Rights organizations, politicians and bar associations have condemned President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş’s remarks targeting the LGBTI+s and HIV positive people. Ankara Bar and Human Rights Association (İHD) have filed a criminal complaint.
In his Friday sermon (khutbah) on April 24, President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş targeted LGBTI+s and the ones living with HIV.
Erbaş briefly stated the following:
Kavala will be behind bars for 30 months by the end of this month. Sending a message from prison, he said, “What brings me towards pessimism is that an attitude that disregards universal legal norms has gained traction and legitimacy in judicial circles.”
On 14 April 2020, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Turkey stated that there are overall 17 confirmed coronavirus cases among the prisoners in 5 prisons in Turkey, and 3 of these cases resulted in death. This statement was an admission by the authorities of the presence of coronavirus inside the prisons.
Summoned to depose due to her social media posts and articles about coronavirus pandemic, writer and columnist Nurcan Baysal has been released following the formalities at police department and court proceedings.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Front Line Defenders and Amnesty International published a joint statement on the conviction of the IHD FMC member and former Diyarbakır Branch President Mehmet Raci Bilici today:
The new verdict of arrest for “espionage” has been given for imprisoned businessperson Osman Kavala one day before the ECtHR verdict of “right violation” and “immediate release” becomes final.
Arrested in Silivri Prison in İstanbul, rights defender and businessperson Osman Kavala has now also been arrested as part of a "political or military espionage" investigation launched against him.
In a press conference held by the Solidarity Network for Human Rights Defenders, it is underlined that Kavala’s re-arrest is an example of maltreatment. The Network has made a call to "stop manipulating the law as a tool for harassment and revenge."
18 rights organizations have held a statement for the press regarding the re-arrest of rights defender and businessperson Osman Kavala.
Osman Kavala, who spent 840 days behind bars based on groundless accusations and unlawful practices, was released following his acquittal in the Gezi Park trial on 18 February 2020. However, he was promptly re-arrested on charges related to the failed coup attempt of July 15 despite this release order.
An Istanbul court has released its reasoned decision to acquit nine people in the Gezi Park trial, including Osman Kavala. The court said no credible evidence had been provided to give substance to claims against Kavala. The philanthropist’s wiretapped telephone conversations were made “unlawfully,” and therefore could not constitute as “evidence,” it also said.
Dr. Şık was sentenced to prison for releasing the findings of a study on the effects of environmental factors on cancer cases.
Academics, scientists and rights defenders from around the world have launched a petition for Dr. Bülent Şık, a food engineer and a columnist for bianet who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for releasing the findings of a study on the effects of environmental factors on cancer cases.