Insan Haklari Ortak Platformu / Human Rights Joint Platform

Demo version of the new database of IHOP for monitoring human rights in Turkish legislation is launched. Database is available only in Turkish and may be reached via a banner on the Turkish main page. The demo version of the database includes legislative mechanism on freedom of expression. The complete version will include documents on selected subjects which are freedom of expression, violence, discrimination, economic/social/cultural rights, protection of human rights defenders, and International Criminal Court.

Visit this page for the database.

IHOP representatives had meetings with various sectors of the society.

Meeting with TUSIAD Ankara Chair

Levent Korkut had a meeting with the chair of TUSIAD (The businessmen association) to share information and ideas on 1 November 2006.

Meeting with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Representatives from HRA, MAZLUMDER, AI Turkey and IHOP General Coordinator had a meeting with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights who had a visit to Turkey on 1 November 2006. The barriers on freedom of expression have been raised in the meeting.

Meeting with Abdullah Gül, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

A meeting with Abdullah Gül was held on 16 November 2006 to inform about the aims and demands of the campaign. Ümit Fırat, Yusuf Alataş, Ayhan Bilgen, Sema Alpan Atamer, Feray Salman and Yılmaz Ensaroğlu had attended the meeting. It was emphasized in the meeting that not an amendment but the total abolishment of the article 301 is necessary. Although a massive media participation occurred, media did not cover the meeting.

Meeting with the President of the Parliament

Members of the IHOP Steering Committee has visited the President of the Parliament Bülent Arınç in order to inform him on the Freedom of Thought Campaign. Yusuf Alataş, Levent Korkut, Ümit Fırat, Ayhan Bilgen, and Zeynep Kıvılcım Forsman has participated the meeting.

The report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequenses, Yakin Erturk titled as "Intersections between culture and violence against women" was translated into Turkish by Human Rights Joint PLatform. The report was submitted to the UN Human Rights Council on 17 January 2007.

Please click and download the full report.
Turkish | English (original) 

We are here to share our proposal for a draft bill on the article 301 of Turkish Penal Code which is signed by 20 thousands individuals from different segments of society and supported by more than 100 organisations representing thousands of citizens.

We demand immediate abolishment of the article 301 of Turkish Penal Code.

Campaign Web Site:

www.ihopdusunceozgurlugu.org

In the course of next week, the Human Rights Joint Platform will submit to the President of the GNAT, Mr Bülent Arınç, the proposal for a draft law concerning Article 301 which it has prepared together with the Peace Initiative and the signatures collected in support of it. The proposal is as follows.
Also there is a web site for the IHOP's Freedom of Expression Campaign. www.ihopdusunceozgurlugu.org

In the year 2000, 11 F-type prisons were opened introducing cell system. The protests and hunger strikes resisting these prisons were started in October 2000 with around 1000 inmates and ended on 19 December 2000 when pressed down after a bloody operation during the transfer of the detainees and convicts to F-type prisons. 30 inmates and 2 security officers lost their lives in the operation. Following the events, both international and local human rights organisations and other non-governmental organisations made statements blaming the type of transfer and loss of life and drew attention to the human rights violations.

Human Rights Center of the Faculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University and the Human Rights Joint Platform have organized a conference on Freedom of expression that will take place between 30th November – 2nd December in Ankara. The purpose of the conference is to discuss the new difficulties, with which the defenders of human rights and democracy are confronted in Turkey.