‘Release Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp, all other human rights defenders arrested in Turkey’

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After Turkish Medical Association (TTB) High Honorary Board member and former Central Council member Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp was arrested on November 23, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, which was created by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH, has demanded his release in an open letter.

Addressed to President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül, Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu as well as to Turkey's ambassadors to the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU), the letter has briefly read:

"The Observatory firmly condemns the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Dr. Gökalp and recalls that this is not the first time that TTB members and Dr. Gökalp are being targeted because of their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.

"The Observatory urges the Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp, as well as to put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against him and all human rights defenders in Turkey."

'Put an end to all forms of harassment'

Accordingly, the organization has made the following requests:

• Guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp and of all human rights defenders in Turkey;
• Immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp and all other human rights defenders detained in Turkey, as their detention is arbitrary since it only seems to aim at punishing them for their human rights activities;
• Put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp and all human rights defenders in Turkey, and ensure in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their activities without hindrance and fear of reprisals;
• Refrain from the practice of abusing anti-terrorism legislation for silencing dissent and crackdown on human rights activities;
• Comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular its Articles 1 and 12.2;
• Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Turkey.

'No video footage, tape recording...'

The Observatory has also shared the following background information as to the arrest of Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp:

"The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment against Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp, a physician, member of the High Disciplinary Committee of the Turkish Medical Association and a volunteer of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey.

"According to the information received, early in the morning of November 20, 2020, Dr. Şeyhmus Gökalp was arrested by the Turkish police and taken into police custody, within the scope of an investigation conducted by the Prosecutor's Office in Diyarbakır.

"On November 23, 2020 the Diyarbakır Second Criminal Court of Peace ordered the pre-trial detention of Dr. Gökalp in Diyarbakır prison. The justification of the Court's decision was the existence of a 'strong suspicion of a crime', in connection with Dr. Gökalp's alleged provision of healthcare for members of a terrorist organization in a hospital during a period he did not work in those premises, as well as with his alleged participation in a meeting considered illegal by public authorities.

"Nonetheless, no video footage or tape recording was presented by the Prosecutor to prove Dr. Gökalp's presence at the meeting concerned. As of issuing this Urgent Appeal, no further information was available as the investigation was kept confidential and a decision whether to press official charges or not will be made in the upcoming period." (SO/SD)