Newsletter

Dear Sir or Madam,
Please find below our monthly newsletter.
Kind regards Prof. Kariane Westrheim Chairperson 

Letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres We hope that you as United Nations Secretary-General will step up your efforts to support the interests of the people in the Makhmour refugee camp and, along with it, find a political solution to the Kurdish question which is crucial for peace in the entire Middle East.

Urgent EUTCC Debate “US – Turkey Relations: The Makhmour Refugee Camp as a Litmus Test in the Context of Human Rights and International Law versus Interest Politics”, 13 June 2021

The speakers:
Nadine Maenza, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, USA 
David Phillips, Director of Peace-Building and Human Rights Programme, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University, USA 

Bewar Ünver, Foreign relations committee of Makhmour refugee camp
Kariane Westrheim, EUTCC Chairperson, University of Bergen, Norway
Moderator:
Meghan Bodette, independent researcher focusing on Kurdish issues, USAhttps://youtu.be/bT61Noi5yNo

EUTCC Commentary #5 & #6Written by our Secretary-General Prof. Michael Gunter, Tennesse Technological University on Turkey’s dealing with the Syrian Kurds 
#5: This wide-ranging survey of the Kurds in Syria will evaluate the mid-term fall-out of the suddenly announced US withdrawal on October 7, 2019. 
http://eutcc.net/?p=764

#6: This Commentary survey’s Turkey’s interaction with Syria’s surprisingly influential Kurds and explores the Turkish-US confrontation over the US support of the Syrian Kurds against ISIS. 
http://eutcc.net/?p=767

Statement by HDP Foreign Affairs Commission Co-spokespersons Feleknas Uca & Hişyar Özsoy on Constitutional Court’s decision to accept the indictment seeking the party’s closure 
“We once again invite the international democratic community to express solidarity and to act against these unabashed efforts to destroy the HDP and deny the will of millions.”

European Council conclusions on external relations regarding Turkey, 24 June 2021“Rule of law and fundamental rights in Turkey remain a key concern. The targeting of political parties, human rights defenders and media represents major setbacks for human rights and runs counter to Turkey’s obligations to respect democracy, the rule of law and women’s rights. Dialogue on such issues remains an integral part of the EU-Turkey relationship.

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
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Vorschau für YouTube-Video “Urgent EUTCC Debate” ansehen

Dear Sir or Madam, 

Please find below our monthly newsletter.
Kind regards Dersim Dağdeviren EUTCC board member 

Statement on Turkish army’s military offensive against the territory of KRG40 days ago, the Turkish Armed Forces launched another large-scale military offensive against the territory of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – Iraq. As EUTCC, we strongly condemn this military offensive and occupation, which is contrary to international law. 
http://eutcc.net/?p=747

European Parliament resolution of 19 May 2021 on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey
The European Parliament strongly condemns the Turkish military interventions in Syria, which constitute grave violations of international law and risk undermining the stability and security of the region as a whole; calls on the Government of Turkey to end its illegal occupation of northern Syria and Afrin and to withdraw its military and paramilitary proxy forces; reiterates that security concerns cannot justify unilateral military action in a foreign country; recalls that there can be no sustainable military solution to the Idlib issue, but only a political one; expresses great concern about and strongly condemns the transfer of fighters and mercenaries from jihadist groups located in northern Syria to Libya and to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh; calls on the Turkish authorities to create the right conditions for displaced communities within Syria to return to their homes and allow them to do so.

EUTCC Commentaries #4By David L Phillips, Director of Peace-Building and Human Rights Programme, Columbia UniversityExecutive Summary: President Joe Biden recognized atrocities committed against Armenians as the Armenian Genocide in his statement on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day  (24 April 2021). The statement represents a watershed moment in US-Turkey relations. President Tayyip Erdogan can address US and international concerns prior to the Biden-Erdogan summit on the margin of June’s NATO meeting, or he can double down and intensify repression against Turkey’s ethnic and religious minorities. Erdogan’s course will define international relations prior to the centennial of the founding of the Turkish republic in 2023.

Male Violence Monitoring Report May 
Violence against women | May 2021

▶️ 18 women killed

▶️ 13 women harassed

 ▶️ 67 women subjected to violence 

▶️ 9 women raped
https://m.bianet.org/english/women/245089-men-kill-18-women-in-may

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

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please find below our monthly newsletter.

Kind regards

Prof. Dr. Kariane Westrheim
EUTCC Chairperson

Declaration of solidarity with the HDP and against the criminalisation of Kobani’s resistance
The Bureau of the Kurdish Friendship Group in the European Parliament, François Alfonsi (Greens/EFA), Andreas Schieder (S&D), Nikolaj Villumsen (GUE/NGL) and leaders of the European Political Parties: Heinz Bierbaum (President of the Party of the European Left) Evelyne Huytebroeck and Thomas Waitz (Co-chairs of the European Green Party), Lorena Lopez de Lacalle (President of the European Free Alliance) and Sergei Stanishev (leader of the PES – Party of European Socialists) issued a joint declaration.

First hearing of Kobane Trial
The first hearing of the “Kobanî trial” started at the Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court in Sincan Campus on April 26. There are 108 defendants from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP); while 28 people have been arrested pending trial, there are judicial control measures on six and warrants against 75 people.
Facing charges over the “Kobanî protests of October 6-8” in 2014, the politicians face a life sentence aggravated for 38 times each.

PACE urgent debate on the functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey
PACE calls on the Turkish authorities “to put an end to laws and practices that contravene democratic standards”

CoE Committee of Ministers supervision of the execution of the Court’s judgment in Kavala case
The ministers urge the authorities once again to ensure Osman Kavala’s immediate release and affirm their readiness, if necessary, to actively consider all means at their disposal to ensure implementation of the judgment.

Our statement on the occasion of Kobani Trial of 108 people, including arrested HDP former Co-Chairs Figen Yüksekdağ & Selahattin Demirtaş
The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) expresses its solidarity and support with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the third-largest party in Turkey’s parliament and a party which, in sharp contrast to the AKP-MHP alliance, represents the core values of humanity: unity across dividers, cultural, religious and gender diversity and which pursues its policies by democratic means. Despite this, the HDP is threatened with closure and extensive arrests of members and parliamentarians. In 2014 HDP called on the international community to join hands in the legitimate protest for Kobane. Now seven years later, 26 April, 108 HDP members stand before trial accused of having encouraged incitement and violence in connection with the party’s call for support for the resistance in Kobane. Everyone who rallies under the flag of civil and political rights, must support HDP’s struggle for a reversal of the political system in Turkey, which has been backsliding into authoritarianism. The EUTCC stands by HDP in this struggle and urges all democratic forces to do the same. The EUTCC also urges the international community and parliamentarians around the world to stand up and call for the release of all political prisoners in Turkey, including Selahattin Demirtas and hundreds of other imprisoned HDP representatives.

Commentaries on EU – Turkey relations

• Commentary #1 “You sleep with the devil; you wake up in hell!”: On the new EU-Turkey Deal, by Nikos Christofis
  http://eutcc.net/?p=610
• Commentary #2 Playing politics with the plight of refugees. How the EU went into Erdogan’s political receivership, by Dr. Naif Bezwan and Dr. Janroj Yilmaz Keles
  http://eutcc.net/?p=610
• Commentary #3: Merkel’s positive agenda has collapsed before it started, by Prof. Dr. Cengiz Aktar
  http://eutcc.net/?p=656

EU Turkey Civic Commission
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Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

EUTCC Letter to the President of the European Council On the occasion of European Council’s meeting on 25 and 26 March we addressed a letter to EUCO President Charles Michel regarding the developments in Turkey  
http://eutcc.net/?p=584

EUTCC Statement on Abdullah Öcalan 
On 14 March allegations were shared on social media regarding the life of Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan. The EUTCC urges the Turkish government to enable regularly visits by his attorneys and family.http://eutcc.net/?p=575

HDP statement on closure case Statement by HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan & Prof. Mithat Sancar on closure case against Peoples’ Democratic Party 
https://www.hdp.org.tr/en/the-closure-case-against-the-hdp-is-a-new-blow-to-democracy/15185/

Letter of 170 U.S. lawmakers to Secretary of State 170 members of the U.S. House of Representatives urge Biden administration to push Turkey on rights
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-turkey-congress/170-u-s-lawmakers-urge-biden-administration-to-push-turkey-on-rights-idUSKCN2AT3DP

Statement by Philippe Dam, Europe & Central Asia Division of Human Rights Watch regarding the EUCO meeting “The bolder Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gets, the quieter the European Union (EU).”https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/30/time-focus-human-rights-eus-turkey-agenda

UN Human Rights Office Press Briefing Notes on Turkey UN Human Rights calls on Turkey to reverse decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on combatting all forms of violence against women. The move highlights wider concerns, notably shrinking civic space and lack of democratic participation in decision making. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26934&LangID=E

EUTCC Interview on PPT Interview in German about the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal on Turkey and the KurdsSpeakers: Prof. Dr. Norman Paech, International Lawyer, Heike Geisweid, Co-Chair of Association for Democracy and International Law (Maf-Dad) Moderator: Besra Güler, Maf-Dad board member https://youtu.be/EJBM5c-SBSQ

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission Bereich mit AnhängenVorschau für YouTube-Video “EUTCC Interview 12. März 2021” ansehen

IHD 2020 report
The Human Rights Association (IHD) has released its 2020 report on rights violations in Kurdish-majority regions 100+ people subjected to torture & maltreatment 16 civilians lost their lives in the conflict Right to assembly often restricted
https://m.bianet.org/english/human-rights/239148-report-documents-rights-violations-in-kurdish-majority-regions-in-2020

Crackdown on HDPStatement by Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Foreign Affairs Spokespersons Feleknas Uca and Hişyar Özsoy on wave of arrests against their members & officials 
https://www.hdp.org.tr/en/more-detentions-target-hdp-members-and-executives/15076/

EU External Affairs Spokespersons on political crackdown against HDP Statement by spokesperson for the external affairs of the EU Peter Stano on the ongoing actions against the members of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) 

Solidarity with HDP Open Letter to President Erdogan in solidarity with human rights defender & HDP MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, signed by many politicians, academics, writers & human rights organisations
https://observatoryihr.org/news/open-letter-to-president-erdogan-in-solidarity-with-human-rights-activist-and-mp-omer-faruk-gergerlioglu/

MIT’s involvement in Paris murdersIn 2013, three Kurdish politicians were murdered in Paris. Former head of General Staff’s intelligence department, Ismail Pekin, blurted out involvement of Turkish Intelligence Organisation (MIT) and demanded targeted liquidations of Kurdish politicians in a TV broadcast: “They also have their elements in Europe. We have to do something in this direction in Europe. I mean, it was already done once in Paris …”

EUTCC interview about the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal on Turkey and the KurdsSpeakers: Mr Philippe Texier, PPT President, France, & Mr Gianni Tognoni, PPT Secretary-General, ItalyModeration: Fréderike Geerdink, journalist, Netherlands 
https://youtu.be/bwzpq3AKLdA

Vorschau für YouTube-Video “EUTCC Interview 02.02.2021” ansehen

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