First some good news : Our Europe team has four country coordinators again : Lucja Jastrzebska has joined us and she will be taking over the work on Central Europe, while Ulrike will focus on the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean. Welcome Lucja! She will cover the Baltic republics, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Ulrike will focus on Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia , Greece and the El Hiblu 3 case.

Türkiye

Saturday Mothers

Emblematic case in Protect the Protest Global Campaign.

Global day of action planned for 25 May

As  you will be aware, because of the increasing pressure on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly there, Türkiye is one of the 10 focus countries in Amnesty’s global Protect the Protest campaign. In respect of Türkiye the two particular areas for campaigning on this issue have been identified as supporting local Prides (the main focus in 2023) and the Saturday Mothers vigils.

Time and again, the Saturday Mothers have been met with brutal crackdowns and even prosecutions for taking part in peaceful vigils. What is most strange about this is that they are not actually protesting about anything the current regime has done but about historic injustices. The Turkish authorities have never provided a valid justification for their unlawful denial of the right to exercise freedom of expression and assembly.

For several years we have been campaigning on their behalf because of the prosecution of 46 of those indicted in 2021 following their brutal arrests 2018. They are still facing the charges of ‘refusing to disperse despite warnings.’ The prosecution continues and what is supposed to be the “final” hearing in the case is due to take place in Istanbul on 5 April.

In November 2023, and after several advocacy meetings with the Governor of Istanbul, the group secured a partial victory, that ten representatives would be allowed to meet in front of the barriers on the square for a brief statement. The blockade on the square was not lifted but the detentions ended. This is the current situation. Saturday Mothers/People continue to demand that the blockade on Galatasaray Sq is lifted and we continue to support their call.

However, now, 20 people who were detained as result of attempting to hold a vigil on 10 June 2023 are facing a new prosecution under the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations and the first hearing in the case took place on 27 February. As is all too often the case in these situations, this was inconclusive and we now await the date for further hearing.

Global Day of Action

The 1000th vigil of the Saturday Mothers will take place on 25 May, and Amnesty is hoping to stage a global day of action on or around that day to publicise this case. Ideas are being worked up in AI sections around the world and I would welcome any ideas you have for how we might draw attention to the Saturday Mothers in the UK.

[Read more…]

The latest update from the AIUK Europe Country Coordinators Team; we wish you a happy 2024 and lots of energy: we will need it. There is a lot to do.

On 14^th December Amnesty International released the report into the causes of the shipwreck at Pylos, where hundreds of people died. It makes very disturbing reading. Please see the full report below.

We have more shocking news : the El Hiblu 3, three young boys who translated between 100 refugees and the captain of the El Hiblu, negotiating the rescue of the refugees on board, are now charged with crimes that could lead, if prosecuted to life-long prison sentences. Amnesty International is campaigning for the charges to be dropped. Please sign and share the petition!

Demand justice for the El Hiblu 3 – Amnesty International

Greece

 

On 14 June 2023, of a boat with 750 people from Syria, Pakistan and Egypt capsized off Pylos, Greece. Only 104 survived and only 82 bodies were recovered. Survivors said that the Hellenic Coast Guard towed their boat, causing it to capsize, and was slow to activate rescue operations. Investigations have made little progress, while survivors’ testimony points to potential procedural shortcomings. Over 500 are missing and presumed dead.

On 14^th December Amnesty International released the report into the causes and circumstances of this tragedy. It makes shocking reading.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch interviewed 21 survivors, 5 relatives of 5 people still missing, and representatives of the Hellenic Coast Guard, the Greek police, nongovernmental organizations, United Nations and international agencies and organizations.

They found that in the 15 hours between receiving the first alert that the Adriana was in their search-and-rescue region, and when it capsized, Greek authorities failed to mobilize appropriate resources for a rescue. The authorities were clearly aware of indicators of distress, such as overcrowding and insufficient food and water, on the Adriana, and, survivors said, knew about corpses on board and requests for rescue.

Survivors’ testimonies also challenge the authorities’ claim that people on the Adriana did not want to be rescued, which in any event would not have relieved the Hellenic Coast Guard of its obligation to take all measures necessary to ensure safety at sea. Survivors consistently said that they pleaded repeatedly for rescue, including to the Coast Guard itself.

Survivors said that a Coast Guard patrol boat attached a rope to the Adriana and pulled, causing the boat to capsize. They also alleged that, after the boat capsized, the Coast Guard boat was slow to activate rescue operations, failed to maximize the number of people rescued, and engaged in dangerous manoeuvres.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/greece-6-months-on-no-justice-for-pylos-shipwreck/

This is the full report:- Greece: 6 months on No Justice for Pylos Shipwreck  Please also see the video with the account of a survivor below:-

[Read more…]

The latest update from the AIUK Europe Country Coordinators Team:-

Introduction

As the year 2023 nears its closure we can report some positive developments from Türkiye and Poland but there are still many Human Rights Challenges! Please find an Urgent Action for Türkiye.

There are also leaflets for the 2 demonstrations we are organising: For Saturday 2nd December we are gathering at 3pm in front of the Polish Embassy in London at 47 Portland Place. We have teamed up with a number of Polish organisations to call for the prosecution of Women’s Human Rights Defender Justyna Wydrzynska to be reversed and for women in Poland to have access to safe and legal abortions in Poland.

Please also sign the petition at https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/JusticeforJustyna

On 14^th December Amnesty International is releasing the investigation into the drowning of 600 people when a small boat packed with an estimated 750 people sank near the coast of Greece. Together with Care4Calais we are organising a vigil outside the Embassy of Greece on 14^th December at 3pm.  Please join us if you can!

Stop Deaths at Sea!  Vigil 14th Dec

Stop the Deaths at Sea! Safe and Legal routes for refugees! Seeking asylum is a Human Right! Refugees Welcome!  Vigil 14^th December 3pm at the Embassy of Greece.

On 14^th of June 2023 the “Adriana” packed with an estimated 750 refugees sank off the coast of Pylos, Greece. Over 600 people, many women and children died at sea.  Amnesty’s investigation points to the action of the Greek coastguard contributing to the sinking of the boat.  The full report will be released on Thursday the 14^th December. The policies of Fortress Europe, to keep refugees out at all cost, have again cost many lives.  Amnesty Europe have teamed up with Care4Calais https://www.facebook.com/care4calais/ to organising a vigil outside the Embassy of Greece on 14^th December, when the report is released. We are calling for safe and legal routes for refugees and for the Universal Human Right to seek asylum from persecution to be respected by all countries including the UK.

For further information on the demonstration please contact Ulrike.schmidt@amnesty.org.uk [Read more…]

Here is our latest Newsletter with updates and actions.  AIUK Europe Team:-

Ulrike Schmidt  (Central and Eastern Europe and Balkans),  Jovana Bosnjak (Western & Northern Europe), Chris Ramsey (Türkiye)

Cyprus

Letter Writing Action

On 27^th August, after an anti migrant demonstration organised by the far right and supported by some local representatives, refugees, migrants and Cypriot citizens of colour were violently attacked by far right groups and their supporters.

 An anti-migrant demonstration took place in the village of Chloraka on 27 August, in which local political representatives participated. Later that day, and the following day, far-right groups attacked racialized people, including migrants and refugees, and their property. Two weeks before the attacks, authorities had decided to remove dozens of migrants and asylum-seekers residing in the “Ayios Nikolaos”, an abandoned residential complex, the use of which had been formally banned in 2020.

Similar protests and attacks took place in the city of Limassol on the evening of 1 September. Demonstrators, several of whom were masked, threw Molotov cocktails, chanted racist slogans, attacked and damaged shops owned by racialized people, and physically attacked at least five racialized people, including several delivery drivers. Local reports criticized how the Cypriot police, who were present at the scene, failed to intervene to effectively prevent the violence or protect victims.

Racist attacks have been documented in both Chloraka and Limassol in the past. In January 2022, similar racist demonstrations and attacks were carried out at the “Ayios Nikolaos” residential complex. Earlier this year, racist attacks were also carried out in Limassol.

Please read the full background of these shocking events and write a personal letter to the High Commissioner of Cyprus. It would be useful if Amnesty groups write a group letter signed by several people, You can also take a letter to a stall to have it signed by members of the public. Please see Ulrika’s sample letter below, keep the letter very polite assuming the Ambassador is on our side.

To the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus His Excellency Andreas S. Kakouris

13 St James’s Square, St James’s London SW1Y4LB

Dear Excellency

I am deeply concerned about the violent attacks against migrants and refugees in Limassol and Chlorakas end of August- beginning of September, where people were attacked, and migrant owned shops destroyed. According to verified reports by Amnesty International racist rhetoric, hate speech and xenophobia promoted by the far right, but also supported by some politicians played a part in encouraging the violent pogrom-like attacks against people and property. I trust that by now there has been an investigation into the violence and the failure of the police to prevent and stop the attacks.

I would be very grateful if you could share the outcome of the investigation with us and the measures taken by the authorities to prevent such violence happening again.

Yours sincerely [Read more…]

Here is our latest Newsletter with updates and actions.  Chris Ramsey, Türkiye;  Jovana Bosnjak Western & Northern Europe;  Ulrike Schmidt, Central & Eastern Europe and Balkans

Türkiye

Post Election overview

As reported in the June, the second round of the presidential elections took place on 28 May. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won a relatively narrow victory and will therefore be in power for the next 5 years. In addition, in the parliament the Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost ground but remains the largest party with 268 seats. Their coalition partner the ultra- right wing National Movement Party (MHP) won 50 seats and so together this “Peoples Alliance” has maintained control of the parliament. Whilst formally there has been no immediate impact on the Human Rights situation in the country our researcher reports that the police and security services appear to feel empowered to deal even more harshly with any form of dissent or attempts by individuals or groups to exercise their rights to freedom of assembly or freedom of expression.

For an interesting discussion of why, despite inflation in Türkiye soaring above 40% and widespread publicity of the government’s culpability in the scandalous collapse of so many relatively new apartment buildings in the recent earthquakes the Erdoğan government managed to retain power go to the London Review of Books podcast “Why did Erdoğan win”:-

https://www.lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and-videos/podcasts/the-lrb-podcast/why-did-erdogan-win

Following the triumph of the AKP it was no surprise that the annual Pride marches in Türkiye were yet again banned.

Nevertheless on 26 June hundreds of LGBTQ+ activists sought to evade the ban in Istanbul by gathering in the Nisantasi neighbourhood outside the city centre. As in previous years the police sought to disperse them and 93 were arrested with one person receiving head injuries while being arrested.

Police in the western Turkish city of Izmir also cracked down on those attending Pride, detaining at least 48 people, according to the organisers.

Büyükada: Justice prevails as four human rights defenders finally acquitted

On 6 June the convictions of four human rights defenders collectively known as the Büyükada 4, including Taner Kılıç, Amnesty Türkiye’s Honorary Chair, and Idil Eser, Amnesty Türkiye’s ex-director, were quashed . [Read more…]