Urgent Call for Action against the Detention of Human Rights Association’s (İHD) Siirt Branch Chairperson Vetha Aydın

17 March 2010

 Police teams raided on Human Rights Association’s Siirt Branch Chairperson Vetha Aydın’s house in Siirt Province in the morning of 16 Mart 2010 and detained Vehta Aydın in the context of the operation against the members and executives of Human Rights Association and Peace and Democracy Party. Then police teams raided on İHD’s Siirt Branch Office and confiscated documents, hard disks, CDs, and application of prisoners on the violations of human rights in prison. İHD’s Siirt Branch Executive Board’s member Abdullah Gürgen has also been detained in the same day and he was released after his interrogation in the Siirt Security Directorate. In the operation nineteen people -including executives of BDP and Tüm-Bel-Sen (Trade Union of Municipality Workers) Siirt Branch- were detained.

Since 1986 the Human Rights Association has played a vital role in the promotion of human rights and democracy in Turkey. At the same time it is one of the founders of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey and internationally recognised human rights NGO. The operation against İHD and detention of its Siirt Branch Chairperson is an unacceptable event. 

The important role human rights defenders play has been recognised in various international documents such as the OSCE Document of the Moscow Meeting (1991), the Vienna Declaration (1993) or the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998). These documents contain provisions protecting human rights defenders who face many risks because of their work for the protection, development and promotion of human rights. Promoting respect for democracy and human rights is only possible when human rights defenders can carry out their work in a safe environment without obstructions.

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey is calling upon the public to take urgent action to defend human rights defenders. 

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey

Secretary General

Metin Bakkalcı

Contact Details of the Prime Minister and Relevant Ministers:

Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN Prime Minister

Tel: + 90 (312) 415 40 00

Fax: + 90 (312) 417 04 76

Address: Başbakanlık Merkez Bina

Beşir ATALAY Minister of the Interior

E-mail: besir.atalay@icisleri.gov.tr

Tel: + 90 (312) 425 40 80

Faks: + 90 (312) 418 17 95

Address: T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı, Bakanlıklar / ANKARA

E-mail: bilgiislem@icisleri.gov.tr

Sadullah ERGİN Minister of Justice

E-mail: sadullahergin@adalet.gov.tr

Tel: + 90 (312) 417 77 70

Fax: + 90 (312) 419 33 70

Address: T.C. Adalet Bakanlığı 06659 Kızılay / ANKARA

E-mail: info@adalet.gov.tr