Minister of Justice
Mr. Sadullah Ergin
06659 Kızılay
Ankara, Türkiye
Dear Sir,
European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights or ELDH notes with great concern that Ms. Filiz Kalayci, one of the Executive Committee members of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and a lawyer, has been arrested today.
Ms. Kalayci is one of the four lawyers who were already arrested on 12 May 2009 in charge of “aiding an illegal organisation”. When the four lawyers were released the Public Prosecutor appealed the decision of the 11th Heavy Penal Court of Ankara. Within the context of this appeal the public prosecutor issued a warrant of arrest on 25 May 2009. When Ms. Kalayci went to Ankara Court House to deal with the files of her own clients, she was detained by police forces and taken before the Court. Then the Court made a decision of arrest against her and she was sent to the prison.
For many years ELDH has observed the development of democracy and the respect for human rights in Turkey, including a certain number of improvements. However after the recent elections a wave of repression seems to endanger all political progress which had been achieved. It seems to us that the so called fight against terrorism is used as a pretext to abolish political enemies.
ELDH appeals to the Turkish Government to respect the result of the elections and to end all unjustified repressions against politicians and lawyers.
Yours Sincerely
Thomas Schmidt
ELDH Secretary General