Arrests, enforced disappearances: A human rights report monitors crimes of Erdogan regime in Turkey

Ali Ragab

In a new demonstration of violations of the Turkish system of freedoms and human rights, the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, issued on Sunday, February 2, 2020, a report that confirmed the Turkish government’s neglect to respond to dozens of UN and human rights reports confirming the widespread phenomenon of enforced disappearance and arrests in the country.

The report said that the number of those who were disappeared since July 2016 stood at approximately one thousand cases.

In addition to arbitrary detention, the report said that more than half a million people have been investigated since the alleged coup attempt in 2015, in light of the imposition of the state of emergency, in addition to the arrest of journalists, lawyers and jurists, as well as thousands of websites and social media pages have been blocked, and arrests took place against party heads.

The Maat report indicated that many countries have criticized the Turkish government, including Germany, Canada, France, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia and Finland, and at least 20 countries have made recommendations directly related to freedom of the press, such as the arbitrary detention of journalists.

Recommendations

The Maat Foundation report indicated that many of the recommendations focused on guarantees to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, whether through the Internet or outside it, lifting the blocking of websites, and guaranteeing the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration.

Several countries have also called for the need to amend legislation, especially the terrorism law, which is inconsistent with international standards, as well as the protection of minority rights, which are violated by the Turkish authorities.

Ayman Aqil, head of Maat Foundation, said that while Turkey received dozens of recommendations to improve the human rights situation in the country, the authorities continued their repressive campaign against all forms of opposition, including large-scale attacks against political opponents of Erdogan’s rule, as well as human rights activists and journalists, which has been a concern of many countries.

Aqeel added that there is a deep feeling of deep concern about the unprecedented levels of repression currently occurring in Turkey, and it is now important that all Council countries meet in order to pressure the Turkish government to end its repressive policies and ensure that the Human Rights Council takes effective measures to confront human rights crises in Turkey.