22nd Anniversary of the Human Rights Association (IHD) in Turkey Date: 23-07-2008
Author: IHD
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (IHD) HAS BEEN DEFENDING
HUMAN RIGHTS FOR 22 YEARS
98 people including relatives of arrested and sentenced people, lawyers, journalists, doctors,
architects and engineers, authors and academics have founded Human Rights Association
(IHD) to protect, accomplish and improve human rights and freedoms in our country on the
17th July 1986.
Human Rights Association, which has 22 years past, 29 branches and 3 representative office
and 10.000 members in all over the country, is the oldest and biggest human rights
organization in Turkey. IHD is a human rights organization which is not a body of any
governments and political organizations. Those, who are in the administrative organs, work
voluntarily.
IHD has struggling for protection of right to life, prevention of human rights violations
against women and children, for personal liberty and security rights, prevention of torture and
ill-treatments, prevention of human rights violations in prisons and protection of human
dignity under the prison conditions as well, freedom of expression, freedom of thought and
belief, right to a fair trial, right of meeting and demonstration, economic, social and cultural
rights, minority rights, right of establishment, prevention of violations against people with
disabilities and prevention of violations against asylum seekers and refugees for 22 years.
Human Rights Association is against discrimination and defends equality. IHD has defending
also rights of those who use their right of conscientious objection or are subjected to
discrimination because of sexual identity and preferences.
Human Rights Association has held press conferences, training activities, panels,
symposiums, meetings, protesting demonstrations, statements and applied to legal procedures
regarding the abovementioned issues. IHD has monitored violations, collected data about
them and documented these violations, analysed them and announced to the public and
authorized institutions. Human Rights Association has conducted investigation, research and
observation in places where violations exist and then prepared reports about them. IHD was
and still is against prohibitions on languages, village evacuations, extra judicial executions
and death penalties.
Human Rights Association defends that the main problem in Turkey is the issues of human
rights and democracy. IHD determines that Kurdish question is the most important
component of the human rights and democracy issues in Turkey. IHD defends its
determination in everywhere... IHD defends that the question can be solved, within the
framework of country integrity, via peaceful methods depending on human rights and
democratic principles. IHD is against war and violence. IHD defends peace in the country and
Human Rights Association (IHD) is a non-governmental and voluntary organization. It has been founded in 1986 and has
approximately 10.000 members. IHD is the oldest and biggest human rights organization in Turkey. The philosophy of IHD is
carrying out activities on “human rights and freedoms" without any exception and discrimination. To get more information
about IHD, please contact with us.
the world. IHD grounds its peace mentality with human rights and freedoms.
IHD considers human rights as the integrity of civil and political rights, economic, social and
cultural rights and rights of solidarity. IHD accepts the principle, which states human rights
are universal, whole and related with each other and none of them can be replaced with the
other one and acts in a perspective that is appropriate to it. IHD has established Human Rights
Foundation of Turkey against torture. IHD has decided to establish a Human Rights
Academy. Human Rights Association has conducted training activities for its members and
society. IHD has made important contributions for introducing human rights concept in the
society.
There are about 1000 investigations against IHD during the 22 years period. Our 22 of
administrators and members were killed. Most of administrators and members were detained
and arrested. One of the former presidents (Mr. Akin Birdal) was attempted to be killed in the
Headquarters. Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs
of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms has been adopted and declared on 9 December 1998. The first article states that
“Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive
for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national
and international levels.”
As Human Rights Association, we express our appreciation to the founders of the association
once again. We commemorate those, who passed away, with respect. We thank to everyone
who were in the administrative organs of the Headquarters or branches, control board or
honour boards and worked for the association since its foundation.
On the occasion of the anniversary;
As IHD, we invite everyone to protect human rights.
We invite everyone to work for human rights and freedoms.
We invite state organs take legal, administrative, judicial, educational and other steps for
protection and accomplishment of human rights.
Sincerely,
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION
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