Release

Turkey

November 9, 2017

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, apartnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requestsyour urgent intervention in the following situation in Turkey.

Description of thesituation:

The Observatory has beeninformed by reliable sources about the arbitrary arrest and subsequent release ofMr. Ozturk Turkdogan, President ofthe national branch of the Human Rights Association (İnsan Haklari Derneği – İHD), Ms. Sevim Salihoglu and Ms. DeryaUysal, two IHD Executive Committee members, as well as of Ms. Besra Varlı, İHD member.

According to the informationreceived, on November 9, 2017, Mr. Ozturk Turkdogan, Ms. Sevim Salihoglu, Ms. Derya Uysal and Ms. Besra Varlı were arrestedas they were demonstrating in front of the Human Rights Statue in YükselAvenue, Ankara. The four human rights defenders were taken to Çankaya PoliceStation in Ankara and subsequently released. The four would be accused ofviolating the law 2911 on demonstration and marches.

The demonstration was held in support of Ms. Nuriye Gülmen and Mr. SemihÖzakça, two teachers who have been victims of the wave of dismissals of civilservants which followed the 2016 failed coup in Turkey. They are known fortheir struggle denouncing the mass layoffs initiated by the Turkish authoritiesafter the coup and have been in a hunger strike for more than 150 days.

The demonstration also called for the reopening to the public of thespace in front of Human Rights Statue in Ankara. The Human Rights Statue is apopular place for demonstration and a symbol of Turkish people’s struggle againstrepression; its access is currently closed by Turkish authorities.

The Observatory recallsthat earlier in August 2017, Ms. Gülseren Yoleri, President of the IHDIstanbul Branch and IHD Executive Committee member, and Mr. Dogan Ozkan,member of IHD Istanbul executive board were arrested during anotherdemonstration in support of Ms. Nuriye Gülmen and Mr. SemihÖzakça[1].Both were allegedly victims of ill-treatment during their arrest and arbitrary detention.

The Observatory expresses its deepest concerns overthis new wave of arbitrary arrests targeting human rights defenders for theexercise of their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities andincreasing restrictions to freedoms of association and peaceful assembly inTurkey.

Since the 2016 failed coup, Turkish authoritieshave especially targeted human rights defenders and other critical voices bymeans of arbitrary arrests, detentions, investigations and prosecutions onoften spurious charges. Allegations of ill-treatment and torture during arrestand detention have also been brought. Although purportedly aimed at combating terrorism and seekingaccountability for the attempted coup, these actions have disproportionatelyaffected human rights defenders and seriously hindered their work andrestricted civic space. They run contrary to Turkey’s obligations underinternational human rights law and must be severely condemned.

Accordingly,the Observatory calls upon the Turkish judicial authorities to put an end toall forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Ozturk Turkdogan, Ms. Sevim Salihoglu, Ms. Derya Uysal and Ms. Besra Varlı.

Actionsrequested:

Please write to the authorities in Turkey,urging them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physicaland psychological integrity of Mr. Ozturk Turkdogan, Ms. Sevim Salihoglu,Ms. Derya Uysal and Ms. Besra Varlı as well as of all human rights defenders inTurkey;

ii. Put an end to all forms of harassment,including at the judicial level, against Mr. Ozturk Turkdogan, Ms. Sevim Salihoglu, Ms. Derya Uysal and Ms. Besra Varlı, as well as all humanrights defenders in Turkey;

iii. Comply with all the provisions of the UnitedNations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN GeneralAssembly on December 9, 1998, in particular its Articles 1, 6(a), 9, 11 and12.2;

iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect forhuman rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international humanrights standards and international instruments ratified by Turkey.

Addresses:

· President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Fax: (+90 312) 525 5831

· Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yıldırım, Fax: +90 (312) 403 62 82Email: ozelkalem@basbakanlik.gov.tr

· Minister of Justice, Mr. Bekir Bozdağ, Fax: +90 (0312) 419 3370; E-mail: ozelkalem@adalet.gov.tr

· Minister of Interior, Mr. Süleyman Soylu; Fax: +90 (312) 42561 30

· Ambassador Izzet Selim Yenel, Diplomatic Mission of Turkey to theEuropean Union in Brussels, Belgium; Fax: + 32 2 511 04 50

· Ambassador Mr. Ali Naci Koru, Permanent Mission of Turkey tothe United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 734 08 59; Email:mission.turkey@ties.itu.int

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Turkeyin your respective country.

***

Paris-Geneva,November 9, 2017

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of thisappeal in your reply.

The Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 byFIDH and OMCT The objective of this programme is to intervene to prevent orremedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCTare both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European UnionHuman Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18/ +33 1 43 55 18 80

· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 /+ 41 22 809 49 29

[1] Seethe Observatory Urgent Appeal TUR 006 / 0817 /OBS 086 published on August 9, 2017.