Legal Struggle against "Appendix 1"

Human Rights Foundation (İHD) chairman Öztürk Türkdoğan declared to take legal action against a document designed by the General Staff to compromise IHD itself and the Turkey Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) as "anti-republican armed forces".

İHD chairman Türkdoğan talked to bianet and explained, "We do not know if those claims are correct or not, neither do we know who prepared the document. But it is the prosecutor's job to find out".

Türkdoğan furthermore indicated that in case this document would find its entry into an indictment of the Ergenekon investigation, İHD will apply for becoming joint plaintiffs of that court case.

As reported by Taraf newspaper yesterday (16 November), the plan entitled "Appendix 1" was designed to slander non-governmental organizations and to deprive the public of their esteem for them. According to the plan, "provisions made by gray and black methods will be indirectly reflected to the public". In brief, these provisions consist of NGOs and rights organizations "being subservient to foreign centres of powers, receiving money from enemies of Turkey and carrying out untruthful and defaming work", Taraf described.

"Organized crime"

Türkdoğan stated that although these claims are not true, they can be seen in the context of "establishing an organization to commit crimes". Additionally, this is an attack against the association and the personal rights of its members, Türkdoğan continued.

"In the constitution it is written that 'the Republic of Turkey is a state that respects human rights'. It is a serious crime to hinder an organization that works for the protection of human rights", Türkdoğan indicated.

The İHD chairman pointed out, "The harm caused for us is obvious. Turkey's non-governmental organizations' work for human rights is sabotaged by ignoring, obstructing and slandering our activities for years".

"This has to be re-evaluated in the environment of intellectuals, writers and academics. That kind of document is a source for these people's negative perspective on human rights organizations. It is important that the public comprehends this", Türkdoğan warned. (TK/VK)