Whatever the professional group, reactions to the unlawful arrests carried out by the Erdogan government are multiplying day by day. On 10 November 2020, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) communicated to Turkey the arbitrary detention of 42 individuals.
The requests for information to be provided by the Turkish Government read as follows:
“ As it is incumbent upon us, under the mandates entrusted to us by the Human Rights Council, to seek to clarify all cases brought to our attention, we would be grateful for your observations on the following matters:
1. Please provide any additional information and any comments you may have on the above-mentioned allegations.
2. Please provide information on the factual and legal grounds for the arrest and detention of the above-mentioned individuals, and on how these measures are compatible with Turkey’s international human rights obligations, as set out, inter alia, in the above-mentioned norms and standards. In particular, please provide details of the evidence used as the basis for the charges brought against them and of how this complies with articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR.
3. Please provide details and, where applicable, the results of any investigation, judicial or otherwise, carried out in relation to the allegations of torture and/or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment during arrest and detention. If no investigation has been opened, please explain why and how this is compatible with Turkey’s international human rights obligations.
4. Please provide information on the judicial proceedings brought against these individuals and on their current status.
5. Please provide detailed information on the measures taken by your Excellency’s government to effectively protect individuals, in law, procedure and practice, against ill-treatment and torture during police custody and subsequent detention.
6. Please provide details of the measures taken to guarantee the physical and mental integrity of the above-mentioned individuals during their detention, including any measures to ensure their access to adequate health care.
7. Please also explain the measures taken by your Excellency’s government to address the specific needs of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and mothers with infants or children during their detention.
8. Please indicate what measures have been taken by your Excellency’s government to ensure that individuals can exercise their legitimate right to peaceful assembly and association in a safe and enabling environment, without fear, threats or acts of intimidation and harassment of any kind, in full respect of their civil and political rights. ”
You can read the full communication by clicking here.