HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF TURKEY ON TRIAL: ARTICLE 8 CHANGES SAID TO BE INADEQUATE
Press Release: 9 March 1996
The president of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT), along with
other members of the executive board of the organisation, face further hearings
on May 9 on charges broght against them as a result of HRFT publication of
a human rights article. The writer of the article, Turgut Inal, is also on
trial. The defendants are charged with insultign thelaws of the Trurkish republic
under the article 159/3 of theTurkish Penal Code.
Yavuz Onen, president of HRFT, says that "the investigation shows that obstructions against the freedom of expression and organisation are so excessive," adding that the amemdment to Article 8 of the Anti Terror law has not been "meaningful". Immediately prior to the approval of theCustoms Union treaty with the European Union inDecember 1995, Trukey amended Article 8 of its Anti-Terror Law has not been "meaningful". Immediately prior to the approval of theCustoms Union treaty with the European union in December 1995, Turkey amended Article 8 of its Anti-Terror law which restricts freedom of expression.
In addition to this trial, another trial the Adana representative of the HRFT and a physician who works for the HRFT is scheduled to commence on May 10. These individuals face charges of disobedience of official authorities and negligence in denouncing a crime under Turkish Penal Code provisions 526and 530.
The Human Rights Foundation of Trukey, which operates treatment and rehabilitations centres for victims of torture within Turkey, is supported and financed by the UN voluntary Fund for victims of torture, the European Union, Amnesty International and the Swedish Red Cross. To date, it has helped more than 3000 torture victims in Turkey.
KHRP believes that the work of theHRFT is vital for
many victims of Torture within Turkey, and urges you toclosely monitor the
content and conduct of these trials. The trials impede the valuable work of
theHRFT, and are intimidation to those working with HRFT. To help in the effort
to promote accountability and the rule of law in Turkey, we encourage you
to raise the issue of these cases and the continuing violations of human human
rights in relevant meetings and with relevant governments, international organisations
and intergivernmental orgnisations.
Please e-mail KHRP at khrp@khrp.org, to be placed on our Press Release mailing list.
For further information please contact: Kerim Yildiz, Executive Director / Fiona McKay, Deputy Director / Sally Eberhardt, Public Relations Officer Kurdish Human Rights Project on the address below.
