Interview with Alev Özkazanç, visiting Scholar at the University of Oxford with the research project on anti-gender movements and gender violence in Europe and Turkey How would you define anti-gender politics in Turkey? Firstly, I must say that the term “anti-gender” and “gender ideology” did not exist in the vocabulary of Turkish gender politics until … Continued
In the last few years, the number of “backlashes” against women and LGBTQI+ persons’ rights across the world have risen. One of those growing anti-equality forces gathers under the common rejection of “gender ideology”. “Gender ideology” is used as an empty signifier which manages to gather many different movements under a shared resistance to progressive … Continued
Refugees are currently being used as pawns in the global power play surrounding the war in Syria. In Idlib, nearly a million people, including many children, are still trapped under heavy bombardments in front of a closed Turkish border. There are currently 3.5 million refugees in Turkey from Syria and a further half a million … Continued
For the Turkish version, click here. The fifth hearing of the Gezi trial will resume on 28 January 2020, on the same day as the Universal Periodic Review of Turkey at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Sixteen civil society figures will be tried for “attempting to overthrow the government or partially or wholly … Continued
The fourth hearing in Turkey’s political and unjust trial of 16 civil society activists and human rights defenders is scheduled for December 24 before an Istanbul court. The defendants, who include civil society leader Osman Kavala, artists, filmmakers, architects, and NGO workers, are accused of conspiring to overthrow the Turkish government by allegedly organising the … Continued
Read joint NGO Submission to the Universal Periodic Review On the occasion of our meeting of 18-20 October 2019 in Brussels, we, members of EuroMed Rights Executive Committee, want to express our deep concerns about the judicial harassment faced by our colleague and friend, Mr Osman İşçi, Secretary General of the Human Rights Association (IHD), … Continued
UPDATE – At the end of 8 October’s hearing, the judge ruled for the continuation of Osman Kavala’s pre-trial detention. The next and fourth hearing is scheduled for 24-25 December 2019. At the date of the fourth hearing, Mr Kavala will have spent more than 780 days behind bars. EuroMed Rights condemns the continued judicial … Continued
Brussels 28 May 2019 Turkish version here On 21 May, at the final hearing of the Özgür Gündem “Editors-in-Chief on Watch” campaign trial, woman human rights defender and co-chair of the Human Rights Association-Insan Hakları Dernerği (IHD), Eren Keskin, was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months prison term for “propaganda for a … Continued
Press Release Brussels, 21 March 2019 Following the 7th hearing in the trial against the “Istanbul 10”, EuroMed Rights reiterates its solidarity with independent civil society in Turkey. Civil Society is constantly subjected to judicial harassment, including arbitrary detention, due to its work on promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in Turkey. The … Continued
Press Release Brussels, 14 March 2019 Ahead of the Association Council, that on March 15 will review EU-Turkey bilateral relations, EuroMed Rights, President Wadih Al-Asmar, said: “Since the lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, the space for civil society organisations in the country has been increasingly shrinking and human rights defenders (HRDs) … Continued
