Human rights in Turkey were discussed during a conference in the 32nd Session of the Human Rights at the UN in Geneva. Turkey Human Rights Foundation (THİV) representative from İzmir Coşkun Üsterci and Human Rights Association (İHD) lawyer from Diyarbakır Gamze Yalçın spoke during the conference organized by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR). Coşkun Üsterci recalled the statements of UN Human Rights High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on the human rights violations in Turkey’s southeast, and said that the Turkey delegation’s portrayal of the environment in Turkey was misleading. Üsterci said that the delegation blames everyone emphasizing the human rights violations in Turkey as terrorists, and the freedom of speech is under heavy attacks in Turkey.

Üsterci underlined that Turkey did not sign the final declaration of the 1st World Humanitarian Summit organized in İstanbul in May, and has been violating the final declaration as well as all national and international laws in its war against the PKK since July, 2015.

Gamze Yalçın emphasized the severe human rights violations in Kurdish towns such as Sur, Cizre, Silopi, Nusaybin and Hakkari, and said that violations have peaked in Turkey during the curfews and attacks of state forces. Yalçın recalled the racist graffiti and videos made by state forces during the attacks, and said that the display of dead woman guerillas’ naked bodies as well as other methods violate international law and defy all humane principles. Lastly, Yalçın emphasized the need for a return to ceasfire and the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue in Turkey.