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KHRP Legal Review 9 (2006)

This is the only existing legal journal covering significant legislative and policy developments in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and elsewhere. Published biannually, this edition covers the period from January to June 2006, including summaries and analysis of the most significant decisions of the ECtHR.
Uniquely, this journal covers new cases that have not yet reached any judicial decision, but nonetheless provide invaluable updates of the most recent allegations of human rights violations to be submitted to international courts and mechanisms.

This edition features news and updates on all the Kurdish regions, as well as three newly communicated cases, seven admissibility decisions and 38 judgments of the ECtHR and the UN. The journal is essential reading for anyone interested in monitoring legal developments in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

ISSN 1462-6535 £8.00+ £2.00 (P+P) or available

Available for £8.00 by contacting khrp@khrp.org or by downloading below

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KHRP Legal Review 10

This is the only existing legal journal covering significant legislative and policy developments in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and elsewhere. Published biannually, this edition covers the period from June to November 2006, including summaries and analysis of the most significant decisions of the ECtHR.

Uniquely, this journal covers new cases that have not yet reached any judicial decision, but nonetheless provide invaluable updates of the most recent allegations of human rights violations to be submitted to international courts and mechanisms.


This edition features news and updates on all the Kurdish regions, as well as newly communicated cases and admissibility decisions and judgments of the ECtHR and the UN. The journal is essential reading for anyone interested in monitoring legal developments in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Armenia and Azerbaijan.


Publication available for £8.00+ £2.00 (P+P) from khrp@khrp.org or +44 (0) 207 405 3835, ISSN 1462-6535 or by downloading below

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KHRP Impact Report 2005

The Impact Report presents a unique insight into the work of the non-governmental organisation Kurdish Human Rights Project during the course of one-year, and consequently into the Kurdish regions. Founded in London in 1992, KHRP is the only human rights organisation working consistently in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and the Caucasus that is completely independent of political affiliation. Founded in London in 1992, it works to enhance the rights of both Kurds and non-Kurds.

This report assesses the impact of the organisation in 2005 – including the outcomes of its litigation, advocacy, training, trial observations, fact-finding missions, research and public awareness initiatives. It details developments on a range of key human rights themes, including issues of political and judicial systems; detention, torture and ill-treatment; discrimination; environmental justice; extra-territorial human rights obligations; freedom of expression; gender equality; internal displacement and expropriation; refugees, asylum seekers and migrants; and the right to life.

The KHRP Impact Report should be viewed as the primary resource for those interested in developments in the human rights situation in the Kurdish regions in 2005.

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KHRP Employment Application Form

KHRP Employment Application Form and Equal Opportunities Policy

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Indiscriminate Use of Force: Violence in Southeast Turkey – Fact-Finding Mission Report

On 24 March 2006, fourteen Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerrillas were killed in the mountains outside Diyarbakır by the Turkish army. Thousands of people attended the funerals. Although they passed peacefully, some funeral goers threw stones and rocks when passing a police station. The police responded with tear gas, water cannons, batons and firearms, apparently indiscriminately. The security thereafter deteriorated and Special Forces were deployed. Violence rapidly spread to other Kurdish cities; many were killed, including children, and hundreds more were injured. Three people were killed when a bomb was thrown at a bus in Istanbul in protest at the violence in the south-east. Hundreds of people were detained, many of them illegally, including many children, facing a real risk of torture or inhuman treatment.

KHRP mission members, Michael Ivers and Brenda Campbell, visited the region between 19 and 24 April in order to monitor and document the situation on the ground. They spoke with witnesses of the violence and local human rights organisations. This report documents the mission’s findings.

Publication available for 10 GBP from khrp@khrp.org or +44 (0) 207 405 3835 – ISBN 1905592027, or by downloading below:

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IDPs and refugees : Preliminary findings

A fact-finding mission to Van and Ankara, Turkey, in July 2006 organised by the Kurdish Human Rights Project investigated state policy and practise regarding measures to provide redress to persons displaced during the 1980's and 1990's armed conflict in East and Southeast Turkey, and the treatment of refugees and internally displaced persons in Turkey. In conducting its research, the mission established serious shortcomings in the legal framework in place to address the problems faced by these two marginalised groups. If Turkey is to institute the necessary mechanisms to remedy the situation of IDPs and refugees, the mission recommends a series of reforms which conform with international standards.

Available for free by contacting khrp@khrp.org or by downloading below

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Human Rights Violations Against Kurds in Turkey

Report Presented to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2-13 October 2006, Warsaw, Poland

KHRP continues to make submissions to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and actively participates in the OSCE Human Dimension Mechanisms in order to stress its concern that some member states, in particular Turkey but also including Armenia and Azerbaijan , are not fulfilling their OSCE obligations and adhering to internationally accepted human rights standards.

Since the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923, Turkey has not recognised the existence of a separate Kurdish ethnic community within its borders. Over 20 million Kurds presently live in Turkey , who for decades have been subjected to economic disadvantage and human rights violations which bear the hallmarks of systematic persecution intent on destroying Kurdish identity. Over the past year, Turkey has made some gains in the quest for equality for the Kurds, but much work remains. Several high-profile trials have put Turkey 's reluctance to embrace certain freedoms in the international spotlight.

In its goal to join the EU, Turkey has enacted reforms that it says were designed to liberalise and open its political system. However, during the last year as Turkey has slid into its old habits of torture, repression, the denial of freedom of expression and association and discrimination against Kurdish people, concerns have been raised that Turkey's reforms were merely superficial and designed to give the appearance of change, without any substantive alterations to either the political system or the everyday lives of Kurds living in the country.

This report focuses on the extent to which Turkey has fulfilled the commitments it has entered into as an OSCE state with regard to topics such as national minorities, the rule of law, the prevention of torture and IDPs. It also makes recommendations for enhancing Turkey 's compliance in the future and suggestions as to where OSCE initiatives may be used to provide support and assistance to achieve such objectives.

KHRP encourages the member states of the OSCE to give their most urgent consideration to the situation faced by Kurds in Turkey and to assist the Turkish Government to end these human rights violations.

Available for free by contacting khrp@khrp.org or by downloading below

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Human Rights Defenders in Turkey

Turkey has a vibrant and dynamic human rights movement which has defied the odds to form an effective force for bringing the Turkish government to account for breaches of human rights. It is of crucial importance to Turkey's democratisation effort that Turkey acknowledges the validity of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) activities and respects their rights. HRDs not only play a valuable role to the process of democratic renewal, but provide a gauge of a government's true commitment to genuine democratisation.

Because of their tendency to expose and criticise state actions violating human rights and to seek to impose government accountability, HRDs frequently themselves become primary targets of repressive state practices in breach of human rights. HRDs' messages are silenced; they are denied access to victims of human rights abuses, and frequently face arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment and even ‘disappearance'.

KHRP has been instrumental in documenting abuses committed against HRDs, through pressing for improvements in their treatment and using international mechanisms to achieve justice for HRDs whose rights have been violated. This report is the result of research carried out by KHRP in London and representatives in Turkey. The aim of this report is to contribute to analysis and debate on the reform process as part of the EU accession by examining how far is progressing in the direction of European standards in its treatment of HRDs.

Publication available for 10 GBP from khrp@khrp.org or +44 (0) 207 405 3835 – ISBN 19001750991, or by downloading below.

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Effective Criminal Accountability? Extra-Judicial Killings on Trial - Trial Observation Report

On 21 November 2004 Ahmet Kaymaz, 31, and his son Ugur, 12, were killed by undercover police officers some 40 to 50 metres from their home in Kiziltepe, south-east Turkey. Proceedings were opened against four police officers on 27 December 2004, accusing them of using excessive force. This report comprises the findings of a joint trial observation mission by KHRP and the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales of the third hearing in the trial which took place in Esikehir on 24 October 2005. The mission concluded there are grave concerns over the lack of effective criminal accountability for extra-judicial killings in south-east Turkey.

ISBN 1900175959

Available for £10.00 by contacting khrp@khrp.org or by downloading below

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Briefing Paper: Torture in Turkey

Turkey’s efforts to align its legislation and policy with EU standards have been positive, yet implementation on the ground has been uneven. An area of particular concern is the continuing practice of torture or ill-treatment. Perpetrators are usually law enforcement officials, gendarmerie and security forces and in recent years there has been a marked increase in more sophisticated torture methods that do not leave visible marks and ill-treatment outside of places of detention.

This report addresses the issue of torture and ill-treatment of individuals in detention and police custody in Turkey, and the most effective means of prevention.

Available for free by contacting khrp@khrp.org or by downloading below

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