Dubai – Masaader News
The International Observatory of Human Rights was joined by scores of leading human rights organizations and esteemed members of civil society groups from across the world who have written this letter to express concerns about the current sheer human rights violations committed by Turkey against many individuals such as Mr. Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu.He is an honorable Turkish citizen who has been involved in tireless efforts to champion human rights in Turkey and continues to work with many institutions that share the same values and who are struggling to this end.
Gergerlioğlu, a human rights activist and an MP, was first threatened recently by Uşak Police Chief who accused him of involvement in “terrorism.” AKP Group Chairman Özlem Zengin and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu echoed the same baseless accusations—finger-pointing Mr. Gergelioglu denies categorically.
The fact remains that 23 female students who study at Uşak University had been subjected to strip searches on two separate incidents over a duration of five days during their detention starting from on August 31, 2020. This sheer violation of human rights drew strong condemnation on social media outlets once the strip searching of the ladies was revealed.
Mr. Gergerlioğlu relayed this news in the Turkish Parliament and called for an end to the unlawful practice of strip searches.
Two of the five women who were subjected to the strip searches revealed over social media the details of the atrocity they endured.
Countless human rights activists and appalled private citizens supported the victims and categorically denounced this unlawfulness which is no way is compatible with human dignity.
The strip searches conducted were supposedly conducted for “security reasons” by the Uşak Police.
We the signatories demand an effective investigation into this inhumane act.
MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, who brought the problem up in Parliament and made it public should not be subjected to serious accusations such as “involvement in terrorism” only because he is demanding justice and protection of the innocent women.
AKP Group Deputy Chair Özlem Zengin targeted MP Gergerlioğlu, and said; “So far, I have never seen a deputy who terrorizes the Parliament as much as Mr. Gergerlioğlu.”
Shortly after AKP statement was released, Uşak Police Chief Mesut Gezer released a threatening comment:
“We are here to fight with those who slander us, these sanguinaries who shed blood, … We will not let them breathe in this country.”
Following this statement, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu also pointed his fingers at Mr. Gergerlioglu, and said: “Indeed, this man is a terrorist, we have filed numerous complaints. I’m calling on the judiciary to do whatever is necessary about him. ”
Immediately afterwards, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that an investigation was launched against Gergerlioğlu and the people who voiced their support on social media.
The authors of this report would like to underline that we are seriously concerned about long-standing mass detentions and human rights violations in Turkey. Public officials are easily accusing human rights defenders and MPs of being “terrorists”.
IOHR and the signatories to this letter stand in solidarity with Mr. Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu. We call on the authorities in Turkey to investigate and stop all threats directed by public officials, politicians and prosecutors at Mr. Gergerlioğlu and other human rights defenders.