301 Case against Lawyers on Hold

Five human rights representatives are being tried for a report they wrote on the shooting of a child by security forces. As three of the activists are lawyers, the case has been postponed, awaiting permission of Ministry of Justice to proceed.

Erol Önderoğlu

Five human rights activists from Batman who had prepared a report on the shooting of eleven-year-old Mizgin Özbek by security forces are on trial.

Report by human rights activists

The report on the murder, which took place on 5 September 2005 in Batman, in the Southeast of Turkey, had statements by representatives of the Human Rights Association (IHD), the Solidarity Association for Human Rights and the Oppressed (MAZLUMDER), as well as the Batman Bar Association. They had stated in the report that the child's right to life had not been protected, and that her death and the injuring of her mother and brother showed that violations of this right were not considered seriously enough.

The five representatives are being tried for "attempting to influence the judicial process" and "insulting the military" under Articles 288 and 301/2 of the Turkish penal code.

Court awaiting permission

Because three of the accused are lawyers, the Batman penal court decided on 16 May to ask the Ministry of Justice for permission to proceed. The case has been postponed indefinitely, pending permission. (EÖ/EÜ/AG/EÜ).

Erol Önderoğlu

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İstanbul Üniversitesi Fransız Filolojisi Bölümü'nden mezun. 1996'da muhabiri olduğu uluslararası Sınır Tanımayan Gazeteciler (RSF) örgütünün Türkiye temsilcisi olarak çalışıyor. 1999'dan beri İPS İletişim Vakfı'nın projesi olan bianet sitesinde, Hukuki Destek Masası koordinatörü, ifade özgürlüğü editörü ve yayın yönetmeni olarak çalıştı. 4.800'den fazla imzalı haber ve makalesi bulunuyor. Bizim Gazete ve Güncel Hukuk dergisi için haber ve makaleler yazdı. Halen bianet'te Medya Gözlem Raporları'nı hazırlıyor.