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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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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

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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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Promoting Conflict – the Şemdinli Bombing. Trial Observation Report

In April 2006, KHRP Legal Team member, Ajanta Kaza, travelled to Turkey to observe the trial of two of three men accused involvement in the bombing of a bookshop in the town of Semdinli in the province of Hakkari.

The incident sent shock waves throughout Turkey and internationally because the three individuals accused of planting the explosive devices – together with incriminating material – were apprehended by a crowd of civilians at the scene. Two of the men were non-commissioned army officers, raising the spectre of ‘deep state' involvement in the attacks. The report expresses concern that no investigation was conducted of higher level official involvement and at the high degree of political involvement in the Semdinli incident by the government, state officials and senior military personnel.

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

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Kurdish Culture in the UK – Briefing Paper

The Kurdish community in the United Kingdom provides a rich fabric of cultural expression and talent from which the rest of society can benefit. A number of significant Kurdish cultural projects have been located in the UK, and Kurds have received a degree of acceptance in mainstream culture. This briefing paper highlights measures that could support such intergration, including the need for accurate ethnic monitoring, the encourage of Kurdish language education by education institutions and by parents, by according political rights to refugees, and by developing relationships between the Kurdish community and bodies such as the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The paper was presented at a Council of Europe Hearing on Kurdish Culture in January 2006.

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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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Suppressing Academic Debate: The Turkish Penal Code - Trial Observation Report

KHRP sent a trial observation mission to Turkey in February 2006 to observe the trails of Professor Baskin Oran and Professor Ibrahim Özden Kaboglu, members of the Human Rights Advisory Board of the Prime Ministry. These two individuals were charged under articles 301 and 216 of the revised Turkish Penal Code, following the release of a report which argued that "Turk" is an identity of only one ethnic group and that Turkey also includes other ethnic groups such as "Kurds" or "Arabs", a statement considered to be sufficient "denigration" of the state to warrant criminal proceedings. The report concludes that despite the amendments that have been enacted, the Turkish Penal Code continues to exert a "chilling effect" on free expression in Turkey.

ISBN 1900175975


Available for £10.00 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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Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline – Fact-Finding Mission to Georgia : Human Rights, Social and Enviro

This report presents the findings of an international fact-finding mission to Georgia to investigate the impacts of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. The mission, comprising representatives of several human rights and environmental organisations, visited towns and villages in the Tetritskaro, Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe districts, holding interviews with villagers and others affected by the project. It returned to several villages visited during earlier missions to examine developments and progress on problems encountered previously. The report highlights multiple concerns with the pipeline scheme, including expropriation of land, failure to implement acceptable environmental standards, lack of consultation, uncompensated ancillary damage, labour violations and unacceptable use of untested materials during construction.

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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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