Dear members of the press,
We are here to release “The Report on the Human Rights Violation in the Eastern and South-eastern Anatolia Regions through 2016” by the Human Rights Association
The ongoing armed conflict has still been continuing and hurting people. Every day, soldiers, police officers, militants and civilians are losing their lives. We are going to inform you on the horrible effects and human rights violations of this era in categories.
As known, the contradictive amendment package to Turkish Constitution, which takes Turkey to a referendum, has still been an issue. The proposal with 18 articles to be amended was not put forward through a social agreement, and we would like to state clearly that it is not likely to serve to the efforts of democratisation and of creating a peaceful society. Undoubtedly, a civil, democratic and pluralistic constitution is needed and is an increasing demand by the public. Turkey should immediately come to make a constitution which does not ignore ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural differences, and which regards the common demands of the people and freedom of expression. The government had better consult NGOs for their support during the process.
We have been going through severe armed conflict particularly in the region since July 2015. Almost every day, security officers, militants and civilians lose their lives, and we have been experiencing serious violations against human rights similar to the ones we faced during the 1990s. The conflict would make no contribution to the future of the country, but probably cause irreparable damages. It is clear that the Kurdish Problem cannot be solved through the Government’s violence-based and monolithic approach tried for years. The country needs an urgent transformation into a peaceful atmosphere. For that reason, negotiations ought to be started and a de-escalation period to be commenced.
Unfortunately, violations have been committed systematically and increasingly throughout 2016 as a result of the state of emergency. There have been numerous violations in various categories such as extrajudicial executions, ill-treatment and torture, violations against women and children, losses in economical and social rights, and interventions in the right to assembly and demonstration, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of the press.
After the attempted coup in June 2015, the state of emergency was declared and has so far continued, which has targeted the human rights activists, and the opponents of the practices of the Government. By decree-laws issued in the state of emergency, the rights of various social groups were violated.
Thousands of public officials, who had been profiled by the police for their activities within unions, were suspended over false accusations such as “supporting terrorist activities”; some of them were detained and/or arrested. Academicians were discharged from their work illegally.
11 MPs of HDP, including one of their co-chairs, have been under arrest in various prisons within Turkey. Just as there is no other country with its parliamentarians in custody like Turkey, it is widely believed that the arrests are unjust and related to political reasons. Another anti-democratic practice issued by decree-laws is the appointment of government trustees. Mayors in the region were laid off by the Ministry of Domestic Affairs and trustees were appointed in their positions. Public will was disregarded just like in the case of MPs. In 2016, 52 (49 of whom were from DBP) mayors were replaced with trustees. Tens of laid-off mayors and city council members were arrested. A number of mayors were sued over tens of years of imprisonment.
There has been serious suppression against the press. Media outlets such as newspapers, televisions and radios were shut down. At present there are 131 journalists are in prison and 229 journalists are standing trials in court. Journalists have been prevented from making news and their press cards were seized by the authorities. Many of them were arrested and/or laid off.
The freedom of demonstration and speech was restricted by provincial governors or district governors. In some cities open-air meetings, demonstrations, rallies, and other events are banned for ‘security reasons’. People who demanded to use their rights were responded violently and stopped by security officers. Hundreds of associations and foundations working for children, women, human rights and law were closed down by decree-laws unjustly on account of ‘relations with terrorist organisations’.
There has been an increase in torture and ill-treatment inside and outside detention centres. There were a 30-day detention limit, which is very long, and restrictions in attorney visits and taking legal advice. People’s being subject to physical and psychological torture is definitely unacceptable. We would like to remind that torture is absolutely forbidden according to the Constitution and the international agreements signed by Turkey. Another place where torture was widespread and systematic is prisons. Along with some administrative practices, there have been a big number of violations in prisons such as compulsory transfer. There were violations such as banishment, violation of right to health, torture and ill-treatment, disciplinary proceedings, solitary confinement, limitation of communication and family visits. Our association has found that especially right to health was severely violated. We found that there have been 905 ill prisoners, 323 of whom are seriously in very bad condition.
Another example for violations during the state of emergency is the declaration of curfews and special security zones. Hundreds of areas covering rural settlements were declared security zones on the grounds of military operations and curfews were imposed a lot of times. Residents of rural areas could not maintain their routines and experienced unjust suffering. There were breakdowns in communication, health and education. Agriculture and stock raising nearly ended. During the raids by security forces in military operations, civilians were tortured, maltreated, and taken into custody unlawfully.
Violence against women continued increasingly in 2017. There is a lack of legal protection for women against male-dominant violence, and current laws are not enforced properly, which leads to hundreds of women being killed, abused and exposed to violence. Also, violence of rights that children face increasingly continued during this period. Children suffering from violence have been murdered both in and outside home. Along the armed-conflict zones, many children were wounded or killed by unclaimed explosives. For the last year, there has been an increase in the number of children subject to sexual abuse. This shows the Government has not maintained a sufficient legislative role or fulfilled its international obligations of law
As human rights activists, we have struggled and will do so for the sacred right to live, for everybody under all circumstances, without discrimination in terms of language, faith, ethnicity, nationality, gender and culture. That is because we believe in a democratic life and that a world without violation of rights is possible.
On this basis, we demand that state of emergency be lifted; the clash environment be ended, and finally a permanent de-escalation and peace talks be maintained again. We wish an honourable and peaceful life.
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIOATION (HRA) DİYARBAKIR BRANCH