HUDA
KAYA AND DAUGHTERS BACK IN PRISON
14 November 2002
IHRC are deeply concerned at recent events in Turkey regarding
journalist and activist Huda Kaya and her three daughters. Huda
Kaya and her daughters, Nuralhuq, Nurcihan and Intisaar Saaticoglu
had previously faced a possible death penalty for attending a demonstration
against the hijab ban in Malatya, in October 1998.
The reporting of IHRC trail observers, as well as an international
campaign by IHRC in 1999 led to the four and their 70 co-defendants
being given reduced suspended sentences, after which the Turkish
authorities tried to appeal to various appellate courts.
Since then Huda Kaya and her daughters have been rearrested and
released several times by the Turkish authorities. They have currently
been detained as a result of the enforcement of these sentences.
Recently, Huda Kaya has been convicted by the State Security Court
in Malatya of allegedly being a supporter of Selam-Tevhid, an organization
asserted by the Turkish government of being a terrorist organization.
In fact Selam used to be a newspaper and Tevhid a magazine published
by the same people; Huda Kaya was a journalist for Selam and Nureddin
Sirin, whom IHRC have been campaigning for the release of since
1997, the editor for both.
It has emerged that Huda Kaya has been given four and a half years
and is currently being detained in Agri prison, which is situated
in the Eastern part of Turkey. In addition she has been given ten
years for three separate cases including attending the aforementioned
demonstration against the hijab ban. This demonstration took place
in October 1998 and was attended by over one hundred thousand people.
Her daughters have also been given varying sentences. Nuralhuq
Saaticoglu and the youngest daughter 22 year old Intisaar Saaticoglu
have both been given sentences of 10 years, on the same counts as
Huda Kaya, of attending the illegal demonstration.
Nurcihan Saaticoglu has been given a sentence of one and a half
years for also attending the demonstration against the hijab ban.
IHRC is deeply concerned at this turn of events, particularly at
a time of political change in Turkey. We urge the incoming Turkish
administration to take immediate and effective action to ensure
that these travesties of justice are immediately remedied.
Huda Kaya and Gul Intisaar Saatcioglu attedning court in 1999
|