President of the Tunceli Bar Association and Veli Ağbaba are punished due to used their fundamental right and freedom .
Vice President of the Socialist International Umut Oran: “The only way out for Turkey of this unsustainable situation is CHP”
ANKARA
Socialist International, a worldwide association include more than 160 member parties from more than 100 countries protests the trial and sentencing to six years imprisonment of the President of the Tunceli Bar Association, Uğur Yeşiltepe and the motion that has been drawn up against Veli Ağbaba, Deputy Chair of the Republican People’s Party, CHP, on grounds of “reasonable suspicion”, following corruption allegations made by Ağbaba about the ruling party. President of the Tunceli Bar Association and Veli Ağbaba are punished due to used their fundamental right and freedom. The Vice President of the Socialist International and CHP Istanbul deputy Umut Oran interpreted the declaration which says “Freedom of thought and expression are explicitly violated in Turkey due to the government’s authoritarian and repressive attitude towards judiciary”. Mr Oran explained “In Spain on February 13 to 14 we have a meeting of the Socialist International so there we will discuss about the Turkey’s situation and this declaration. The only way out for Turkey of this unsustainable situation is CHP. CHP will reproduce for the enrichment, equality and development of the country.”
The General Secretary of the Socialist International, M.Luis Ayala asked some information from Umut Oran, Vice President of the Socialist International, about the recent increasingly and systematically violations of the human rights and freedoms in Turkey. And with the agreement of the Bureau they are published this Declaration “Protecting freedom of expression in Turkey”:
The Socialist International expresses it deep concern
The Socialist International once again expresses it deep concern over actions taken by the Turkish authorities which violate the basic freedoms and rights of its people and have no place in a genuine democracy.
Tunceli Bar Association is sentenced to prison for exercising him democratic rights
The trial and sentencing to six years imprisonment of the President of the Tunceli Bar Association, Uğur Yeşiltepe, along with six others, for exercising their democratic rights, among them freedom of expression, is completely unacceptable. This is the first time since the military coup of 1980 that a chair of a Turkish Bar Association is sentenced to prison. Prosecutors alleged that through his work, his writings and his participation in rallies in the province of Tunceli, Yeşiltepe was engaged in terrorist acts. The Union of Turkish Bar Associations and all other Provincial Bar Associations have issued statements condemning the verdict and pledging their support for Uğur Yeşiltepe.
Ağbaba Deputy Chair of CHP is “reasonable suspicion”
The Socialist International also protests against the motion that has been drawn up against Veli Ağbaba, Deputy Chair of the opposition SI member party, the Republican People’s Party, CHP, on grounds of “reasonable suspicion”, following corruption allegations made by Ağbaba about the ruling party. A recent change in the law in Turkey enables the detention of people and seizure of their property on the basis of a mere “suspicion” as opposed to “strong suspicion based on concrete evidence”. The prosecutor in this case has requested a range of prison sentences for Ağbaba, ranging from one year and nine months to a maximum of eight years and four months.
These actions are clear violations of freedom of expression by a government
Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in any democratic society, guaranteed by constitution in all states where there is true democracy, and it is enshrined in and protected by the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). These actions are clear violations of freedom of expression by a government which is evidently repressing its judiciary and rendering inoperable the principle of judicial review of government practice and policy.
Umut Oran: CHP will normalize Turkey
After the Declaration VP of the SI Umut Oran made the following explanation:
Meeting of the SI Mediterranean Committee will be at Valencia, Spain on
13-14 February 2015, there we will also discuss about this subject. But its really clear that AKP can not manage Turkey. . As may be understood from the above-mentioned practices, freedom of thought and expression are explicitly violated in Turkey due to the government’s authoritarian and repressive attitude towards judiciary.
The principle of judicial review of the government’s unlawful policies and of all acts and procedures of the administration has become inoperable. The only way out for Turkey of this unsustainable situation is CHP. CHP will reproduce for the enrichment, equality, and the development of the country. We will bring in our country the EU and global social democratic standards not just only in economics but also in the area of the freedom and justice. We will rebuild reputable and strong Turkey. At 2050 we will be the world’s top 10 countries both economic and human development terms with the quality of democracy.
