Insan Haklari Ortak Platformu / Human Rights Joint Platform

Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği ”İHD”) was founded, on 17th July 1986, by 98 human rights defenders. İHD was founded in dark period because of the military coup that conducted on 12th September 1980. After the military coup, there were so many violations against basic human rights-freedoms. For example; torture carried out in police custody and prisons intensified; deaths were increasingly common, political parties, associations and trade unions were banned and their executives were jailed.

The attempt to set up a foundation was initiated by relatives of the detainees and convicted prisoners. After nearly a year of efforts, 98 people including intellectuals, writers, journalists, doctors, lawyers, architects and engineers signed the foundation petition of Human Rights Association.

Today Human Rights Association continues its struggle with 33 branches, 2 representative offices and over 10.000 members and activists. There are many activities, such as; campaigns, preparing reports and so on, during the 20 years period of İHD. These activities are carried out for many purposes. For example; abolishing death penalty and DGM (State Security Court), freedom of expression, finding disappeared persons, peace, amnesty that aims to social peace, signature campaign for persons that expelled from their positions because of “1402” article, Not to Be Silent against Torture, Equal opportunities for disabled persons etc…

Human Rights Association struggles for protecting life right, abolishing Death Penalty, finding disappeared person, prevention of execution.

İHD carried out an effective struggle against torture. Human Rights Association founded THİV (Turkish Human Rights Foundation) for treatment and rehabilitation of torture victims.

İHD observed the human rights recessions, prepared reports for these observations and announced them to public. İHD applied to national and international judgements for these human rights recessions. Human Rights Association prepared reports for periods. İHD carried out orientation programmes, prepared brochures and posters to improve Human Rights consciousness in the society.

İHD conducted activities in the field of opinion and organization in all over the Turkey. Human Rights Association watched the court cases and made many efforts to change the legislations.

İHD watched the human rights recession, which resulted from army operations, fights in the east and southeast regions despite all the risks, pressures and obstacles. Then, İHD chased these events and prepared reports. Finally, İHD announced these to public. The association carried out struggle against murders by unknown person, villages’ evacuation and extra judicial execution. İHD made efforts to stop army. İHD always defends peace. Human Rights Association argues that problems can be solved through democratic means and methods. Principally; İHD refuses any violence without regarding its origin. The association regards Kurd problem as one of the basic problems of Turkey Democracy and human rights. İHD believes that not only Kurd problem, but also for other language, religion, ethnic and cultural differences can be solved by means of pluralism principle of democracy.
İHD made effort always to provide conditions, which are suitable human honour, in prisons. On the other hand, isolation was refused under any circumstances.

Human Rights Association has been subjected to incredible pressures in its struggle. İHD’s 14 members were killed during since our foundation. Akın Birdal, who is one of the chairpersons of İHD, was shot by guns. Fortunately, he is still alive. Physical pressures have continued even after the assassination. There are many investigations and court cases against our administrators and members. İHD’s many branches were closed by the decisions of administration for a period. We are compelled to carry out our activities under the pressure of investigation and court cases.

Human Rights Association is an anti-war organization. We concern about the army fights and wars in many countries of the world, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine etc…

Principles of İHD
-İHD upholds the principle that the human rights are universal in nature and indivisible.
-İHD is a non-governmental and voluntary organization.
-İHD is not a body of any political parties or of a single political tendency.
-İHD stands up for the oppressed individual, people, nation, sex and class.
-İHD is against the death penalty at regardless of geographical location and circumstance.
-İHD is against torture regardless of the individual, the geographical location and circumstance.
-İHD defends the right to fair trail everywhere, for everyone and in any circumstances.
-İHD strongly supports the idea that the right of nations to self determination is a human right.
-İHD works are based on humanitarian law. The İHD also make calls to the fighting parties for the implementation of the Geneva Conventions, especially Common Article 3 of the Convention.
-İHD defends unconditionally and without any restriction the right to freedom of expression.
-İHD similarly, defends the right to freedom of religion.

Activities on the Problems of the Prisons
-Deals extensively with the problems of the prisons since its inception
-Shows its support-solidarity with relatives of prisoners

Activities Against Torture
-Deals with individuals from different social spheres, who taken into police custody
-Makes efforts for people not to be subjected to torture
-Prepares reports on torture cases
-Established Türkiye İnsan Hakları Vakfı (Human Rights Foundation of Turkey)

Activities on Kurdish Question
-İHD is against war under any circumstances
-Refuses usage of violence as a means to solve problems
-Deals with problems of displaced people on their return to original living environments

Activities on Economic and Social Rights
-İHD is sensitive towards economic and social rights
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Activities on Education
-Considers that human rights education is essential
-Carries out various training programmes for its activist and members

Activities on Disables Persons
-IHD concerns disabled persons highly.
-IHD carries out activities to improve for monitoring capacity both in Human Rights Association and other Human Rights Organizations.

Activities on Landmine
-Published a report on landmine in 2000. The report covers the period between 1991 and 2000.
-IHD carries out a campaign to clear landmines in Turkey.

Prizes that were received by the Human Rights Association:
- 1989 Prize for Those at the Top by the journal "Nokta"
- 1991 Prize for Those at the Top by the journal "Nokta"
- 1991 Bruno Krensky Human Rights Prize
- 1991 Orhan Apaydin Law and Human Rights Prize
- 1995 Partners Award by the Human Rights Law Group

Murdered executives and members of İHD
Vedat Aydın (Founder member of the Diyarbakır Branch)
Sıddık Tan (Board member of the Batman Branch)
İdris Özçelik (Board member of the Urfa Branch)
Kemal Kılıç (Board member of the Urfa Branch)
Orhan Karaağar (Board member of the Van Branch)
Cemal Akar (Board member of the Erzincan Branch)
Şevket Epözdemir (Board member of the Tatvan Branch)
Metin Can (Chairman of the Elazığ Branch)
Hasan Kaya (Member of the Elazığ Branch)
Muhsin Melik (Founder member of the Urfa Branch)
İkram Mihyas (Member of the İzmir Branch)
Didar Şensoy (Member of the Istanbul Branch)
Tacettin Aşçı
Abuzer Öner
Ahmet Aydın
M.Şirin Polat
Medeni Göktepe
Şükrü Fırat
Yahya Orhan
Eyüp Gökoğlu
Cengiz Altun
Habib Kılıç
Mehmet Sincar

www.ihd.org.tr