Author: EutccAdmin

Press Statement 13.03.2024

EutccAdmin

Upcoming elections in Turkey: Neither free nor fair

On March 31, local elections will be held in Turkey.

The local elections are currently making headlines due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement that the upcoming local elections would be his last ever. This is not very credible, especially as the deputy AKP chairman and former justice minister Bekir Bozdağ stated that he could technically run one more time if the parliament called for an early election.

Irrespective of this, irregularities can already be observed in the run-up to the elections. DEM Party filed an objection to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) regarding civilian, military, and police voters who were irregularly moved to Kurdish cities before the local elections – without success. According to the DEM Party, a total of 54,600 military, police and civilian voters moved in 33 regions. Opposition members are arrested almost daily, candidates from the DEM party in particular. According to Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) member Necdet İpekyüz, since the start of the election calendar, Turkish state television TRT News allocated 1,945 minutes to the ruling AKP, and 25 minutes to the main opposition CHP. While the DEM Party was allocated 0 minutes, 27 minutes of content was against the pro-Kurdish party.

Both against the background of experiences from previous elections – PACE reported a lack of judicial review of decisions made by the Supreme Election Council, the misuse of administrative resources and state media by incumbents, and instances of intimidation and harassment targeting opposition parties and candidates in presidential and parliamentary elections in May 2023 – and in the context of the political atmosphere, which is characterised by massive repression and an expansive, belligerent foreign policy, it is clear that the elections are neither free nor fair.

Europe must closely follow the elections. It is important that members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe travel to Turkey from 29 March to 2 April 2024. There are also other observer delegations that can be joined.

In addition to identifying violations of the principle of free and fair elections in accordance with the Protocol 1, Article 3 of the Human Rights Act, it is important to draw consequences from violations. European institutions, especially the Council of Europe, need to be more proactive here.

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

Uncategorised

Newsletter February 2024

EutccAdmin

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please find below our February newsletter. 

Kind regards

Prof. Kariane Westrheim 

EUTCC Chairperson 

Our statement on CPT’s Visit to Turkey 

We call upon the Council of Europe to use all possible mechanisms to end this

lawlessness. 

http://eutcc.net/?p=1651

CPT’s Visit to Turkey 

The main objective of the visit was to examine the treatment of persons held in high-security prisons. A further focus of the visit was the situation of LGBTI and women prisoners. On the occasion of the visit, the delegation also raised with the relevant authorities certain issues related to the situation of the prisoners currently held at Imralı F-type High-Security Prison, in particular as regards their contact with the outside world. 

https://www.coe.int/en/web/cpt/-/the-council-of-europe-anti-torture-committee-cpt-visits-t%C3%BCrkiye

Report by Human Rights Watch on Abuses and Impunity in Turkish-Occupied Northern Syria 

“To the UN member States: Under the principle of universal jurisdiction and in accordance with national laws, investigate and prosecute those credibly implicated in serious crimes under international law committed in Turkish-occupied northern Syria.” 

https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/02/29/everything-power-weapon/abuses-and-impunity-turkish-occupied-northern-syria

Human Rights Watch’s Middle East Division on Turkey’s Strikes against Northern Syria 

Turkey’s Strikes Wreak Havoc on Northeast Syria – Critical Infrastructure Damaged, Millions Without Access to Essential Services

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/09/turkiyes-strikes-wreak-havoc-northeast-syria

DFG February Report 

Announcing its February report, Dicle Fırat Journalists Association pointed out that 42 journalists are still imprisoned and called for “solidarity” for journalists.  

http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/en/ALL-NEWS/content/view/234788

Kurdish Courses in Turkey 

While thousands of students applied for Kurdish elective courses, only 132 teachers were appointed in 12 years in

http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/en/ALL-NEWS/content/view/233552 —

EU Turkey Civic Commission

www.eutcc.net

Twitter: @EUTCC1

Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

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Press release

EutccAdmin

24 February 2024

CPT’s Visit to Turkey
A delegation of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of
Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment carried out an
ad hoc visit to Turkey from 13 to 22 February 2024.

A special focus was put on the situation of the prisoners held in İmralı High-
Security Prison, including Kurdish Political Leader Abdullah Ocalan. While the
delegation met with many authorities, among them Minister of Justice Yılmaz
Tunç, the island was not visited. In view of the fact that Mr Öcalan has been
completely cut off from the outside world for three years, such a visit would
have been obligatory.

Isolation is torture. The fact that the Council of Europe’s Committee for the
Prevention of Torture does not react adequately and according to its mandate
is totally unacceptable.

We urge the CPT to explain the situation regarding the Imrali High-Security
Prison immediately.

We call upon the Council of Europe to use all possible mechanisms to end this
lawlessness.

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

Conference Final Resolution

EutccAdmin

The International Conference on “Political Prisoners in Turkey: Where goes the Path of Freedom and Peace”, discussed the issue of Kurdish political prisoners and especially the issue of not hearing from Mr.
Abdullah Öcalan for 3 years, as well as the political solution to the Kurdish question. Distinguished academics, union representatives, political parties, human rights defenders, lawyers, municipal council
members and parliamentarians who attended our conference clearly stated that the torture and illegal situation that Kurdish political prisoners and Mr. Öcalan are subjected to is unacceptable.

All these personalities and representatives of institutions stated their support to the campaign ‘Freedom for Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question’ campaign launched on October 10, 2023.

The participants are increasingly concerned about Mr. Öcalan’s security and well-being. Isolation is internationally recognized as a form of torture. For this form of torture to go on for three years is extremely dangerous. Mr Öcalan is being held in solitary confinement with massive effects on physical and mental health. We do not know anything about Mr Öcalan’s condition beyond the fact that he has
recently received‘disciplinary measures’ to block meetings on false pretenses and has allegedly been sent death threats.

The conference also discussed further steps and reached the following decisions:

  1. The isolation on Mr. Öcalan must be lifted immediately and the European Council must intervene to allow him to meet with his family and lawyers.
  2. Kurdish leader Mr. Abdullah Öcalan must be allowed to meet with his lawyers and family and, ultimately, freed under conditions that allow him to play a role in finding a just and democratic political solution to Turkey’s decades-old Kurdish conflict.
  3. In light of the seriousness of the recent threats to Mr. Öcalan’s life, we call on the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the EU and the UN to organize
    an urgent ad hoc mission to visit Abdullah Öcalan.
  4. Initiating more efforts to make the alarming situation known to the public in the international and local press.
  5. İn order to draw attention to the situation of the political prisoners, the unions consider a general strike for 1 minute at an appropriate time.
  6. Initiation of initiatives to put the issue on the agenda of all national parliaments, especially in the EU and the CoE.
  7. Suspension of all aid to the Turkish government, which violates its own domestic and international law.
  8. Legal and institutional recognition of the Kurdish nation and the right to self-determination.

EUTCC Conference

EutccAdmin

The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) would like to draw attention to the issue of political prisoners inside of Turkey in general and the situation of the imprisoned Kurdish leader Mr. Abdullah Öcalan in particular. To place the corresponding gross violations of international laws and humanitarian norms on the global agenda, we are holding a special event, a mini conference inside the European Parliament on February 16th, 2024, 2 – 6 pm, which is hosted by MEP Guliano Pisapia (S&D).

We have invited eminent academics, intellectuals, and human rights activists in the hope that their dialogue will help foster more awareness and possible solutions to alleviate this growing humanitarian crisis and bring a peaceful solution to the ‘Kurdish question’.

—
EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

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