Türkiye Campaigns

The global problem of enforced disappearances: “Outside all protection of the law” | Written statement submitted to the UN Human Rights Council

Written statement submitted by Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status. Peacemakers Trust,  The 29 Principles,  Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Colombian Caravana,  Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre, NGOs without consultative status, … [Read more...]

LRWC Letter to Turkiye re Vahit Bicak 2023-03-22

On 10 March 2023, Dr. Bicak was convicted of insulting the memory of a dead person (Art. 130) and her family members (Art. 125) in the 35th Heavy Criminal Court. He was sentenced to 17 ½ months imprisonment on these charges. Brian Samuels, KC, LRWC Director, sent this follow-up to Turkish … [Read more...]

LRWC Letter to Turkiye re Vahit Bicak 2023-03-08

Dr. Bicak has become the target of a campaign of judicial harassment, most recently having been charged with insulting the memory of a dead person (Art. 130) and her family members (Art. 125) in the 35th Heavy Criminal Court. Brian Samuels, KC, LRWC Director, sent the following letter to Turkish … [Read more...]

Türkiye: Fair Trial Rights

Full pdf letter (EN) 08 November 2022 Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan President of the Republic of Türkiye Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi 06100 Beştepe, Ankara, Türkiye Tel: +90 (312) 525 55 55 ; Fax: +90 (312) 525 58 31 Email: contact@tccb.gov.tr Mr. Abdulhamit Gül Minister of … [Read more...]

LRWC intervenes at the UN Human Rights Council on violations in over a dozen countries | Letters and statements at the 51st Session 12 September to 7 October 2022

During the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council held 12 September to 7 October 2022,  Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) intervened to seek the Council's action to address serious human rights violations in a number of countries including: Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, the Occupied … [Read more...]

China, Iran and Türkiye: Systematic pattern of arbitrary detention of lawyers | Joint oral statement to the UN Human Rights Council

Full .pdf statement See the full debate on UN WebTV. The statement of LRWC is at 1:43:55 Organization: Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada Item: Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Date: 20 June 2022 Speaker: Brian … [Read more...]

Turkey: Arbitrary detention of Judge Murat Arslan | Letter

Full pdf letter (EN) 30 March  2022 Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan President of the Republic of Turkey Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi 06100 Beştepe, Ankara, Turkey Tel: +90 (312) 525 55 55 ; Fax: +90 (312) 525 58 31 Email: contact@tccb.gov.tr Mr. Abdulhamit Gül Minister of … [Read more...]

UN Human Rights Council: Turkey: Abuse of anti-terrorism laws to arbitrarily detain human rights lawyers and defenders | Joint oral statement

Full pdf statement See the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Counter Terrorism. See LRWC's statement at 01:51:24 Organization:   Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada Item:             Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on  Interactive dialogue with the … [Read more...]

Turkey: Urgent Action letter to UN Special Procedures: Imminent risk to health and life of ill prisoner Aysel Tuğluk | Joint letter

See the full urgent action letter (EN) On 20 January 2022, LRWC was among 43 human rights organizations signing an urgent action letter to six UN Special Procedures mandates to express grave concern over the treatment of the seriously ill prisoner, a human rights lawyer, Aysel Tuğluk … [Read more...]

Iran and Turkey: Systematic attacks on lawyers denies the right to legal representation | Joint oral video statement to the UN Human Rights Council

Full pdf statement (EN). See the video on UN WebTV (LRWC, IBA, L4L, LSEW statement at 02:44:17) Organization: Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada Item: Item 3: General debate on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Date: 22 September … [Read more...]