CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF STUDENTS ARBITRARILY DETAINED IN TURKEY

TO THE GOVERNMENT, JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES, UNIVERSITIES, DEANS & LECTURERS IN TURKEY

We are deeply concerned that approximately 400 students are being held in arbitrary detention in Turkey. Pre- trial detention should only be used as a matter of last resort, as an exceptional practice, however, now in Turkey it is now used as a matter of course and, in effect, as a method of punishment without trial.

This practice has become standard in courts in relation to journalists, lawyers, academics, and artists who have dared to speak out, but the fact that it is now happening to the young, to students, on an unprecedented scale is not widely known. Students have become the forgotten victims of the state crackdown against political opponents. These young people should not have their life chances stolen by an anti-democratic, authoritarian regime.

We believe that Criminal Courts and the Aggravated Felony Courts must not deny anyone’s liberty without a fair trial; that young people facing trial should not be presumed to be guilty, in flagrant violation of the well-established principle of the presumption of innocence.

We call for the release of the students !

First signatories: Academics for Peace, Lecturers in the University Association, GIT Turkey, We Are Defending our Honour Initiative, Istanbul Medical Chamber, Istanbul Democratic University Initiative, LGBTI Peace Initiative, Solution at the Place Initiative, Solidarity at the Place Initiative, Solidarity for Arrested Students Network, Civil Society in the Penal System Association, Solidarity fro Private University Labourers Network, Democratic Judgement Association, The Initiative Against Crime Thought, Solidarity for Women Association, Psychologist fro Societal Solidarity Association, Libertarian Lawyers Association, Progressive Lawyers Association, Mesopotamia Lawyers Association, Lawyer Association of the Oppressed, Education Syndicate Desk 6.

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Kurdistan Student Union Email: elifsarican@hotmail.co.uk

Peace in Kurdistan Campaign Email: estella24@tiscali.co.uk

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