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AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA, ALICJA SZAMBELAN, ZEYNEP ECE KARSLI AND HELENA PARISE SANVICENTE
Oct 17, 20228 min read

WEEKLY OVERVIEW, JUNE 20TH, 2021

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BY AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA, ALICJA SZAMBELAN, ZEYNEP ECE KARSLI AND HELENA PARISE SANVICENTE

THIS WEEK'S OVERVIEW COVERS CRITICAL HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. ON THE ONE HAND, WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK ATTENTION TO PARTICULAR TOPICS LIKE AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN, A CANCER PATIENT WHOSE SENTENCE HAS BEEN UPHELD IN TURKEY, IS GOING TO PRISON. AT LEAST 13 POTENTIAL OPPOSITION CANDIDATES AND PARTY LEADERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE LAST WEEKS IN NICARAGUA. ALSO, THE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSED A NEW ANTI-LGBTQ LAW. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS A GENERAL ISSUE THAT DESERVES ATTENTION RELATING TO CLIMATE, LIKE THE SEA SNOT PROBLEM IN TURKEY.

AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN, A CANCER PATIENT WHOSE SENTENCE HAS BEEN UPHELD IN TURKEY, IS GOING TO PRISON

IN TURKEY, CANCER PATIENT AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN, WHO WAS TRIED AND WHOSE SENTENCE WAS UPHELD FOR WORKING AS A MANAGER IN A DORMITORY AFFILIATED WITH THE GÜLEN MOVEMENT, IS AT RISK OF BEING SENT TO PRISON. THERE ARE CALLS FOR THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE SENTENCE OF ÖZDOĞAN, WHOSE HUSBAND IS UNDER ARREST DUE TO HER ILLNESS. THE NINE YEARS, ONE MONTH, AND 13 DAYS PRISON SENTENCE GIVEN TO AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN, WHO WAS ARRESTED AFTER HER CANCER SURGERY AND WHOSE DISEASE PROGRESSED BECAUSE HER SECOND SURGERY WAS DELAYED, WAS UPHELD. ÖZDOĞAN HAS AN 8-YEAR-OLD CHILD. ÖZDOĞAN HAD TO HAVE SURGERY AGAIN, SHE COULD NOT EVEN MEET HER OWN NEEDS, AND HER FACE SWELLED EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST WIND. HER OLDER SISTER ( EMINE ERDEM), SAID "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO STAY IN A QUARANTINE WARD OR PRISON UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. HOUSE ARREST OR ELECTRONIC HANDCUFFS SHOULD BE APPLIED." AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN, WHO TRIES TO MAKE HER VOICE HEARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA, "I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MAXILLARY SINUS A YEAR AGO. I HAD A BONE AND TISSUE TRANSPLANT. NOW THE DISEASE HAS SPREAD TO MY BRAIN. I AM 72 PERCENT DISABLED. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN PRISON THIS WAY. IF I GO TO PRISON LIKE THIS, I WILL DIE. PLEASE BE MY VOICE" SHE CALLED FOR HELP. EMINE ERDEM, ÖZDOĞAN'S OLDER SISTER, "MY SISTER WAS ARRESTED ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2019. WHEN SHE HAD HER FIRST SURGERY, SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, AND AFTER THE FIRST BIOPSY, SHE WAS ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO PRISON. SHE NEEDED EMERGENCY SURGERY. THIS SURGERY WAS NOT SUCH A SIMPLE OPERATION—A RARE TYPE OF CANCER IN THE WORLD. THE RIGHT CHEEKBONE OF HER FACE WAS REMOVED—RIGHT PALATE AND TEETH AS WELL. TISSUE AND BONE TRANSPLANTATION WAS PERFORMED FROM THE LEG. THEY TOOK THE RISK OF HAVING ALL THESE OPERATIONS I LISTED IN PRISON. SHE WAS RELEASED AFTER 15 DAYS AND HAD MAJOR SURGERY. SHE WAS RELEASED WITH A FORENSIC MEDICINE REPORT STATING THAT SHE COULD NOT STAY IN PRISON. SHE HAD SURGERY A WEEK LATER. SHE WAS RELEASED ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2019, AND HAD SURGERY ON JANUARY 2ND, 2020. " SISTER EMINE ERDEM, WHO ALSO GAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS AFTER THE OPERATION, SAID, "THE OPERATION WAS CUMBERSOME. IT TOOK 10 HOURS. SHE DID NOT GO OUT FOR AT LEAST 5-6 MONTHS BECAUSE IT WAS LIFE-THREATENING. DURING THAT TIME, SHE WAS FORCED TO SIGN TWO DAYS A WEEK. AFTER THE OPERATION, SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO LIVE LIKE A ROBOT FOR A MONTH AND NOT MOVE HER HEAD IN ANY WAY. THERE WAS A VASCULAR BOND BETWEEN THE PLACED TISSUE AND THE BONE, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE BROKEN." NOTING THAT HER SISTER RECEIVED RADIOTHERAPY FOR 30 DAYS AND THEREFORE HAD PROBLEMS, ERDEM SAID, "NOW THOSE THREATS CONTINUE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS BLEEDING BETWEEN THE TWO LOBES OF THE BRAIN. DOCTORS SAY, 'WE CAN'T DO THE SURGERY. IT'S A RISKY AREA'. THEY SAID TO WAIT ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS. THEY WILL DO AN MRI ON JUNE 28TH," SHE SAID. AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN SAID, "I HAD RADIOTHERAPY AFTER THE SURGERY. THERE IS AN OPENING IN THE TISSUE PLACED ON MY LEFT UPPER JAW DUE TO RADIOTHERAPY. EVERYTHING I EAT AND DRINK COMES BACK THROUGH MY NOSE. I CAN'T EVEN MEET MY BASIC NEEDS FOR FOOD AND DRINK ALONE. CAN YOU PLEASE LET MY VOICE BE HEARD?"

CRACKDOWN ON OPPOSITION IN NICARAGUA SEVERAL OPPOSITION LEADERS IN NICARAGUA HAVE BEEN DETAINED. MANY OF THEM ARE CHARGED UNDER A CONTROVERSIAL "TREASON" BILL PASSED IN DECEMBER. DANIEL ORTEGA IS SEEKING A FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TERM IN OFFICE. HE FIRST SERVED AS PRESIDENT BETWEEN 1979 AND 1990. THEN, HE RETURNED TO POWER IN 2007 AND WON RE-ELECTION IN 2011 AND 2016, AFTER CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES THAT ALLOWED HIM TO RUN AGAIN. SINCE 2018, ORTEGA HAS FACED A POLITICAL CRISIS AND MASSIVE PROTESTS AGAINST HIS GOVERNMENT. THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 2021.

OPPOSITION FIGURES ARRESTED AT LEAST 13 POTENTIAL OPPOSITION CANDIDATES AND PARTY LEADERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE LAST WEEKS. THE CRACKDOWN STARTED ON JUNE 2ND WHEN POLICE RAIDED THE HOUSE OF AN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE AND JOURNALIST, CRISTIANA CHAMORRO. SHE WAS ACCUSED OF MONEY LAUNDERING AND PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST WITH NO COMMUNICATION DEVICES. HER COUSIN - JUAN SEBASTIAN CHAMORRO – WAS ARRESTED A FEW DAYS LATER UNDER ALLEGATIONS OF WORKING WITH FOREIGN FINANCING TO CARRY OUT "ACTS OF TERRORISM AND DESTABILIZATION." ANOTHER POSSIBLE CHALLENGER TO ORTEGA - ARTURO CRUZ SEQUEIRA - FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, WAS CHARGED WITH TREASON AND ARRESTED AT THE MANAGUA AIRPORT AFTER ARRIVING FROM WASHINGTON DC. SIMILARLY, FÉLIX MARADIAGA, ANOTHER POTENTIAL OPPOSITION CANDIDATE, HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON THE CHARGES OF ACTS AGAINST SOVEREIGNTY, TERRORISM, AND BACKING INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THREE OTHER POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AND SEVERAL KEY OPPOSITION PARTY MEMBERS (UNAMOS) HAVE BEEN DETAINED.

"TREASON" LAWS USED AGAINST OPPOSITION THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATES ARE BEING CHARGED UNDER NEW LAWS PASSED IN DECEMBER. UNDER THESE REGULATIONS, ANY PERSON RECEIVING MONEY FROM ABROAD MUST DECLARE THEMSELVES TO THE GOVERNMENT AS A "FOREIGN AGENT" AND NOT INTERVENE IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS. MOREOVER, THE LAWS GIVE ORTEGA'S GOVERNMENT THE POWER TO UNILATERALLY CLASSIFY CITIZENS AS "TRAITORS TO THE HOMELAND" AND BAN THEM FROM RUNNING IN ELECTIONS. ANYONE DESIGNATED A TRAITOR CAN BE SENTENCED TO UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON. THE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS THAT THE LAW AIMS TO PROTECT "THE INDEPENDENCE, THE SOVEREIGNTY AND SELF-DETERMINATION" OF NICARAGUA. PRESIDENT ORTEGA HAS ALREADY USED THESE NEWLY GRANTED POWERS AGAINST THE LEADERS OF MASSIVE 2018 PROTESTS AGAINST HIS REGIME. IN ANOTHER MOVE THREATENING THE FREEDOM OF NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, THE BODY THAT WILL OVERSEE THE ELECTION PROCESS HAS BEEN COMPOSED OF MAGISTRATES FAVORABLE TO THE GOVERNING PARTY. IT HAS ALREADY DISQUALIFIED TWO PARTIES AND DECLARED THEM ILLEGAL. IN ADDITION, IN RECENT WEEKS, NUMEROUS JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN DETAINED, QUESTIONED, OR CHARGED. OFFICES OF INDEPENDENT NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN RAIDED. OPPOSITION PARTIES ACCUSE DANIEL ORTEGA OF ELIMINATING COUNTER-CANDIDATES BECAUSE HE "FEARS GOING TO A FREE, TRANSPARENT AND OBSERVED" ELECTION. UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES CALLED ON THE NICARAGUAN AUTHORITIES TO RESPECT THEIR INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS AND RELEASE THE POLITICAL LEADERS.

SEA SNOT CLEANSE IN TURKEY MUCILAGE, ALSO KNOWN AS "SEA SNOT," IS AN OVERGROWTH OF MICROSCOPIC ALGAE CALLED PHYTOPLANKTON AND IS CAUSED BY RISING SEAWATER TEMPERATURES DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING, STAGNANT WATER, AND POLLUTION. MUCILAGE MAINLY ACCUMULATED IN MUDANYA, GEMLIK BAY, GEBZE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS, THE COASTAL AREAS OF ISTANBUL'S ANATOLIAN SIDE AND AROUND THE PRINCES' ISLANDS, AND PARTIALLY COVERED THE SHORES OF THE MARMARA SEA. ON JUNE 6TH, TURKISH AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED A 22-POINT ACTION PLAN TO CLEAR A SURGE OF MUCILAGE COVERING PARTS OF THE MARMARA SEA IN THE COUNTRY'S NORTHWEST. ENVIRONMENT AND URBANIZATION MINISTER MURAT KURUM: "IN 1,438 INSPECTIONS WE CONDUCTED AS OF JUNE 14TH, WE IMPOSED AN ADMINISTRATIVE FINE OF 7.55 MILLION TURKISH LIRAS ($881,239) ON BUSINESSES THAT DID NOT FULFILL THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS," SAID. A TEAM OF STATE-RUN ANADOLU AGENCY DIVED INTO THE MARMARA SEA TO MONITOR THE MUCILAGE SITUATION. KURUM SAID THAT OPERATIONS TO CLEAR THE SEA OF THE SUBSTANCE, KNOWN COLLOQUIALLY AS "SEA SNOT," ARE ONGOING AT 77 LOCATIONS, ADDING THAT THE COLLECTED MUCILAGE HAD BEEN SENT FOR DISPOSAL. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS NEAR ZERO, AND THE INTENSITY WAS MANY TIMES HIGHER THAN THE DIVE PERFORMED BY THE SAME TEAM A MONTH AGO. THE TEAM NOTED THAT THE MUCILAGE, WHICH CAN BE SEEN VIVIDLY ON THE UNDERWATER ROCK FORMATIONS, LOOKED LIKE A SPIDER WEB. THE MUCILAGE HAS ALSO INFILTRATED PORTIONS OF THE ADJOINING AEGEAN AND BLACK SEA.

NEW ANTI-LGBTQ LAW PASSED IN HUNGARY ON JUNE 15TH, THE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSED LEGISLATION THAT BANS CONTENT "PROMOTING" HOMOSEXUALITY OR GENDER CHANGE FROM BEING SPREAD IN SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SPACES, MEDIA, AND ESPECIALLY AMONG MINORS. PROMOTED BY THE CURRENT PRIME MINISTER, NATIONALIST VIKTOR ORBAN, AND HIS PARTY, FIDESZ, THIS DANGEROUS NEW LAW HAS BEEN MET WITH OUTRAGE AND CRITICISM BY HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AND OPPOSITION PARTIES. THE NEW LEGISLATION HAS ALSO BEEN SEEN AS A STRATEGIC MOVE BY THE PM TO SECURE VOTES FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION IN 2022. WHILE FIDESZ PRIMARILY BACKED THE LAW, MANY OPPOSITION PARTIES BOYCOTTED THE VOTE AS A SIGN OF PROTEST. THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN DEEPLY DIVIDED BY THE ANTI-LGBT AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC AND POLICIES OF ORBAN'S PARTY. THIS LATEST MOVE BY THE CHRISTIAN-CONSERVATIVE PARTY HAS BEEN COMPARED TO THE RUSSIAN 2013 "GAY PROPAGANDA" LAW, WHICH ALSO BANS DISSEMINATING "PROPAGANDA ON NONTRADITIONAL SEXUAL RELATIONS" AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. IN HUNGARY, THIS NEW LEGISLATION PROHIBITS PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE FROM ACCESSING WHATEVER IS DEEMED PORNOGRAPHIC OR ENCOURAGING GENDER CHANGE OR HOMOSEXUALITY. THE LAW EXTENDS TO ADVERTISEMENTS AS WELL. IT ALSO INCLUDES THE PROPOSAL OF A LIMITED LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS ALLOWED TO HOLD SEX EDUCATION SESSIONS IN SCHOOLS. ANOTHER ALARMING ISSUE WITH THE LAW IS THAT THESE AMENDMENTS WERE ATTACHED TO A LAW STRICTLY CONDEMNING PEDOPHILIA, MUCH HARDER TO STOP IN ITS TRACKS. ON JUNE 14TH, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE PARLIAMENT IN BUDAPEST TO PROTEST THE LAW AHEAD OF THE PARLIAMENTARY VOTE. RIGHTS GROUPS SUCH AS HATTER SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE BILL, SAYING THAT IT "ENDANGERS THE MENTAL HEALTH OF LGBTQI YOUNGSTERS AND PREVENTS THEM FROM GETTING ACCESS TO INFORMATION ... AND AFFIRMATIVE SUPPORT." MANY HAVE CALLED OUT THIS LEGISLATION FOR CONFLICTING WITH EU TREATIES REGARDING HUMAN RIGHTS, NON-DISCRIMINATION, AND TOLERANCE. THE COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE, DUNJA MIJATOVIC, CALLED ON THE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT TO STOP THE BILL, WARNING THEM THAT "THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS RUN COUNTER TO INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS. IT IS MISLEADING AND FALSE TO CLAIM THAT THEY ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO PROTECT CHILDREN." ORBAN AND HIS PARTY HAVE BEEN CHIPPING AWAY AT LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE'S FREEDOMS FOR SOME TIME. OTHER HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC LAWS PASSED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS INCLUDE A BAN ON GAY MARRIAGE, PROHIBITING GAY COUPLES FROM ADOPTING CHILDREN, AND OUTLAWING LEGAL STATUS FOR ALL TRANSGENDER PEOPLE (EVEN RETROACTIVELY). WITHOUT INTERVENTION BY THE HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT OR BY THE EU, THE FUTURE IS LOOKING GRIM.

SOURCES

AYŞE ÖZDOĞAN, A CANCER PATIENT WHOSE SENTENCE HAS BEEN UPHELD IN TURKEY, IS GOING TO PRISON:

CRACKDOWN ON OPPOSITION IN NICARAGUA:

SEA SNOT CLEANSE IN TURKEY:

NEW ANTI-LGBTQ LAW PASSED IN HUNGARY:


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