International Appeal for Release of Human Rights Defenders

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (REMDH) and the Euro-Mediterranean's Federation against Forced Disappearances (FEMED) condemned the arrest of Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır representative Muharrem Erbey and the raid on the association's branch in Diyarbakır in the pre-dominantly Kurdish region of south-eastern Turkey.

İHD representative Erbey was arrested for alleged connections to the Kurdistan Democratic Confederation/Turkey Assembly (KCK/TM). REMDH and FEMED demanded the release of Erbey and highlighted the fact that he is one of the top executives of İHD as an officially registered association.

"Raid violated right of association"

Both rights organizations criticized that following the arrest of İHD Deputy Chairman Erbey not only his office was searched but all İHD units in Diyarbakır. REMDH and FEMED declared that the right to association was violated by this procedure.

Muharrem Erbey had recently conveyed information about the situation of Kurds in Turkey to the parliaments of Belgium, Sweden and the UK. Furthermore, he was one of the organizers of the Kurdish Film Festival held in Italy and coordinator of recently banned pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). REMDH and FEMED pointed out that an arrest under these circumstances gives the impression of punishing the "struggle for rights".

"Ambassadors should observe a possible trial"

"İHD and other associations are concerned about the oppressive politics imposed on people within these organizations. We remind İHD board member and lawyer Filiz Kalaycı who is still kept in detention. We demand to end the detention of Erbey and Kalaycı. Otherwise, we call upon the members of the European Commission in Ankara and the ambassadors of the member states of the European Union to observe the hearings of Erbey and to watch over the regulations regarding the protection of human rights defenders".

Both rights organizations announced their worries about still not being able to discuss the Kurdish question in Turkey. They urged the Turkish authorities for the implementation of international standards regarding freedom of expression.

23 people arrested

More than 80 people were arrested in operations on 23/24 December in the cities of Diyarbakır, Van, Batman and Şırnak in the south-east of Turkey.

Apart from Erbey, the following people were arrested on 26 December: Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Spokesman Hatip Dicle, recently closed Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakır Provincial Chairman Lawyer Fırat Anlı, Sur Mayor Abdullah Demirbaş, Kayanpınar Mayor Zülküf Karatekin, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Deputy Mayor Ali Şimşek, Batman Mayor Nejdet Atalay, Cizre Mayor Aydın Budak, Kızıltepe Mayor Ferhan Türk, Suruç Mayor Etem Şahin, Viranşehir Mayor Leyla Güven, former Viranşehir Mayor Emrullah Cin, former Batman Mayor Hüseyin Kalkan, former Dicle Mayor Abdullah Akengin, DİSKİ General Manager Yaşar Sarı, former Ergani Mayor Nadir Bingöl, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) empolyer Cebrail Kurt, Yerel Gündem21 Coordinator Fethi Süvari, Ramazan Debe, Göç-Der Diyarbakır Branch Executive Abbas Çelik, Ahmet Makas, Kazım Kurt and Takibe Turgay. (EÖ/VK)