I think that will be a good objective summary for everyone.
Anti-democratic, unlawful action by Turkish Cypriot Administration
Call for action; as YKP we call upon you to react to this unlawful, anti-democratic action, and to show solidarity to the progressive organizations and their action
During August and September 2008, posters and wall writings against the Turkish army and the regime in the northern part of Cyprus appeared throughout the northern part of Cyprus. Triggered by these slogans and other activities the regime in the northern part of Cyprus is trying to oppress the society as it was demonstrated in the following two incidents.
During the first week of September 2008, 4 young persons were arrested with the reasoning that they had no identification cards with them but mainly because of suspicion of writing on walls and posting posters. One of them is the son of Erol Seherlioglu who is the president of Tıp-Is and another one of them is the son of Tevfik Yoldas who is the president of DAU-Bir-Sen. These two trade unions are member organisations of the Cyprus Peace Platform. These four young persons were interrogated for 15 hours, their photos were taken while they were under arrest and a file was made on them as criminals and both their and their family’s houses were searched while nobody was at home. After the 15 hour interrogation the four young persons were released.
Subsequently, on Monday 8th September early morning, another four young persons were arrested by claiming that they were caught “red-handed” as they were writing on walls. One of them is the son of Remzi Yektaoglu who is the member of YKP Party Council. Afterwards, a similar process took place, their houses were searched, their computers were seized, their families were not informed and the young persons were not allowed to contact with their lawyers. On 14th September there was a court trial for the second group of 4 young persons, after which they were released on bail and with forbiddance to leave the northern part of Cyprus.
YKP has commented on the recent arrests and related developments
YKP General Secretary of the Executive Committee, Murat Kanatli has issued the following statement:
Cyprus has once again been going through a sensitive period. In this period, the northern part of Cyprus has been active too and this activity has been reflected in the street actions of 1st of May and 1st of September. These two demonstrations have had a shock effect on the leadership of CTP (Republican Turkish Party) and their “affiliated organizations” who think, that only they have the power to make such demonstrations.
Under the lead of the Cyprus Peace Platform, the organizations which are located in the northern part of Cyprus have proved that they can hold demonstrations and they can hold mass actions without CTP and their “affiliated organizations” like in the past. It is certain that, these circumstances have created annoyance in some circles. Especially on the 1st of September, the political environment, who saw the possibility of bi-communal mass demonstration, remembered their old habits, escaped from the society, hid behind the symbols and consoled about the importance of organizations from the south, which send representatives to their demonstrations.
Also, the deep state has been annoyed by this process. Thus, they punished the young persons who wrote their political demands, so as to give an oppression message to the wider society.
Once again, the regime in the northern part of Cyprus clearly defined itself. They acted neither according to the arrest procedures nor according to the investigation procedures! They acted exactly like a dictatorship by doing 15 hours of psychological torture to the four young persons who were first arrested, and by doing both psychological torture and intimidation to the second four young persons who were under arrest for four days.
The first decision of the court, which was made after the pre-trial, is thought provoking. Both a bail of a large amount, and forbiddance of leaving the northern part of Cyprus! Three of these four young persons study outside the northern part of Cyprus, therefore this decision can be considered exactly as a punishment.
This avenging regime has first taken away their freedom and then tried to block their education right. What are the reasons behind these actions and the persistence of the prosecutor? Why did they not take similar decisions for similar events in the past?
YKP demands the identification of the person or organization, which is behind this persistence. Who is the source of this persistence? The head official of the Nicosia district who was an old leftist, the CTP minister of internal affairs who still identifies himself as a leftist, or president Soyer, also from CTP, who is the superior of both? Or this persistence was caused by “the real centre of power”, Turkey, which all these local administrations are responsible to?
We condemn those, who have turned this simple environmental damage crime into a political execution campaign.
YKP calls upon all progressive organisations to protect much more than before the human rights and freedoms.
STOP THE POLICE TERROR!
12 organizations, formed by political parties, civil organizations and trade unions, have condemned the arrest of 8 young persons and the style of searching of their houses.
The common declaration issued on 10th September, before the release of the second four young persons is the following:
Last week, 4 young persons were arrested with the reasoning that they had no identification cards with them. One of them is the son of Erol Seherlioglu who is the president of Tıp-Is and another one of them is the son of Tevfik Yoldas who is the president of DAU-Bir-Sen. These two trade unions are member organisations of the Cyprus Peace Platform. These four young persons were interrogated for 15 hours, their photos were taken while they were under arrest and a file was made on them as criminals and both their and their family’s houses were searched while nobody was at home.
Subsequently, on Monday early morning, another four young persons were arrested by claiming that they were caught “red-handed” as they were writing on walls. One of them is the son of Remzi Yektaoglu who is the member of YKP Party Council. Afterwards, a similar process took place, their houses were searched, their computers were seized, their families were not informed and the young persons were not allowed to contact with their lawyers.
We state that;
- The 4 young persons’ demands were reflected in the local press as “an insult which aimed at the Turkish Army”. Their opinion and demand is directly related with the international agreements and the decisions of the international structures. Thus, it is not a crime. If it is accepted as a crime, then this is political. Everybody has the right to state their ideas with the use of any type of press, media and broadcast, and nobody can be found guilty because of their ideas. If the prosecutor is still persisting on this issue, we declare that we share the same demands and thus we are guilty of the same crime.
- The prosecutor has not stated which law this act was violating, i.e. the “insult aimed at the Turkish Army”. There is no such crime. The prosecutor is trying to invent a new crime therefore this is not acceptable.
- The only crime in the second event was the environmental damage and the damage to a public property. If the prosecutor claims that this event was red-handed, then the process is completed. It is not possible to destroy the evidence. The arrest of 3 days is arbitrary, and it can not be accepted.
- In both events, the houses were searched. There are international laws and rules of evidence collection and searching. The evidence which may be found without the presence of the home owners and their lawyers is suspicious. The evidence found using ways that are not legal is not acceptable. This is police terror and we condemn it.
- Also, there are international laws and collection rules of arrest and treatment under arrest conditions. In this process, their right to call their families and lawyers was violated. Their basic rights and freedoms were violated. We condemn this.
- Psychological pressure and trying to get their testimonies involuntarily is torture. The police are trying to name them as suspects to a crime with force and not through evidence. This is completely the process of creating criminals, forcing them to accept to a crime. It is not acceptable, we condemn this.
We, the undersigned organizations, with the above listed ideas, accept all that has happened as police terror and we state and underline that the Turkish army, the Turkey’s civilian bureaucrats, their collaborator CTP and the Turkish Cypriot leadership are responsible. We invite the CTP leadership to back down from this kind of action.
Lastly, we note the effects of the demographic change in the population structure inside the police organization structure and we note and state with worry, the reflection of this change on the behaviour of the police.
We state that we condemn the regime in the northern part of Cyprus and that we will continue to struggle for civil rights and democracy and we will never be intimidated by pressure.
Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Trade Union (KTÖS), Cyprus Turkish Physicians Trade Union (Tıp-İş), EMU Unity and Solidarity Trade Union (DAÜ-Bir-Sen) , Public Servant Trade Union (Çağ-Sen), Custom Workers Trade Union (GÜÇ-SEN), Cyprus Publisher’s Association (Kıb-Yay), İskele Citizens Initiative, Press Workers’ Trade Union (Basın-Sen), Baraka Cultural Centre, Asi Cultural Association, United Cyprus Party (BKP), New Cyprus Party (YKP)
Turkish Cypriot youths held for anti-army graffiti in north
By Simon Bahceli - Cyprus Mail
FOUR Turkish Cypriot youths will appear in court in the north today after being caught “red handed” by police on Sunday as they daubed walls in the capital with slogans targeting the Turkish military.
The four all admitted writing “Out with the occupying Turkish army” on walls in the city when brought before a judge at north Nicosia’s district court on Monday. An earlier hearing at a military court was thrown out by the judge who cited a lack of evidence. The district court judge, however, demanded that the four remain in custody until their trial today.
Remzi Yektaoglu, father of one of the youths being held, told the Cyprus Mail yesterday the four were being treated “like murderers” by police in the north.
“They brought them before the judge in handcuffs,” he said, adding that although the youths had been charged with nothing more than defacement of public property, the investigation was being carried out by the political branch of the police.
“They told my son they know who he was, who his parents were, and that he had Greek Cypriot friends. The police were trying to psychologically pressurise them into admitting some greater crime,” Yektaoglu said.
Yektaoglu is a well known pro-solution campaigner who owns a left-wing bookshop and publishing company in north Nicosia. His company has published numerous books calling for the reunification of the island and for the Turkish army to leave.
The previous week, four other Turkish Cypriot youths were arrested for similar graffiti offences. It emerged then that two of the arrested were children of well-known trade unionists. That time, no charges were brought against the youths, although their family homes were searched by police, who confiscated personal computers belonging to the youths.
Similarly, the family homes of the four currently being held were raided and computers taken away “as evidence”.
“Despite the fact that they’ve been charged with vandalism, it is the political branch of the police that is carrying out the enquiry. It also needs to be asked why computers would be seized if they are guilty only of vandalism,” Yektaoglu said.
The 51-year-old publisher also complained that the four had been kept in custody from Sunday night until Monday afternoon before being allowed to telephone relatives to inform them of their arrests, and that the police raided his house without a warrant.
“As soon as I left home on Monday the police raided the house and took all the computers. They also confiscated the computers of the other youngsters arrested,” he said.
Another anomaly is that until charges are pressed only initials of those arrested are made public. In this case, Yektaoglu says, the four youths’ full names and photographs were made available to media outlets.
“It was as if the police were doing their best to demonise the four.”
Yektaoglu, however, sees what his son and friends have done as heroic.
“This is a reflection of the feeling among Turkish Cypriot youth and I am proud of my son for what he did. I in my own way, through the books I publish, express the same sentiment,” he said.
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.ph ... 7&cat_id=1
by bill cobbett » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:51 pm 
