Human rights violations in Tukey are increasing every individual day. Moreover, it is not easy for human rights defender to do their work.

Broken Chalk condemns the decision to strip human rights defender and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu of his parliamentary seat and parliamentary immunity on and his detention.

Gergerlioglu’s conviction, expulsion from the Parliament, and detention undermine Turkey’s parliamentary democracy’s trust.  He was sentenced to 2 years and six months due to a social media post still available.[2]  His case is another example of the terrifying situation of freedom of speech in the country, the abuse of anti-terror measures to silence any critical voice, and the particular crackdown on the opposition in an attempt to limit pluralism.[3]

Turkish President presented a new Human Rights Action Plan[4] just three weeks before Gergerlioğlu’s expulsion from Parliament and his detention. That proves the Turkish Government is not ready to implement Human Rights Action Plan in the country.  Actions speak louder than words, and in this case, they talk notably louder than any promise of legal reforms and any speech towards the public.[5]

Gergerlioğlu firmly stands against all kinds of human rights violations in Turkey. He uses his political position to fight the Human Right Violations in the country. He has been the voice of victims of emergency decree laws, those who were subjected to torture and ill-treatment in prisons and police stations, those whose social and cultural rights were ignored in the Turkish Parliament. Nowadays, he was targeted by the parliament members of the ruling party (AKP).

There was a strip search on female university students in Usak[6]. Gergerlioglu increases his voice against this horrible act[7] and got support from many people within Turkey. People who face strip search publish their stories on social media.

In this respect, protecting human rights is becoming more complex every day in Turkey. Government increases its control on NGO’s and human rights defenders are doing their work under the pressure of the Turkish Government. At Broken Chalk, one of our primary duties is to protect and support all human rights defenders worldwide.

We call upon Turkish authorities to stop Human Rights violations that are done by Governmental bodies.  The Turkish Government should act according to its commitments to European standards and the international conventions that Turkey is a party to.

We express our support and solidarity with him and his family and continue to fight against human rights violations. We urge all human rights bodies, defenders, and stakeholders to stand for human rights, peace, and democracy in solidarity with him against injustice.

Broken Chalk announces it to the public with due respect.

Broken Chalk

[1] Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu (born 2 November 1964, in Şarkikaraağaç, Turkey) is a medical doctor (pulmonologist), human rights activist and an MP (Member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly – TBMM) for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). He has dedicated his political career to fighting

[2] https://bianet.org/english/politics/239629-court-of-cassation-upholds-hdp-deputy-gergerlioglu-s-prison-sentence

[3] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210317IPR00117/leading-meps-condemn-another-example-of-crackdown-on-opposition-in-turkey?xtor=AD-78-[Social_share_buttons]-[twitter]-[en]-[news]-[pressroom]-[leading-meps-condemn-another-example-of-crackdown-on-opposition-in-turkey]-

[4] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/new-human-rights-plan-for-the-people-turkish-leader/2162111

[5] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210317IPR00117/leading-meps-condemn-another-example-of-crackdown-on-opposition-in-turkey?xtor=AD-78-[Social_share_buttons]-[twitter]-[en]-[news]-[pressroom]-[leading-meps-condemn-another-example-of-crackdown-on-opposition-in-turkey]-

[6] https://www.duvarenglish.com/strip-search-sexual-violence-claims-in-turkish-prisons-prompt-outrage-news-55501

[7] I will not give up following the incident in which the young female students got strip-searched on 31 August in Usak Police HQ. https://twitter.com/gergerlioglueng/status/1338956656151994369

Ukrainian soldiers arrested Salih Fidan[1] and Samet Gure[2] while trying to illegally cross the Ukraine-Poland border, which alleged the pair were members of the Gulen Movement.

President Zelensky personally invited people who suffer from political persecution, and he promised asylum and even passports.[3] The act of extraditing is unbelievable and unacceptable. According to the number of applications to The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Turkey is the second country after Russia.

 

Continue reading

Human rights advocates agree that seventy-two years after its issue, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is still more a dream than reality. Violations exist in every part of the world. Including the most develop and democratic countries. Human Rights Watch publish her report for 2020; it includes Australia, Canada, and the United States.[1]

Article 1 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.[2]

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all Humans have a right to access Education, health-care, economic opportunities, and a decent standard of living. That is about not only our future but also the future of our children and grandchildren.

The efforts which done by State Governments, Human Rights Organizations, and Human Rights Defenders are not enough to fight against the Human Rights Violation. We encourage all the stakeholders to concentrate on Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
(1) Everyone has the right to Education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary Education shall be compulsory.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the United Nations’ activities for the maintenance of peace.[3]

The main problem of humanity is the lack of proper Education.  Education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the world. More than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school, and 759 million adults are illiterate. They do not have the awareness necessary to improve both their living conditions and those of their children.[4] With the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, at least 463 million children globally – were unable to access remote learning when COVID-19 shuttered their schools.[5]

The light of Education can help us eliminate the evils from the society and introduce good thoughts. We want to take all stakeholders and public attention such that Education is in danger in different parts of the world. The attacks range from the bombing of schools to the killing of students and teachers. Rape and sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and forced recruitment also occurred, instigated by armed groups. Attacks on Education harm the students and teachers, but they also affect the communities both in the short and long term.

To mention a few of this from many,

• Nigeria: 611 Teachers Killed, 910 Schools Destroyed in Nine Years in Northeast[6]
• More than 22,000 students and teachers were harmed or killed in attacks on Education in the last five years.[7]
• America: Since 2009, at least 177 of America’s schools experienced a shooting.[8] Attackers killed 110 students and teachers, 246 injured.[9]
• Between 2015 and 2019, 93 countries experienced at least one attack on Education, 19 more countries than in the previous reporting period of 2013-2017.[10]
• Yemen and the Democratic Republic of Congo were particularly badly hit, with 1,500 attacks on schools in each country, and Afghanistan, Palestine, and Syria all saw 500.[11]
• Ukraine: Since the conflict began in early 2014, more than 750 educational facilities on both sides of the contact line have been damaged or destroyed due to hostilities.[12]
• In Turkey: According to the data compiled by the Union of Education (Eğitim-Sen), Government dismissed 41,005 educators.[13] In addition to that, sixteen private universities, where more than 56,000 students were taking high Education, were also closed, and thus 5,342 people, including 2,465 academicians, lost their jobs.[14]

Children and young people are silent victims of global bureaucracies, whose creative statistics and evasive vocabulary disguise their failure to translate any of the promises made into reality. The law, which mandates Education to be free and compulsory, has been thrown aside.  People in emerging countries are forced to pay up to a third of their annual income to keep a child at school. Worse, children have to work, even at school, to pay the cost of their primary Education.[15]

As Broken Chalk, with the reputable community and press members, we continue to claim the rights to Education through the national and international judiciary. We want to draw the attention of governments, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and human rights defenders to fight against the Human Rights Violations that educators are facing.

We wish with this great Human Rights Days will be the era for the entire individual to stand against Human Rights Violations.

Broken Chalk announces it to the public with due respect.

10.12.2020

Signed by

Broken Chalk

Human_Rights_Day_2020_Press_Release_PDF

[1] https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/world_report_download/hrw_world_report_2020_0.pdf

[2] https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

[3] https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

[4] https://www.humanium.org/en/right-to-education/

[5] https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/covid-19-least-third-worlds-schoolchildren-unable-access-remote-learning-during

[6] https://allafrica.com/stories/202009090067.html

[7] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/22000-students-teachers-harmed-killed-attacks-education-last/

[8] https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3dbf6b680fc84036a3503159a96d50f2

[9] https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2019/07/us/ten-years-of-school-shootings-trnd/

[10] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/22000-students-teachers-harmed-killed-attacks-education-last/

[11] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/22000-students-teachers-harmed-killed-attacks-education-last/

[12] https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/attacks-schools-quadruple-conflict-hit-eastern-ukraine-unicef

[13] https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-teacher-not-assigned-over-his-alleged-links-to-gulen-movement-killed-in-workplace-accident/

[14] https://stockholmcf.org/turkey-celebrates-teachers-day-as-tens-of-thousands-of-dismissed-teachers-jobless-or-in-prisons/

[15] http://www.katarinatomasevski.com/

As the Broken Chalk Platform, we strongly condemn the tragic attack in Nice, France. We share the innocents’ sorrows who lost their lives in the attack.

 

These and similar events have again revealed that radical motivations are a severe threat to humanity. It is a fact that the attack in question targets the peace and tranquility of humanity.

 

It is unacceptable that these and similar radically motivated groups carried out their actions in Islam’s name.

We believe the negative atmosphere that has been created by this sad incident can only be overcome with a common-sense attitude.

 

While it is mentioned that all religions, languages, colors, and people of different nationalities can live together with their differences, world peace, tolerance, love, and universal human values, the terror incident in France deeply saddened us.

 

We hope that common sense and peace will dominate the world of the future, not dark thoughts.

 

We call every one of the public members to condemn the Nice attack without any ifs and buts.

 

 To download the press release in PDF

Broken Chalk

On behalf of the Broken Chalk members, Broken Chalk President Ramazan Ince made the English statement on 25th October in Amsterdam.

 

On 13 April, the Turkish Parliament passed a law it enabled the early release of up to 90,000 prisoners. But far too many people, including teachers, journalists, lawyers, police officers, army people, opposition politicians and activists, others who did not commit any crime other than being affiliated with groups the regime sees as political threats left behind the bars.[1]^{, [2]} Mustafa Kabakçıoğlu, a deputy chief police officer,  was among the prisoners who were not released. Kabakçıoğlu was in prison for the last four years and was accused of donating 5 Turkish Liras ( less than one euro) to a charity organization[3].

Mustafa Kabakçıoğlu was put in a quarantine cell since he started coughing on August 20. Mustafa Kabakçıoğlu died in a solitary confinement cell in Gümüşhane Prison on August 29, 2020, in Turkey [4]. The prison officers reportedly found him sitting alone on a white plastic chair with his head dropped to the back. The pictures released after his death from his quarantine cell summarize the inhuman conditions of the prisons in Turkey.[5]

 

In her efforts to defend human rights, Broken Chalk calls the Turkish authorities to investigate the case urgently, to find the truths behind Kabakçıoğlu’s death.

Turkey’s Justice Ministry has been withholding information from the public about the numbers of COVID-19 patients in the country’s prisons. Meanwhile, experts note that cases have been surging across correctional facilities, with both inmates and workers getting sick.[6]

 

Today in Turkey’s prison, according to the statement done by IHD, there are 1333 sick prisoners, 457 of which are in severe conditions.[7]

 

We call all national/international human rights organizations and human rights defenders to stand against all Turkish prisons’ inhuman treatments and not have the same experience.

Kabakçıoğlu’s death was not the first in Turkish prisons, but with your voice, it can be last.

We call every one of you to raise your voice for the death of Kabakçıoğlu for preventing new cases happen in Turkey.

Broken Chalk announces it to the public with due respect.

 

Signed by

Broken Chalk

 

To Download Press Release in PDF form please press this link

 

[1] https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/turkey-covid-19-prisoners-release/

[2] https://theconversation.com/turkey-releasing-murderers-but-not-political-opponents-from-prison-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-136466

[3] https://pledgetimes.com/how-erdogan-has-his-opponents-penned-up-in-turkey/

[4] https://galusaustralis.com/2020/10/1023558/fear-of-death-in-the-lonely-cell-how-erdogan-locked-up-his-opponents-in-turkey-politics/

[5] https://www.boldmedya.com/2020/10/14/karantina-hucresinden-cenazesi-cikti-plastik-sandalyede-olum/

[6] https://www.duvarenglish.com/health-2/coronavirus/2020/10/13/turkish-justice-ministry-withholds-covid-19-data-on-prisoners/

[7] https://m.bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/207245-ihd-hapishanelerde-457-si-agir-1333-hasta-mahpus-var

With the theme “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”

The World is celebrating October 5 as the World Teachers’ Day.

On behalf of the Broken Chalk members, Broken Chalk Spokesperson Erdinç Demirok made the English statement.

“Teachers are the architects of society. Every individual accepts that education is the number one priority of humanity. Without the proper knowledge, we could not be able to create a peaceful community. The light of education can help us eliminate the evils from society and introduce good thoughts. Today we would like to celebrate The Teachers Day of all the teachers in the World. Moreover, we would like to bring to the public attention world teachers in danger in different parts of the world. The attacks range from the bombing of schools to the killing of students and teachers. Rape and sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and forced recruitment also occurred, instigated by armed groups. Attacks on education harm the students and teachers, but they also affect the communities both in the short and long term.”

To download the English version of the press release 5th_Oct_20_Teachers_Day_Press_Release_Eng

11^th September 2020

President of the European Court of Human Rights Spano visited Turkey in the first days of September. Human Rights Defenders have a great expectation from this visit; unfortunately, it was a great disappointment. Few days after his visit, 11 September 2020, Forty-eight lawyers, seven intern lawyers, four dismissed judges, and one law school graduate are arrested based on which clients they represent.¹

 

The report, which is published by Arrested Lawyers Initiative in August 2020, stated that;

 

“According to the latest version of the report, since 2016’s coup attempt, more than 1500 lawyers have been prosecuted and 605 lawyers arrested (remanded to pretrial detention). So far, 441 lawyers have been sentenced to a total of 2728 years in prison on the grounds of membership of an armed terrorist organization or of spreading terrorist propaganda.”²

 

Following statement said by Turkish President Erdogan on his speech during the opening new legal year for 2020.

 

“If people who work in other institutions can be dismissed from their profession for supporting terrorism, I think the possible necessity of such a move for the lawyers should also be discussed,”³

 

With his speech openly, Erdogan targeted the Lawyers who are defending the oppositions. Only a week after President Erdogan’s speech, 60 Lawyers were arrested.

 

Lawyers are the only legal people who can defend the people who are facing Human Rights Violations. In today’s Turkey, it is not easy for a jailed opposition to get a lawyer who will protect their fundamental Human rights. The persecution of lawyers facilitates torture and ill-treatment of detained persons and prevent them from asking that their fundamental human rights are respected.

 

Please do not remain silent against this unlawfulness.

 

We are requesting urgent action from all Human Rights Defenders and Organizations to take appropriate steps against the Turkish Government’s unlawfulness.

 

Signed by

Broken Chalk

Download Press Release Lawyers Detained in Turkey  as a PDF file 

___________________

¹https://ahvalnews.com/arrested-lawyers/ankara-prosecutor-orders-arrest-60-legal-professionals-gulen-investigation

²https://arrestedlawyers.org/2020/07/30/report-update-mass-prosecution-of-lawyers-in-turkey-2016-2020-2/

³https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/focus-on-judicial-reforms-as-legal-year-begins-in-turkey/news

 

Fatih Keskin, the Turkish citizen, and director of Richmond Park Bihac College, who has been carrying on his education and training activities in Bihac in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 15 years, was first summoned to Una-Sana Canton Police Station and then taken to the Immigration Center and taken into custody.

Fatih Keskin, who could not be explained why he was arrested even by the arrestors, was subjected to maltreatment in a cold environment without heating in severe winter conditions. It is against international human rights to be subjected to maltreatment that is not worthy of human dignity.

We know that hundreds of Turkish citizens that are members of the Hizmet movement have been abducted and tortured after July 15, 2016 by Erdogan regime both in Turkey and abroad. Educator Fatih Keskin, who worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 15 years, is also demanded to be subjected to abduction by the Turkish government’s witch hunt with similar procedures as other abductions. We hope that the administration and the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina will not be the object of the Erdogan regime.

As International Broken Chalk Association, we invite Bosnia and Herzegovina’s administration and judiciary to comply with its own constitutions and international law, and we demand that Fatih Keskin be released as soon as possible.

We also hope that the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the European Court of Human Rights, and other organizations and human rights defenders will be the followers of the unlawfulness suffered by Fatih Keskin and will make the necessary initiatives.

As Broken Chalk, we will follow the issue.

Sincerely announced to the public.

Signed by Broken Chalk

5th December 2019.

Today, 5 October is commemorated as the World Teachers’ Day. As the International Broken Chalk Platform and Victim Educator Platform, we are here not only to celebrate the World Teachers’ Day, but also to be the voice of the teachers who have been exposed to torture, put in prison, exiled, and lost their lives as a result of oppression and persecution in Turkey and in the other parts of the World. We would like to draw attention to the victimization that Erdogan Regime has created in Turkey and around the world.

Turkey’s Erdogan Regime has put into practice its aimed dictatorial regime with more confidence day by day with the help of the so-called coup attempt on 15 July and the State of Emergency, which are followed by many unjust practices. By violating the principle of separation of powers, impartiality and independence of the jurisdiction, the Erdogan Regime desires to control all the opponents, especially Kurds, Alevis, Liberals and Hizmet movement. Moreover, with unprecedented hatred and cruelty, the Erdogan Regime declared the Hizmet Movement as ‘terrorist’ and cracked down innocent people by using all the means of the public and private institutions.

A huge number of people from almost every profession group were dismissed from their jobs with a series of decree-laws by the Erdogan Regime. For example, more than 126,000 people were expelled from their positions in public institutions. And, 34.000 of those people were teachers and 6.081 were academicians.

 

Again, with those Decrees, 15 universities, 1,065 primary schools, secondary schools and high schools, 980 preparatory schools, 848 dormitories were closed down. As a result of this, over 35,000 teachers and more than 30,000 personnel have been left unemployed. In addition, public unions as well as unions of employers and employees, namely EKASEN Employers Union (EKASEN), PAKEĞITIMSEN Union and AKTIFSEN Union, were closed.

The Interior Ministry has revealed that the Erdogan Regime initiated a criminal investigation over 511,000 people. More than 125,000 people have been detained for allegedly being a member of a terrorist organization, and there are currently more than 31,000 people kept in prison for the same reason. Within the scope of these investigations, almost all teachers were subjected to investigation with false accusations of being a member of a terrorist organization.

 

The detainees were also subjected to single cell application, long detention and unlawful trials. Apart from these practices being insulting punishment in itself, the victims were exposed to torture and inhumane treatment. 40-50 people have been kept in the wards normally designed for 8-12 people, and even the basic human needs have not been offered.

There are 54 documented, suspicious death incidents in prisons. Those were apparently caused by torture and lack of medical care. For instance, Gökhan Açıkkollu died under detention due to torture. His medication was not provided, and the images of his death were published on social media.

Due to unlawful and injustice practices of the current government, oppression of the society, cancelation of teachers’ diplomas, work permits and passports, hundreds and thousands of people had to leave their country illegally by risking their lives. However, some of them, including babies and children, lost their lives during their journeys across the Aegean Sea and Evros River. Some examples include the Maden family, the mother and father were teachers, who died in the Aegean Sea with their three children. Doğan and Abdulrezzak families died in the Evros river with their children, and Halil Dinç, who was also a teacher, died of a heart attack in Athens, Greece. Most recently, a boat carriying 19 educators including academics fleeing from Erdogan regime in the Aegean Sea was capsized last week, and 7 people died in total: 1 infant, 4 children and 2 women.

 

Since 2016, there have been 29 abduction incidents in Turkey so far and some of those who were abducted are teachers and academics. The conditions and locations of the victims have been unknown for months. It is almost certain that they have been exposed to torture and other kinds of ill-treatment.

Abductions operated by Erdogan Regime are not limited to the borders of Turkey; they have been others targeting the educators living abroad. The Turkish Foreign Minister have been boastful about the abduction of 100 people from 18 countries by the Turkish National Intelligence Agency. These people are known to have been exposed to severe torture. Teachers and other professionals have been abducted in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bulgaria, Gabon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan and Qatar.
Esteemed public and press members, we are educators and their families who have come to your country as refugees. We would like to thank you for accepting us to your country and providing us with opportunities.

 

Turkish teachers who are normally supposed to be together with their students in schools are kept in prisons today. Unfortunately, some of them already died in difficult conditions in Turkey or in exile, and some others died in suspicious ways. However, as dedicated teachers, we are determined to continue to educate students and contribute to society and humanity wherever we live. We will also express the unlawful and fascist practices of the Erdogan regime anytime, anywhere, and will continue to claim our rights through the national and international judiciary. We believe that we should pursue this for the sake of the 868 babies and their mothers who are currently kept in prisons. We should do this for the innocent educators who have unjustly been branded as ‘terrorists’. And, finally, for our friends who passed away during these hard times.

 

We wish all the teachers in the world a happy Teachers’ Day!

Respectfully announced to the public.

Broken Chalk

5th October 2019