DHKP-C and kicked up row after a football match in Istanbul". Tufan Caymaz, who was searched in connection with "Sivas massacre (2 July 1993)", was captured at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Salih Uyar (24), who was taken captive for more that three years in Guantanamo Island of Cuba on the allegation of "being member of Al-Quaide", was surrendered to Turkey on 18 April. After having been taken to Incirlik Base in Adana by an US plane Salih Uyar was released by the public prosecutor. Nuri Mert who had been also kept in Guantanamo Island had been delivered to Turkey in April 2004. (Cumhuriyet-Radikal)
April 19, 2005:
Torture in DetentionŠ Derya Orman (23) and her sister Gülselin Orman (21), who organized a press conference at HRA Istanbul branch on 18 April, announced that they were tortured at Bostanci Police Station on 15 April. Derya Orman told that they were detained in Bostanci on the grounds that her sister did not have ID. Orman stated the followings: "Chief police officer Hüseyin Tanrikulu said, 'If you have sex with me once I will release your sister'. A female police officer stripped me naked and harassed. They threw me on the ground and put my clothes in thrash can. They squeezed my breast and kicked. In addition, they seized the $500 of my sister". Gülselin Orman put that she was stripped naked and offered to have sex by the police officers: "They threatened Derya to rape her. They harassed me. They forced us to sign the detention minute saying that we were released towards morning but we did not sign till our lawyer came. When our lawyer came we signed after the conducts of the police officers were written in the minute. Lawyer Eren Keskin, chairwoman of the HRA Istanbul branch stated that she went to the police station when the Orman sisters were there: "Superintendent police officer Hüseyin Tanrikulu said, 'I guess these girls are ill, they hit themselves from wall to wall. They bruised their bodies'. Gülselin Orman and Derya Orman were taken to the public prosecutor in Kadikoy on the allegations of 'causing scandal in the police station' and 'slandering police officers'. When the public prosecutor insulted the sisters. I said to the public prosecutor that he would be the most famous public prosecutor of Turkey soon. Upon this he changed his attitude." (Özgür Gündem)
EMEP Members AttackedŠ F.A., one of the four persons who were detained in connection with beating of the members of Party of Labour (EMEP) Erhan Batga and Hüseyin Kiyak in the premises of Idealists' Union in Günesli (Istanbul), was arrested on 18 April. Ü.S. and T.Ç., who are younger than 18, and chairman of Idealists' Union in Ižstanbul Bayram Yildirim were released. (Özgür Gündem)
Demonstrators on Trial... On 18 April Istanbul Heavy Penal Court of First Instance No 14 continued to hear the case against 56 persons launched in connection with the World Women Day demonstration on 6 March in Saraçhane quarter of Istanbul. The court decided to hear the police officers as witnesses who signed the minutes of the incident. Hakan Ertasoglu, one of the lawyers of the defendants stated: "We cannot expect the police officers who signed the minutes to testify against themselves. There is an investigation against them. The defendants made an official complaint against the police officers." Meanwhile, police intervened the demonstration staged by the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed (ESP) on 18 April in Bursa and detained five persons including Serpil Arslan, ESP Representative in Bursa. (Özgür Gündem-Birgün)
Detentions and ArrestsŠ Selami Yavuz (20), who was detained during the concert organized on Istanbul Taksim Square on the night of 17 April after the "National Sovereignty March" on the allegation of "attempting to tear Turkish flag", was arrested for "staging action to create enmity among society". (Radikal)
Bomb ExplosionŠ Ismail Isik (15), Emrah Akbay (10) and his brother Adem Akbay (9) were wounded while they were playing with a bomb they found in a military zone nearby Patnos district of Agri on 18 April. Ismail Isik died in hospital. (Radikal)
Clash and Attacks in the SoutheastŠ Two members of Maoist Communist Party (MKP) died, one soldier was wounded during the clash broke out on 17 April in Kirkmerdiven valley nearby Ovacik district of Tunceli. HPG militant Fideyl Özbey was reportedly killed few days ago in the clash nearby Ömerli district of Mardin. (Özgür Gündem)
April 18, 2005
Stop Warning.... Security forces opened fire against a truck nearby Uzunköy village in Çaldiran district of Van on the night of 14 April on the grounds that the driver did not obey the stop warning. The truck was carrying refugees who wanted to get into Turkey. Afghani Muhammed Hüseyin died, Bengali Ismail Fadir and Nadir Ertan, Pakistani Mubaser Ebugafur were wounded. (16 April, Radikal)
Incident in Yozgat... On 16 April a clash broke out in Asagi Hisinli village in Bogazliyan district of Yozgat between gendarmerie soldiers and a group of persons who wanted a person named Erdogan Tomris to give all of his money. Orhan Açikyürek died and Halil Ibrahim Açikyürek was wounded during the incident. 14 persons from Açikyürek family were detained. (17 April, Radikal)
Bomb Explosion... Bayram Aras (14) who was wounded on 6 April during a bomb explosion in the military zone of Topkule barracks in Gaziosmanpasa (Istanbul) died in the hospital on 15 April. (16 April, Radikal)
EMEP Members Attacked... Members of Party of Labour (EMEP) Erhan Batga and Hüseyin Kiyak were reportedly tortured in the premises of Idealists' Union in Günesli (Istanbul). Erhan Batga and Hüseyin Kiyak met a group of student for the Lyceum Students' Assembly" organised in Barbaros Lyceum. They were forcibly taken to the Idealists' Union by a group of MHP sympathisers and beaten there. Upon the information given by their friends police reportedly rescued them. 6 persons were detained in connection with the incident. Kamil Tekin Sürek, EMEP Chair for Istanbul, announced that a police officer witnessed the incident in the premises but did not intervene. He added that Batga and Kiyat were rescued by another group of police officers upon insistence of EMEP executives. (16-17 April, Milliyet)
Bomb Attacks... MHP premises in Kadiköy (Istanbul) and in Sakarya, CHP premises in Sakarya were subjected to bomb attacks on the night of 16 April. Pakize Ibrahimoglu (90) who was passing through was slightly injured during the bomb attack in Kadiköy. A bomb exploded in front of Trade and Consumers' Rights Court in Istanbul on 17 April. (17-18 April, Cumhuriyet, Radikal)
Publishers on Trial... Public prosecutor in Istanbul launched a court case against Abdurrezzak Güngör, editor of Çetin Publishing and Distribution Company, and Sadik Dasdögen, owner of Berdan Printing Company, in connection with the book entitled "Remembering Abdullah Öcalan" on the allegations of "making propaganda of an illegal organisation". (17 April, Özgür Politika)
DEHAP Executives on Trial... On 15 April, Cizre Penal Court of First Instance concluded to hear the case against Tuncer Bakirhan, Chairman of DEHAP, Resul Sadak, DEHAP Chair for Sirnak and major of Idil, Mehmet Dilsiz, DEHAP Chair for Cizre (Sirnak) launched in connection with a meeting for the local elections on 28 March 2004. The court sentenced the defendants to 18 months' imprisonment and a fine of YTL 346 under the Article 28/1 of Law on Meetings and Demonstrations. The sentences of Sadak and Dilsiz were suspended. Since Bakirhan had been sentenced by Kars Penal Court of First Instance No 2 to 6 months' imprisonment his sentence was not suspended. If the sentence against him was approved he would serve. (16 April, Cumhuriyet)
Demonstration Prevented... Members of the prisoners' relatives association TAYAD who chained themselves in front of the GNAT on 15 April to protest in the problems in the prisons, the attacks against the members of TAYAD in Trabzon and Sakarya were detained. Deniz Arik, Nursen Toksoy and Didem Akman were arrested on 16 April. (16-17 April, Cumhuriyet, Özgür Politika)
Attacks and Clashes in Southeast... According to an announcement by HPG, 14 HPG militants were killed during the clashes between 1 and 17 April. HPG alleged that 121 soldiers were killed during those clashes. The names of 7 of the killed militants were announced as Mehmet Sexo (Syrian), Muhammed Reso (Syrian), Yaser Tahir (Lebanon), Gülsün Akalan, Hiyam Muhammed (Syrian), Meral Van and Muhammed Ferhadi (Syrian). (18 April, Özgür Politika)
April 15, 2005:
Medical Neglect... Safak Yildiz, lawyer of the political prisoner Erol Zavar incarcerated in Edirne F-type Prison, made an official complaint against the physicians and administrators at Trakya University Medical School Hospital for medical neglect. Safak announced at the HRA Istanbul branch that Zavar was suffering from bladder cancer and the platinum put in his leg after having been broken was not taken out: "Although the physicians alleged that there was no need the platinum to be taken out, they said they would take it out when my client applied to be transferred to Ankara. If my client did not asked to be transferred he would continue to suffer from aches." (Özgür Gündem)
Journalists on Trial... Bingöl Penal Court of First Instance No 2 acquitted owner of the local paper "Bingöl Ab-i Hayat" Vedat Büyüksahin and editor-in-chief of the paper Abdürrezzak Tas on 14 April. The case had been launched on the grounds that the address and the dates had been wrong on the record page. (Birgün)
Journalists on Trial... A court case was launched against correspondent of TV channel CNN Turk Gökhan Bozkurt and the producer of the programme "Gece Görüsü" Ahu Özyurt for revealing the phone calls between AKP MP Cemal Kaya and the bureaucrats which were recorded during the investigation of the fraud in Ministry of Energy. (TIHV)
Dev-Sol CaseŠ On 14 April, Üsküdar Heavy Penal Court No 1 continued to hear the case launched against 1243 defendants on the grounds of being members of Devrimci Sol (Revolutionary Left). In his summing-up the case public prosecutor demanded li