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Freedom of Expression and of Association in Turkey

Freedom of Expression and of Association in Turkey - Camille Overson Hensler and Mark Muller

As the continuing prosecutions of journalists, publishers, human rights defenders, novelists and artists continue, it is clear that there remain concerns over freedom of expression and freedom of association in Turkey. In spite of measures taken to improve prospects of EU accession, there is disquieting evidence that violations of freedom of expression and of association have in fact been increasing over the past few months. This report provides a background to the situation of Kurds in Turkey and of the government's international obligations. It evaluates the efficacy of a range of pro-EU reforms passed, and concludes that much remains to be done before Turkey could be set to meet European standards on civil and political rights.

ISBN: 1900175940

Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £10.00 (+ P&P)

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Enforcing the Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora

This new training manual, published jointly by Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP) and Kurdish Women's Project (KWP), seeks to provide advice to women in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and the diaspora on enforcing their rights and freedoms.

The manual complements the 'Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora', published in 2004. The Charter represents a collective effort urge the elimination of all forms of discrimination against Kurdish women and to promote the participation of women in policy and decision-making at all levels. This manual offers comprehensive guidance about the application of the Charter at a grassroots level. It also aims to articulate the experiences of Kurdish women in their attempts to implement the Charter in their daily lives.

Importantly, the manual continues by providing a general overview of the enforcement mechanisms available both to women's organisations and to women generally who wish to enforce the principles enshrined in the Charter. In so doing, it focuses on UN and Council of Europe bodies most relevant to women and violations of international law committed against them. Overall, the manual is intended to make the experience of using the Charter a more accessible and constructive process.

ISBN 1 900175 83 5

Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £ 10.00 (+ P&P)

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Dissenting Voices: Freedom of Expression and Association in Turkey - Fact Finding Mission Report

A joint fact-finding mission to Turkey conducted by KHRP and the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) investigated the rights of certain groups fundamental to the protection of civil and political rights. The report details the protection currently afforded to journalists, writers, artists and human rights defenders, particularly since the introduction of wide-ranging pro-EU reforms recently enacted in Turkey. The mission finds that despite legislative reforms to encourage freedom of expression and freedom of association many lawyers, journalists and political activists continue to experience harassment by the state. The mission concludes that the Turkish government must commit to genuine press freedom and freedom of expression and further calls upon the EU to take on a more active role in emphasising the importance of genuine implementation of these rights.

ISBN: 1900175908

Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £10.00 (+ P&P)

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Development in Syria - A Gender and Minority Perspective

This report presents the findings of a two-year research analysis into the impact of Syria's development policies on the most disadvantaged groups including women, minorities and internally displaced persons (IDPs), complemented by a fact-finding mission to the Kurdish regions of northeastern Syria in February 2005. It investigates the daily lives of the most vulnerable groups living in the Euphrates Basin and finds many of the development policies implemented by the Syrian government have had discriminatory effects. Thousands of Kurds, for example, were displaced by development of the Attawra dam and the removal of their citizenship rights, the effects of which continue to be felt to this day. The report demonstrates that women, especially in rural areas and those that are Kurds, face discriminatory hardships in the areas of citizenship, poverty and labour.

ISBN 1 900175886 Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £10.00 (+ P&P)

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'Thirteen Bullets': Extra-judicial killings in southeast Turkey - Fact-finding mission report

Kurdish Human Rights Project sent a fact finding mission to the Kurdish region of Turkey in December 2004 to investigate extra-judicial killings in Hakkari and Kiziltepe and to gauge human rights reform in the region.

The report of the mission details the killings of Ahmet and Ugur Kaymaz by plainclothes policemen. Witnesses express grave doubts over the two official explanations put forward for the killings: firstly that Ahmet and Ugur were shot in a clash and secondly that they did not listen to calls to stop. In a separate potential instance of an extra-judicial killing, the report investigates the shooting of 19 year old shepherd Fevzi Can at close range by the military. There is no evidence to support the military's assertion that Can was a live stock smuggler, and concerns are raised that the Public Prosecutor has not conducted a satisfactory investigation of the incident.

The broader context of EU-inspired human rights reform in Turkey is also considered. The mission, having interviewed representatives of local human rights groups, concludes that in relation to the general treatment of Kurdish people Turkey has a long way to go before it meets the Copenhagen Criteria. Particular concerns focus on an increase in the use of psychological torture which counteracts the decrease in physical torture, unofficial detention of Kurds suspected of 'terrorist' links, failure to implement compensation schemes for IDPs, continuation of the village guard system and high levels of abuses against women. The authors recommend that Turkey's reforms must be assessed on the basis of implementation as well as formal, legislative changes, and that Turkey's accession to the EU must be founded on an accurate appraisal of Turkey's fulfilment of the relevant criteria rather than upon external political considerations.

ISBN 1 900175 827

Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £10.00 (+ P&P)

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