In the protests organised in many cities within the scope of Human Rights Week, attention was drawn to the violations of rights during the year and it was emphasised that the Kurdish issue is an obstacle to the democratisation of Turkey. 

 

AMED

 

The activities organised jointly by Amed (Diyarbakır) Bar Association, Human Rights Association (IHD), Rosa Women's Association, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) and Medical Chamber continued in the city on the occasion of Human Rights Week. Within the scope of the actions and activities, a march was organised from Dağkapı Square (Şêx Said) to Saraykapı.

 

Carrying the banner "Peace is possible with human rights", human rights defenders and representatives of organisations marched from Dağkapı Square (Şêx Said) to Saraykapı, a former prison where bones of many people were found during excavations. After the march, during which slogans such as "No to war, peace now" and "Jin, jiyan, azadî (Woman, life, freedom)" were frequently chanted, IHD Branch Secretary Ömer Saman read the joint statement.

 

Referring to the attacks on Syria and North and East Syria, Saman stated that a new era has started in the region, Saman said: "We invite all actors, especially the international community and Turkey, to take a peaceful stance in this new period in Syria and Rojava in order to include all peoples, beliefs and all social groups in Syria in a possible solution and negotiation process. Once again, we invite the international community, whose main purpose is to ensure peace and security in the world and among societies, to take an active role against wars and conflicts that cause civilian deaths and destruction as required by humanitarian law."

 

Listing the violation in the country, Saman referred to the isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Type F High Security Prison and stated the following: "The important violation issue regarding prisons is the ongoing isolation practices in many prisons, especially in İmralı High Security Tyep F Closed Prison and Execution Institution. We state that individualised practices in prisons are incompatible with the understanding of human rights, that isolation are contrary to national an international conventions, and we call for an end to this illegal practice as soon as possible. Negotiations for a democratic and peaceful solution of the Kurdish issue must be initiated. We allso call for the complete removal of the obstacles to the lawyer and family visits of priosoners Veysi Aktaş, Ömer Hayri Konar and Hamili Yıldırım on İmralı Island Prison."

 

Human rights defenders and organisations in Riha (Urfa), Dêrsim (Tunceli), Êlih (Batman), Istanbul, Adana, Mersin, Hatay, Mêrdîn (Mardin), Agirî (Ağrı), Ankara also came together with similar messages and called on Turkey to comply with international conventions to which it is a party.