Syrian refugees say there is no life for them in 'Islamic' Turkey, want to go to 'Christian' Germany.

Syrian refugees say there is no life for them in 'Islamic' Turkey, want to go to 'Christian' Germany. (TZ).

Ahmet complains about a lack of genuine Islam in Muslim countries and argues that 'there is more humanity in European countries, most of which are Christian.'

More than 2,000 refugees who have been in the northwestern Turkish border province of Edirne for over a week say that they would like to go to the EU, particularly Germany, mainly because there is “no life” for them in Turkey.

Most of the refuges said that they would do anything to leave Turkey for the EU, singling out Germany as their “dream country,” while also saying that crossing the Aegean to reach the EU has become a much less attractive an option following reports of large numbers of deaths from capsized makeshift boats.

Despite the high level of unpredictability, most of the refugees -- who are predominantly Syrian -- maintain their belief that a journey to Germany is somehow possible. Their biggest concern is the future of their children, since most of them are not receiving an education in Turkey. ‘There is no mercy or conscience in Turkey'

One of the most blunt Syrians who Today's Zaman spoke to is 39-year-old Ahmet Mesur, who used to be a schoolteacher in his home country. He worked as a construction worker in Turkey but was not paid after working for 45 days. “Turkey is like heaven, but there is no mercy or conscience,” Ahmet says, indicating the poor condition of women and children nearby.

“We are human beings, not animals,” Ahmet cries out. When asked the reasons for his desire to leave Turkey, he cites the following: “The cheapest rent in İstanbul is TL 1,000, our children have not been to school for the last three years and in public hospitals we only receive free examinations and no medication, which is expensive.”

Ahmet complains about a lack of genuine Islam in Muslim countries and argues that there is more humanity in European countries, most of which are Christian.

‘We work like slaves'

Another common complaint about Syrians is the expense of paperwork in Turkey. They say that for residence and work permits, TL 1,500 is asked per person. Most of them also say they are asked to work like slaves in very low-paying jobs and often do not receive their wages on time.

Although the majority of refugees are Syrians, others from different nationalities such as Cemşit Muhammed from Afghanistan are to be found in the stadium. He says that his asylum request has been denied and he wants to go to Germany because he does not feel comfortable in Turkey.

Hmmmm......'Islamic solidarity' 101. Read the full story here.

Amnesty Coordinator Heuschmann: 'Turkey violates the international humanitarian law'.

Amnesty Coordinator Heuschmann: 'Turkey violates the international humanitarian law'. (ANF).

Maya Heuschmann, Coordinator of the Turkey Section of Amnesty International Switzerland, stated that the Turkish state openly violated the international humanitarian law. Heuschmann underlined that; “The massacre of civilians perpetrated by the Turkish state in Kurdistan is unacceptable. If the presidential system longed by Erdoğan is realized, democracy can never be a matter of discussion in Turkey again.”

Coordinator of the Turkey Section of Amnesty International Switzerland talked to ANF regarding the war waged by Erdoğan and AKP in Kurdistan for the sake of their own ruling, and the dimension of the massacres committed by Turkish military and police forces against civilians.

'TURKISH STATE ONCE AGAIN RESORTS TO REPRESSION AND VIOLENCE'

Heuschmann pointed out that Amnesty International has made an examination on civilian deaths that came after Erdoğan and AKP dragged the country into a renewed conflict by ignoring the peace talks going on for a long time. She underlined that the most attention grabbing point of the information they obtained and the examination they made was the fact that the Turkish state has once again resorted to repression and violence.

'DEMOCRACY CANNOT BE TALKED ABOUT IF PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM IS REALIZED'

Heuschmann said it was unacceptable that Erdoğan dragged the country into a war once again after the defeat he suffered in June 7 election, adding that this imposition by Erdoğan had no judicial nor legal aspect. She underlined that democracy can never be a matter of discussion in Turkey again if the presidential system longed by Erdoğan is realized.

'TURKEY VIOLATES THE INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW'

Remarking that the Turkish state openly violated the International Geneva Convention Humanitarian Law by perpetrating a massacre of civilians in its attacks in the Kurdish region, Heuschmann called for an urgent ending of the state's attacks on civilians.

Heuschmann said international human rights organizations failed to play an effective role in the ongoing war in Kurdistan, adding; "Our basic duty is to research into the right violations committed there, and to present the results to the governments and create awareness towards the incidents taking place. However, Turkish government officials do not pay much regard to the reports we prepare and present to them."

'UN COULD SEND PEACEKEEPING FORCES TO KURDISTAN'

Proposing that the United Nations could act on the matter and send peacekeeping forces to the Kurdish region in Turkey, Heuschmann said; "The UN can act urgently and take some initiatives to stop the war if it wants. Yet, it seems the UN pursues a policy that avoids direct involvement in this process and remains contented with just watching the happenings from outside."

'HDP IS A GREAT CHANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF TURKEY'S PEOPLES'

Noting that human rights defenders who advocate peace against war were shocked and disappointed to see the re-beginning of war in the wake of the long-lasting peace talks, Heuschmann said the HDP's struggle for peace against the impositions of war raised hopes among the defenders of peace.

Likening HDP's march to Cizre to Martin Luther King's freedom march, Heuschmann pointed out that HDP was a great chance for the future of Turkey's peoples.

'EUROPEAN SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD OBSERVE NOVEMBER 1 ELECTIONS'

Referring to the snap election to be held on November 1, Heuschmann emphasized that a new election in the current conflict environment wouldn't be a democratic one as the people didn't have the circumstances to go to polls and reflect their will freely.

She underlined that it raised doubts how the security of elections could be ensured now that Erdoğan imposed a new election for the sake of his own ruling. Calling for the involvement of the European Security Council in the process to act as an observer for November 1 election, Heuschmann added; "We should never give up hope nor struggle for peace." Hmmm......'Islamist' Turkey is already de facto a dictatorship.

Amnesty International director alleged to have links to Muslim Brotherhood & radical Islamists

Amnesty International director alleged to have links to Muslim Brotherhood & radical Islamists. (RT).

A senior Amnesty International official has been found to have private links with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and revolutionary Islamists accused of plotting a coup in an Arab state.

Amnesty’s director of faith and human rights, Yasmin Hussein, stayed overnight at the residence of a Muslim Brotherhood advisor during an official visit to Egypt in direct contravention of Amnesty guidelines.

Her husband was also named as an alleged Islamist in documents relating to a 2013 sedition trial in the United Arab Emirates.

Hussein, who was until recently the charity’s director of international advocacy and among its leading voices at the UN, denies being an Islamist and has said she is “vehemently opposed” to raising money for “any organization that supports terrorism.”

An investigation published by The Times claimed that Hussein, 51, held a private meeting with a Muslim Brotherhood government official during an Amnesty mission to Egypt in 2012.

After the private meeting with Adly al-Qazzaz, a ministerial education adviser, Hussein had dinner with his family and stayed overnight in their home.

Amnesty International was not informed of the visit, despite instructing its staff to declare any links that may generate a real or perceived conflict of interest with its independence and impartiality.

An Amnesty employee told The Times that the charity had strict rules on overseas trips, adding: “For an Amnesty delegate to accept an invitation to stay at the residence of a government official is a serious breach of protocol.”

The Muslim Brotherhood is considered a terrorist organization in Bahrain, Russia, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

According to The Times, Adly al-Qazzaz’s family was well connected within the party. His son, Khaled al-Qazzaz, was the Brotherhood’s presidential secretary for foreign affairs. His daughter was the official spokeswoman for the group in the UK.

Both Adly al-Qazzaz and his son were arrested and detained following the military coup in 2013, but the father has since been released.

Hussein said she did not know about the Muslim Brotherhood positions held by members of the family and that she met with al-Qazzaz to speak about “the synergies between human rights and educational planning.”

Amnesty said that, with the exception of the overnight stay, it “found no evidence to suggest any inappropriate links between Ms Hussein and the al-Qazzaz family.”

In a separate incident, Hussein’s husband was identified in documents released after a criminal trial of Islamists accused of plotting a coup in the United Arab Emirates.

Wael Musabbeh was one of several alleged British Islamists, none of whom were charged, named in documents relating to a 2013 trial that ended with the jailing of more than 60 Emirati citizens for conspiracy and sedition.

Amnesty, which challenged the fairness of the trial at the time, said it was unaware of the connection because it did not realize Musabbeh was Hussein’s husband.

Musabbeh is also a director and trustee of Human Relief Foundation, a global Islamic charity banned in Israel for its alleged connecting to groups which finance Hamas. Hmmm......Just Like the Mafia the Muslim brother - Sisterhood is everywhere. Read the full story here.

Amnesty International: "Turkey committed gross human rights violations in Gezi Park protests".

Amnesty International: "Turkey committed gross human rights violations in Gezi Park protests".HT: AmnestyInt.

Turkish authorities committed human rights violations on a massive scale in the government’s attempts to crush the Gezi Park protests this summer said Amnesty International.

In a report published today the organization details the worst excesses of police violence, during the protests, the failure to bring these abuses to justice and the subsequent prosecution and harassment of those that took part.

“The attempt to smash the Gezi Park protest movement involved a string of human rights violations on a huge scale. They include the wholesale denial of the right to peaceful assembly and violations of the rights to life, liberty and the freedom from torture and ill-treatment,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s expert on Turkey.

A “democratization package” announced by the Prime Minister on Monday fails to address these violations or to take any serious steps to ensure that they will not occur in the future.

Amnesty International’s report, Gezi Park protests: Brutal denial of the right to peaceful assembly in Turkey, details how the use of live ammunition, tear gas, water cannon, plastic bullets and beatings of protestors left more than 8,000 people injured at the scene of demonstrations. The deaths of at least three protestors have been linked to the abusive use of force by police. The organization monitored demonstrations in Istanbul and Ankara and interviewed scores of people in four cities across Turkey who were injured by police or who were unlawfully detained, beaten or sexually assaulted during detention.

The report documents how:

• Protesters and others were severely beaten resulting in one death and scores of injuries.

• Police frequently fired plastic bullets directly at protesters’ heads and upper bodies;

• Tear gas canisters were routinely fired directly at protestors, bystanders and sometimes into residential buildings and medical facilities, resulting in hundreds of injuries and, according to witnesses, at least one death;

• Chemical irritants were added to water cannon supply tanks;

• Women protesters were sexually abused by law enforcement officials;

• Live ammunition was used, killing one protester

“The levels of violence used by police in the course of Gezi Park protests clearly show what happens when poorly trained, poorly supervised police officers are instructed to use force - and encouraged to use it unsparingly – safe in the knowledge that they are unlikely ever to be identified or prosecuted for their abuses,“ said Andrew Gardner.

The vast majority of police abuses already look likely to go unpunished, while many of those who organised and participated in the protests have been vilified, abused and now face prosecution on unfair or inflated charges. Those who assisted protestors or reported on the protests – such as doctors, lawyers, journalists and even businesses - have faced threats and harassment.

“The determination of the Turkish authorities to end the Gezi Park protests – and discourage their recurrence is clear. Their tactics of choice have been force, threats, insults and prosecution,” said Andrew Gardner.

“Hundreds of people are facing prosecution solely for their participation in the demonstrations without evidence that they themselves participated in any violent act.”

“Many of those accused of organising of the protests are being investigated under anti-terrorism legislation.” “The Turkish government must learn to tolerate the dissenting opinions expressed through street protests and ensure that police are equipped, trained and instructed to police them lawfully.”

Amnesty International is calling on governments and suppliers of riot control equipment to impose an immediate export or transfer ban on Turkey: In particular tear gas and pepper sprays; plastic bullets and other kinetic impact projectiles.

Such a ban should remain in force until the Turkish authorities allow prompt, independent and impartial investigations into the allegations of abusive or arbitrary use of force, and demonstrate a commitment to their use in accordance with international standards.Read the full story here.

Amnesty International calls on Turkey for cooperation on Paris attack investigation .

Kurds protesting in Paris

Amnesty International calls on Turkey for cooperation on Paris attack investigation.(HD).Turkish authorities should cooperate to uncover details in the investigation of the murder of three Kurdish women in Paris to bring the responsible party to justice, the director of Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia Program, John Dalhuisen said in a statement.

Amnesty International issued a written statement today on its website highlighting the killing of three Kurdish women in Paris.

“There must be justice for these apparently political killings – no stone must be left unturned in the investigation by the French authorities,” said Dalhuisen.

Dalhuisen emphasized the ongoing negotiations process' importance between the Turkish government and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), underlying that both sides should ensure the continuation of this process.

The statement cited the fact that 40,000 people have died in the conflict between the Turkish army and PKK militants since 1984, while adding the PKK is regarded by Turkey, the United States and the European Union as a terrorist organization.Read the full story here.

Related: PKK militants should leave Turkey: Erdoğan.

The aim of ongoing talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is to convince the group’s militants to lay down their arms and abandon Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday.

“Our sincerity can be seen in the steps that we have taken in the last few days. Our aim is to have the separatist terrorist organization’s cadres leave Turkey. [We want to make them] lay down their arms and leave,” Erdoğan said during a joint press conference with Nigerien Prime Minister Mahamadou Issoufou in reference to the talks between Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, and the government.

Erdoğan also accused the PKK of committing “provocations” by attacking a military station in the eastern province of Hakkari on Jan. 8.

“During such peace initiatives, the [PKK] has always showed the [worst behavior] possible. We will continue our operations.
Meanwhile, more details have emerged on the ongoing talks on İmralı. Abdülkadir Selvi of daily Yeni Şafak reported that discussions focused on the fate of the executive cadres of the PKK’s headquarters in the Kandil Mountains of northern Iraq.

“Under the current road map prepared in the İmralı-Ankara-Kandil triangle, there are plans to deport the executive cadre of the PKK to a single European capital. In the former process, the executive cadre, comprising 225 people, was supposed to be distributed to several European capitals. Now, however, the core executive group of 50 leaders at Kandil will be sent to Europe. The country has not been decided yet. This plan paves the way for the others to return to Turkey and enter politics,” Selvi said.Hmmmm.....The 'Country' wouldn't be 'France' by any chance?