Turkey Regional Action Network (TURKEY RAN)

November 2011

(1) Turkey Blog Articles

(2) Joint Statement:

Turkish Womens Escalating Crisis Turkey has seen a sharp increase in violence against women since Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government came to power a decade ago. Although Turkey is a signatory country to international conventions to prevent and combat violence against women, the Turkish government has taken little concrete action to protect its own female citizens.
Read the full blog article at: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/turkishwomens-escalating-crisis/

Northern Cyprus: Release all men Arrested Under the Anti-Gay Article
Joint statement by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA Europe), the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), and Homofobiye Kar nisiyatif (Initiative Against Homophobia) has recently been released. In the early October, seven men were arrested and detained in the Northern Cyprus under Article 171 of the 1929 Criminal Code, which criminalize male homosexuality. Article 171 provides a punishment for up to five years in prison. At least two of the seven men who were arrested have made allegation of ill-treatment in police custody. This joint statement demands that such allegation must be promptly and independently investigated. Furthermore, this joint statement calls for the immediate release of all men currently detained and prosecuted under Article 171 and immediate repeal of the Article.
Read the full statement at: http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/70131062?access _key=key-pn840g226ondck8n8jc

A War on Dissent in Turkey Since 2001, some 12,000 Turkish citizens have been arrested under terror statutes as a result of Turkeys AKP government amending the countrys terror laws. The article discusses serious flaws in Turkeys terror statues and how its anti-terror law has been used to prosecute legitimate free expressions regarding Kurdish issues in Turkey.
Read the full blog article at: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/a-war-ondissent-in-turkey/

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(3) Urgent Action:

Ragip Zarakolu, a writer and academic, formally charged alongside Professor Busra Ersanli
The following action concerning the arrest of Ragip Zarakolu and Professor Busra Ersanli, both of whom are being detained under Turkey's vaguely written draconian terrorism laws, has been condemned by Human Rights Watch, the International Publishers' Association, and PEN International.

Sinclair-Webb, Turkey researcher at Human Rights Watch, commented, The arrests of Ragip Zarakolu and Bra Ersanl represent a new low in the misuse of terrorism laws to crush freedom of expression and association in Turkey. Bianet.org reports that 7,748 people were taken into custody and 3,895 persons were arrested in the scope of KCK operations between April 14th, 2009 and October 6th, 2011. Furthermore, the 152 defendants have been in prison since December of 2009, including trade union, six democratically elected mayors from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and Muharrem Erbey, a human rights lawyer and Vice-President of the Human Rights Association (IHD). For the last two years, human rights organizations repeatedly expressed their concern about lengthy pre-trial detention without bail, poor trial standards and suspicions of political motivation behind Turkeys KCK operation. Professor Busra Ersanli teaches at Istanbuls Marmara Universitys Faculty of Political Science and International Relations. She is an expert on constitutional law and at the time of her arrest was working with the BDPs Constitutional Commission. Ragip Zarakolu, founder of Belge Publishing and a human rights activist, has been fighting for freedom of expression in Turkey for over 30 years. In the days running up to his arrest, he had been campaigning for the release of his son, Deniz Zarakolu, who had been arrested three weeks earlier, also under the KCK operation. Deniz is a PhD student of political thought and has translated academic works including Thomas Hobbes De Cive.

Outrage over Regip Zarakolu's detention has resulted in protests from many leading intellectuals and writers, including Yasar Kemal and Hrant Dink's wife [instead of wife, widow would be better]. Ragip Zarakolu and Professor Busra Ersanli were arrested on October 28th, 2011. Forty-one people had also been arrested on the same day under what is known as the Democratic Society Congress (Koma Civaken Kurdistan - KCK) operation that has been under way since 2009. KCK suspects have been arrested and detained apparently on the basis of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) through their alleged membership of the KCK. Prosecutors allege that KCK is an organization formed by the PKK to bring together and mobilize proPKK groups within urban areas across Turkey. Amnesty International (AI) has long been critical about Turkish governments application of anti-terrorism law as an excuse to restrict freedom of association and expression. AIs 2011 Report on Turkey points out that antiterrorism laws, carrying higher prison sentences and resulting in pre-trial detention orders, were used to stifle legitimate free expression. Kurdish political activists, journalists and human rights defenders were among those most frequently prosecuted. With regards to the recent arrests, Emma

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY to the Turkish Authorities

Condemning the charges against Ragip Zarakolu and Professor Busra Ersanli which appear to have resulted from his exercise of his right to free expression, and calling for his immediate release. Also expressing alarm at the arrests of Deniz Zarakolu, as well as the continued detention of Muharrem Erbey, and other writers and journalists accused for their affiliation with Kurdish political parties. Referring to concerns that the arrests flout international standards protecting the rights to freedom of expression and association as guaranteed by both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the European Convention on Human and Democratic Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory. Raising concerns that the trial are politically biased and do not conform to fair trial standards, and seeking assurances that these concerns are addressed as a matter of urgency.

Useful Resources:
Amnesty International: 2011 Report: The State of the Worlds Human Rights http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/POL10/001 /2011/en Association of American Publishers: Association of American Publishers Decries Arrest of Turkish Publisher Ragip Zarakolu http://www.publishers.org/press/49/ Bianet. Org 7748 People in Custody - 3895 Arrested in 30 Months (October 7, 2011) http://bianet.org/english/minorities/133252-7748people-in-custody---3895-arrested-in-30-months Guardian Outcry over Turkish publisher's arrest and detention (November 2, 2011) http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/02/tur kish-publisher-arrest-ragip-zarakolu Human Rights Watch: Turkey: Arrests Expose Flawed Justice System http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/11/01/turkeyarrests-expose-flawed-justice-system Pen International: Turkey: Writer and academic Ragip Zarakolu formally charged alongside Professor Busra Ersanli http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news/turkey -writer-and-academic-ragip-zarakolu-formallycharged-alongside-professor-busra-ersanli

Please send a letter to:

Mr Sadullah Ergin Minister of Justice 06669 Kizilay Ankara Turkey Cc: Ambassador Namik Tan Embassy, Republic of Turkey 2525 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008

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If you have any questions, please contact AIUSA TURKEY RAN coordinator: Natsumi Ajiki (najiki@mac.com).