DocumentsDate added

Turkey's Implementation of Pro-EU Reforms: Fact-Finding Mission Report

This Fact-Finding Mission report analyses the extent to which the seven packages of pro-EU reforms or Harmonisation Packages have been implemented. The report, which concentrates geographically on Diyarbakir, Mardin, Derik and Batman, has a special focus on the legal, economic and social situation of Kurdish women.

The report was written by fact-finding mission members Margaret Owen and KHRP Legal Officer Anke Stock, and details evidence that serious human rights violations including torture and sexual violation in detention continue to occur in the region, and that Kurdish women and children are particularly vulnerable.

Concerns are raised over the appalling physical and sexual degradation of women and girls, including the failure to investigate the horrific crime of honour killings and a lack of protection from the threat of domestic violence.

The report also depicts the situation of abject destitution which governs Kurdish lives in Turkey's southeast, as well as the failure of the Turkish government to implement adequate return programmes for Turkey's 3 million internally displaced and problems relating to the effectiveness of judicial and language reforms

ISBN 1900175 738

 

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

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Turkey - The Situation of Kurdish Children

KHRP is concerned for the welfare of many children in Turkey, who, largely due to widespread poverty and the authorities' failure adequately to address their situation, have not received adequate protection as enshrined in various international instruments including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, a new report assesses the inevitably grave impact that has been wrought on Kurdish children following their combined experiences of armed conflict and continued discrimination.

While many visitors to Turkey would observe Kurdish children who have been forced to work on the streets following their displacement and poverty, there remains little documented research into their situation.

Kurdish children in Turkey, especially displaced children, suffer inadequate provision of the most basic needs: suitable housing, healthcare, basic nutrition and access to education. Many such children have been forced on the streets or elsewhere. Levels of emotional stress and depression are high; those subjected to detention have frequently faced torture or ill-treatment.

KHRP considers Kurdish girls to be exceptionally vulnerable due to other factors, including the frequency of domestic violence, sexual abuse and forced early marriage.

This report provides an overview of the socio-economic and historical factors which have brought about this situation. It assesses the implications of discrimination, housing, nutrition and health, education, child labour, street children and juvenile justice. Throughout, the report refers to Turkey's international legal obligations; urging the international community to recall these obligations when considering Turkey's eligibility for EU accession.

ISBN 1 900175 77 0

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Report on the Trial of Huseyin Cangir - Trial Observation report

This report concerns the trial of Huseyin Cangir, a human rights lawyer and Chair of the Mardin Branch of the IHD. Cangir was found guilty of "hanging up posters in the Kurdish language without permission from the governor", and appealed this conviction to the higher court in Ankara. A KHRP mission observed the trial.

The report, which provides a detailed analysis of the trial in the context of domestic law and international legal standards, found that the indictment and court proceedings against Cangir constituted flagrant harassment and intimidation, and were carried out contrary to international human rights law. Particular aspects of the trial and the judicial framework within which it took place which are singled out for criticism include a lack of impartiality, the relationship between the Judge and the Prosecutor, the Recruitment process of Judges and Prosecutors and the continuation of legislation used to harass and intimidate human rights defenders.

ISBN 1900175762

 

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

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Report on the Trial of Ferhat Kaya - Trial Observation Report

This report is of interest to anyone concerned about the human rights, social and environmental impacts of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline in Turkey. The report, published jointly by KHRP, the Corner House, Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Environmental Defense, presents the findings of an international mission which, in September 2004, observed the trial of Ferhat Kaya. Kaya is a Turkish human rights defender who was detained and allegedly tortured in May 2004 as a result of his work with villagers affected by the pipeline, and that of the eleven police officers accused of ill-treating him. The mission observed deficiencies in the trials amounting to violations of international fair trial standards, and pointed to the continuing gap between the legal reforms recently adopted by Turkey and their implementation in practice. Disquietingly, Kaya was once more detained and allegedly subjected to ill-treatment on 25 December 2004 - subsequent to the mission - and is now the subject of a further investigation.

ISBN 190017586X

 

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

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KHRP Legal Review 6 (2004)

The KHRP Legal Review is the only existing legal journal considering significant developments in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and elsewhere. Published biannually, it is intended to build capacity among NGO's, lawyers and human rights defenders by providing clear guidance, updates and analysis of issues relevant to the regions. This edition provides a summary of the European Commission's 2004 report on Turkey's progress towards accession. An article by Tim Otty and Ben Olbourne assesses the US Supreme Court's response to the 'War on Terror' in the Rasul and Hamdi cases. Further articles provide assessments of Turkey's implementation of European human rights standards (Jon Rud) and the establishment and protection of human rights under the ECHR (Declan O'Callaghan). A further article provides a detailed interpretation of the Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora published by KHRP and KWP.

ISBN 17480639

 

Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £8.00 (+ P&P)

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KHRP Legal Review 5

The KHRP Legal Review is the only existing legal journal considering significant legal developments in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and elsewhere. Published biannually, it is intended to build capacity among NGOs, lawyers and human rights defenders by providing clear guidance, updates and analysis of issues relevant to the regions. This edition provides analysis of the law and practice of judicial appointments to the European Court; the retrial of Leyla Zana and other Kurdish former parliamentarians; trials of human rights defenders in Turkey; and recent developments before the UK Immigration Appeal Tribunal involving Kurds from Turkey seeking political asylum. It also includes a breakdown of Article 3 and Article 6 ECHR cases against Turkey in recent months. Finally, it includes European Court admissibility decisions and judgments from December 2003 to June 2004.

ISBN 1748-0639

 

Copies of this report are available from the KHRP for £ 8.00 (+P&P)

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Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora (2nd Ed)

Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora - English, Sorani, Kurmanci, Arabic, Turkish, French (Second edition)

Discrimination against women occurs globally, but is all the more damaging when compounded with ethnic, religious or other forms of discrimination. Women in the Kurdish regions and diaspora, therefore, face an uphill struggle as they attempt to tackle discrimination on several fronts. Located in the strategically important region spanning the borders of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, millions of Kurdish women continue to witness the devastating effects of wars, military attacks and economic embargoes.

Against this backdrop, Kurdish women have been pushing hard to achieve the enforcement of human rights. The Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora has been continually developed to ensure that it appropriately identifies the needs and wishes of women in the Kurdish regions and diaspora. International and domestic bodies are urged to consider seriously the domestic incorporation of the rights and needs identified in the Charter in both letter and spirit.

Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora - English, Sorani, Kurmanci, Arabic, Turkish, French (Second edition) is available from KHRP at £5.00+P&P

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Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora (1st Ed)

Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora (English, Kurmanji, Sorani, Arabic)

Discrimination against women occurs globally, but is all the more damaging when compounded with ethnic, religious or other forms of discrimination. Women in the Kurdish regions and diaspora, therefore, face an uphill struggle as they attempt to tackle discrimination on several fronts. Located in the strategically important region spanning the borders of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, millions of Kurdish women continue to witness the devastating effects of wars, military attacks and economic embargoes.

Against this backdrop, Kurdish women have been pushing hard to achieve the enforcement of human rights. The Charter for the Rights and Freedoms of Women in the Kurdish Regions and Diaspora has been continually developed to ensure that it appropriately identifies the needs and wishes of women in the Kurdish regions and diaspora. International and domestic bodies are urged to consider seriously the domestic incorporation of the rights and needs identified in the Charter in both letter and spirit.

 

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

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Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline: Human rights, Social and Environmental Impacts Turkey Section

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline: Human rights, Social and Environmental Impacts Turkey Section Final Report of Fourth Fact-Finding Mission - Ardahan and Imranli Regions 10-27 September 2004

KHRP/ Corner House/ Environmental Defense / Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

This report constitutes the findings of the fourth international Fact-Finding Mission to assess human rights, social and environmental impacts of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, which BP and other companies (as part of the BTC Consortium) are currently building in order to bring oil from Caspian Sea oilfields to Western markets. Construction of the pipeline commenced in 2002 and is due to be completed by 2005. The mission comprised representatives of Kurdish Human Rights Project, Friends of the Earth, the Corner House and Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). It undertook field visits in the Ardahan (north-east) and Sivas (central) sections of the pipeline route and conducted interviews in Ankara.

The report should be mandatory reading for those following the serious concerns, particularly relating to human rights abuses, expropriation of land, labour violations, and serious violations in quality control during construction, that have been raised by affected peoples, experts, pipeline workers, non-governmental organisations and the project's own monitoring reports.

ISBN 1900175797

 

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

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(RUSSIAN) TAKING HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINTS TO UN MECHANISMS - A MANUAL (Main)

Intended to enhance capacity within the Kurdish regions, KHRP prepares materials including manuals to provide practical guidance to indigenous lawyers, NGOs and human rights defenders. A new manual published in Russian provides a guide to taking human rights complaints to UN mechanisms.

The manual includes an overview of the three categories of UN human rights bodies: the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, those established by the UN Charter (Charter-based bodies) and those established by provisions in specific legal instruments (treaty-based bodies). In addition, the Manual includes key texts, such as texts of the reservations and declarations entered into by member states in the Kurdish regions, model complaint forms and guidelines for the submission of complaints.

The manual was written and edited by KHRP Executive Director Kerim Yildiz and Legal Officer Anke Stock in conjunction with the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales. It has been published in Russian in conjunction with the Forum.

'Taking Human Rights Complaints to UN Mechanisms - A Manual' in the Russian language is available in the Caucasus or download in full.

An English translation (ISBN 1 900175 61 4) is available from KHRP for £10.00 (+ P&P)

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