Amnesty: Impunity To Deepen Human Rights Violations İn Turkey

– Human rights violations in Turkey will increasingly continue if law compatible with international norms are not put into force and independent probe procedures are not run.

In 2015, Turkey has faced a significant "decline" in terms of human rights, Amnesty International Turkey Campaigns and Advocacy Director Ruhat Sena Akşener told DHA.

Amnesty International's Turkey branch has announced the annual global report for 2015/2016 entitled "The State of the World's Human Rights" on Feb. 24, in a press meeting in Istanbul.

"Turkey had several problems regarding police violence, torture and ill treatment, impunity and rights of refugees" said Akşener.

"Violations against freedom of opinion, freedom of press have marked the agenda of 2015" she added.

According to Akşener, problems in civil people's access to basic rights in curfew-struck southeastern provinces amid security tension was one of the most significant fields of violation.

"Independent and objective investigations hindered"

Akşener underlined that "independent and impartial investigations have been hindered" in the southeast of Turkey, also referring to the global report's accent on the "impunity" problem.

What could lie behind these human rights violations addressed by the Amnesty International, then?

"We see that the international community has been deeply weak and incapable to tackle the global major crisis, clashes and refugee flows" said Amnesty Turkey's Akşener.

"International institutions and international law have not been this inefficient and the flaws and gaps in the system have never been this apparent. Therefore, the deficiency of the system and the international community was a leading actor triggering these human rights violations" she added.

"Measures ignoring human rights for security reasons"

Amnesty Turkey's campaign director also urged that "the state has been taking measures which exclude human rights for security reasons amid increasing environment of conflict."

The "widening powers offered to law-enforcement officers" also cause rights violations, Akşener stressed.

"If measures are not taken urgently, against the oppression on oppositional voices, social media, as well as freedom of opinion and press, these concerns will deepen in further" she added.

While violations extend in Turkey, laws coherent with international law and judicial independence are needed, she urged.

"UN, EU and other international bodies should take action"

Amnesty International is a movement mobilizing people with campaigns in global solidarity to protect human rights around the world.

How can sanctions be pushed against these violations, in the eye of United Nations (UN) or European Court of Human Rights?

"Mobilizing UN, European Union (EU) and several other international institutions is a must to eliminate the flaws of international community in tackling violations in Turkey and the globe" said Akşener.

Thus, Amnesty will continue its efforts to put pressure on institutions with campaigns and conducting lobbying activities, she vowed.

(Photo) - Istanbul