Arbitrary arrest of Mr. Ali Tanriverdi

TUR 004 / 0912 / OBS 087

Arbitrary arrest

Turkey

September 25, 2012

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme ofthe International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the followingsituation in Turkey.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sourcesabout the arbitrary arrest of Mr. Ali Tanrıverdi, Chairperson of theMersin Branch of the Human Rights Association (İnsanHaklari Derneği – İHD).

According to theinformation received, in the early morning of September 25, 2012, police teamsof Mersin Security Directorate carried out simultaneous raids in the provinceof Mersin, in the scope of operations targeting the Kurdish Communities Union(KCK) – an organisation said to be the “urban branch” of the armed KurdistanWorkers Party (PKK). These operationsresulted in the arrest of at least 42 people, including Mr. Ali Tanrıverditogether with journalists and members of Kurdish political party Peace andDemocracy Party (BDP). Mr. Ali Tanrıverdi's house was raided while the officeof İHD was simultaneously searched for four hours and electronic devices wereseized, without any legal document being produced and while the executives ofthe organisation were not present. Mr. Tanrıverdi was reportedly not allowed tocall his lawyer during the raid on his house, and he and other detainees wereinformed that they would not be authorised to consult their lawyers during 24hours.

The Observatory recalls that this new wave of arbitrary arrests anddetentions is part of a wide-range anti-terrorist operation, initiated in 2009and intended to dismantle the KCK as an alleged terrorist network, while thiscampaign has in fact been targeting dozens of peaceful activists who have beeninvolved in advocating for a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue and arenot related to any terrorist activities, including human rights defenders inTurkey, particularly İHD members, members of trade unions, lawyers andjournalists.

The Observatory recalls that 12 other İHD members arecurrently in pre-trial detention pending the outcome of trials on spuriousterrorism-related charges: Messrs. Muharrem Erbey and Arslan Özdemir,Diyarbakır Branch Executives; Messrs. Şerif Süren and Orhan Çiçek,Aydın Branch Executives; Mr. Reşit Teymur, Siirt Branch Executive; Mr. AbdulkadirÇurğatay and Ms. Veysi Parıltı, Mardin Branch Executives;Doğubeyazıt Representative Şaziye Önder; Mr. Mensur Işık Muş,former Branch Chairperson; Mr. Hikmet Kapancı, Malatya Executive;Mr. Bekir Gürbüz, Adıyaman Branch former Chairperson and Mr. OsmanIşçi, former staff of the General Centre.

Accordingly, the Observatory calls upon the Turkishauthorities to put an end to the continuing harassment against human rightsdefenders and urges the Turkish authorities to release all human rightsdefenders currently held in detention immediately andunconditionally, since their detention is arbitrary as it only aim atsanctioning their human rights activities.

Actions requested:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physicaland psychological integrity of Messrs.Ali Tanrıverdi, as well as that of allhumanrights defenders in Turkey;

ii. Release immediately and unconditionally Messrs. Ali Tanrıverdi, as well as all humanrights defenders since their detention is arbitrary as it only aim atsanctioning their human rights activities;

iii. Put an end to all acts harassment,including at the judicial level, against Messrs. Ali Tanrıverdi, as well as against all human rights defenders in Turkey;

i. Comply with the provisions of the United NationsDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders, especially its Article 1, which statesthat “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, topromote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights andfundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, as well asArticle 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measuresto ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individuallyand in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, defacto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary actionas a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to inthe present Declaration” ;

ii. More generally, ensure in all circumstances therespect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance withinternational and regional human rights instruments ratified by Turkey.

Addresses:

· President ofTurkey, Mr. Abdullah Gül, Cumhurbaskanligi 06100 Ankara, Turkey; Fax: +90 312468 5026; Email: cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr

· Prime Minister,Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Office of the Prime Minister Basbakanlik 06573Ankara, Turkey, Fax: + 90 312 417 0476; receptayyip.erdogan@basbakanlik.gov.tr

· Deputy PrimeMinister Responsible for Human Rights, Mr. Beşir Atalay, Email : besir.atalay@tbmm.gov.tr, Fax: 00 90 (312) 422 13 98

· InteriorMinister, Mr. Idris Naim Şahin,06644 Ankara, Turkey; Fax: + 90 312 418 17 95 / +90 312 418 7696,

· Justice Minister,Mr. Sadullah Ergin, Ministry of Justice/ Adalet Bakanligi, 06659 Ankara, Turkey;Fax: + 90 312 414 62 26

· Foreign Minister,Mr. Ahmed Davudoglu, Office of the Prime Minister, Basbakanlik, 06573 Ankara,Turkey; Fax: +90 312 287 88 11

· Ambassador, Mr.Oğuz Demiralp, Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations in Geneva, Ch.du Petit-Saconnex 28b - CP 271, CH-1211, Geneva 19, Switzerland, E-mail :mission.turkey@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 734 08 59

· Ambassador, Mr.Izzet Selim Yenel, Diplomatic Mission of Turkey to the European Union inBrussels, Avenue des Arts 36-38, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 511 0450.

·

Please also write to the embassies of Turkey in yourrespective country.

***

Paris-Geneva, September 25, 2012

Kindly inform us of anyaction undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

To contact the Observatory,call the emergency line:

· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 143 55 18 80

· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22809 49 29