Press Release: Deputy Gergerlioğlu[1] was arrested and expelled from the Turkish Parliament.

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