Droits
de l'Homme / Human Rights
Lenteur
de procédure: la Turquie condamnée à Strasbourg
La Cour européenne des droits de l'homme (CEDH) a
condamné mardi
à Strasbourg la Turquie pour lenteur de procédure,
atteinte au respect
de la vie privée et familiale et absence de recours effectif
dans une
affaire de reconnaissance de paternité impliquant le chanteur
Emrah
Ipek.
La requérante, Ebru Colak, une ressortissante turque de
33 ans, agissait en son nom et en celui de son fils de 15 ans, Tayfun.
En 1992, elle avait assigné devant le tribunal de
grande
instance d'Istanbul le chanteur Emrah Ipek, souhaitant le faire
déclarer père naturel de son enfant.
En 1994, s'appuyant notamment sur des analyses sanguines et
génétiques, le tribunal avait conclu à la
paternité de M. Ipek. Deux
ans plus tard, la Cour de cassation avait infirmé ce jugement
pour
renvoyer l'affaire devant la juridiction de première instance
qui
ordonna des examens complémentaires, auxquels M. Ipek ne se
soumit pas.
En 2000, le tribunal statua sur la paternité, jugement
confirmé par la Cour de cassation en janvier 2001.
Les requérants se plaignaient notamment de la
durée excessive de
la procédure et de l'absence de juridiction adéquate pour
ce type de
plainte. Ils soulignaient également avoir été la
cible des médias
durant ce procès en raison de la popularité du chanteur.
Estimant la durée de la procédure excessive, la Cour a
conclu à
l'unanimité à la violation de l'article 6.1 (droit
à un procès
équitable dans un délai raisonnable).
La Cour, soulignant que la lenteur de la procédure
avait
maintenu les requérants dans un état d'incertitude
prolongée, a conclu
à la violation de l'article 8 (droit au respect de la vie
privée et
familiale).
Enfin, relevant que le gouvernement turc n'avait fait
état
d'aucune voie juridique pour contester la durée de la
procédure, les
juges ont conclu à l'unanimité à la violation de
l'article 13 (droit à
un recours effectif).
La Cour a alloué aux requérants conjointement
12.000 euros pour
dommage moral et 2.000 euros pour frais et dépens. (AFP, 30 mai
2006)
Jurist Prosecuted for Criticizing Terror Law
Acting under instructions from the Justice Ministry, the Istanbul
Beyoglu Chief Republic Prosecutor's Office has launched an
investigation against jurist Erdal Dogan for an article titled "Direct
Warfare Concept: The Anti-Terror Law (TMY)" that was published in the
pro-Kurdish Ulkede Ozgur Gundem newspaper.
Lawyer Dogan, who for four years has been a teacher at the Istanbul Bar
Association Internship Training Centre, gave a statement to the
prosecutor on May 25, Thursday, under the investigation launched on
orders from justice Fatma Feyza Sahin of the Justice Ministry Penal
Affairs General Directorate.
In his statement to Republic Prosecutor Nihat Erdem, Dogan said it was
his professional duty to express opinions, write articles and make
propositions on the issues of human rights law and defendant rights law
as well as on draft bills related to these because it was his specific
area of work and expertise.
Dogan's article published in the April 21, 2006 issue of the newspaper,
evaluated the concept of anti-terrorism in the scope of international
law and expressed the view "Even though the Justice Minister says it
has not been brought out against the people, the TMY, which contains
the concept of direct warfare, is a law for the state to make war on
its people".
The defendant is a teacher of "Defendant Rights and Defence in
Practice" within a professional training scheme of Penal Code,
Defendant Rights and Defence, European Convention of Human Rights and
Criminal Proceedings Law, at the Istanbul Bar Association Internship
Training Centre.
Dogan is also author of the book "Defendant Rights and Defence",
published by the Istanbul Bar Association. (BIA, May 25, 2006)
Amnesty
International a encore
épinglé le régime d'Ankara
Le rapport annuel d'Amnesty International
portant sur l'état des Droits de l'homme dans 219 a encore
épinglé la
Turquie sur plusieurs domains de droits de l'Homme. Voici le texte
complet du rapport 2006 d'Amnesty International sur la Turquie:
Le Conseil des ministres de l’Union européenne (UE) a
officiellement
engagé les négociations en vue de l’entrée de la
Turquie dans l’Union.
En 2005, le rythme de mise en œuvre des réformes devant placer
le droit
turc en conformité avec les normes internationales s’est
ralenti. La
législation comportait toujours des entraves à l’exercice
des droits
fondamentaux. Après l’adoption du nouveau Code pénal
turc, l’expression
pacifique d’une opinion divergente sur certains sujets est devenue un
délit passible de poursuites et de sanctions pénales. Des
cas de
torture et autres mauvais traitements ont encore été
signalés, les
individus les plus exposés étant les détenus de
droit commun. Les
responsables du maintien de l’ordre ont continué de faire un
usage
excessif de la force pour encadrer les manifestations ; quatre
manifestants ont été abattus en novembre. Les
enquêtes sur ce type
d’incidents étaient insuffisantes et les agents de la force
publique
coupables de ces violations rarement traduits en justice. Dans les
départements de l’est et du sud-est, la situation des droits
humains
s’est détériorée, sur fond d’affrontements
armés entre les services de
sécurité turcs et le parti d’opposition armée
Partiya Karkeren
Kurdistan (PKK, Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan).
Contexte
En juin, le nouveau Code pénal turc (CPT), le nouveau Code de
procédure
pénale et la nouvelle Loi relative à l’exécution
des peines sont entrés
en vigueur. Ces textes consacraient des évolutions positives,
puisque
le Code pénal, par exemple, offrait aux femmes une meilleure
protection
contre les violences. En revanche, il prévoyait aussi des
restrictions
à l’exercice du droit à la liberté d’expression.
Les défenseurs des
droits humains en Turquie ont également émis de
très sérieuses réserves
au sujet du régime disciplinaire que la Loi relative à
l’exécution des
peines envisageait pour les prisonniers. Un projet révisé
de la loi
antiterroriste a été examiné par une
sous-commission parlementaire à la
fin de l’année, après les critiques que les versions
antérieures
avaient suscitées de la part des groupes de défense des
droits humains.
En septembre, la Turquie a signé le Protocole facultatif se
rapportant
à la Convention contre la torture et autres peines ou
traitements
cruels, inhumains ou dégradants [ONU].
En octobre, le Conseil des ministres de l’UE a officiellement ouvert
les négociations d’adhésion de la Turquie à
l’Union.
Liberté d’expression
Un vaste arsenal de lois restreignant de façon fondamentale la
liberté
d’expression était toujours en vigueur, ce qui permettait
d’engager des
poursuites contre les personnes ayant exprimé pacifiquement leur
point
de vue sur divers aspects de la vie publique. En outre, le
déroulement
des poursuites et des procès a fréquemment montré
que les procureurs
comme les juges méconnaissaient le droit international relatif
aux
droits humains. Dans certains cas, les propos tenus par
d’éminents
représentants de l’Etat trahissaient leur rejet de toute opinion
dissidente ou de tout débat ouvert et semblaient cautionner
l’accusation.
L’article 301 relatif au dénigrement de l’identité
turque, de la
République, et des fondements et institutions de l’Etat, a
été
introduit dans le Code pénal en juin, en remplacement de
l’ancien
article 159. Les articles 159 et 301 ont souvent été
appliqués de façon
arbitraire pour sanctionner des critiques de tous ordres. Des
journalistes, des écrivains, des éditeurs, des
défenseurs des droits
humains et des universitaires ont été poursuivis aux
termes de cette
loi, parmi eux le journaliste Hrant Dink, le romancier Orhan Pamuk,
fiehmüs Ulek, vice-président de l’organisation de
défense des droits
humains Mazlum-Der, et les universitaires Baskin Oran et ‹brahim
Kaboglu.
La conférence universitaire internationale consacrée
à différentes
conceptions de l’histoire des Arméniens à la fin de
l’empire ottoman,
qui devait avoir lieu en mai à l’université du Bosphore,
à Istanbul, a
été ajournée après que Cemil Ciçek,
le ministre de la Justice, eut
qualifié l’initiative de « perfidie »,
récusant ainsi fondamentalement
le principe de la liberté universitaire. La conférence
s’est finalement
tenue à l’université de Bilgi, en septembre, mais cinq
journalistes qui
s’étaient fait l’écho des tentatives d’annulation de la
conférence ont
été poursuivis en justice en décembre, aux termes
des articles 301 et
288 du CPT.
La liberté d’expression continuait aussi d’être
entravée par les
restrictions importantes à l’utilisation des langues
minoritaires en
public. En vertu de l’article 81 de la Loi sur les partis politiques,
des poursuites ont encore été engagées à
maintes reprises contre des
personnes s’étant exprimées ou ayant simplement
prononcé quelques mots
en kurde.
En mai, la Cour d’appel a prononcé l’interdiction du syndicat
d’enseignants Egitim-Sen, au motif que ses statuts comportaient une
clause énonçant le droit d’être
éduqué dans sa langue maternelle, ce
qui est contraire aux articles 3 et 42 de la Constitution (selon ces
articles, la seule langue maternelle qu’il soit licite d’enseigner est
le turc). Par la suite, Egitim-Sen a supprimé la clause
contestée afin
d’éviter de devoir cesser ses activités.
* En octobre, le parquet a lancé une
procédure pour obtenir
l’interdiction définitive de l’association kurde de Diyarbakir
(Kürd-Der). L’un des nombreux motifs invoqués était
la décision prise
par l’association d’adopter une graphie « non turque » pour
orthographier le terme correspondant à « kurde »
dans son nom et dans
ses statuts, et le fait que certaines clauses des statuts en question
défendaient le droit de recevoir un enseignement en kurde.
L’association s’était déjà vu enjoindre de
rectifier en conséquence ses
statuts et son appellation.
Des dispositions de la Loi sur la presse limitant la couverture
journalistique des affaires judiciaires en cours ont été
utilisées de
façon arbitraire et excessivement restrictive pour
empêcher les
journalistes de mener des enquêtes indépendantes sur les
violations des
droits humains et de les commenter publiquement. Les mêmes
dispositions
ont servi à entraver l’action des défenseurs des droits
humains.
Des poursuites judiciaires ont été lancées contre
Selahattin Demirtas,
le président de l’antenne de Diyarbakir de l’Association pour la
défense des droits humains, et Mihdi Perinçek, le
représentant régional
de cette association. Ces deux hommes figuraient parmi les auteurs d’un
rapport consacré aux meurtres d’Ahmet Kaymaz et d’Ugur Kaymaz
(voir
plus loin), rapport qui, selon l’acte d’accusation, contrevenait
à
l’article 19 de la Loi sur la presse parce qu’il sapait l’instruction
préparatoire du parquet. Or les auteurs du rapport n’avaient pas
eu la
possibilité de consulter les documents concernant l’affaire
puisqu’ils
étaient inaccessibles par décision judiciaire et pour des
raisons de
sécurité. La première audience des deux
accusés s’est ouverte au mois
de juillet.
Torture et mauvais traitements
Des cas de torture et de mauvais traitements imputables à des
agents de
la force publique continuaient d’être signalés : des
personnes en
détention auraient été frappées,
entièrement dévêtues et menacées de
mort, privées de nourriture, d’eau et de sommeil ou
frappées au moment
de leur arrestation ou dans des lieux de détention clandestins.
Le
nombre des allégations de torture ou autres mauvais traitements
concernant des détenus politiques a diminué. En revanche,
les personnes
suspectées d’infractions de droit commun (vol, trouble à
l’ordre
public, etc.) couraient tout particulièrement le risque de subir
des
mauvais traitements. Selon certaines sources, il était encore
très
fréquent que des agents de la force publique ne tiennent aucun
compte
des procédures prévues pour les placements en
détention et les
enquêtes, les procureurs, quant à eux, ne vérifiant
pas si les
procédures applicables avaient été
respectées. En outre, la police
faisait régulièrement usage d’une force
disproportionnée contre les
manifestants, surtout s’il s’agissait de militants de gauche, de
partisans du parti pro-kurde DEHAP, d’étudiants ou de
syndicalistes
(voir plus loin la rubrique Homicides commis dans des circonstances
controversées). Ceux qui se plaignaient d’avoir subi des mauvais
traitements, surtout au cours de manifestations, étaient souvent
inculpés de rébellion et leurs blessures étaient
mises sur le compte
des manœuvres effectuées par les policiers pour les immobiliser.
* En octobre, à Ordu, cinq adolescents
âgés de quinze à dix-huit
ans ont été placés en détention lors de
l’ouverture d’un nouveau centre
commercial. Ils auraient été battus, injuriés,
menacés et on leur
aurait comprimé les testicules pendant leur transfert en garde
à vue et
pendant la garde à vue elle-même, au poste de police
central d’Ordu.
Ils ont ensuite été relâchés. Deux d’entre
eux ont déclaré avoir été
déshabillés et menacés de viol. Aucune trace du
séjour de trois de ces
jeunes gens dans les locaux de la police n’a été
conservée. Plus tard,
l’un d’eux a été inculpé de rébellion
violente. Outre les mauvais
traitements allégués, d’ailleurs attestés par des
examens médicaux et
des photographies, d’autres irrégularités ont
été commises pendant que
les adolescents étaient aux mains de la police et le procureur a
prouvé
que, dès le placement en détention, les procédures
légales avaient été
complètement ignorées.
* Au mois de mars, dans le quartier istanbuliote de
Saraçhane, des
manifestants rassemblés pour la Journée internationale
des femmes ont
été violemment dispersés par la police,
matraqués et aspergés de gaz
poivre pratiquement à bout portant. Selon les informations
d’Amnesty
International, trois femmes ont dû être
hospitalisées. Ces incidents
ont été condamnés par la communauté
internationale. En décembre, 54
policiers ont été accusés de recours à une
force excessive ; les hauts
gradés n’ont pas été inculpés, mais trois
d’entre eux ont reçu un «
blâme ».
Impunité
Les enquêtes sur les actes de torture et les mauvais traitements
étaient, cette année encore, entachées de graves
vices de procédure,
accréditant l’idée que la justice était peu
disposée à juger les
auteurs de violations des droits humains. Un climat d’impunité
continuait de régner.
* En avril, quatre agents de police accusés
d’avoir torturé et
violé au moyen d’une matraque deux adolescentes, Nazime Ceren
Salmanoglu et Fatma Deniz Polattas, en 1999, ont été
acquittés : plus
de six ans après l’ouverture du dossier et après que le
procès eut été
repoussé une trentaine de fois, un tribunal d’Iskenderun a
prononcé un
non-lieu en raison de « preuves insuffisantes ». Les
avocats des jeunes
victimes ont annoncé qu’il serait fait appel du jugement. De
leur côté,
les deux jeunes femmes avaient été condamnées
à de lourdes peines
d’emprisonnement sur la foi d’« aveux » apparemment obtenus
sous la
torture.
* Quinze ans après le décès de
l’étudiant Birtan Altinbas, le
procès des quatre policiers accusés de l’avoir tué
s’est poursuivi
devant le tribunal pénal n° 2 d’Ankara. Birtan Altinbas
était mort le
15 janvier 1991, au terme d’une garde à vue de six jours durant
laquelle il avait été interrogé sur son
appartenance présumée à une
organisation interdite. Cette affaire, condamnée par l’opinion
publique
internationale et largement relayée dans la presse turque,
était
l’illustration même des nombreuses irrégularités
qui entachent les
procédures judiciaires en Turquie.
* Le procès de quatre agents de police
inculpés pour les meurtres
d’Ahmet Kaymaz et de son fils de douze ans, Ugur, commis le 21 novembre
2004 à Kiziltepe (département de Mardin), s’est ouvert en
février. Les
quatre accusés n’étaient pas en état d’arrestation
et n’avaient pas été
mis à pied. Les policiers de haut rang responsables de
l’opération de
police durant laquelle ces deux personnes avaient été
tuées ne
figuraient pas dans le dossier d’enquête et n’étaient pas
inculpés : ce
fait révélateur confortait la thèse selon
laquelle, dans ce type
d’affaires, le ministère public ne remonte que rarement les
échelons
hiérarchiques.
Craintes liées aux
procès inéquitables
L’inégalité persistante entre l’accusation et la
défense, et
l’influence du pouvoir exécutif sur la nomination des juges et
des
procureurs empêchaient le pouvoir judiciaire d’être
parfaitement
indépendant. Même si, à partir du 1er juin, les
détenus ont obtenu le
droit de consulter un avocat et si les déclarations faites en
l’absence
d’un avocat sont devenues irrecevables, peu de procureurs officiant
dans les nouveaux tribunaux pénaux (substitués aux cours
de sûreté de
l’Etat en 2004) ont entrepris de réexaminer les dossiers
contenant des
déclarations initialement prononcées en l’absence d’un
avocat et dans
lesquels l’accusé alléguait que sa déposition
avait été extorquée sous
la torture. Peu de tentatives ont été faites pour
réunir des preuves
favorables aux accusés et la plupart des requêtes
formulées par la
défense pour faire déposer des témoins ont
été rejetées.
Emprisonnement des objecteurs de
conscience
L’objection de conscience n’était pas reconnue et il n’existait
aucune
formule de service civil pour remplacer le service militaire.
* En août, le tribunal militaire de Sivas a
condamné l’objecteur
Mehmet Tarhan à quatre ans de réclusion pour «
désobéissance aux ordres
» et refus d’exécuter son service militaire ; cet homme
est un
prisonnier d’opinion.
Homicides commis dans des
circonstances controversées
Le 9 novembre, un homme a été tué et plusieurs
autres ont été blessés à
la suite d’un attentat à l’explosif visant une librairie de
fiemdinli
(département de Hakkâri). Trois hommes ont
été inculpés dans le cadre
de cette affaire. Il est apparu plus tard que l’auteur
présumé était un
ancien combattant du PKK devenu informateur et que ses complices
présumés étaient deux membres des services de
sécurité qui, d’après
leurs papiers, étaient des agents en civil des services de
renseignements généraux de la gendarmerie. Par la suite,
alors que le
procureur procédait à des investigations sur les lieux de
l’attentat,
des coups de feu ont été tirés depuis une voiture
en direction de la
foule. Un civil a été tué et plusieurs autres ont
été blessés.
L'enquête du procureur a été ajournée. Un
sergent des forces spéciales
de la gendarmerie a été poursuivi pour usage
disproportionné de la
force ayant entraîné la mort. Amnesty International a
appelé le
gouvernement turc à désigner une commission
d'enquête indépendante pour
faire toute la lumière sur l’affaire, y compris sur les
allégations
d’implication directe de certains responsables. Au cours des
manifestations organisées ultérieurement pour
dénoncer l’affaire de
fiemdinli, la police a abattu trois personnes à Yüksekova
(département
de Hakkâri) et une à Mersin.
Les forces de sécurité ont abattu au cours de
l’année une cinquantaine
de personnes, plus de la moitié de ces faits étant
survenus dans les
départements du sud-est et de l’est. Il s’agit sans doute, dans
nombre
de cas, d’exécutions extrajudiciaires ou de recours à une
force
excessive. Le « refus d’obtempérer à l’ordre de
s’arrêter » était un
motif couramment invoqué par les forces de
sécurité pour justifier ces
morts.
Au moins deux personnes auraient été assassinées
par le PKK. Le 17
février, Kemal fiahin, un dissident du PKK ayant fondé une
organisation
alliée au Parti des démocrates patriotes du Kurdistan, a
été tué près
de Suleimaniyeh, dans le nord de l’Irak. Le 6 juillet, Hikmet Fidan,
ancien vice-président du DEHAP, a été tué
à Diyarbakir.
Une organisation dénommée Faucons de la liberté du
Kurdistan a
revendiqué un attentat à l’explosif commis en juillet
contre un autobus
dans la ville de Kusadasi, au bord de la mer Egée. Cet attentat
a causé
la mort de cinq civils.
Violences contre les femmes
Les dispositions positives figurant dans le nouveau CPT offraient aux
femmes une meilleure protection contre les violences familiales. En
vertu de la nouvelle Loi sur les municipalités, les communes de
plus de
50 000 habitants étaient tenues d’ouvrir des centres d’accueil
pour
femmes en détresse. La mise en œuvre de ce texte
nécessitera des
financements publics adéquats et une coopération sans
réserve avec les
organisations de femmes issues de la société civile. Des
efforts
demeuraient encore nécessaires pour que les représentants
de la loi, le
ministère public et les professionnels de santé aient
complètement
assimilé la Loi relative à la protection de la famille,
encore très
méconnue.
Mécanismes officiels pour la
protection des droits humains
Les mécanismes officiels de surveillance des droits humains
rattachés
au bureau du Premier ministre étaient partiellement
inopérants car
dotés de pouvoirs insuffisants pour signaler et instruire les
affaires
de violations des droits humains. L’action de la Commission
consultative des droits humains rattachée au cabinet du Premier
ministre, qui englobait des organisations de la société
civile, a été
entravée et la Commission a de fait cessé de fonctionner.
Qui plus est,
en novembre, son ex-président, Ibrahim Kaboglu, et l’un de ses
membres,
Baskin Oran, ont été poursuivis en raison de la teneur
d’un rapport
consacré à la question des minorités en Turquie,
commandé par la
Commission consultative et rédigé par Baskin Oran.
Créés par
l’Administration du Premier ministre en matière de droits
humains et
également rattachés au cabinet du Premier ministre, les
Conseils
départementaux et locaux de défense des droits humains
n’enquêtaient
pas de manière suffisante sur les violations de ces droits. Le
projet
de loi visant à créer une instance de médiation
était au point mort.
(AI, 23 mai 2006)
"Forced
Disappearance" Conference Starts in
Diyarbakir
The 5th International Conference on Enforced Disappearance Under
Detention is being held between May 16-20 in the southeast province of
Diyarbakir with a total of 46 delegates attending from 17 countries.
Organisers of the Conference, the International Committee Against
Disappearances (ICAD) and the Centre of Support and Solidarity for the
Family Members of Forcibly Disappeared People (YAKAYDER) held a press
conference on Monday together with some of the attending delegates and
disclosed the event program and participants.
ICAN International Office Representative Baki Selcuk and YAKAYDER's
Pervin Buldan told reporters that they have been working for the past
year to organise this 5-day international event.
Selcuk said, "in this part of geography, disappearances have not come
to an end, the fait of those who have disappeared have not been
disclosed. The number of mass graves is higher than assumed,
information is not being disclosed on operations. Those responsible for
disappearances from Susurluk to Semdinli should be made to pay".
Delegate Manik Mukherjee attending the conference from India said there
were "two Indias" with one being represented by the proletariat that
makes up 80 percent of the country and the other represented by the
"capitalist and imperialist ruling class". He said it was the ruling
class that was responsible for the disappearances in India.
Delegate Diana Kordon participating in the conference from Argentine
said "there are 30 thousand people who have disappeared in Argentine
and five thousand children who are aggrieved by this. The people's war
is continuing against these disappearances. As mothers of the missing,
we will share experiences with the [Turkish mothers of missing persons
who gather weekly as] Saturday Mothers. Let us hope that this
conference becomes an instrument to struggle against political
oppression throughout the world. That injustice and exploitation is
eliminated".
Halil Ebu Shammala is from the Palestinian Prisoners Support and Human
Rights Association that works on the rights of prisoners taken captive
in Gazza.
In Turkey on behalf of the Palestinian People's Liberation Front (PPLF)
Ebu Shammala said "it is unfortunate that the reason for our gathering
at this conferences, disappearances, still continues. This should not
be a shame for us but for all the governments that are violating human
rights".
Delegate Larisa Schirba attending the conference from Canada on behalf
of the Council of Friendship and Solidarity with the Soviet People said
their target was to explain what happened after the dissolution of the
Soviet Union and inseminate information on their struggle.
Lawyer and Red Assistance Organisation member Juan Manuel Olarieta from
Spain said "we want to be the voice of the anti-capitalists in Spanish
jails. There are no missing persons in Spain but all those missing are
as close to us as if they had disappeared in Spain".
ICAD, YAKAYDER and the delegates commemorated Turkey's "Saturday
Mothers" with red carnations in front of the Galatasaray Lycee
following their press conference.
Conference Program
* The conference starting Tuesday will end on May 21 Sunday. The
meeting will open with all delegates arriving in Diyarbakir and
introducing themselves.
* On Wednesday a sitting protest will be held for those who have
disappeared under detention, a photo exhibition will be opened, trees
will be planted for the missing and the film, "Missing" will be
screened. There is also a panel chat between Yusuf Cetin and Necmettin
Cobanoglu the same day.
* On Friday the issues of "human rights, disappearances under detention
and the perspective of the struggle" as well as "war strategies and the
reality of Middle East today" and "Neo-liberal economic policies and
Militarism" will be discussed.
* On Saturday, following the conclusion statement of the Conference,
the grave of Vedat Aydin will be visited and an international culture
night will be held. (BIA, May 16, 2006)
New
unit to be established in fight against terrorism
A new unit is to be established in order to conduct a more effective
fight against terrorism in Turkey, especially considering the
escalation of recent months.
The new unit, named as the General Directorate of Security Affairs, is
to carry out secretarial work for the Supreme Board of Anti-terrorism
which is headed by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül.
The General Directorate of Security Affairs will serve at the Prime
Minister's Office. Coordination between the PM's Office and the
security institutions, and carrying out research and drawing up
proposals regarding measures for counter-terrorism will be among the
tasks of the new unit.
The recent rise in terrorist activities had triggered a debate between
military and political officials regarding the necessity of a new unit
in the fight against terrorism.
An amendment is required in the law on the organization of the Prime
Minister's Office in order to establish the new unit. (BIA News Center,
Erol ONDEROGLU, May 11, 2006)
Human Rights Activists Protest Anti-Terror
Bill By All Means
Human rights activists throughout Turkey are launching a nation-wide
campaign today to peacefully protest the government's new controversial
Anti-Terror Bill as it goes before the Parliament Justice Commission to
be discussed for approval.
National telephone and mobile networks are planned to be used in at
least 11 provinces to lodge protests to members of the commission as
well as members of parliament to appeal to them for a withdrawal of
amendments that are widely believed to be an about-turn from the
country's previously announced democratization plans in line in with
European Union accession talks.
Appeals have been made by various organizations, human rights groups
and unions to rights and freedom activists nation-wide to volunteer and
use the national phone and mobile networks to make simultaneous
telephone calls to members of the Commission and MPs saying "stop the
terror bill" at exactly noon on Wednesday.
The campaign, that is scheduled to last 5 minutes in total, aims to
bring together activists primarily in larger cities such as Istanbul,
Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and Diyarbakir to first make a phone call to
commission members and MPs and then send text messages against the
Anti-Terror Law amendment to members of parliament.
"We do not need a new Anti-Terror Law" the phone messages are to say.
"There was no need for the old one either. The Penal Code already
brings excessive punishment. The new draft is full of traps that will
see everyone and every opinion as criminal. This law will not stop
terror but will incite it. Renounce it".
SMS messages to the 550 elected deputies of parliament are part of the
campaign target depending on finding 55 volunteers from various cities
who will send 10 SMS messages each to different members of parliament.
These brief messages are to say "Renounce this Draft".
Participants have also been invited to send separate SMS messages
targeting members of the Commission who will be debating the draft with
details of their phone numbers published at various sites,
16 of the Commission members are from the ruling Justice and
Development Party, 7 from the main opposition Republic Peoples Party
(CHP) and 1 from the Motherland Party (ANAP). (BIA
News Center, Erol
ONDEROGLU, May 10, 2006)
EU ambassadors
express concerns to Gul over new anti-terror bill
The ambassadors of the European Union countries to Ankara on Tuesday
afternoon expressed their concern to the Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul regarding Turkey's new draft anti-terrorism law and also
regarding the unrest in Turkey's southeast region.
FM Gul today invited the EU ambassadors to a dinner in honour of Europe
Day.
Minister Gul told that ambassadors that Turkey would overcome all
difficulties on the way to European Union membership. The ambassadors
in their turn expressed their concern regarding Turkey's proposed
anti-terrorism law and regarding also the unrest in southeast Turkey.
Austria's Ankara Embassy Chargé D'Affaires Christian Steiner
told Gul that in the view of many observers the new anti-terrorism law
would seriously harm human rights in Turkey.
Discussion on the draft bill for the amendment of the anti-terror act
are to resume at the Turkish parliament on Wednesday.
The new bill, whose preparation was speeded up following the recent
resurgence of terror activities across Turkey, extends and redefines
terror offenses.
Human trafficking, drug smuggling, obstruction of education,
influencing of tenders, prostitution, pollution of the environment and
forgery of credit cards may be treated as terror offenses, according to
the new anti-terror bill. (Cihan News Agency, May 9, 2006)
Justice Minister says controversial article to
remain in anti-terror bill
Justice Minister Cemil Çiçek said that article 6 of the
Anti-terror bill is to remain in the draft bill.
Speaking on the private Turkish channel Kanal 7 on Friday evening,
Çiçek stated that the opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal
had first
claimed that the article in question could pave the way for the release
of the jailed leader of the PKK Abdullah Ocalan, but had later
abandoned his claims. Çiçek also recalled that the bill
had been
drafted by a 36-member commission, not by just two or three people.
Stating that nobody besides his own party members agreed with the
opposition leader, Çiçek stressed that the draft bill
foresaw a
conditional release only for those who have not previously been
convicted of terrorist offenses.
"However, the jailed ringleader of the PKK was convicted under Article
125 of the Turkish penal Code and it is not possible that he could
benefit from any pardon or amnesty", Çiçek, also the
government
spokesman, underlined.
Opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal had claimed in late April that the
new anti-terror bill could pave the way for the release within two
years of the PKK terror leader Abdullah Ocalan. (Cihan News Agency, May
6, 2006)
La Turquie condamnée deux fois
pour
"traitement inhumain"
La Turquie a été condamnée jeudi par la Cour
européenne des droits de l'Homme pour des traitements inhumains
infligés à deux ressortissants turcs lors de leur garde
à vue.
Soupçonné d'activités terroristes, Ali Akkurt, 35
ans à l'époque des faits, est arrêté le 10
février 1994 et placé en garde à vue, à
l'issue de laquelle, deux semaines plus tard, un médecin
constate un syndrome lombaire.
Ali Haydar Saygili, 23 ans à l'époque, est lui
placé en garde à vue le 9 décembre 1996 car il est
soupçonné d'appartenir à une organisation
illégale. A l'issue de sa garde à vue une semaine plus
tard, un médecin constate d'anciennes traces d'ecchymoses sur
son épaule gauche.
Les requérants affirment avoir subi des électrochocs au
bout des orteils et été soumis à la "pendaison
palestinienne" consistant à être suspendu par les bras
liés derrière le dos. Haydar Saygili affirme de plus
avoir eu, les yeux bandés, les parties génitales
écrasées et le cou serré jusqu'à la
suffocation.
Dans leur arrêt rendu jeudi, les juges de Strasbourg estiment
établi que dans ces deux affaires, les marques décrites
dans les rapports médicaux ont pour origine un traitement
inhumain dont la Turquie porte la responsabilité.
La Cour alloue 15.000 EUR à M. Akkurt pour préjudice
moral ainsi que 3.000 EUR pour frais et dépens, et à M.
Saygili 5.000 EUR pour préjudice moral et 285 EUR pour frais et
dépens. (AFP, 4 mai 2006)
Parliament postponed debates on the
controversial anti-terror law
Debates on the controversial anti-terror bill in Parliament's Justice
Commission were postponed yesterday until next Wednesday, leading to
speculations that the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party is not
rushing the issue.
During three-and-a-half-hour debates over the bill in the Justice
Commission, the AK Party deputies insisted that terrorist Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan won't be released because
of the bill, while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP)
deputies reiterated their claims that the bill could set him free. The
Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) representative supported arguments made by
the CHP deputies.
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek called on the CHP deputies to contribute
to the bill, saying, "The bill doesn't need to be passed tomorrow
morning. I think we should set up a separate commission to debate the
bill. If the CHP will contribute to it, that will please us. If it
doesn't, we will do our best to pass it."
Commission head and AK Party member Koksal Toptan said that there were
only five people who spoke about the bill in yesterday's debates. He
scheduled a new meeting next Wednesday for the continuation of debates.
All the CHP deputies that took the floor yesterday said that they won't
support the bill. CHP Deputy Nuri Saygun said that they won't appoint
any deputies to join the commission that will be set up, adding that
the government will be responsible for the bill. "If the AK Party
supports the bill as it is, we will leave them alone with their
responsibility, we won't share that responsibility," said CHP's
Muharrem Kilic. (TNA Parliament Bureau, May 3,
2006)
Plus
de 80 arrestations lors des manifestations du 1er
mai en Turquie
La police turque a placé en garde-à-vue lundi 85
personnes à la suite
de heurts survenus dans trois villes du pays lors des
célébrations du
1er mai, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie.
A Istanbul, 34 militants de gauche ont été
arrêtés alors qu'ils
tentaient d'organiser un défilé dans une zone interdite
aux
manifestations, a affirmé le gouverneur de la ville Muammer
Güler.
Les unités anti-émeutes ont fait usage de leurs matraques
et de
grenades lacrymogènes contre des manifestants qui avaient
investi la
place de Taksim, sur la rive occidentale du Bosphore, et
résistaient à
leur arrestation en frappant les policiers avec des bâtons, selon
les
images diffusées par la chaîne d'information NTV.
Certains manifestants ont été blessés dans les
heurts, a affirmé NTV.
A Elazig, dans l'est de la Turquie, la police est intervenue contre des
manifestants, soupçonnés d'appartenir à une
organisation clandestine
d'extrême-gauche, qui ont jeté des pierres sur les agents
après avoir
refusé de se disperser, a rapporté Anatolie qui a fait
état de 51
arrestations.
Des incidents se sont également produits à Izmir (ouest)
où des
manifestants kurdes ont refusé d'être fouillés par
la police qui
encadrait les célébrations du 1er mai.
Des manifestants et des policiers ont été blessés
dans l'échauffourée, selon Anatolie.
Aucun heurt n'a en revanche été rapporté à
Kadiköy, un quartier de la
rive orientale d'Istanbul, et à Ankara, où plusieurs
milliers de
personnes se sont réunies à l'appel des principaux
syndicats pour
célébrer, avec l'aval des autorités, le 1er mai.
Les manifestations du 1er mai ont parfois débouché sur de
violents
affrontements entre les forces de sécurité turques et les
manifestants.
En 1996, trois personnes ont été tuées et des
dizaines d'autres, dont des policiers, ont été
blessés lors de heurts à Kadiköy.
Les affrontements les plus sanglants remontent au 1er mai 1977.
Trente-sept personnes venues manifester sur la place de Taksim avaient
alors trouvé la mort. (AFP, 1 mai 2006)
Pression
sur les médias / Pressure on the Media
Local
Papers Under Government's Financial Pressure
Turkey's newly proposed Public Tenders Bill which is now before the
Council of Ministers is said to restrict public advertisements to local
newspapers so much that without this crucial source of income, the
whole of the country's local newspaper network can collapse.
A majority of local newspapers throughout the country, traditionally
dubbed as the "Anatolian Press," depend on advertisements of upcoming
public tenders and contracts for survival as well as advertisements of
congresses and meetings.
Recent amendments to the system had already led to an end to
advertisements of congresses to be held by associations, cooperatives
and professional chambers while an end to advertising some tenders in
advance, in preference to holding them on invitation only, increased
economic pressures on the local press.
If the new bill is passed, it is said that some 1,100 registered local
newspapers may have to close their doors and the move has already been
branded as the government's death warrant for the national media.
Media experts said the Public Tenders Bill prepared by the Ministry of
Transportation foresees only "short texts" in official advertisements
to be given to local newspapers where only short information on the
source of tender and its contact details will be published. If
approved, this will practically mean an end to official advertisement
incomes to local newspapers.
Troubled Days Ahead
A joint statement issued on May 30 on behalf of journalists and their
associations in Karaelmas, Karabuk, Bartin and Bolu warned that "if the
draft law is approved, extremely difficult and troubled days will be
ahead of the local newspapers that are trying to continue their
publishing life under very difficult conditions".
The statement, undersigned by Bolu Journalists Association Chairman
Caner Gungor, Bartin Journalists Association Chairman Ahmet Oktay,
Karabuk Journalists Association Chairman Ahmet Karaaslan and Karaelmas
Journalists Association Chairman Osman Sav said "what we request from
the government and Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is to take
decisions that will disprove the criticism that they are doing
everything within their hands to dry the blood flow of the Anatolian
Press and suffocate it."
Another reaction to the bill has come from the province of Manisa where
newspaper owners have issued warnings to the government that if the law
is passed and if it does restrict the right of local papers to publish
official advertisements, eight local newspapers there out of which
seven receive official advertisements would be forced to close their
doors.
According to a report in the Manisa Yarin (Tomorrow) newspaper, owners
of local papers have reacted strongly to the government plan and
believe that in their city and elsewhere in the country the local media
will no longer be able to function if the draft is passed.
"They are preparing the death warrant of the local press" said Yarin
newspaper's Halis Teker adding that "if the draft is passed in its
current form, the Anatolian press will be wiped out. It is foreseen
that at least 1,100 newspapers will have to close down". Teker said he
believed the move is also "a big blow to the people's freedom of
learning of news and getting information".
Speaking on behalf of Haber (News) and Hayat (Life) newspapers, Hasim
Agar stressed that local newspapers survived not through their sales
but through the number of official advertisements they published. "With
this draft they are telling us to lock down... If the new draft is
passed we either have to take economic measures and reduce the number
of personnel or we will have to close down altogether" he said.
Erdinc Yumrukaya of the Denge (Balance) and Yenigün (New Day)
newspapers was quoted by Manis'a Yarin newspaper as saying that the
draft had to be reviewed "or else under the circumstances, we will have
to close down the newspapers."
Uzeyir Dindar of the Hur Isik (Free Light) and Hur Ekspres (Free
Express) newspapers said "we are concerned over this draft. Local
newspapers are a door to employment.
Today many people work in local newspapers in Manisa. These newspapers
employ people through the official advertisements they receive. Their
incomes are in the open. If this income is restricted, local journalism
will come to an end. It is impossible for us to keep the newspapers
alive with [other] advertisements and through sales".
Manisa Journalists Association chairman Ertugrul Aytac told the Yarin
newspaper that the association had made a serious initiative in capital
Ankara and added "there is a serious chaos here. Because, the local
newspapers are the locomotive of the media sector in Turkey. The
government should be aware of this. We are prepared as the journalists
association to make every kind of initiative and take any kind of
action to prevent a restriction of the income of local newspapers."
(BIA News Center, Erol ONDEROGLU, May 31, 2006)
BIA² Freedom of Expression Workshop discussed
repressive laws
The "Freedom of Expression Workshop" directed at lawyers under the
"Establishing a Countrywide Network in Turkey for Monitoring and
Covering Media Freedom and Independent Journalism"( BIA²) project
project implemented by the IPS Communication Foundation was held at
Istanbul's Hotel Villa on May 27-28.
The two day meeting hosted presentations by BIA legal advisor Fikret
Ilkiz on the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and the Radio and Television
Supreme Council (RTUK) legislation and practices as well as a series of
discussions on various issues including articles 301, 277, 288 of the
Turkish Penal Code, article 19 of the Press Law and the 4th article on
publishing principles as described in Law 3984.
Tunceli Bar Association lawyer Huseyin Aygun conducted a presentation
on the problems Turkey's new Anti-Terror Law would present to defence
and fair trial rights.
A total of 32 jurists from 15 cities attended the two day program where
practical workshops based on current news items were held in groups of
four. The jurists were from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Diyarbakir, Van,
Antalya, Batman, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Sanliurfa, Samsun, Bursa,
Zonguldak, Mugla and Mersin provinces.
Following an opening speech made by BIA² Project Consultant and
IPS
Communication Foundation Executive Board chair Nadire Mater, Project
Coordinator Ertugrul Kurkcu introduced the participants to the
BIA²
project. After these speakers, lawyer Meric Eyuboglu covered the
schedule of the program for the two days.
Jurists discuss TCK, RTUK and TMY
Titles of the issues covered by communications jurist Fikret Ilkiz were
"Freedom of Expression under the light of the TCK", "Press Crimes under
the light of TCK", "Insult under the light of TCK", "Crimes against the
state under the light of TCK" and "Practices of the RTUK".
Ilkiz opened to discussion a series of contemporary issues in light of
current legislation including the "insult" suit filed against writer
Yakup Onal by the Sarkkoy court for his article titled "Pinocchio and
the nine dwarfs" published in the Sarkkoy'un Sesi (Voice of Sarkkoy)
newspaper, the case filed against eight journalists in Kutahya for
their criticism of the State Council 2nd Chamber decision related to a
teacher wearing a headscarf, the broadcast ban imposed on televisions
by the Malatya Criminal Court of Peace related to violence and Children
Homes, the news report titled "Fans of the Chief" related to Seday
Peker which was published in the Milliyet newspaper on July 5, 2005 and
the seizure of the Birgun newspaper for its news report on the Spice
Market bombing.
Article 125 of the Penal Code titled "Insult", article 132 on
"Violation of the confidentiality of communication", article 133 titled
"Listening on and recording communication between individuals", article
134 on "Violation of confidentiality of private life", article 277 on
"Influencing people on trial duty", article 288 on "Attempt to
influence fair trial" and article 301 covering "Degrading the concept
of being a Turk, the republic, the institutions and organs of the
state".
EU Advisory Decision is an
important resource
While discussing the issue of news coverage of criminal court cases,
lawyer Ilkiz stressed that the July 10, 2003 advisory decision of the
European Council Ministers Committee related to "giving news on
criminal prosecution through the media" was an important resource for
jurists.
Ilkiz recalled that the most recent European Union Progress Report
covering developments until September 30, 2005 contained many examples
of cases launched against journalists and others under article 288 . He
said that a backward step taken with a recent amendment on increasing
penalties for this crime committed by way of press and media made no
change in the essence of the article.
While talking about examples, Ilkiz referred to past decisions of the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) such as the Perna/Italy verdict,
the Sunday Times/ United Kingdom verdict, the Weber/Switzerland verdict
and the Goodwin/United Kingdom verdict.
Explaining that the impartiality of the Radio and Television Supreme
Council (RTUK) has for a long time been debated on the public agenda,
lawyer Ilkiz said the Council had become a platform where its members
were elected by the government and opposition. He gave examples of the
operations during news casts and in other casts.
Saying that radio and television companies were paying rent for the
frequency they were using, Ilkiz added that Turkey lacked a
comprehensive frequency planning and that this led to various judicial
problems.
Lawyer Meric Tumer who participated in the workshop from Adana recalled
that in their region a three year broadcast ban had been imposed on a
radio for broadcasting in the Kurdish language and various other claims
including "inciting hatred and enmity". He said these were appealed
against and that all but one case was won favourably.
Tumer said he had come across a case where it was alleged a radio was
creating interference and that they were acquitted in the case despite
it being a difficult one.
He said that both officials and the RTUK had started proceedings
including bringing charges against a radio station for issuing an
appeal to attend a meeting to mark September 1 Peace Day that was later
cancelled but that although the case itself had resulted with an
acquittal decision, the RTUK ignored this decision and did not withdraw
its own decision.
TMY draft an obstacle to fair trial
Lawyer Huseyin Aygun who made a small presentation on the controversial
Anti-Terror Law (TMY) draft that is debated at parliament explained
that the draft restricted defense rights and that lawyers accused under
the scope of "terror offences" could be barred from duty for 6 months
to 2 years.
Aygun said the draft contained important restrictions on the right to
defence and access to family and attorney and, referring to article 250
of the Criminal Procedures Law, he explained that at times they needed
to travel 500 kilometers to attend special courts created to handle
terror crimes.
According to article 250 such offences are heard at High Criminal
Courts that are determined by the Supreme Board of Judges and
Prosecutors on recommendation from the Ministry of Justice and are
based in a province that will encompass many provinces.
BIA² had held the first of these programs where lawyers working in
the
field of freedom of expression were invited in September 2004.
BIA² was implemented by the IPS Communications Foundation in 2003
and
is a 36 month project overseen by the project coordination headed by
project advisor Nadire Mater and project coordinator Ertugrul
Kürkçü.
80% of the project's budget is met through a grant contract under the
European Union's Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
(BIA News Center, Erol ONDEROGLU, May 31, 2006)
AKP
refuses citizenship rights for poet Nazim Hikmet
Deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have
voiced opposition to a proposal floated by the opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP) to include a phrase in a new citizenship law that
envisages restoration of citizenship rights for well-known poet Nazim
Hikmet, saying this could open the way for similar demands from tens of
thousands of others.
Hikmet, a committed socialist, died in exile in Moscow in 1963. He was
stripped of Turkish citizenship in 1951 by Cabinet decree.
Hakki Ülkü, a lawmaker from the CHP, proposed inclusion of a
phrase in
the bill on Turkish citizenship that annuls the 1951 decision when a
parliamentary sub-commission was debating the legislation.
The AKP deputies, on the other hand, opposed Ülkü's proposal,
saying as
many as 35,000 people could apply to restore their citizenship if this
decree is annulled, leading to potentially dangerous results.
The sub-committee eventually decided not to include the phrase sought
by Ülkü.
The bill will now be sent to Parliament's Internal Affairs Commission
for further discussion. (Turkish Daily News, May 22, 2006)
A Fourth
Case Against Anti-War Reporter
Visiting the city Justice Hall on May 10 Wednesday in relation to three
cases against her for "discouraging people from military service",
pro-Kurdish Ulkede Ozgur Gundem (Free Agenda in the Country) newspaper
reporter Birgul Ozbaris was informed she now faced a fourth case on the
same charges.
The journalist who pleaded to be excused from court on the three
previous cases due to change of judges, gave a statement to Republic
Prosecutor Nihat Erdem in relation to the fourth case that was launched
after a complaint from the military.
Ozbaris had published a news report related to a statement by
conscientious objector Halil Savda in an April 9 dated article titled
"Do not go for military service" where she claimed that reaction to the
killings in Southeast Turkey had also effected those who individually
refused to serve in the army.
She quoted Savda calling on youth not to serve in the military and
saying, "we must intervene in this painful, in this bloody situation
and say stop. I have done this as an individual. Now I ask this from
everyone; Listen to the sound of peace, extend your hand to it".
Savda was quoted saying, in Osbaris's report, "Let us say stop to this.
Until the human resources of war are dried up, lasting peace cannot
exist. We can start from ourselves".
In her statement to the prosecution this week, the journalist said she
had made a news report out of Savda's views that he had made public and
prepared the report under the scope of freedom of expression.
She also argued that another investigation in relation to the same
report was being conducted at the Beyoglu prosecutor's office.
Ozbaris faced 9 years imprisonment on three separate court cases
relating to her May 15, 2005 series "Neither military service, nor war"
and "If Turkey plays its role" article; her September 24, 2005
"Anti-war meeting" news report and her October 19, 2005 "Objectors have
a message to EU" interview as well as "Conscientious objectors want
compulsory military service debated in EU accession talks"..
With the new case against her she will be tried under Penal Code
article 318 and faces 12 years imprisonment if found guilty of the
charges.
Article 318 rules six months to two years imprisonment for those who
encourage or suggest in a way that will discourage the people from
military service and increasing the sentence by half if the offence is
committed through the press. (BIA
News Center, Erol
ONDEROGLU, May 12, 2006)
Nouvel attentat
contre le quotidien Cumhuriyet
Le siège du quotidien Cumhuriyet à Istanbul a
été visé jeudi pour la
troisième fois en moins d'une semaine par un attentat à
la bombe, sans
toutefois faire de victime, ont rapporté les médias.
"Deux hommes ont jeté une grenade à fragmentation dans le
jardin en
criant "Allah Akbar (Allah est grand)" avant de prendre la fuite, a
déclaré sur la chaîne privée NTV un
éditorialiste du journal
d'opposition, Hikmet Cetinkaya.
"Les vitres de quelques voitures et celles de la guérite des
agents de
sécurité ont été brisées (...)
heureusement, il n'y a pas eu de morts
ou de blessés", a ajouté le journaliste,
considérant la multiplication
de ces attaques comme "très inquiétante".
Deux personnes avaient déjà jeté une grenade tard
mercredi soir dans le
jardin du journal. L'engin n'avait pas explosé en raison d'un
système
de déclenchement défectueux, selon Cumhuriyet.
Un attentat similaire s'était produit vendredi soir mais
là encore la
grenade n'avait pas explosé car sa goupille n'avait pas
été
complètement retirée.
Cumhuriyet s'est illustré par ses virulentes attaques contre le
parti
au pouvoir, issu de la mouvance islamiste, qu'il accuse de vouloir
saper le principe de laïcité en vigueur en Turquie.
Ces attentats sont "une attaque contre la liberté de la presse
et la
démocratie", a commenté sur NTV Ibrahim Yildiz, directeur
de la
publication du quotidien. "Mais nous continuerons à pratiquer un
journalisme indépendant". (AFP, 11 mai 2006)
Local Newsmen Sued on
Police Sex Report
Journalist couple Selmi Yilmaz and Fakir Yilmaz have been sentenced by
a local court to pay 8,000 YTL (5,800 USD) in damages for reports and
articles claiming the provincial police chief Mehmet Gurtekin had
failed to take any measures against growing prostitution in the city.
The journalists were found guilty for a news report headlined "Our
population has increased" accompanied by a commentary titled "Law and
order intact" in the June 2, 2005 issue of the local daily "Kuzeydogu
Anadolu" (Northeast Anatolia).
Fakir Yilmaz had claimed in his article that prostitution, which he
referred to as "sex work", had become considerably easy under the
police chief Gurtekin who appeared to be a man of religion.
Gurtekin, demanding 20,000 YTL in damages, said the news report
referring to him was untrue, that his individual rights had been
violated and that he had not neglected his duty. The complainant
maintained that the author had attacked his religious beliefs and
violated his private life.
The court decided to grant Gurtekin part of the damages in the case
launched on October 14, 2005, taking as evidence the investigations
launched against prostitution in Ardahan as well as their consequences
since the police chief took office in September 2004. (BIA News Center,
Erol ONDEROGLU, May 11, 2006) -
Appeals Court explains decision to cancel
suspension of Dink sentence
The Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals issued a statement on Thursday
explaining its decision of 1 May last to cancel the suspension of the
six-month sentence imposed on ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink for
'insulting Turkishness'.
The No. 9 Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals in Ankara
stated today in explanation of its decision that denigrating one
community whlle praising another could not be regarded as freedom of
speech.
In his column for the Turkish Armenian daily Agos dated Feb. 13 2004,
Dink had likened Turkish nationalism to carcinogenic tumors and
poisoned blood in its responsibility for genocide. Today's Appeals
Court statement said that there was no doubt that Dink's statement
ridiculed and insulted Turkishness.
On 1 May the No. 9 Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals
cancelled the decision which suspended the six-month imprisonment of
ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who had been sentenced on a
charge of insulting Turkish dignity.
The No 9 Penal Chamber quashed the suspension of the sentence citing
mistaken evaluation and insufficient procedures. The chamber judged
that the remarks made by Dink insulted Turkish dignity.
In recent times, legal proceedings against Turkish journalists and
especially against author Orhan Pamuk have drawn the ire of the
European Union, with which Turkey opened accession talks on Oct. 2005.
The EU has warned that the legal investigations contradict the freedom
of speech and the EU-minded reforms which have been passed in Turkey.
Ethnic Armenian Turkish national Dink writes for the Agos daily which
is mainly addressed to the Armenian community in Turkey.
In early 2006, the Turkish courts had bowed to pressure from the EU to
drop charges against author Orhan Pamuk who had been accused of
insulting Turkish dignity. (BIA News Center, Erol ONDEROGLU, May 11,
2006) -
Journalists
Threatened Under
Anti-Terror Law
Istanbul"s
Bagcilar district 2nd Court of First Instance prosecutor Omer Karacal
has demanded prison terms under article 6/2 of the Anti-Terror Law
(TMY) against a journalist and two editors of the mass circulation
Turkish daily Hurriyet newspaper for an interview published in the
daily on October 10, 2005.
Journalist Sebati Karakurt, editors Necdet Tatlıcan and Hasan Kılıc
have been charged with violating article 6/2 through the publication of
an interview titled "Womens mentality in Kandil exceeds pro-Kurdish
demands" where Murat Karayilan, a senior leader of the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was interviewed.
In an article accompanying the interview, also published in the Sunday
special edition of the newspaper the same day, Karakurt had described
the changes of the living conditions of militants attached to the PKK
who were living on Kandil mountain.
Appearing at court on Friday, May 5, Karakurt testified in the presence
of his defence attorney Yucel Dosemeci, saying that the Kandil mountain
report was not the first of his reports and recalling that he had
interviewed organisation leaders in Algeria in 1994, was the first
journalist to enter Falluja and Baghdad during the war and that a news
report he had prepared on the presence of PKK militants in Romania had
even been submitted as a document to the Romanian Prime Minister by
former Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller.
Karakurt said that three months ago he met a girl who had escaped the
ranks of the PKK and that she told him she had used his Kandil news
report to explain to those around her why she had escaped.
Karakurt argued that the report and interview were part of his
journalistic duty and refuted allegations that there was any form of
organizational propaganda in either. He noted that he had won an award
in the field of news-interview from the Journalists Association of
Turkey (TGC) for the news item subject to charges.
Adding Karakurt"s two page petition to the case file, the court decided
against hearing defendants Kilic and Tatlican and asked Prosecutor Omer
Karacal to read his indictment.
The prosecutor said the interview and accompanying photographs appeared
to serve propaganda for the organization and asked for all three
defendants to be punished under article 6/2 of the TMY.
On request of the defense attorney, the court decided to give time for
a detailed defense to be prepared and the hearing was adjourned to
September 21, at 9:10.
On October 25, 2005, the Istanbul Number 10 Criminal Court had issued a
lack of jurisdiction decision in the case against Karakurt where a
prison term of 5 years in addition to fines was demanded for the
journalist. Charges leveled against Karakurt were "printing the
statements of a terror organization" and "carrying out the propaganda
of a terror organization".
A search of Karakurt's house by the police after publication of the
news item had led to reaction from the country"s press freedom circles
and organisations that condemned it as "an attack against a news
source". (BIA
News Center, Erol
ONDEROGLU, May 9, 2006)
Press Council: "Inspectors Should Know Their
Place"
Press Council deputy chair Dogan Heper has protested an attempt by
Turkey's National Police Directorate inspectors to question Milliyet
reporter Tolga Sardan for information related to a news report he filed.
Heper invited the inspectors "to know their place and to conduct their
investigations without breaching the limits of duty". He said the
attempt to question Sardan by inviting him to be present before the
inspectors was a violation of the confidentiality of news source and
argued that any relevant information that needed to be publicly known
was already in Sardan's April 4, 2004 news report.
Sardan received an invitation from Chief Inspector Ismail Yildiz to
visit the Police Directorate after the report was published in the
daily Milliyet.
Heper said Yildiz or the police general directorate that would have
tasked him to question Sardan, were "using an authority that does not
exist under the laws" adding that the invitation was an attempt against
the principle of journalists not revealing their sources. (BIA
News Center, Erol
ONDEROGLU, May 10, 2006)
Article 301 Charge Haunts Sorun Publications
Legal proceedings have started against author Osman Tetikci and
publisher Sirri Ozturk after a criminal complaint filed by the Turkish
Chief of General Staff office.
The two are charged with 'publicly degrading the army' under article
301/2 of the Penal Code in a book titled "The Evolution of The Army
from the Ottomans to Today".
The two defendants will appear at the Istanbul 2nd Court of First
Instance on June 20 for their first trial based on an indictment
prepared by Republic Prosecutor Nurten Alinok.
Alinok's indictment was completed after Sirri Ozturk's statement was
taken by the prosecution on March 2, 2006.
In his statement, Ozturk said Osman Tetikci who left the ranks of the
armed forces during the March 12, 1971 coup period, had in-depth
knowledge of the military due to his background. He said the book was
based on extensive research and that prior to its publication, the
publishing house had it examined by jurists to ensure there were no
violations of law. "In the examination" said Ozturk, "it was decided
that the research book contained no element of offence".
Since June 1, 2005, more than 40 journalists, authors, activists,
academics and unionists in Turkey have been prosecuted under
controversial article 301 or because it has been deemed 'in the
interest of the defendant' under article 159 of the old Penal Code.
Journalists Sabri Ejder Öziç, Emin Karaca, Burak Bekdil,
Aziz Özer, Erkan Akay, human rights activist Eren Keskin, author
Zülküf Kisanak and unionists Hanefi Bekmezci and Hüseyin
Ser were sentenced in these cases. (BIA
News Center, Erol
ONDEROGLU, May 10, 2006)
RSF
demande la libération des deux reporters de l'agence
DIHA
« Nous demandons la libération provisoire des deux
journalistes de l'agence DIHA en attendant l'issue de leur
procès. Les deux reporters n'ont commis aucun crime de sang et
rien ne justifie leur détention préventive. Nous
demandons également au procureur de reconsidérer la peine
requise, d'une extrême sévérité », a
déclaré Reporters sans frontières.
Le procès des reporters de l'agence prokurde DIHA, Evrim Dengiz
et Nesrin Yazar, a débuté le 9 mai 2006. Les deux
journalistes, arrêtées par la police antiterroriste le 15
février 2006, sont accusées d'« atteinte à
l'unité de l'Etat et à l'intégrité du
territoire ».
Evrim Dengiz et Nesrin Yazar sont incarcérées depuis
près de deux mois et ont été
transférées, il y a deux semaines, à la prison de
la ville d'Adana (sud du pays). Le tribunal a refusé leur
demande de libération.
L'avocat des journalistes, Bedri Kuran, qui n'a pas accès au
dossier puisque l'affaire est classée secret-défense,
affirme que les forces de l'ordre n'ont pas respecté la
procédure judiciaire lorsqu'elles ont effectué la fouille
de leur voiture de location. Celle-ci aurait dû être
réalisée sur ordre d'un magistrat ou d'un fonctionnaire
de police. Il ajoute également qu'il n'existe aucun rapport
d'expertise concernant les deux cocktails Molotov.
La prochaine audience se tiendra le 4 juillet. Les deux reporters
risquent toujours la prison à vie. (RSF, 10 mai 2006)
Acquittement
d'universitaires turcs jugés pour un rapport sur les
minorités
Une cour d'assises d'Ankara a acquitté mercredi deux
universitaires turcs de renom poursuivis pour un rapport
controversé appelant à l'élargissement des droits
des minorités en Turquie, pays qui souhaite adhérer
à l'Union européenne (UE).
Les professeurs Baskin Oran et Ibrahim Kaboglu risquaient chacun
jusqu'à cinq ans de prison pour "insulte à la justice
turque" et "incitation" à la haine" dans un procès ouvert
en février.
Le juge Avni Mis a estimé qu'il n'y avait pas lieu de
pénaliser les deux défenseurs des droits de l'Homme
après qu'un procureur eut demandé leur acquittement
jugeant que les propos figurant dans le rapport incriminé
devaient être considérés dans le cadre de la
liberté d'expression.
Les deux hommes, membres d'un conseil sur les droits des
minorités dépendant des services du Premier ministre, ont
dévoilé en octobre 2004 devant le conseil un rapport qui
a suscité un vif débat en Turquie et provoqué la
colère des milieux nationalistes.
Le document, qui n'a jamais été publié par le
gouvernement, proposait des amendements constitutionnels et
législatifs en faveur des minorités qui viendraient
s'ajouter aux réformes pro-européennes déjà
adoptées par le parlement turc.
Le rapport qualifiait de "paranoïa" la menace, souvent
agitée par les nationalistes, d'une partition du pays en cas
d'octroi de nouveaux droits aux minorités, notamment aux Kurdes.
Les deux intellectuels ont par la suite quitté leur poste au
sein du Conseil qui ne s'est plus réuni depuis février
2005.
Ce procès contre l'auteur du rapport, M. Oran, et le
président du comité, M. Kaboglu, était jugé
comme un nouveau test de la volonté des autorités turques
d'élargir la liberté d'expression dans un pays qui a
entamé en octobre des négociations d'adhésion
à l'UE.
L'UE demande de longue date à Ankara d'octroyer des droits
culturels à la communauté kurde ainsi qu'aux
minorités religieuses dont les chrétiens orthodoxes.
(AFP, 10 mai 2006)
Décès
de
l'écrivain et éditeur turc Erdal
Öz
L'écrivain et directeur de la plus grande maison
d'édition de Turquie
Erdal Öz est mort samedi soir à l'âge de 71 ans dans
un hôpital
d'Istanbul des suites d'un cancer du poumon, ont rapporté
dimanche les
médias.
Né en 1935 à Sivas (centre), Öz a publié son
premier recueil de contes,
Yorgunlar (Fatigués), et son premier roman, Odalarda (Dans les
Chambres), en 1960. Son oeuvre comprend au total une quinzaine de
romans et de recueils.
L'écrivain sera emprisonné en 1971 pour ses prises de
position
politiques au lendemain d'un coup d'Etat militaire, une
expérience
qu'il relatera dans Defterimde Kus Sesleri (Sons d'Oiseaux dans mon
Cahier, 2003).
Il a fondé en 1981 Can Yayinlari, devenue au fil des ans la
maison
d'édition la plus prolifique de Turquie, avec des centaines
d'auteurs à
son catalogue.
Erdal Öz sera inhumé mardi. (AFP, 7 mai 2006)
Décès
du cinéaste turc Atif Yilmaz
Le réalisateur, scénariste et producteur de cinéma
turc Atif Yilmaz
s'est éteint tard vendredi, à l'âge de 80 ans,
à Istanbul, ont rapporté
les médias.
Au cours d'un demi siècle de carrière, le
cinéaste, né en 1926 à Mersin
(sud), a réalisé près de 120 films allant du drame
social à la comédie
romantique en passant par le mélodrame ou la fresque du monde
rural,
marquant plusieurs générations de cinéphiles turcs.
"C'est la fin d'une époque dans notre vie culturelle. Yilmaz
était le
grand frère du cinéma turc", a commenté le
président de l'Association
turque des réalisateurs de films, Erdem Kiral, cité par
l'agence de
presse Anatolie.
Le cinéaste, dont le dernier film, Egreti Gelin (La Fausse
Fiancée),
était sorti en salles en 2005, a notamment tourné Ah
Güzel Istanbul (Ah
Belle Istanbul, 1966), Deli Yusuf (Yusuf le Fou, 1976) et Aah...
Belinda (1986).
Il sera inhumé dimanche à Istanbul.
Le président de la République Ahmet Necdet Sezer et celui
de
l'Assemblée Bülent Arinç ont exprimé leur
tristesse après le décès de
l'artiste. (AFP, 6 mai 2006)
Civil
Disobedience Intellectuals questioned by the Prosecutor
Intellectuals protesting what they say are restrictions of freedom of
thought and expression through filing complaints against themselves
testified at the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office on Friday.
To criticize Article 22 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) which was
revised last July, a group of intellectuals in March filed complaints
against themselves on grounds of having committed "thought crimes."
The group gathered under the Civil Disobedience Initiative consists of
musician Sanar Yurdatapan, sociologist and columnist Pinar Selek,
Patients' Rights group member Mustafa Sutlas, writers Abdurrahman
Dilipak, Selma Kaygusuz and Perihan Magden, and Association of Human
Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (Mazlumder) Chairman Cevat
Ozkaya.
Speaking on behalf of the initiative at a press conference held in
front of the Istanbul Court House on Friday, Yurdatapan told the
reporters that the initiative aims to take a step forward in the name
of freedom of thought and expression. He added that the group will
continue protesting similar articles which censor free speech.
The intellectuals said that the prosecutor is obliged to file charges
against themselves due to their complaints. If the prosecutor doesn't
do so, Yurdatapan said the group will file a complaint to the High
Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) against the prosecutor on
grounds of dereliction of duty.
The initiative members said in their defense that they had nothing to
add since they had deliberately signed the petition.
Magden said that there are numerous cases against her now, too many to
remember, adding that the quality of her life was hurt by such cases.
Selek argued that Turkey is losing time with debates over freedom of
thought and expression rather than talking about democracy.
The following
is the list of those who are outside Istanbul at the moment and will
give their statements at a later date:
Dogan Ozguden (Journalist, Info-Turk in Brussels), Ece Temelkuran
(Journalist, Milliyet), Fikret Baskaya (Doc. Dr., Free University,
Ankara), Gulden Sonmez (Lawyer, Human Rights Activist), Kazim
Genç
(Lawyer, President of Pir Sultan Abdal Association), Mahir Gunsiray
(Actor, director), Mehmet Bekaroglu (Prof. Dr., Psychiatrist), Noyan
Ozkan (Lawyer, former president of Izmir Bar Association), Oya Baydar
(Sociologist, writer), Ragip Zarakolu (Writer, publisher, journalist),
Seyhmus Diken (Writer), Tolga Yarman (Prof. Dr., Nuclear Engineer),
Yusuf Alatas (Lawyer, president of IHD/ Human Rights Association).
At the first hearing of the trial, the initiative members are expected
to ask the court to strike down the articles in question or seek their
annulment by the Constitutional Court.
If the lower court rejects this, each initiative member could be
punished with 15 to 62 years in prison and they could also face fines
of YTL 90,000-155,000. (antenna-tr.org-The New Anatolian,
May 6, 2006)
CEDH:
la Turquie condamné pour violation de la
liberté
d'expression
La Turquie a été condamnée jeudi par la Cour
européenne des droits de l'Homme (CEDH) pour avoir violé
le droit à la liberté d'expression de plusieurs
parlementaires turcs.
Les requérants, Mahmut Alinak, Sedat Yurttas, Sirri Sakik et
Ahmet Türk sont d'anciens parlementaires du parti politique DEP
(Parti de la démocratie), élus en 1991.
En mars 1994, l'Assemblée nationale turque lève
l'immunité parlementaire de certains députés du
DEP, dont les requérants. En juin 1994, le DEP est dissous au
motif qu'il avait porté atteinte à
l'intégrité territoriale de l'Etat et à
l'unité de la nation.
En décembre de la même année, les requérants
sont condamnés à de lourdes peines de prison par la Cour
de sûreté de l'Etat d'Ankara pour avoir mené une
activité séparatiste, notamment en prononçant des
discours sous la bannière du PKK.
Les requérants --à l'exception de M. Yurttas qui avait
déjà soulevé ce grief dans une autre requête
devant la CEDH-- estiment que ces condamnations ont violé leur
liberté d'expression et dénoncent l'iniquité de la
procédure qui a débouché sur leur condamnation.
Notant que les discours litigieux demandaient la reconnaissance de
l'identité kurde et condamnaient la "politique de violence"
menée par la Turquie dans les régions à
majorité kurde, la Cour estime qu'ils n'appelaient ni à
la lutte armée ni au soulèvement et qu'il ne s'agissait
pas de discours de haine.
A l'unanimité, les juges ont donc conclu à la violation
de l'article 10 (liberté d'expression) et ont également
condamné la Turquie pour violation de l'article 6.1 (droit
à un procès équitable), estimant que la Cour de
sûreté de l'Etat d'Ankara avait manqué
d'indépendance et d'impartialité dans leur jugement.
Au titre de la satisfaction équitable, la Cour a alloué
à MM. Alinak, Sakik et Türk 7.500 EUR chacun pour dommage
moral et a octroyé. En outre, elle aux requérants
conjointement 4.000 EUR pour frais et dépens. (AFP, 4 mai 2006)
Trials
of Intellectuals Continue Under Article 301
On 3 May 2006, World Press Freedom Day, in Turkey trials continue
against writers, journalists and publishers who have been charged with
"denigration of Turkishness" under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code.
International PEN is calling for an end to all trials against writers
for the peaceful expression of their views, and for the repeal of
Article 301 that is in direct contravention of international standards
that guarantee the right to freedom of expression.
On 1 May, Hrant Dink, editor of an Armenian language newspaper, "Agos",
who was found guilty of insulting Turkishness and given a six-month
suspended prison term in October 2005, had his appeal against his
conviction overturned.
Dink had been accused for an article in his newspaper on the relations
between Armenians and Turks, which included a phrase that the court
said, suggested that Turkish blood was "dirty". Dink has repeatedly
stated that his article had been misconstrued and that his aim is to
improve relations between Armenians and Turks.
Dink launched an appeal against his sentence and, in February, the
Chief Prosecutor told the Appeals Court that the phrase under scrutiny
could not be considered insulting. In light of this, the Court's
decision to uphold the case is particularly surprising.
Ten days earlier, on 20 April, another of a series of trial hearings
took place against publisher Ragip Zarakolu. He is accused under
Article 301 for publishing two books.
The first, George Jerjian's "The Truth Will Set us Free
/Turkish-Armenian Re-Conciliation", refers to the mass deportations of
Armenians in 1915. If convicted, Zarakolu faces up to 7.5 years in
prison. For the second book, Dora Sakayan's "An Armenian Doctor in
Turkey: Garabed Hatcherian's Izmir Journal", Zarakolu could receive a
six year sentence. Although the trials have already dragged on for over
a year, the hearings were adjourned further to 21 June 2006.
There was disappointment for Murat Belge, a columnist for "Radikal" who
was among five mainstream journalists who went on trial in February
2006 for "attempting to influence the outcome of a trial" in articles
that criticized a court's decision to ban an academic conference on
Armenia in November 2005.
The conference eventually took place. Belge's colleagues had the
charges against them dropped on 11 April, when it was deemed that the
trial was subject to a statute of limitation due to the length of time
between the alleged offence and the charges.
However, in Belge's case it was deemed that the statue of limitation
did not apply and his case will continue on 8 June. On 28 April the
Bagiclar prosecutor's office issued an appeal against the decision to
discontinue the trial against Belge's four co-defendants, and there is
a possibility that the proceedings against them may restart.
These are just some of the more well known of the writers, journalists
and publishers who are on trial in Turkey today for their writings.
International PEN has long campaigned - and will continue to campaign -
against the use of the courts to stifle freedom of expression in Turkey.
It calls on the Turkish government to once again review its legislation
with the aim of removing all remaining laws that allow for the
prosecution of those who practice their right to write and publish
freely.
By so doing, the Turkish government can stand by its commitment to the
right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under Article 10 of the
European Convention on Human Rights and Article 19 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (Dink, editor of an Armenian
language newspaper, "Agos", was found guilty of insulting Turkishness.
Zarakolu is accused under Article 301 for publishing Jerjian's and
Sakayan's books on Armenian issue. Belge's case will continue on 8 June.
(WiPC/IFEX-BIA, May 5, 2006)
Les
médias turcs réclament l'abandon d'un projet
restreignant leurs droits
Les organisations de médias turcs ont appelé mercredi le
gouvernement à abandonner les articles d'un projet de loi
anti-terroriste concernant les droits de la presse, ses critiques
estimant qu'ils pourraient conduire à l'arrestation de nombreux
journalistes.
"Le gouvernement a dilapidé le crédit (gagné) avec
ses succès dans la démocratisation dans le cadre du
processus (de candidature) à l'Union européenne", ont
affirmé dans un communiqué commun 12 associations et
syndicats de la presse à l'occasion de la Journée
mondiale de la liberté de la presse.
"Le gouvernement doit abandonner ses projets d'arrangements
légaux archaïques qui reviennent sur les progrès
accomplis au cours des dernières années au regard des
libertés de la presse et d'expression", poursuit le document.
Le communiqué fait référence à des articles
controversés d'un nouveau projet de loi antiterroriste
actuellement débattu en commissions parlementaires.
Le projet de loi prévoit de un à trois ans de prison pour
la publication de déclarations relevant de la propagande en
faveur de groupes terroristes, la sanction pouvant être
augmentée de moitié quand le délit est commis par
voie de presse.
Il comprend également de lourdes amendes pour les
propriétaires et les directions de la rédaction d'organes
de presse fautifs ainsi que la possibilité de suspendre pour 30
jours les publications faisant l'apologie du terrorisme.
"Ces restrictions, avancées au prétexte de la lutte
contre le terrorisme, ne peuvent pas être compensées en
promettant simplement qu'il n'y aura pas de marche arrière sur
la démocratie", commente le communiqué.
Le gouvernement affirme que le projet de loi vise à renforcer le
pouvoir des autorités dans leur lutte contre la recrudescence
des violences commises par les rebelles séparatistes kurdes du
Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), considéré
comme une organisation terroriste par Ankara et une large part de la
communauté internationale.
La Turquie a levé de nombreuses restrictions aux libertés
de la presse dans le cadre de sa candidature à l'adhésion
à l'UE, avec laquelle elle a entamé en octobre des
négociations d'adhésion. (AFP, 3 mai 2006)
Press
Freedom Day: "Reformist PM" Doesn't Quite Get The Reforms!
Despite saying the first three months of 2006 was the product of
Ankara's determination in meeting the Copenhagen Criteria and that even
if Turkey was not accepted as a member of the European Union it would
continue with the "judicial reform" under its own "Ankara Criteria", a
glance at the past year shows intellectuals, writers and citizens
wishing to use their freedom of expression in the country are far
behind their European counterparts.
A series of cases launched under article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code
last year for criticism of state institutions have started to show
their bitter results in the first three months of 2006:
Since June 1, 2005, more than 40 journalists, writers, activists,
lecturers and unionists have come face to face with 301 cases that have
recently led to the conviction of journalist Sabri Ejder Ozic, human
rights activist Eren Keskin and unionists Hanefi Bekmezci and Huseyin
Ser.
Last year, Emin Karaca, Burak Bekdil, Aziz Ozer, Erkan Akay and writer
Zulkuf Kisanak were also convicted under the same article.
"Societies cannot advance under
compensation threat"
Criticising "Turkisism" or state institutions such as the police and
military, covering daily developments on human rights issues such as
torture and extra-judicial killings, or debate on historical
developments continue to create problems in the country.
An example to this is the prosecution of Professor Dr. Ibrahim Kaboglu,
the former head of the Human Rights Advisory Board of the Prime
Ministry (BIHDK), and board member Professor Doctor Baskin Oran for
publishing their Minority Rights and Cultural Rights Working Group
Report. Both have been accused of "dangerous incitement of public
hatred and enmity" and "public humiliation of the court's authority".
Another example of intolerance is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
determination to take people of opinion to courts despite four such
attempts backfiring and taking no heed of the European Council Advisory
Decisions that calls upon politicians to be open to heavy criticism.
The Prime Minister has lost the suit for damages he launched against
the Gunluk Evrensel (Daily Universal) newspaper related to SEKA workers
and had his case against the Penguen magazine that published cartoons
under the title "The Universe of Tayyips" rejected. Even Ankara's 1st
Court of First Instance judge Beyhan Azman said in the public detailed
verdict on the cartoons dismissing Erdogan's charges that "societies
cannot advance with scientists, artists, writers and cartoonists being
silenced by the weapon of compensation". But the Prime Minister has
appealed against this verdict.
Reformist Government Now Against
Reforms
Concerns with regard to possible consequences were voiced by various
circles including professional press organisations well in advance of
the new Penal Code going into force. On top of these, same members of
the government that had urgently wanted to amend the Code to "expand
freedoms" are now attempting to bring regulations in force that will
restrict the freedom of expression.
The Prime Minister himself has filed a suit for damages demanding
10,000 YTL each from the Gunluk Evrensel newspaper and its writer Yucel
Sarpdere for publishing the the song "We walked these roads together"
after changing its lyrics. He is demanding 20,000 YTL each in a suit
for damages against the daily Cumhuriyet (Republic) newspaper and its
writer Ilhan Selcuk for covering statements made by main opposition
Republic Peoples Party (CHP) parliamentary acting group chairman Haluk
Koc with regard to his private assets. He is also suing Birgun (One
Day) newspaper writer Erbil Tusalp for 10,000 YTL for criticising a
case launched against Rector Professor Dr. Yucel Askin.
This approach by E
