R E S O L U T I O N ON
İMPRİSONMENT OF POLİTİCAL OPPONENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD
ADOPTED at Citizens’ Convention on Political Prisoners
Organised by APDR
Kolkata, November 21, 2017
This convention on political prisoners in India organised by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) in Kolkata on 21 November 2017 notes with concern that imprisonment of political opponents has become a dangerous trend all over the world.
The situation in Turkey is particularly grave. In recent crackdowns by the state forces in November, not only people’s movement activists but also human rights lawyers have reportedly been arrested and put behind bars under harsh conditions.
Academician Nuriye Gülmen and teacher Semih Özakça, members of Education and Science Workers’ Union, Turkey, are on hunger-strike since 9 November 2016 protesting against their dismissal from service and their health condition is said to be critical.
The director of Amnesty Turkey, Idil Eser, and nine other human rights defenders were detained in July. We learned that they were charged with “committing a crime in the name of a terrorist organization”. Although they were released on bail in October, the charges have not been dropped and Amnesty Turkey chair, Taner Kılıç, is still in jail awaiting trial.
Twelve members of a political music group, Grup Yorum, were arrested on 21 October and allegedly tortured in custody. Musicians belonging to this group, which gives open concerts, have faced repression earlier, too.
This convention expresses solidarity with all political prisoners of the world and demands their unconditional release. As an immediate concern, it calls upon the Government of Turkey to stop arrest, assault and intimidation of political opponents, human rights activists and cultural workers in the interest of democracy and good governance.