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.
A prominent Turkish businessman and human rights activist has been re-arrested, just hours after he was acquitted of trying to overthrow the government, Turkish state media says.
A court ordered Osman Kavala's immediate release earlier on Tuesday, after dropping charges against him and eight others over protests in 2013.
He had spent over two years in prison. But hours later, a warrant was issued against him over a 2016 coup attempt which triggered a massive crackdown.
In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, calls on the Turkish authorities to restore judicial independence and stop the practice of targeting human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists and silencing them by using administrative and judicial actions. The report is based on the Commissioner’s visit to Turkey carried out in July 2019.