ReportsHRFT:Community portal

There are a number of support committees of the Human Rights Foundation (HRFTHuman Rights Foundation of Turkey ) in several European countries (DTFDemocratic Turkey Forum is the German support committee). The HRFT sends them regular information on recent developments. Here you can find excerpts of these reports (the latest on top)

2009

July - October 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• The HRFT will translate several articles and speeches of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg to make them available to a wider audience in Turkey.
• As many other NGOs before the HRFT now also has a Facebook page and blog.
• In May 2010 Turkey will be subject to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council. The UPR process allows for the participation of NGOs through the submission of additional information. The HRFT submitted a five-page report which will be available soon on our website.

The HRFT is currently preparing a project on social trauma and facing the past issues in Turkey. Planned activities among others are a documentary and a campaign for the annulment of the statute of limitation for grave human rights violations.

HRFT activities during the summer

• On 2 July 2009 Metin Bakkalcı participated in a round-table meeting with NGOs organised by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg during his visit to Turkey. The Commissioner particularly requested information on the issues of minorities and asylum seekers/refugees.
• The HRFT has published its new brochure “Our Rights” which provides information for torture victims and people at risk of being tortured about the rights and the judicial and administrative steps they should take in case of being torture and/or ill-treated.
• On 3 August 2009 HRFT representatives participated in a round-table meeting with NGOs organised by Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan. She presented Amnesty International’s Turkey strategy for the next years and discussed human rights developments in Turkey.
• Şebnem Korur Fincancı and Metin Bakkalcı participated in a round-table meeting with NGOs organised by the Minister of the Interior as part of the government’s current democracy initiative. The HRFT’s opinion on the Kurdish issue (in Turkish) is available here.
• On 11 – 12 September 2009 a HRFT mobile team visited the Van region to inquire into several torture allegations made by villagers of the region against the border police.
• On 21 October 2009 Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Yavuz Önen, and Dengi Mir Fırat visited the HRFT’s solidarity committee in Stockholm and participated in a meeting on democracy and human rights issues in Turkey organised by the European Commission and the Swedish Committee for Human Rights in Turkey. Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Yavuz Önen, Dengi Mir Fırat, Necdet İpekyüz and Metin Bakkalcı also participated in a public meeting on democracy and human rights issues organised by Swedish Committee for Human Rights in Turkey
• On 27 – 30 October 2009 the HRFT, the Norwegian and Turkish Medical Associations, the International Federation of Health and Human Rights Organisations, and the World Medical Association hosted a meeting on Health as a Bridge to Peace in the Middle East. The meeting brought together representatives from Health and Human Rights Organisations and Medical Associations from Egypt, Iraq, Israel and Palestine to discuss common issues on the right to health and how health professionals can contribute towards peace in the region. For the World Medical Association the newly elected president Dr. Dana Hanson and secretary general Otmar Kloiber participated in the meeting.

Some of the HRFT press releases during the summer

• The HRFT on the recent developments of the Kurdish Issue: The press release summarises the HRFT’s opinion on the recent developments on the Kurdish issue and the so-called democratic opening. The full text of the press release is available here.
• Establishment of a National Human Rights Institution: In September the HRFT was asked by the Minister of Justice to submit its views on the draft legislation concerning the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution. The HRFT recalled that such an institution and its establishment process must be in accordance with the Paris Principles. The full text of the opinion is available here.

Upcoming Activities

• On 11 – 13 December 2009 the HRFT will host the 6th International Psychological Trauma Symposium in Istanbul. The topic of the symposium will be “Traumas in Daily Life”.

June 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• The HRFT has launched its new website in June 2009 (www.tihv.org.tr). The website is more user-friendly, has a more readable design and provides more place for pictures than the old one. The English content of the website will also be updated soon.

HRFT Activities in June

• Our solidarity committee, the Swedish Committee for Human Rights in Turkey and the Swedish PEN organised a seminar on freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Turkey on 10 June 2009 at the Swedish Parliament. From Turkey Haluk Şahin (Radikal), Semih İdiz (Milliyet), Yusuf Ziya Cömert (Yeni Şafak), L. Doğan Tılıç (Birgün), and Ayhan Bilgen (Günlük) participated in this seminar.
• During its fifth periodic visit to Turkey in June 2009, the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) also met with a HRFT representative to discuss recent developments in the field of prevention of torture in Turkey.
• On 18 June 2009 Metin Bakkalcı participated in a roundtable meeting held by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network with various human rights NGOs in Turkey.
• On 25 June 2009 the HRFT held a preparatory meeting in Diyarbakır for the planned project on social trauma.
• This year the HRFT’s main activities on the occasion of the International Day against Torture took place in Diyarbakır. Among other activities the first public screening of the new 4-minute film on torture and the rights of torture victims in Kurdish was organised. The HRFT’s press release on the International Day against Torture (in Turkish) can be found here. Press statements were also organised in Ankara, Izmir and Adana. The HRFT Centre in Istanbul together with the Human Rights Association and TOHAV organised a public reading of the torture stories of children.
• On 26 June 2009 Dr Sema İlhan from the HRFT Centre in Izmir participated in a panel organised by the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation in Nicosia.

Upcoming Activities

• On 2 July 2009 the HRFT representatives will participate in a roundtable meeting with other human rights NGOs and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg in Ankara.

May 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• The HRFT published the report “Ways leading to torture” which was produced within the scope of the project “Review of the legislation on torture and its implementation during the EU harmonisation process in Turkey”. The 378-page report contains up-to-date information on the legislation concerning torture, its implementation in practice and the still existing defects which permit torture and impunity for torture to continue. So far, the report has been published in Turkish only.
• Together with the Human Rights Association the HRFT submitted the project “Effective Protection of the Rights of Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Other Persons in Need of International Protection” for the latest EIDHR call for proposals of the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey.

HRFT Activities in May

• On 4 and 7 May 2009 the HRFT participated in roundtable meetings of NGOs and representatives of the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey in Ankara and Istanbul. At the meetings the current human rights situation and developments in this field in Turkey were discussed in view of the next progress report of the Commission due in autumn 2009.
• On 14 May 2009 the Report on the violations of human rights before and after the election on 29 March 2009 was published. The report found that during and after the election campaign in March 2009 26 people lost their life and 370 people were wounded. The uncommonly high number of human rights violations was due to the very hostile and aggressive atmosphere in which the campaign and elections took place. The report is available in Turkish and English.
• On 12 May and 28 May 2009 the HRFT launched two calls for urgent action against the detention of four human rights defenders, lawyers and members of the Human Rights Association’s Executive Committee (two of them). They had been detained on charges of “aiding an illegal organisation”. Lawyer and member of the HRAHuman Rights Association ’s Executive Committee Filiz Kalaycı is so far the only of the four who has been arrested.
• The HRFT participated in the demonstration of the “Truth and Justice Initiative” in Ankara on 30 May 2009, demanding an effective investigation of the killings, disappearances, and torture cases after the 1980 coup d’état.

Some of the HRFT press releases in May

• The Draft Law on the Establishment of the Human Rights Council of Turkey: the latest human right coup of the Government proposing the establishment of a national human rights institution was again prepared with any involvement of civil society. The matter-of-fact way in which the draft law was presented as well as its assigned functions are contrary to the UN Paris Principles and the establishment of this body will only contribute to the multiplication of non-functioning human rights institutions in Turkey. The press release was jointly released by the HRFT, the Human Rights Association, the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, Mazlum-DerHuman Rights Association for the Oppressed and the Turkish section of amnesty international.

Upcoming Activities

• On 10 June 2009 the HRFT’s Swedish Solidarity Committee will hold a panel on “The Role of the Media in the Democratisation Process in Turkey”. The panel will be moderated by Arne Ruth, editor of the Dagens Nyheter newspaper. Haluk Şahin (Radikal), Semih İdiz (Milliyet), Yusuf Ziya Cömert (Yeni Şafak), L. Doğan Tılıç (Birgün), and Ayhan Bilgen (Günlük) will participate in the panel. The participants will also meet Gunilla Carlsson, the Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation.
• On the International Day against Torture, June 26th, the HRFT will hold the first public screening of the new 3-minute film on torture and the rights of torture victims in Kurdish in Diyarbakır.

April 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• The HRFT Annual Board of Founders Meeting took place on 11 April 2009 in Ankara. At the meeting a new Administrative Board was elected. The new board held its first meeting on 23 April 2009 where it elected Sebnem Korur Fincanci as president. Yavuz Önen, former HRFT president decided not to stand again for the Administrative Board. Other members of the Board are Metin Bakkalci (Secretary General), Sabri Dokuzoguz (Treasurer), Coskun Usterci, Hurriyet Sener, Muhsin Bilal, Nart Bozkurt, Necdet Ipekyuz and Okan Akhan.

HRFT Activities in April

• The HRFT Annual Human Rights Report 2008 was published in April. The report will soon be available on the HRFT website as well.
• Cem Özdemir, co-chairman of the German Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) visited the HRFT headquarters in Ankara during his recent visit to Turkey. At the HRFT he met with Metin Bakkalci and other staff members to discuss about the latest developments on human rights issues in Turkey.
• On 14 - 19 April 2009 the final session of the "Psychotherapy training for physicians and psychologists" organised in cooperation with the Süddeutsche Akademie für Psychotherapie from Germany took place. The 16 participants thus concluded the training which lasted for 3 years and contained a total of 380 training units. All participants received a certificate afterwards.

Some of the HRFT press releases in April

• Freedom of expression and association should be respected; the rule of law should be abided by in the Ergenekon investigation: The press the release on the latest wave of detentions of the Ergenekon investigation is highly criticisable as it violates human rights and rule of law principles. To read the full press release, jointly released by the HRFT and the Human Rights Association, please click here.
• Last Operations against the DTP are attacks on the freedom of expression and association: The operations against the DTP in which more than 300 people have been detained and more than 150 people arrested raise serious concerns about the democratisation process in Turkey as well as the sincerity of the government to find a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish question. To read the full press release jointly released by the HRFT and the Human Rights Association, please click here.

March 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• The HRFT Annual Human Rights Report 2008 will be published in April. It contains information the development of human rights issues in Turkey, namely the right to life, the right to security of person (including torture and ill-treatment), freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, the Kurdish question, and prisons.

HRFT Activities in March

• On 6 March 2009 Yavuz Önen participated in a meeting on the “Dialogue with Civil Society” held at the Secretariat General for EU Affairs. The meeting brought together Egemen Bağış, newly appointed State Minister and Chief Negotiator in the EU accession talks and civil society organisations.
• The studies "The ways leading to torture" and "Manual on procedural safeguards for the prevention of torture" prepared within the framework of the Prevention of Torture Project have been published in March 2009.

Some of the HRFT press releases in March

• An Evaluation of the ECtHR Case Law on the Prohibition of Torture: The press release presents a summary of the annual review of the ECtHR judgements and decisions concerning Turkey. The complete review will be published in the Annual Human Rights Report. To read the press release, please click here.

Upcoming Activities

• On 14 - 19 April 2009 the final session of the "Psychotherapy training for physicians and psychologists" organised in cooperation with the Süddeutsche Akademie für Psychotherapie from Germany will take place.

February 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• A new Erasmus cooperation has been established with the University of Pisa/Italy. During the years 2009 – 2010 two students will undertake internships at the HRFT for a period of 3 to 6 months. The first student of the Leonardo cooperation with the University of Venice will arrive in March 2009.

HRFT Activities in February

• On 2 February 2009 Yavuz Önen gave a lecture at a conference in Paris. The conference “La Turquie en crise d’identité” was organised by Le collectif pour les droits de l’homme en Turquie.
• From 25 February to 5 March 2009 Metin Bakkalcı travelled to Switzerland, Denmark and Finland to visit our partner organisations and discuss new projects for the upcoming year.
• Erdem Türközü from the Documentation Centre attended the HURIDOCS Conference in Geneva on 25 – 27 February 2009. He presented the Documentation Centre’s work as well as the software and the methods used for collecting information and evaluating the information collected.
• On 26 – 27 February 2009 Coşkun Üsterci and Evren Özer participated in a TAIEX Seminar on the Use of Force by Law Enforcement Agencies, held in Ankara.

Upcoming Activities

• The yearly meeting of the HRFT Board of Founders will be held on 11 April 2009 in Ankara.

December 2008/January 2009

News from the HRFT and Turkey

• At the Executive Board’s meeting on 10 – 11 January 2009 in Diyarbakir it was decided that a special project on the coping with social trauma in East and Southeast Anatolia will be developed until the summer. The project will deal in particular with the trauma created by the Kurdish Problem.
• Currently, a report on the AKPJustice and Development Party ’s human rights policies is being prepared and to be published before the local elections on 29 March 2009. The report will analyse in depth the policies, achievements and failures of the AKP government on human rights issues since November 2002.

HRFT Activities in December and January

• As part of the Human Rights Day activities between 10 – 17 December 2008 a press conference was held jointly by the HRFT and the Human Rights Association in Istanbul to present the inform the public about the outcomes of the 10th Turkish Human Rights Conference from November 2008.
• Also on 10 December 2008, the HRFT and the Human Rights Association held a joint press conference in Izmir
• On 17 December 2008, the HRFT held its annual reception on the occasion of the Human Rights Day on 10 December.
• From 14 – 20 December 2008, Metin Bakkalci and Levent Kutlu from the Ankara Office the HRFT visited international partner organisations in Norway and Sweden to develop new projects for the upcoming year.
• On 30 January 2009 a press conference will be held to present the outcome of the Promoting Human Rights in Primary and Secondary School Textbooks II Project jointly undertaken by the HRFT and the History Foundation.

HRFT press releases in December and January

• The Right to Life in 2008: The brief evaluation of the violations of the right to life covers the period between 2000 and 2008. To read the press release and report, please click here.
• Open letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief EU Negotiator Mr Ali Babacan: What do you understand by “Civil Society Contribution”?: Our open letter to Mr Babacan in response to the approval of the 3rd National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis Communautaire. To read the open letter and our submissions for the draft national programme, please click here.
• A letter to the president of the World Medical Association Concerning the Attacks of Israel: To read the letter expressing our concerns on the recent attacks on medical personnel and health institutions in the Gaza Strip, please click here

Upcoming Activities

• On 2 February 2009 Yavuz Önen will give a lecture at a conference in Paris. The conference “La Turquie en crise d’identité” is organised by Le collectif pour les droits de l’homme en Turquie
• At the end of February Metin Bakkalcı will travel to Switzerland, Denmark and Finland to review recently completed projects with our partners and develop new ones for the upcoming year.
• Erdem Türközü from the Documentation Centre will attend the HURIDOCS Conference in Geneva held 25 – 27 February 2009. He will present the Documentation Centre’s work as well as the software and the methods used for collecting information and evaluating the information collected. More information on the conference, can be found here.

2008

November 2008

News from HRFT and Turkey

• The documentary film, called “Tolerance to Torture”, which was shot in the scope of Prevention of Torture project of the HRFT, is reaching out a numerous audience and winning approval. After Izmir Short Film Festival, the film won the best documentary film award at the 20thIstanbul International Short Film Festival. In addition to various other events, the film will also be displayed at the 14th London Turkish Film Festival.

HRFT Activities in November

• On 16 November a HRFT worker participated in an international meeting on prisons and isolation.
• The Human Rights Conference was held in Kuşadası on 21- 23 November. Being the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration and the 10th Anniversary of the Conference, this year has a special importance for this conference. The topic of this conference was the erosion in the sensitivity to human rights in the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR. The situation of human rights in today’s world was discussed upon in relation to popular culture and impunity. Result book will be published and announced at a press conference on 10 December 2008, the human rights day.
• The joint project of the HRFT and the History Foundation, on human rights in school books was accomplished and the results of the project were presented for discussion at an international meeting.
• In the scope of the Prevention of Torture Project, 3 trainings were held in November:

7-9 November, Istanbul
14-16 November, Diyarbakır,
28-30 November, Adana

• A participant from Turkey attended to the IRCT Council meeting in Amsterdam on 29-30 November.

HRFT press releases in November

• A considerable Step Forward in the Prevention of Torture and Ill-Treatment: Documentary Film "Tolerance to Torture" was awarded with the "Best Documentary Film" in 9th International Izmir Short Film Festival. To read the press release click here
• The best reply to the mentality which could say “I will be glad to shoot the ones that commit offences against my nation, my state”: Documentary Film “Tolerance to Torture” was awarded with the “Best Documentary Film” in 20th Istanbul International Short Film Festival after 9th International Izmir Short Film Festival.To read the press release, click here
• Increasing authorisation to use guns and violation of rights to life. Especially after the amendment of the Duties and Authorities of Police Law, there has been a serious increase in the violation of right to life. Yet, this authorisation is against the human rights conventions that Turkey is a party to. To read the press release in Turkish, click here

Upcoming Activities

• On 10 December 2008, result book of the 10th Human Rights Conference will be presented at a press conference. On 17 December there will be a reception at the HRFT Headquarter in Ankara.
• Metin Bakkalci and Levent Kutlu, from the Ankara Representative of the HRFT are visiting Norway and Sweden on 14-20 December, to develop communications with the solidarity committees.

October 2008

The draft Turkish National Programme regarding adoption to the EU acquis is prepared and distributed to many NGOs for evaluation. The evaluation of the HRFT of this national programme can be found at the HRFT's web site in English. Our main critiques to this draft programme were that it overlooks major problems on human rights. Main titles in the evaluation are torture and ill treatment, freedom of expression, assembly and association, Freedom of Religion and Conscience, combating with discrimination, human rights boards and the status of the International Criminal Court.

HRFT's Special Report on Right to Life in Turkey was published. The report underlines the right to life violations in Turkey in the last eight years. You find the report under Press Releases.

Press releases in October

• A Public Prosecutor and Three Advocates in İdil documented torture after a visit to a Police Station. Three heavily wounded identified the police officers who tortured them. The officers are prosecuted in İdil. The joint press release of Human Rights Association, the Bar Association, HRFT, Medical Chamber and Mazlum-Der will be presented here in due course.
• 30 years ago in 1978, a bomb attack killed 7 students and left 41 wounded. This case of massacre was one of the most critical steps of the period that dragged Turkey to the 12 September military coup. Yet, the case was abated for time lapse before the truth behind this incident came out, breaking faith with justice. The press release in Turkish will be included under press releases in Turkish.
• Be the death of Engin Çeber the last one. Engin Çeber was detained while he was selling a magazine; being tortured for several days after which he lost his life at the Şişli Etfal hospital. In 2008 so far, 29 detainees died at detention places or prisons. See Special Report on Right to Life in Turkey.
• ECtHR judgments and impunity of torture. The HRFT Documentation Centre is conducting a research on the Art. 3 of the ECHR which is about ban on torture, ill treatment and other degrading behaviours.
• Another press release concerns the new security measures violating human rights and the violations occurred after the amendment of the Police Duties and Authorities Law in 2007.

Upcoming Activities

1. In the scope of the Prevention of Torture Project, 3 trainings will be held in November as follows:
   1. 7-9 November, Istanbul
   2. 14- 16 November, Diyarbakır,
   3. 21-23 November, Adana
2. Metin Bakkalci and Levent Kutlu, from the Ankara Representative of the HRFT are visiting Norway, Finland and Sweden in the beginning of December, to develop communications with the solidarity committees.
3. The treatment report will be published in English in November.
4. The Human Rights Conference will be held in Kuşadası in 21- 23 November. This year, being the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration and the 10th Anniversary of the Conference has a special importance, which will be commemorated with this international conference. The topic of the conference is the erosion in the sensitivity to human rights in the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR.

July 2008

• HRFT Human Rights Report 2007 was published. The report is available only in Turkish at the moment.
• The HRFT project named "Project Concerning the 5 different Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers for Torture Survivors in Ankara, Adana, Diyarbakır, Istanbul and Izmir" submitted to the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights is approved by the European Commission and is awarded the grant for 2 years.

Further activities

• Levent Kutlu has participated in the 3rd World Forum on Human Rights organised by the Pays de la Loire region in France. He participated in the roundtable on the topic of "The role of European Institutions in promoting Human Rights in the World". Mr. Kutlu presented about the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, its relations with the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights as well as other EU institutions.
• Second training course in the scope of Prevention of Torture Project; "Training Seminar on Prevention of Torture" was organized in Ankara on 4-6 July, at the Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science. 25 lawyers participated in the training.

Press releases

• Kuddisi Okkır (60) who was arrested and imprisoned in the scope of Ergenekon investigation, died due to cancer on 6th of July, just after his release from Tekirdağ F Type prison for treatment. We call the authorities to initiate an investigation about the responsibles and take necessary precautions for protecting right of inmates to health. To read the press release, please click here.
• We condemn the attack, which was conducted in front of the US Consulate General in Istanbul on 9 July 2008 and resulted in 6 deaths 3 of whom were policemen. We commiserate with those who lost their relatives in the attack, express condolence to them.
• There was a bomb attack, which was conducted about 22.00 on 27th July 2008, Sunday in Güngören district, Istanbul. According to the statement of the Governorship in Istanbul, there are at least 17 deaths and 150 injured people in the attack.This is a massacre which upset the whole Turkey seriously.
• One more inmate died due to lack of health care. Ali Çekin (77) who suffered from liver cancer died was transferred from Siirt Closed Prison to İstanbul University Faculty of Medicine hospital for treatment, where he died on 29 July. The legal applications to authorities warning on his deteriorating health were unanswered.

June 2008

• 26 June 2008, the Day of Solidarity with Torture Survivors, is commemorated by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey in İstanbul, İzmir and Diyarbakır. In Istanbul another event was organized on 26 June. There were numerous participants to the event, including 18 participants from the IRCT training in Istanbul. A documentary film on torture which is recently prepared for this day called "Tolerance to Torture" was displayed during the event for the first time. The documentary will be distributed soon. The event continued with speeches on the importance of the day, and a concert.
• In İzmir, a joint press conference was organized together with Contemporary Lawyers' Union and HRA on 26 June 2008. On 27th of June, an event was organized at the Konak Municipality, which was attended by approximately 100 participants composed of applicants of HRFT, volunteer physicians, lawyers, human rights organisations and activists. "Tolerance to Torture" was displayed during the event. Moreover the Medical Atlas on Torture was presented. Veli Lök made a speech on the importance of this day.
• In Diyarbakir a joint press conference was organized together with Human Rights Association, Mazlum- Der, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Health Workers' Union, and Diyarbakır Medical Chamber.
• On 13-15 June 2008, training course on "Monitoring Places of Detention" in the scope of Prevention of Torture Project was organized in Ankara. The group composed of 15 participants from various fields made a visit to a Children's Protection House.

HRFT press releases

• Death Threat against Baskın Oran continues.We are informed that, on Friday, 30th of May, 2008 an e-mail signed by Turkish Revenge Brigades was sent to Agos Newspaper, with the subject "death". The e-mail says; "the next target after Hrant is Baskın Oran. That.will also be eliminated.As long as we are here, the Armenian. will not sleep in safety. Time is coming. Little time left to death.wait us, we are coming. "These expressions include a destructive violence based upon discrimination and hate clearly caused by racist and nationalist thoughts.
• Mehmet Bal is not alone. Mehmet Bal, while he was carrying out his military service declared conscientious objection 2002. Meanwhile he confronted with several judicial sanctions. On 8 June 2008 he was detained in Istanbul. During detention he was subjected to torture, which we learnt from his lawyers and the press. At the military prison he was subjected to a lynch attempt. He was beaten to death by a group of soldiers and as his health deteriorated he was taken to Gümüşsuyu Military Hospital on 10 June 2008. this incident is not exceptional or unique. Because torture is systematic in Turkey and "zero tolerance to torture" is babble.
• Responsibles of Bugging Should Resign. The news on the press informed us about the incidents of bugging. The authority to bug all the phone conversations in Turkey as well as saving information of internet communication was given by the Ankara 11th Heavy Penal Court to the Security Centre, National Intelligence Agency, Gendarmerie Commandership, although there is no legitimate reason.

It is against the laws, to the Constitution and s a violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, mainly right to communicate, to bug private phone conversations without any legitimate reason specified in the legislation.

Upcoming Activities

• Levent Kutlu is going to participate in the 3rd World Forum on Human Rights in Nantes, France instead of Yavuz Önen. The Forum is organized on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mr Kutlu will present Prevention of Torture project of HRFT at the roundtable on the topic of "The role of European Institutions in promoting Human Rights in the World."
• The following training in the scope of Prevention of Torture Project, named "Training Seminar on Prevention of Torture will be organized in Ankara on 4-6 July, at the Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science."