HUMAN RIGHTS

Today is the 61st birthday of Hrant Dink. The 7th of the International Hrant Dink Award, which is presented every year on September 15 in memory of Hrant Dink, will be presented in Istanbul Convention Center tonight.

Following the Suruç Massacre, and the murder of two police officers in Ceylanpınar, military operations and clashes have resumed. A wave of police operations across Turkey continues. İHD (Human Rights Association) has announced that 41 people lost their lives in the week from 21 to 28 July, and that 1038 people have been detained. Reports of deaths continue to come in every day. President Erdoğan’s demand that the HDP MPs’ parliamentary immunity be lifted has caused further alarm. Human rights organizations and civil society organizations have expressed deep concern regarding recent developments.

The Karaburun Municipal Directorate has withdrawn its support to the 10th Karaburun Science Congress because of the use of the term “1915 Armenian and Assyrian Genocide” in its call for attendance.

Pianist Tigran Hamasyan, who visited Turkey within the scope of his “Luys i Luso” tour, and later became the target of a discourse of hate from the Kars Ülkü Ocakları President, has published a statement.

Nvard Mafaryan, Pink Armenia Project Coordinator, travelled from Armenia to Istanbul to take part in the panel titled “LGBTI Struggle in Neighbouring Armenia” organized on the occasion of the 23rd LGBTI Pride Week, and spoke to AGOS about the LGBTI community in Armenia that is trying to protect its existence against the homophobia of the State and media, and the intersections between the rights’ struggles in Armenia and Turkey. The conversation then inevitably led to the continuing protests in Yerevan.

Police violence once again arrives on the silver screen with the documentary ‘Article 16: Right to Life’. Co-director Yılmaz Kılıç says, “We did not shoot this documentary, it’s all the work of the police. All we did was to transmit their work.”

The beginning of the 6th Trans Pride Week, which will conclude with a rally in Taksim on June 21 was announced yesterday at a press conference. Speaking at the press conference, Istanbul LGBTI activists said, “We need a law against hate and violence”. The 23rd Istanbul LGBTI Pride Week will begin next Monday.

Interior Ministry permission has been imposed on any academic research on Syrian refugees to be carried out at universities. The Higher Education Council (YÖK) decision was taken upon the request of the Migration Administration Department of the Interior Ministry.

DurDe (Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Initiative) and the Sıfır Ayrımcılık/Zero Discrimination Association called for a struggle against the discrimination of Roma on April 8, International Roma Day.

An investigation has been launched against the web site www. askeregitmeyin .com (don’t do your military service) on charges of ‘alienating the public from military service, and there are reports that the 381 people who contributed to the book are also being investigated.