HUDA KAYA AND DAUGHTERS BACK IN PRISON

14 November 2002 

IHRC are deeply concerned at recent events in Turkey regarding journalist and activist Huda Kaya and her three daughters. Huda Kaya and her daughters, Nuralhuq, Nurcihan and Intisaar Saaticoglu had previously faced a possible death penalty for attending a demonstration against the hijab ban in Malatya, in October 1998.

The reporting of IHRC trail observers, as well as an international campaign by IHRC in 1999 led to the four and their 70 co-defendants being given reduced suspended sentences, after which the Turkish authorities tried to appeal to various appellate courts.

Since then Huda Kaya and her daughters have been rearrested and released several times by the Turkish authorities. They have currently been detained as a result of the enforcement of these sentences.

Recently, Huda Kaya has been convicted by the State Security Court in Malatya of allegedly being a supporter of Selam-Tevhid, an organization asserted by the Turkish government of being a terrorist organization. In fact Selam used to be a newspaper and Tevhid a magazine published by the same people; Huda Kaya was a journalist for Selam and Nureddin Sirin, whom IHRC have been campaigning for the release of since 1997, the editor for both.

It has emerged that Huda Kaya has been given four and a half years and is currently being detained in Agri prison, which is situated in the Eastern part of Turkey. In addition she has been given ten years for three separate cases including attending the aforementioned demonstration against the hijab ban. This demonstration took place in October 1998 and was attended by over one hundred thousand people.

Her daughters have also been given varying sentences. Nuralhuq Saaticoglu and the youngest daughter 22 year old Intisaar Saaticoglu have both been given sentences of 10 years, on the same counts as Huda Kaya, of attending the illegal demonstration.

Nurcihan Saaticoglu has been given a sentence of one and a half years for also attending the demonstration against the hijab ban.

IHRC is deeply concerned at this turn of events, particularly at a time of political change in Turkey. We urge the incoming Turkish administration to take immediate and effective action to ensure that these travesties of justice are immediately remedied.

 Huda Kaya and Gul Intisaar Saatcioglu attedning court in 1999