Turkey
Turkey Earthquake Victims – Appeal for donations – for lawyers in Turkey
Our two member organizations in Turkey, Progressive Lawyers Association (CHD) and Lawyer Association of Freedom (ÖHD) have agreed with the Union of Bar Associations in Turkey (TTB) to conduct a fundraising campaign specifically for lawyers. If they survived and are not incapacitated, many of them are prevented from practicing their legal profession due to destruction …
Turkey’s terror list: An attack on lawyers and human rights
The undersigned organisations deplore the recent arbitrary designation of Günay Dağ as a “terrorist”. Günay Dağ is a lawyer at the International Bureau of the People’s Law Office and a member of the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD). On 30 December 2022, he was added to the list called “list of wanted terrorists” published on the …
No prosecution of those demanding disclosure of alleged chemical weapons use in northern Iraq
download the statement We are concerned about reports that tear gas shells have been used in northern Iraq. Although tear gas is not included in the list of banned chemicals in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) annexes, the view that tear gas shells used by the military are covered by the Chemical Weapons Convention finds …
The ban on lawyer visits to İmralı Prison (open letter to the Turkish Minister of Justice)
Dear Minister, Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who are detained in the İmralı F-Type High Security Prison, are unlawfully prevented from seeing their lawyers. While Abdullah Öcalan has not been allowed to see his lawyer since August 7, 2019, Veysi Aktaş, Hamili Yıldırım and Ömer Hayri Konar have not been …
28 years of PKK ban: Now we are talking!
Conference. 18 and 19 June 2022, Berlin organised by: ELDH (European Association of Lawyers for Democracy & World Human Rights)Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy e.V.Azadi Legal Aid Fund e.V.MAF-DAD e.V. – Association for Democracy and International LawVDJ – Association of Democratic Lawyers e.V.
Another striking example of the absence of an independent judiciary in Turkey: Free the Gezi defendants!
Download statement The verdict of the Gezi Trial was handed down on 25 April 2022. This trial has been ongoing for years and is one of the most striking examples of the absence of an independent judiciary in Turkey. The Istanbul 13th Assize Court found Osman Kavala guilty of an alleged attempt to overthrow the …
Petition to the CPT – Follow-up visit to İmralı Prison
TO THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (CPT) Download the Petition EN This communication is addressed to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). We respectfully ask the CPT on the Day of the Lawyers in Turkey, to organize a follow-up visit to İmralı …
Statement against the banning of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)
The undersigned organisations, active in the field of democracy and human rights protection and promotion, are deeply concerned about the ongoing case before the Constitutional Court in Turkey regarding closure of the opposition party. HDP was founded on October 15, 2012 and has since been a vital part of political life in Turkey. Our organisations …