Category Archives: Turkije

Activiteiten, Turkije

Open letter of the European Judges Associations to the Turkish Society (Avrupa Yargıç Derneklerinden Türk kamuoyuna açık mektup)

AEAJ

European Association of JudgesR4RMedel

 

On 7th of November 2016 the Turkish newspaper Sabah wrote that the European Association of Judges and named European national judges associations and individual European judges were supporting terrorists.

Nothing could be further away from the truth: The European Association of Judges and its national member associations have condemned the failed coup right after it occurred and continued to do so. A military coup can never be acceptable in a democratic society and in a state under the rule of law. Those responsible for the coup must be brought to justice.

Continue reading Open letter of the European Judges Associations to the Turkish Society (Avrupa Yargıç Derneklerinden Türk kamuoyuna açık mektup) →

Activiteiten, Algemeen, Turkije

Press conference Platform for an independent Judiciary in Turkey

AEAJ

European Association of JudgesR4RMedel

 

 

Europe, 30th September, 2016

Press Release

The « Platform for an independent Judiciary in Turkey » composed of all four European judges associations invites the members of the international press to a press conference on:

The situation of the Turkish justice system before and after the coup d’etat
How to restore the rule of law in Turkey?

This press conference will take

on 11th October 2016 at 14:00
in the Palais de Justice of Brussels
Place Poelaert
1000 Brussels – BELGIUM

Edith Zeller, President of the European Association of Administrative Judges
Christophe Régnard, President of the European Association of Judges (EAJ)
Tamara Trotman, President of Judges for Judges
Gualtiero Michelini, President of Magistrats Européens pour la Démocratie et les Libertés (MEDEL)

Contacts:

AEAJ:Vlag Turkije
AEM: secretariat@iaj-uim.org; c.regnard@union-syndicale-magistrats.org
J4J:
MEDEL:

Activiteiten, Algemeen, Turkije

Platform for an Independent Judiciary in Turkey sent letter to HSYK

The High Council of Judges and Prosecutors of Turkey (HSYK) is currently dealing with the removal and dismissal of 3.500 judges and prosecutors who are suspended and under criminal investigation. A majority of this group is presently detained.

The Platform for an Independent Judiciary sent out a letter to the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors of Turkey urging the Council to apply and to observe the relevant international and European standards on judicial independence when it decides on the question of dismissal on the judges.

After all any sanctions taken without first properly investigating and evidencing allegations of wrong doing of each concerned judge are not in line with these standards.

Activiteiten, Algemeen, Turkije

“Platform for an Independent Judiciairy in Turkey” stuurt brieven aan Raad van Europa

Vlag TurkijeIn verband met de uiterst zorgelijke situatie in Turkije hebben een aantal internationale rechters organisaties de krachten gebundeld in een “Platform for an Independent Judiciairy in Turkey”. Rechters voor Rechters maakt hiervan deel uit. Op 5 augustus 2016 heeft het Platform een tweetal brieven gestuurd aan respectievelijk de Secretaris-Generaal van de Raad van Europa (klik hier voor de brief) en de President van de Parlementaire Vergadering van de Raad van Europa (klik hier voor de brief).

Activiteiten, Algemeen, Turkije

Update met betrekking tot Turkije

Vrienden van Rechters voor Rechters,

Op 18 juli jongstleden stuurden wij u een nieuwsbericht betreffende de recente gebeurtenissen in Turkije. De ontwikkelingen zijn uiterst zorgelijk en volgen elkaar snel op. Houdt u vooral ook onze twitteraccount in de gaten voor de meest recente berichten (@Judges4J, maar de tweets zijn ook op onze website na te lezen). Hierbij een korte update, waarbij wij ons baseren op berichten en contacten die we met Turkse collega’s in en buiten Turkije hebben.

Sinds 20 juli 2016 is in Turkije de noodtoestand van kracht.

Alle rechters en officieren van justitie die beweerdelijk een link hebben met de Gülen-beweging – 3.049 in totaal – zijn zonder disciplinair onderzoek geschorst en een groot aantal (thans reeds zo’n 2.200) van hen is gearresteerd op verdenking van deelname aan een terroristische organisatie. Een klein aantal is onder voorwaarden (waaronder in ieder geval een (uit)reisverbod) geschorst.

Aan gearresteerde rechters en officieren van justitie kan de toegang tot een advocaat door justitie worden ontzegd. De staat heeft ‘court appointed defence lawyers’ geregeld en zij zijn aanwezig Vlag Turkijegeweest bij de voorgeleidingen. De gesprekken tussen de verdachten en hun advocaten worden opgenomen. Een flink aantal advocaten heeft zich inmiddels teruggetrokken uit angst voor het regime, aangezien er nu ook een groot onderzoek plaatsvindt (inclusief bijbehorende arrestaties) tegen advocaten door het hele land.

Bezoek- en belrechten voor de gedetineerden zijn sterk ingeperkt.
Continue reading Update met betrekking tot Turkije →

Activiteiten, Algemeen, Turkije

Turkije | Petitie

De situatie met betrekking tot Turkije is uiterst zorgelijk. Wij berichtten u eerder daarover. Ons is gevraagd medewerking te verlenen om bijgaande link voor het ondertekenen van een petitie aan de Raad van Europa verder te verspreiden. Aan dat verzoek voldoen wij graag en om deze reden wijzen we u op onderstaande link:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Committee_of_Ministers_of_The_Council_of_Europe_cmcoeint_Take_action_to_set_free_the_wrongfully_detained_JudgesProse/?kIRWWkb

Activiteiten, Algemeen, Turkije

Recente ontwikkelingen in Turkije

Vrienden van Rechters voor Rechters,Vlag Turkije

Gelet op de meest recente ontwikkelingen in Turkije leek het goed u bij te praten, voor zover u ons niet op Twitter heeft gevolgd.

Afgelopen vrijdag, 15 juli, is aan u de zomernieuwsbrief toegestuurd. In het voorwoordje vroeg ik onder andere aandacht voor de zorgelijke situatie in Turkije. Eerder die week had ik contact met de Nederlandse Ambassade in Ankara. Ik sprak toen mijn waardering uit voor het feit dat een ambassademedewerker de zitting van het proces tegen de twee Turkse rechters Başer & Özçeli̇k had bijgewoond. Het feit dat deze rechters al ruim een jaar vast zaten op verdenking van deelname aan een terroristische organisatie was – ook in de Turkse context – toch uitzonderlijk te noemen, vond ik.

Little did we know…

Continue reading Recente ontwikkelingen in Turkije →

Algemeen, Turkije

Publication Open Letter of Yarsav (Turkish Association of Judges and Prosecutors): “Final conquest of the last bastion of turkish judiciary: government purging high judiciary”

Vlag TurkijeAfter relocation of nearly 9000 judges (out of appx. 15000) in less than 20 months and recruiting thousands of politically loyal people as judges and prosecutors to high judicial ranks, the government, under the disguise of “judicial reform”, “judicial re-organization”, using the pretext of purging “parallel structure members” is reducing the number of members of the supreme courts by half.

A draft law aiming to change the structures of supreme courts, Council of State and Court of Cassation, has been submitted to the Parliament by the Justice and Development Party with plans to have it passed before the Parliament goes to recess at the end of June.

According to the draft, the number of judges at the Court of Cassation will be reduced from 516 to 200, while the number of judges at the Council of State will drop from 195 to 90. Tenure of high judges will be terminated when the law goes into effect. Right after this, the Judicial Council, which is under direct control of the government, will make reappointments to the high courts in 5 days among the same group. Some members of the Council of State will directly be appointed by President Erdoğan. Judges, whose tenure will be terminated and who are not reappointed to the supreme courts as high judges will be sent to different lower instance courts as a plain judge. Newly reappointed high judges’ tenure will be limited to 12 years. Continue reading Publication Open Letter of Yarsav (Turkish Association of Judges and Prosecutors): “Final conquest of the last bastion of turkish judiciary: government purging high judiciary” →

Algemeen, Turkije

Publication of Open letter of Yarsav (Turkish Association of Judges and Prosecutors): “THE LAST S.O.S CALL FROM FREE TURKISH JUDGES”

Vlag TurkijeAccording to government controlled daily newspaper (Sabah) which functions as a mouthpiece and precursor of government attacks to the judiciary, the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors will suspend a total number of 680 judges and prosecutors on the grounds of being members of “Parallel Structure” and “Gülenists”. Ensuingly judges and prosecutors will be disbarred from profession and put on trial in a very short time. According to the news, although this number (5000) is denied by HCJP, there are a total number of 5000 judges and prosecutors who are being investigated and this will be the first step to disbar and try all of them.

This will be the greatest purge that we have ever seen and we know that without concrete evidence our colleagues and ourselves will be labeled as members of “Parallel Structure” and “Gülenist” and persecuted accordingly as it has happened to many of our colleagues previously.

As a first step there will be 120 administrative judges and 560 civil and criminal judges and prosecutors most probably including many members of our association “Turkish Association of Judges and Prosecutors”.

According to said newspaper the vice president of the Judicial council, Mr. Metin Yandırmaz, told them that judicial leg of this parallel organization (a term which is coined by President Erdoğan), has 5000 judges and prosecutors and they will all be dealt with step by step.

So far 14 judges and prosecutors were disbarred from profession, being put on trial, some arrested and 80 judges and prosecutors have been suspended under this pretext.

Executive’s modus operandi is to make this kind of news in his own media firstly and after weighing reactions and see that there is not enough reaction he carries out his plans accordingly. We have seen this many times. It is obvious that this news is laying the groundwork for a huge purge.

This is the last chance of the contemporary world and international community that believe in democracy, fundamental rights and independence of judiciary to react strongly otherwise there will be a dictatorship on the doorsteps of Europe under your watch.

We, Turkish Association of Judges and Prosecutors, invite international institutions to react and stop executive’s latest attempt to eradicate the last obstacle in front of it in order to establish a dictatorship within the boundaries of Turkey which will have detrimental effect on our region and Europe. This is the last chance to say stop this madness or in order to save today, tomorrow will be lost for all of us who wants to see peace in the region and Europe.

Free Turkish judges and prosecutors who are defending democracy, freedoms and independence of judiciary need your immediate support, solidarity and reactions in order to save the last bastion of Turkish democracy.

We would like to underline the reality that this may be the last call issued by us to the free world.

Respectfully…

Murat Arslan

President of YARSAV (Turkish Association of Judges and Prosecutors)