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WEEKLY OVERVIEW - MAY 23RD, 2021

LISA JUNG, ROBIN DIETEREN, DANIELA STELA MRÁZOVÁ, ZEYNEP ECE KARSLI AND AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA
Oct 17, 20227 min read

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BY LISA JUNG, ROBIN DIETEREN, DANIELA STELA MRÁZOVÁ, ZEYNEP ECE KARSLI AND AYÇA ZEHRA KARABABA

THIS WEEK'S BLOG PRESENTS YOU WITH SEVERAL INTERESTING HUMAN RIGHTS-RELATED ISSUES AND CONFLICTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. IT CONTAINS ANOTHER UPDATE ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT, AN INSIGHT INTO THE DANISH IMMIGRATION POLICY, THE BACKGROUND STORY OF HARVEY MILK IN LIGHT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA, AND BIPHOBIA, AND HOW THE CORONAVIRUS AFFECTS TURKISH PRISONERS.

DANISH IMMIGRATION POLICY THE DANISH GOVERNMENT HAS SHIFTED FROM HAVING A TOLERANT IMMIGRATION POLICY TOWARDS A STRICT ONE. THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRY IS THE FIRST AND ONLY EUROPEAN COUNTRY TO REVOKE THE RESIDENCE PERMIT OF SYRIAN REFUGEES. THIS NEW POLICY AROSE BECAUSE OF A MOVE TO THE RIGHT IN DANISH SOCIETY – A SHIFT THAT CAN CURRENTLY BE SEEN HAPPENING IN MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. THE CALL FOR A STRICT IMMIGRATION POLICY IS RINGING SO LOUD THAT CENTER-RIGHT AND FREDERIKSEN'S SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE OPTING FOR A HARD LINE. INCIDENTALLY, THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES APPLYING FOR ASYLUM IN DENMARK HAS BEEN DECLINING FOR YEARS. AND NOW, HUNDREDS OF SYRIANS IN DENMARK HAVE RECENTLY BEEN TOLD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. AS AMNESTY REPORTED, DENMARK HAS REVOKED OR NOT RENEWED THE RESIDENCE PERMITS OF 380 SYRIANS BETWEEN 2020 AND APRIL 2021. THE DANISH GOVERNMENT CLAIMED THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF SYRIA, E.G., DAMASCUS, ARE "SAFE." HUNDREDS OF OTHER FILES WILL BE INVESTIGATED THIS YEAR. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION SHARES CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF RETURNING SYRIANS. IN LATE APRIL, MIGRATION COMMISSIONER YLVA JOHANSSON SAID THAT "NO ONE SHOULD BE DEPORTED TO SYRIA" AND THAT SHE HAS SPOKEN TO THE DANISH GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE POLICY. A GROUP OF 33 MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ALSO SENT A LETTER TO THE DANISH PRIME MINISTER STATING THAT "DEPORTATIONS TO A COUNTRY AT WAR SHOULD NEVER BE NORMAL." REFUGEE AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ALSO COLLECTIVELY CONDEMN DANISH POLICY. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REMARKED THAT RETURNING INVOLVES INTERROGATION BY SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES RESPONSIBLE FOR WIDESPREAD AND SYSTEMATIC HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, DISAPPEARANCES, AND ABUSE. AT THE SAME TIME, "THERE IS A RISK TO ANYONE WHO FLED THE COUNTRY OR SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, ACTIONS PERCEIVED AS DISLOYALTY, WHICH MAY RESULT IN THEIR BEING TREATED WITH SUSPICION, PUNISHMENT, OR ARBITRARY DETENTION," AS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH ADDED. MOREOVER, SYRIA'S SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AFTER TEN YEARS OF WAR IS SAID TO BE SO BAD THAT THERE CAN HARDLY BE SPOKEN OF A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WHAT MAKES DANISH POLICY MORE DIFFICULT IS THAT THE COUNTRY HAS NO DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ASSAD'S REGIME. THIS LACK OF CONNECTIONS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RETURN SYRIANS. IT IS FEARED THAT REFUGEES WHOSE PERMITS HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN WILL END UP IN DEPORTATION CENTERS INDEFINITELY. THE OTHER OPTIONS ARE "VOLUNTARY" RETURN OR APPLY FOR ASYLUM IN ANOTHER COUNTRY – OPTIONS THAT ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IN PRACTICE.

HARVEY MILK IN 1978, HARVEY MILK BECAME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA, SPECIFICALLY SAN FRANCISCO. THANKS TO HIS HELP, AN ORDINANCE WAS PASSED THAT SECURED GAY RIGHTS AND PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN EMPLOYMENT. IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR, JUST TEN MONTHS AFTER MILK WAS SWORN IN, HE WAS ASSASSINATED AND MAYOR GERGER MOSCONE AT CITY HALL. THEIR COLLEAGUE DAN WHITE CONFESSED TO THE MURDERS. HE RESIGNED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH BUT CHANGED HIS MIND AFTER A FEW DAYS. HE ASKED THE MAYOR TO REINSTATE HIM. HE INITIALLY AGREED BUT LATER CHANGED HIS MIND, ALLEGEDLY AT MILK'S INSISTENCE. WHITE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS WITH PAROLE. THIS DECISION OUTRAGED THE PUBLIC. THE FOLLOWING DAY, PROTESTERS MARCHED ON CITY HALL SHOUTING "AVENGE HARVEY MILK" AND "HE GOT AWAY WITH MURDER." WHEN THEY GOT TO CITY HALL, THEY BEGAN THROWING ROCKS AT THE FRONT DOOR AND SETTING POLICE CARS ON FIRE. DESPITE THE POLICE CHIEF'S INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE PROTESTERS, THE COPS ARRIVED AT A NEARBY GAY BAR WHERE THEY BEGAN SMASHING WINDOWS, DOORS, TABLES, AND CHAIRS AND BEATING PEOPLE. AFTER LEAVING THE BAR, THE POLICE FOCUSED ON THE PEOPLE PROTESTING IN THE STREET. BY MORNING, 61 POLICE OFFICERS AND 100 PROTESTERS AND GAY MEN WERE HOSPITALIZED. THESE TWO DAYS ARE KNOWN IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS THE "WHITE NIGHTS RIOTS." HARVEY MILK'S LEGACY STILL PLAYS A PROMINENT ROLE IN LGBT+ HISTORY TODAY. HIS CAMPAIGN MANAGER ANNE KRONENBERG WROTE OF HIM: "WHAT MADE MILK DIFFERENT FROM YOU OR ME WAS THAT HE WAS A VISIONARY. HE IMAGINED A JUST WORLD IN HIS HEAD AND THEN BEGAN TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A REALITY FOR ALL OF US." IN 2009, THE BIOPIC MILK PREMIERED. IN AUGUST 2009, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED MILK THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS, STATING THAT "HE FOUGHT DISCRIMINATION WITH VISIONARY COURAGE AND CONVICTION." THAT SAME YEAR, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER PROCLAIMED MAY 22 AS HARVEY MILK DAY.

ISRAEL AND HAMAS AGREE TO CEASEFIRE ISRAEL AND HAMAS AGREED TO A CEASEFIRE ON THURSDAY TO HALT 11 DAYS OF FIGHTING IN THE GAZA STRIP. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S OFFICE SAID HIS SECURITY CABINET HAD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN FAVOR OF A "MUTUAL AND UNCONDITIONAL" GAZA TRUCE PROPOSED BY EGYPT BUT ADDED THAT THE HOUR OF IMPLEMENTATION HAD YET TO BE AGREED. NETANYAHU'S OFFICE SAID THE TWO SIDES WERE STILL NEGOTIATING EXACTLY WHEN IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT. WITHIN MINUTES OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, THE SIDES WERE TRADING BLOWS AGAIN IN THE COUNTDOWN TO THE CEASEFIRE. SIRENS WARNED OF INCOMING ROCKETS IN ISRAELI BORDER COMMUNITIES, AND A REUTERS REPORTER HEARD AN AIRSTRIKE IN GAZA. HAMAS SAID THE CEASEFIRE WOULD BE "MUTUAL AND SIMULTANEOUS." "THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE WILL ABIDE BY THIS AGREEMENT AS LONG AS THE OCCUPATION (ISRAEL) DOES THE SAME," TAHER AL-NONO, MEDIA ADVISER TO HAMAS CHIEF ISMAIL HANIYEH, TOLD REUTERS. SINCE THE FIGHTING BEGAN ON MAY 10, HEALTH OFFICIALS IN GAZA SAID 232 PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING 65 CHILDREN, HAD BEEN KILLED AND MORE THAN 1,900 WOUNDED IN AERIAL BOMBARDMENTS. ISRAEL SAID IT HAD KILLED AT LEAST 160 COMBATANTS IN GAZA. ON THE ISRAELI SIDE, 12 PEOPLE, INCLUDING TWO CHILDREN, HAVE BEEN KILLED. DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) SAYS ITS STAFF WAS DENIED PERMISSION TO CROSS FROM ISRAEL INTO GAZA. ELY SOK, MSF HEAD OF MISSION IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, SAID THAT "HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ARE MOUNTING, WITH MORE THAN 1,900 PEOPLE INJURED AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DISPLACED." SOK ADDED IN A STATEMENT THAT THE HEALTH SYSTEM IN GAZA WAS "OUT OF KEY MATERIALS TO TREAT THE INJURED SUCH AS BLOOD BAGS."

FIVE DEATHS OCCURRED IN A WEEK DUE TO CORONAVIRUS IN TURKISH PRISONS RELATIVES OF SICK DETAINEES AND CONVICTS IN TURKEY CLAIM THAT PRISON PRACTICES THREATEN THE RIGHT TO LIFE DURING THE EPIDEMIC PERIOD. HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND LAWYERS SAY, "SICK PRISONERS SHOULD BE RELEASED." THE QUARANTINE WARDS ESTABLISHED IN TURKISH PRISONS AS A PRECAUTION AGAINST THE EPIDEMIC ARE ON THE AGENDA RECENTLY WITH THE DEATHS. QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT DEATHS IN JAIL COULD NOT BE ANSWERED BY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE. SICK PRISONERS ARE TRANSFERRED FROM PRISON TO HOSPITAL. IF THE HOSPITALS THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO DO NOT HAVE A "SICK PRISONER WARD," THEY ARE KEPT IN PRISON VEHICLES, AND THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR HUMAN HEALTH. IN HOSPITALS WITH SICK PRISONER WARDS, THESE WARDS ARE LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT FLOORS, THE ROOMS ARE AIRLESS, AND ACCESS TO THE DOCTOR AND NURSE IS CHALLENGING. ADDRESSING INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL REGULATIONS REGARDING THE ACCESS OF SICK PRISONERS TO HEALTH, LAWYER NILAY NAYMAN DRAWS ATTENTION TO ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE ISSUE. "IN MANY CONVENTIONS SUCH AS THE DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE EUROPEAN DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE UNITED NATIONS COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, THERE ARE MANY REGULATIONS REGARDING THE RIGHT TO ACCESS HEALTH, TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT, THE RIGHT TO LIFE. IN THE NATIONAL LEGISLATION AND CONSTITUTION, EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE AND IMPROVING THEIR MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL EXISTENCE. IT HAS BEEN STATED THAT NO ONE CAN BE SUBJECTED TO TORTURE, PERSECUTION, AND ILL-TREATMENT," SAYS NAYMAN. POINTING OUT THAT THE PRISON ADMINISTRATION HAS OBLIGATIONS FOR SICK PRISONERS, NAYMAN SAID: "THERE IS AN ARRANGEMENT AS FOLLOWS IN ARTICLE 6 OF THE EXECUTION LAW: 'IT IS ENSURED THAT CONVICTS LIVE A REGULAR LIFE IN PENAL EXECUTION INSTITUTIONS. THE DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY NECESSITATED BY THE PUNISHMENT BINDING FREEDOM IS IMPOSED UNDER MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS THAT ENSURE RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY.' THE EXECUTION LAW PLACES PRISONS AS A POSITIVE OBLIGATION TO TAKE PROTECTIVE PRECAUTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE DETAINEES AND CONVICTS DO NOT LIVE THERE, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL INTEGRITY". FIVE DEATHS OCCURRED IN A WEEK IN TURKISH PRISONS DUE TO CORONAVIRUS. IN KOCAELI, NO 2 T TYPE PRISON, COMPUTER TEACHER ŞERIF VATANSEVER ALSO DIED FROM THE CORONA. VATANSEVER WAS JUST 47 YEARS OLD. VATANSEVER, WHOSE ENTIRE WARD WAS CORONA, WAS HOSPITALIZED AFTER HIS ILLNESS PROGRESSED. HOWEVER, AFTER ONE WEEK, HE LOST HIS LIFE (MAY 16, 2021). THE PREVIOUS DAY (MAY 15, 2021), LIEUTENANT COLONEL ERDAL KILINÇ, DETAINED IN SILIVRI PRISON, DIED AGAIN DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS. KILINÇ, INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, COULD ONLY BE HOSPITALIZED TWO WEEKS AGO. HE WAS INTUBATED. HOWEVER, HE COULD NOT BE SAVED.

SOURCES:

DANISH IMMIGRATION POLICY:

HARVEY MILK: / ISRAEL AND HAMAS AGREE TO CEASEFIRE:

FIVE DEATHS OCCURRED IN A WEEK DUE TO CORONAVIRUS IN TURKISH PRISONS:


 
 
 

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