“It should be definitely known that the human rights advocacy which only testifies to the truth; keeps the records of the truth and resists tyranny, cannot be silenced and punished,” says the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) reacting the prison sentences against human rights defenders Eren Keskin and Şebnem Korur Fincancı.

News Center- The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) has made a statement to react to the prison sentences against human rights defenders Human Rights Association (IHD) Co-chair Eren Keskin and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) chairperson Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı. The statement states that heavy prices are paid in the struggle of human rights in Turkey, “The struggle for truth, freedom of speech and the press, human rights advocacy are wanted to be silenced and trivialized with the sentences given to Eren Keskin and Şebnem Korur Fincancı, respected and pioneering persons of this struggle.”

“Stop treating journalists like criminals”

The statement recalls that human rights defender and lawyer Eren Keskin served as the editor-in-chief of Özgür Gündem daily between 2014 and 2015 to be in solidarity with the daily, and says, “Eren Keskin is an internationally known human rights defender who has been struggling for years to protect fundamental human rights and freedoms and to increase respect for human rights in this country. She used her right to freedom of speech and served as the editor-in-chief (of Özgür Gündem daily) to stand by the freedom of the press. Therefore, the unacceptable sentence given her yesterday is nothing more than an effort to silence the free press and suppress human rights advocacy. For this reason, the provisions of the United Nations’ Declaration on Human Rights Defenders should be adopted. Treating human rights defenders and journalists like criminals should be immediately stopped.”

“Jail sentence is an effort to silence the struggle for truth”

In the statement, the HRFT also reacts to the sentence given to Şebnem Korur Fincancı, a determined human rights defender, a good doctor and scientist, “This unacceptable jail sentence is actually nothing but an effort to silence the struggle for truth and suppress freedom of speech. It is impossible to talk about democracy in a country where freedom of speech cannot be effectively protected and used.”