STATEMENT l 02 June 2025 Unlawful Deportation of Orhan Artar and His Children: URA Calls for International Accountability
Date: 02 June 2025 PRESS STATEMENT| UNIVERSAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (URA) The Universal Rights Association (URA) expresses deep concern over the recent unlawful abduction and forced deportation of Orhan Artar and his children from Rwanda to Türkiye. According to credible sources, the family was under UNHCR protection in Kenya and attempted to travel to Europe through Rwanda, where they were intercepted and forcibly returned to Türkiye — a clear violation of international law. This incident echoes previous documented cases of transnational repression by the Turkish state. The most notable is the abduction of Zabit Kişi, a former teacher abducted in Kazakhstan and secretly transferred to Türkiye by operatives of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in 2017. Mr. Kişi was subjected to 108 days of incommunicado detention, severe torture, and forced confessions. In a landmark decision, the Turkish Constitutional Court confirmed the failure of the state to investigate these grave allegations and awarded…
STATEMENT | 29 May 2025 Turkish Constitutional Court Confirms State Failure in Torture Case of Abducted Teacher Zabit Kisi
Date: 29 May 2025 Turkey’s Constitutional Court Confirms State Failure in Investigating Torture of Abducted Teacher Zabit Kişi The UNIVERSAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (URA) welcomes the recent ruling by Turkey’s Constitutional Court, which found that Turkish authorities violated their legal obligation to investigate credible allegations of torture made by Mr. Zabit Kişi — a former teacher abducted from Kazakhstan and forcibly returned to Turkey in 2017 due to alleged links to the Gülen movement. According to the Court’s decision, Turkish authorities failed to conduct a proper investigation despite the grave nature of the allegations, extensive medical evidence, and clear procedural gaps. URA expresses deep concern that this case represents a pattern of impunity, enforced disappearances, torture, and transnational repression by Turkish institutions. Background Mr. Zabit Kişi was kidnapped on September 30, 2017, from Almaty International Airport by individuals who introduced themselves as operatives of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT). He was beaten and placed on…
STATEMENT | 08 May 2025 Mass Detention of 208 Students in Türkiye: URA Condemns Arbitrary Arrests and Legal Violations
UNIVERSAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (URA) Johannesburg, South Africa The Universal Rights Association (URA) is dedicated to promoting human rights, justice, and equality worldwide. We work to document and raise awareness about human rights violations, advocate for legal reforms, and support victims of injustice. Through reports, international engagement, and activism, we strive to uphold fundamental rights. Date: 08 May 2025 PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Distribution PRESS RELEASE Johannesburg, 8 May 2025 — The Universal Rights Association (URA) strongly condemns the mass detention of 208 individuals, most of them university students and young people, across 47 provinces in Türkiye. The arrests, coordinated from Gaziantep, were publicly announced by the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, on X https://x.com/AliYerlikaya/status/1919662466767675857?t=iq1T936oCeRHhFxZ4gI6UA&s=09 Authorities claim the detainees are connected to a so-called “current organizational structure” linked to the Gülen movement. However, accusations rely on vague associations, including: • Attending international academic meetings • Use of encrypted communication tools •…
STATEMENT l 05 April 2025 From Istanbul to Johannesburg: Celebrating the Legacy and Courage of Lawyers on April 5
STATEMENT FOR APRIL 5 LAWYERS’ DAY April 5 marks Lawyers’ Day in Türkiye — a day to honor those who bear the weight of justice and the rule of law. On this important occasion, we express our deepest respect and gratitude to all lawyers who raise their voices against oppression and stand firmly with the oppressed. Lawyers are not just legal representatives — they are defenders of human rights, guardians of justice, and the breath of freedom in societies under pressure. 🎙️ UN Spotlight on Lawyers and Human Rights Defenders in Türkiye The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, recently expressed grave concern over the situation in Türkiye: STATEMENT FOR APRIL 5 LAWYERS’ DAYSTATEMENT FOR APRIL 5 LAWYERS’ DAY We extend our sincere appreciation to the experts who contributed to the related reports and the broader international advocacy for human rights in Türkiye: Mary Lawlor– UN Special Rapporteur…
STATEMENT l 22 November 2023 Call for the Immediate Cessation of Violation, Restraint, and Peace Between Israel and Palestine.
Call for the Immediate Cessation of Violation, Restraint, and Peace Between Israel and Palestine.
Erdoğan’s drones reach Sub-Saharan Africa
By Opinion Oct 21, 2021 By Mirza Aydin Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived on Sunday in the Southern African nation of Angola for the first leg of a three-country Africa tour. Erdoğan landed in Togo on Tuesday and Nigeria on Wednesday. The Turkish President signed major agreements/ MOU’s including energy, defence industry, mining with Sub-Saharan countries. The tour is taking place amid rising tensions at home as the main opposition Republican People’s Party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in a video message shared on social media over the weekend called on Turkish bureaucrats to oppose the Erdogan government and what he calls ‘a mafia system’. In his statement, Kılıçdaroğlu appealed: “You are not a servant of Erdogan’s family but an honourable public servant of this (Turkish) state. This is my last call, as of Monday, Oct. 18, you will also be responsible for all your support to the illegal requests of this order.…