Turkey: Response from the police and judicial system to complaints of religious violence or harassment filed by Alevis in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey; whether there is any difference in the situation of Alevis in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey (September 2001 - September 2004)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 20 September 2004 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TUR42995.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Turkey: Response from the police and judicial system to complaints of religious violence or harassment filed by Alevis in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey; whether there is any difference in the situation of Alevis in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey (September 2001 - September 2004), 20 September 2004, TUR42995.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/42df61aed.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
This Response contains sections of TUR37721.E of 6 September 2001.
A November 2002 report on Asylum seekers from Turkey by David McDowal, an author who has written extensively on Middle Eastern issues, stated that
Alevi Kurds frequently report an assault or trashing of merchandise etc. by people they often describe as "fascists" or "Grey Wolves"..., only to be warned off or beaten up by the police for the temerity of reporting the incident. ... The expectation on the part of the security forces that Alevi Kurds were likely to be leftists, and therefore liable to mistreatment, was voiced by a number of our informants.
No additional information was found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate on the response from the police and judicial system to complaints of religious violence or harassment filed by Alevis in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey.
However, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2002 indicated that in June 2002, the journalist Nese Duzel, from the daily Radikal was released from charges of "inciting religious enmity" for her writings on the problems of the Alevi community (31 Mar. 2003). According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nese Duzel had been arrested following an 8 January 2001 interview with Mutaza Demir, the president of an Alevi foundation (30 Apr. 2002). This information is corroborated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who, however, identified Murteza Demir as the leader of the Alevi Community (18 Jan. 2001). According to CPJ, during the interview with Murteza Demir,"Demir [had] complained about official discrimination against Alevis, claiming they [were] denied rights and a communal identity and [were] treated with contempt." (18 Jan. 2001). No current information on consequences of interactions between the media and Alevis could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
For general information on the judicial system in Turkey, please refer to Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website at http://www.mfa.gov.tr/grupc/cc/ccc/juidi.htm.
No information on whether there is any difference in the situation of Alevis in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 18 January 2001. Attacks on The Press 2001. "Middle East and North Africa 2001: Turkey."
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2002.31 March 2003. United States Department of State. Washington, DC.
McDowall, David. November 2002. Asylum Seekers from Turkey II. Asylum Aid Website.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF). 30 April 2002. 2000 Freedom of the Press Throughout The World Report. "Turkey."
Additional Sources Consulted
Publication: The Europa World Year Book.
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), BBC, Dialog, Human Rights Association of Turkey, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT), European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Minority Rights Group International (MRG), Organization of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (MAZLUMDER), Turkish Daily News.
