AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

Letter of Appeal from the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility

May 13, 1998

His Excellency Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
Basbakanlik
06573 Ankara
Turkey

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the largest organization of natural and social scientists in the United States, and the world's largest federation of scientific organizations, with 175,000 individual members and 296 affiliated groups. Our AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility was formed in 1976 to protect the human rights of scientists and to deal with issues relating to scientific freedom worldwide.

On behalf of the Committee, we are writing to express our deep concern regarding the brutal attack against prominent human rights activist Akin Birdal, president of the Human Rights Association of Turkey, and vice-president of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues. The Committee is troubled by the armed attack against Mr. Birdal, who was reportedly attacked by two armed men in his office on 12 May 1998. We call on you to launch an immediate investigation into the attack and to bring those responsible to justice.

The Committee is disturbed by reports indicating that the attack took place just days after media reports accused Birdal of taking orders from the leader of the Kurdish Workers Party. We understand that human rights groups in Turkey have accused the media of contributing to the attack by printing unsubstantiated allegations made by a known terrorist who was captured by the Turkish military in April, thereby placing his life in danger. We have learned that rights groups consider the attack to be a warning to others who speak out against official policy.

You may be aware that AAAS worked closely with AkinBirdal and the Human Rights Association in its investigation into human rights violations perpetrated against scientists in Turkey and governmental attacks against centers for the treatment of torture survivors operated by the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey. He is an internationally respected activist who has repeatedly placed his life in danger to promote and protect human rights in Turkey. Despite his brave actions, he, along with the Human Rights Association of Turkey, has been the subject of numerous governmental attacks since the Association's founding in 1986. We are aware that the Association's offices in the southeast of Turkey have been closed, leaving the area without any human rights monitoring mechanisms and that Akin Birdal himself faces more than twenty charges associated with his human rights activism, including calls for a peaceful end to the Kurdish conflict.

The Committee is deeply disturbed by the actions of so-called unknown assailants who are believed to be members of right wing gangs with ties to the Turkish armed forces and who have killed dozens of the Association's members. While we applaud the Turkish government's condemnation of the attack, we are disturbed by the routine legal attacks against human rights activists under anti-terrorist legislation for speaking out against governmental abuses.

As you are likely aware, the brutal attack against Akin Birdal constitutes a serious violation of human rights standards, including basic protections provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, including the right to life, liberty and security of the person.

The Committee calls on you to use your good offices to assure that an investigation into the attack takes place immediately and that those responsible for the shooting of Akin Birdal are brought to justice. We respectfully request that adequate protection be provided for Mr. Birdal, members of the Human Rights Association of Turkey, and other human rights activists. We urge the Turkish government to cease the criminalization of human rights activities.

Sincerely,

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