MAZLUMDER ISSUES TURKEY HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
Feb 25 2009
Turkey
The biggest part of human rights report was attributed to the problems
regarding freedom of religion and conscience.
Mazlumder issued its annual human rights report on Turkey.
According to the annual report published by Mazlumder (Foundation
for the Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People) showed that
Turkey’s human rights record had worsened last year.
In 2008, 29 people had been the victim of extrajudicial execution
and 343 people’s murderers were not found. 25 people, also, has
become the victim of honour killing. Moreover, in 2008, 207 people
were tortured and 10 people died in prison. The foundation described
Ergenekon probe as a historcial chance in order to shed light on the
extrajudicial executions.
According to Mazlumder, the worst case of 2008 was the annuling of the
law concerning the free entrance of students, who wear headscarves,
to the universities. Mazlumder criticized the annuling in terms of
reasons, saying it is "not lawful and an excess of power."
Resistance against freedom of expression
Mazlumder said that the judiciary resisted to the application of
freedom of expression in Turkey. It is expressed in the report that
"Republic of Turkey guaranteed to the national and international
community, by signing the European Convention of Human Rights, that
it will obey the rules concerning human rights. Turkey also accepted
the jurisdiction of European Court of Human Rights."
The ban on youtube was also criticized in the report. "Accreditation"
ban against journalists by Turkish Army had been another problem
that conflicts with the freedom of press, the report cited. Turkish
Army was criticized for applying pressure to Taraf, a daily, which
harshly challenged the passiveness of Turkish army on a Daglica case,
where 12 soldiers were killed by PKK.
Beside bureaucratic and governmental problems, Turkish media itself
also caused numerous human rights breaches, according to the report. "
"As examples, daily newspapers of Hurriyet, Vatan and Milliyet degraded
the women who wear their local and traditional clothes at a ceremony
as ‘reactionary’." The report listed 18 breaches of human rights in
Turkish media.
Mazlumder, in addition, touched upon the right of sanctuary and
refugees. The report said "Turkey refused to accept the refugees,
most of whom came from non-European territories since Turkey signed
1951 Geneva Convention on Refugee Law with reservation. Turkish
refugee law includes articles, which violates the right of asylum,
should be renewed in the manner that it would protect the rights
Understanding of strict secularism
The biggest part of the report was attributed to the problems
regarding freedom of religion and conscience. Mazlumder concluded
the report, saying "the understanding of strict secularism that is
being implemented in Turkey. Due to this kind of secularist opinion,
state controls the religion in Turkey."
The headscarf ban continued to exist. The law which amended the
constitution in favor of students who wear headscarves, was annuled
by the Constitutional Court unlawfully and by excess of power. The
demonstartions for the freedom of headscarf lasted in Turkish cities
of Kocaeli, Sakarya, Ankara, Van and Akyazi. But, all efforts to lift
the ban was halted by the Constitutional Court, military bureaucracy
and the main opposition party CHP (Republican People’s Party).
Nearly 35 universities, including prestigious Bogazici and
Middle Eastern Technical University did not accept students with
headscarves. The report said "the Rector of Istanbul University,
which is 555 years old, Mesut Parlak told that they would not give
the deserved grade to headscarved students if they insisted the demand
for entering to the university as headscarved".
Not only Sunni Muslims, but also Christian minorities became victims
of violent attacks against them, according to thr report. "The cases
of Malatya Zirve Publishing House and Hrant Dink, a famous Armenian
journalist, continued without reaching out a final resolution. Some
state official’s cooperation was proven, but it was not possible to
birng them in front of the court", the report said.
The report stated, "Christian minorities, except Greeks, Armenians
and Jews, are not officially recognized as minorities. Those groups
are Suryanis, Yezidis, Bahais, Jehova’s witnesses and other small
communities. Orthodox Christians has faced some problems as well. The
long enduring indifference to Heybeliada Cleric School and Orthodox
Patriarch’s ecumenical claims are not recognized by Turkish state."
"Alevis also witnessed the breach of their rights. State has not
officially recognized Alevi identity and continued its pressure upon
them. The problems continued regarding the construction of cemevi,
a place for gathering and pray for Alevis. State institutions do
not help, and even, in some cases, do not permit the construction of
cemevi," said the report.