The Observatory - Turkey

URGENT ACTION - THE OBSERVATORY
TUR 002/9805/OBS 029

Attempted Killing
Turkey

12 May 1998

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Turkey.

Brief Description of the Situation :

The Observatory has been informed that Mr Akin Birdal the President of the Association of Human Rights (IHD member of both FIDH and OMCT) and Vice President of FIDH has been the victim of an assassination attempt.

Two persons dressed in dark blue clothes, entered the premises of the IHD offices in Ankara. They said that they had come from Ankara and wanted to speak to Mr Akin Birdal. As the secretary was going to Mr Birdal’s office the two persons burst into his room and opened fire.

Having shot him 8 times they ran out of the building.

Mr Akin Birdal was taken to the private hospital of Ciyigi. He is in a critical condition : he has 2 bullet wounds in the chest, three in the legs and another to the shoulder.

This act is ample demonstration of the vulnerability of human rights defenders. The Observatory condemns this attempt on his life and urges the authorities to take all necessary measures necessary to identify and arrest those responsible as soon as possible.

Action Requested :

Write to the Turkish authorities urging them to :

i.-open an immediate enquiry to identify and arrest those responsible and ensure that they be prosecuted and punished according to the law.

ii.-take all necessary measures to guarantee the security and freedom of Mr Akin Birdal and put an immediate end to all forms of harassment and persecution directed against him.

iii.-ensure the IHD, its members, as well as other human rights groups the necessary guarantees to carry out their activities in promoting and defending human rights.

iv.-more generally conform to the dispositions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and regional and international conventions ratified by Turkey.

Addresses :

Mr. President Demirel, President of the Republic, Presidence, Cumhur Baskanligi, 06 100 Ankara, Fax : 90 312 427 13 30

Mr. Yilmaz, Prime Minister, Basbakanlik, 06 573 Ankara, Fax : 90 312 417 04 76

Mr. Olatan Sungurlu, Minister for Justice, Fax : 90 312 417 39 17

Mr. Basegioglu, Minister of the Interior, Fax : 90 312 419 16 64

Geneva - Paris, 12 May 1998

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency Line :