Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticizes Cabinet ruling on Kimse Yok Mu
Date posted: October 6, 2014
The nonprofit Kimse Yok Mu’s status to collect donations without state was officially revoked with a cabinet ruling on October 2nd.
Human Rights Watch released a statement on Saturday. The statement pointed out that restricting the activities of an association or a foundation must rest on legal bases. They blasted the government for arbitrary action against Kimse Yok Mu. It read, “The cabinet ruling against the Kimse Yok Mu aid organization, means a breach of Turkey’s domestic law and its international obligations.”
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Turkey researcher Emma Sinclair-Webb said that activities of any associations now might be restricted only by a court order, and added that “it seems that ruling doesn’t have any legal basis.”
Sinclair-Webb continued: “revoking and limiting an organization or association must only be by court order and the court order must be based on focused proof.”
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Profiled lawyer files criminal complaint against MİT, MGK
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Turkish Education Ministry engaged in profiling of staff, daily claims
The Taraf daily published a number of new documents on Monday that showed the Ministry of Education has profiled its staff based on their ideological and religious backgrounds. The documents, which date back to September 2013, suggest that ministry personnel who voiced criticism of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and who are members of religious or faith-based groups were “noted” in official communiqués.
Cabinet bans charity Kimse Yok Mu from collecting donations
The Taraf daily ran a story arguing that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government planned to remove Kimse Yok Mu’s public interest status, which would prevent it from collecting donations. The report argued that the proposal was pending with the Cabinet, expecting it to take effect before the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Transparency and trust is our only weapon says Turkish NGO chairman
İsmail Cingöz underlined how Kimse Yok Mu is an organization praised around the world for its independent, transparent and efficient humanitarian aid activities and that the current investigation of it being an armed terrorist group is being closely monitored by international agencies including those in the UN and EU.
Turkey’s recent view from the US
The way the AK Party has proposed new laws to increase government control over judges and prosecutors and how many investigations have slowed down have raised suspicions that the government might be trying to hide corruption. The censorship of Turkish media and the recent attempts to change laws about the Internet to easily increase censorship are raising concern.
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