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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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14th June 2004

Campaign Update: Prisoner of Faith, Turkey – Amnesty hearing for Nureddin (Nurettin) Sirin July 12th 2004

1. Background
2. Suggested Action

1. Background

Nureddin Sirin’s amnesty hearing has been postponed until 12th July. Campaigners are requested to keep up pressure on the Turkish authorities to ensure that Sirin is released.

The highly politicized and draconian State Security Courts where most political cases have been heard, have been abolished this year, and Nureddin Sirin’s case I snow going through a separate appeals process. In this new climate of openness, with the Turkish government beginning to address past human rights violations, IHRC urges campaigners to once again highlight the case of Nureddin Sirin

Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Selim Sadak and Orhan Dogan, the Kurdish members of parliament imprisoned for their beliefs, and non-violent political activities were released last week, and IHRC hopes that the Turkish authorities will also see sense and release Sirin who has been in prison since September 1997 on various charges including writing about the Kurdish situation whilst in prison, and helping to organize a Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) event in Turkey.

2. Suggested action

(a) Campaigners are request to write to, fax or email the Minister of the Interior (a model letter is pasted below)

Model letter

Your name
Your address

Date:

Mr Abdulkadir Aksu
Minister of the Interior

Ministry of Interior
Içiþleri Bakanligi
06644 Ankara, Turkey
Telegram: Interior Minister, Ankara, Turkey
Fax: + 90 312 418 17 95
mailhesaplari@icisleri.gov.tr

Dear Mr. Aksu,

Re: Nurettin Sirin, F-Type Prison, Kocaeli

I write to express my concern regarding the continued detention of Nurettin Sirin.

At a time when Turkey is beginning to show itself to be properly concerned with its past human rights record, it must surely be able to see the injustice perpetrated against Nurettin Sirin.

The recent release of Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Selim Sadak and Orhan Dogan is a step forward for Turkey and I sincerely hope that Nureddin Sirin and the many others like him will not have to endure their detention much longer.

I look forward to your response confirming their release.

Yours sincerely,

Your name
Your signature

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“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”

Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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