WEEKLY OVERVIEW - DEC. 20, 2020

AUTHOR

LISA JUNG, ANTONIA LANDWEHR, AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA, ZEYNEP ECE KARSLI, HAŞIM YILMAZ & ETKA ATAK

IN THIS BLOG WE’LL REPORT ON RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE LAST WEEK AND THEIR RELEVANCE. THIS WEEK’S BLOG CONCERNS NUMEROUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE WOULD LIKE TO DEMAND ATTENTION FOR THE WORSENING CONDITIONS IN TURKEY, CHINA AND HUNGARY THIS WEEK.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN TURKISH PRISONS

AIR FORCE CADET MUHAMMED ALI TAS (24) WHO RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE AFTER THE FAILED COUP ATTEMPT IN TURKEY WAS BEATEN BY THE HEAD GUARDIAN, RAMAZAN KUYUCU, OF SILIVRI L TYPE PRISON NO. 1 UNTIL TAS PASSED OUT. THE GUARD TOOK TAS OUT OF HIS CELL BECAUSE TAS HAD ARGUED WITH ONE OF HIS CELL MATES. TAS WAS TAKEN TO THE STAFF ROOM WHERE THERE WAS NO SURVEILLANCE. LATER TAS WAS TIED UP AND BEATEN WITH BATONS BY THE HEAD GUARDIAN, RAMAZAN KOYUNCU AND OTHER TWO GUARDS UNTIL HE PASSED OUT. AFTER TAS WOKE UP, HIS SHOES, SOCKS, AND JACKET WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM AND HE WAS PUT INTO SOLITARY. AFTER THREE HOURS IN SOLITARY, TAS WAS TAKEN TO THE PRISON DOCTOR. THE DOCTOR DID NOT ISSUE A REPORT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE VISIBLE BRUISES ON HIS FACE, KNEE, AND WRISTS. DURING THE BEATING, THE HEAD GUARDIAN KUYUCU ALSO VERBALLY HARASSED TAS. TAS WROTE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO BAKIRKOY PROSECUTION. HOWEVER, THE CLOSE-LETTER COMPLAINTS MADE BY TAS WERE NOT CONVEYED TO THE CONCERNED OFFICERS. THESE CLOSED-LETTER COMPLAINTS WERE IN FACT BLOCKED FROM BEING SENT TO THE AUTHORITIES. ON TOP OF ALL, THE HEAD GUARDIAN AND THE OTHER TWO ACCOMPLICES DENIED ANY KIND OF MISTREATMENT. TAS WAS ONLY ABLE TO INFORM HIS MOTHER DURING HIS WEEKLY PHONE CALLS. HAD THOSE PHONE CALLS NOT TAKEN PLACE THIS INCIDENCE WOULD NOT BE KNOWN AS MANY OTHER VIOLATIONS. WITH MUCH DISMAY, MISTREATMENT, FORMS OF TORTURE, ABUSE ARE COMMON IN PRISONS IN TURKEY. PRISONERS ARE DEPRIVED OF THEIR MOST FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS SUCH AS THE RIGHT TO LIFE AND THE RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM TORTURE.

NAKED BODY SEARCHES IN TURKEY

A JOURNALIST NUR EREN KILINÇ, WHO HAD BEEN IN THE JAIL FOR 375 DAYS IN ISTANBUL BAKIRKÖY FEMALE PENITENTIARY, DESCRIBED THE NAKED SEARCH SHE EXPERIENCED AT THE PRISON ENTRANCE IN A VIDEO SHE POSTED ON TWITTER. THE SAME SEARCHES HAPPENED TO 30 FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING THE PAST MONTHS IN UŞAK (CITY IN TURKEY) BUT DUE TO SOCIAL MEDIA RESTRICTIONS, COULD NOT BE HEARD BY MUCH PEOPLE. BIRGÜL KOÇAL, AN OFFICER DISMISSED BY THE STATE, TOLD WHAT HAPPENED IN AN INTERVIEW, HOPING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE HER VOICE HEARD ON TWITTER.

KOÇAL: “I WAS SEARCHED NAKED IN A DARK PLACE LIKE A WAREHOUSE WITH THE HARSH INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE FEMALE POLICE. THEN I WAS TAKEN TO PRISON. THE MEN ON DUTY THAT WE SAW IN THE WINDOWS WHILE ENTERING THROUGH THE DOOR, WHO WERE HALF-NAKED, SHOUTED "BRING THEM TO US" TO 13 WOMEN, INCLUDING ME. AFTER BEING TAKEN IN, WE WENT THROUGH NAKED SEARCHES THERE TOO. DURING THE SEARCH MADE BY TWO GUARDS, ALL MY CLOTHES AND EVEN MY UNDERWEAR WERE REMOVED.”

ALL THESE WOMEN ARE SUBJECTED TO TORTURE, SEXUAL AND MENTAL ABUSE AND HUMILIATION. EVEN IF THEY WERE NAKED, THE POLICE HAD FORCED THEM TO SIT DOWN AND STAND UP SEVERAL TIMES JUST BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO. THEY ARE ALSO FORCED TO BREASTFEED THEIR INFANTS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS. BESIDES WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PRISONS, THE SPOKESMAN OF THE GOVERNMENT, LAWYER ÖZLEM ZENGIN STATED THAT SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE NAKED SEARCH NEWS AND ADDED “THERE IS NO SUCH A THING.” SHE ALSO CLAIMED THAT, TURKEY HAS THE BEST PRISONS COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES. PREVIOUS MONTH, THE POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS UNDER ARREST DIED ON A PLASTIC CHAIR FROM NEGLECT AND LACK OF TREATMENT. OTHER WOMEN, WHO WERE EMPOWERED BY THE VOICES OF WOMEN WHO HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME SITUATION, ALSO FOUND THE COURAGE TO EXPRESS THEIR EXPERIENCES ON TWITTER.

MOVEMENT FOR UNCONDITIONAL JUSTICE

DID YOU KNOW THAT TURKEY IS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ECTHR? HOWEVER, TURKEY HAS BEEN VIOLATING THE ARTICLES OF THE ECTHR FOR A LONG TIME. THESE VIOLATIONS ESPECIALLY INCREASED AFTER 15 JULY 2016. YOUNG TURKISH LAWYERS ESTABLISHED A PLATFORM (MOVEMENT FOR UNCONDITIONAL JUSTICE) TO SAY STOP TO THESE VIOLATIONS. MOVEMENT FOR UNCONDITIONAL JUSTICE WAS ESTABLISHED BY YOUNG LAWYERS WHO ARE SUBJECTED TO POLITICAL PRESSURE IN TURKEY. THE FOUNDING OF THE PLATFORM WAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED VIA ITS TWITTER ACCOUNT (@KOSULSUZADALET) ON 20 NOVEMBER. IN THE STATEMENT RELEASED IN ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, AND TURKISH THROUGH THE PLATFORM’S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, THE YOUNG LAWYERS EXPRESSED THAT TURKEY HAS BEEN VIOLATING THE ARTICLES OF THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (ECHR); AND THAT THESE VIOLATIONS MUST COME TO AN END. MEMBERS OF THE PLATFORM WILL STAND WATCH EVERY FRIDAY IN FRONT OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ECTHR) TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THESE VIOLATIONS WITH A VIEW TO BRINGING AN END TO THEM. THE PLATFORM MEMBERS DEMAND FROM THE ECTHR AND THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (COE) THAT CONCRETE STEPS BE TAKEN AGAINST THE POLITICAL REPRESSION THEY ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO. THE YOUNG LAWYERS STATED THAT THEY WILL PRESENT TO THE COURT, THE COE AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC A REPORT CONTAINING THEIR PROPOSALS FOR ACTION. THE MOVEMENT MEMBERS STOOD WATCH IN FRONT OF THE ECTHR BUILDING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON FRIDAY, 27 NOVEMBER. SINCE 27 NOVEMBER THEY STAND IN FRONT OF THE ECTHR EVERY FRIDAY. THEY DECLARED THROUGH THEIR PRESS STATEMENT THE MOVEMENT’S DEMANDS AND GOALS FOR UNCONDITIONAL JUSTICE, HANDED OUT LEAFLETS DETAILING THE AIMS AND PLANS OF THE MOVEMENT. IN ORDER TO PROTEST THE COURTS AND TRIALS IN TURKEY, SCARECROWS CLOTHED WITH JUDICIARY ROBES THAT HAVE BUTTONS SEWN IN FRONT WERE EXHIBITED IN THE STAND-WATCH SPACE. THE WATCH, PERMITTED TO BE HELD BY 10 MEMBERS DUE TO THE COVID-19 MEASURES, LASTED 3 HOURS. OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS IN TURKEY:

• 2,125 PERSONS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN SUMMARY EXECUTIONS AND UNIDENTIFIED MURDERS!

• 867 PERSONS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN PRISON OR DETENTION

• 56,900 HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT

• 847,175 HAVE BEEN DETAINED ON POLITICAL CHARGES.

• 202,302 HAVE BEEN ARRESTED ON POLITICAL CHARGES.

• 153 MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT AND MAYORS HAVE BEEN JAILED. 143 DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED MAYORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED TRUSTEES.

• 3,308 MEDIA OUTLETS INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS, NEWS AGENCIES, TV AND RADIO STATIONS HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT.

• THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHUT DOWN OR ATTEMPTED TO SHUT DOWN A TOTAL OF 2,154 POLITICAL PARTIES, UNIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND/OR FOUNDATIONS

• THE PRACTICES OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY (SOE) WHICH WAS IN EFFECT BETWEEN 2016 AND 2018 ARE STILL PREVALENT. THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE SOE POLICIES IN THE LAST 4.5 YEARS REVEAL THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION IN TURKEY

SOME FIGURES AS TO THE TOLL OF THE NEVER-ENDING SOE ARE AS FOLLOWS:

• BETWEEN JUST 2016-2018, THAT IS; IN ONLY TWO YEARS, 1,056,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED ON ACCUSATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP TO AN ARMED TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

• 134,000 WERE DISMISSED FROM CIVIL SERVICE BY SOE DECREE-LAWS

• AND 204 MEDIA OUTLETS WERE SHUT DOWN.

FORCED LABOUR OF ETHNIC MINORITIES IN CHINA

A NEW REPORT HAS PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT, IN CHINA, MEMBERS OF THE UYGHUR GROUP, AN ETHNIC MINORITY IN THE COUNTRY, ARE BEING FORCED TO WORK IN THE PRODUCTION OF COTTON, EXECUTING HARD MANUAL LABOR, CONSTITUTING OF PICKING COTTON BY HAND. THE ALLEGATIONS ARE DENIED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, CLAIMING THAT THE TEXTILE FACTORIES ARE PART OF A LARGE “POVERTY ALLEVIATION” SCHEME. CHINA PLAYS A LARGE ROLE IN THE GLOBAL TEXTILE SUPPLY, WITH OVER 20% OF THE WORLD`S COTTON BEING PRODUCED IN CHINA. WESTERN TEXTILE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF ENABLING THAT MINORITY WORKERS ARE FORCED TO WORK, AS SLAVES IN THE COTTON INDUSTRY. IN THE PAST, CHINA ALREADY RECEIVED HEAVY CRITICISM, WITH REGARDS TO ITS TREATMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITIES; OVER 1 MILLION UYGHURS AND OTHER MUSLIM MINORITY GROUPS ARE BEING HELD IN HEAVILY GUARDED INTERNMENT CAMPS. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DENIES THAT THE CAMPS CONSTITUTE INTERNMENT CAMPS, STATING THAT THE CAMPS ARE “VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOLS”.

HUNGARIAN LAW BARRING SAME-SEX COUPLES FROM ADOPTING

ON TUESDAY, THE CONSERVATIVE HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REDEFINED THE CONCEPT OF ‘FAMILY’ IN THE HUNGARIAN CONSTITUTION. FROM NOW ON, A FAMILY IS A MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, WHICH IMPLIES THAT A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS NOT BOTH A MALE FATHER AND A FEMALE MOTHER IS NOT INCLUDED ANYMORE SINCE ONLY MARRIED COUPLES CAN ADOPT IN HUNGARY. THIS WILL HAVE AS A CONSEQUENCE THAT IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES TO ADOPT CHILDREN. THE DIRECTOR OF AMNESTY HUNGARY, DAVID VIG, STATED THAT “THIS IS A DARK DAY FOR HUNGARY’S LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND A DARK DAY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS”. UNDER THE COVER OF THE CORONAVIRUS, BOTH POLAND AND HUNGARY ENACTED SEVERAL DISCRIMINATORY, HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC LAWS, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ONE IN THE SERIES. HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION TRANSGENDER EUROPE CALLED ON THE EU COMMISSION TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION IN HUNGARY IN THE ONGOING ART. 7 TEU PROCEEDINGS ON THE RULE OF LAW IN HUNGARY.