Ongoing detention of Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and initiation of repatriation of Doctor Sekouba Conde
On 28 March 2019, Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde was released from detention on probation with an international travel ban. She was detained on terrorism-related charges since October 2017 in İzmir Women’s Prison.
Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde has been detained for over 15 months on terrorism-related charges and is currently being held in İzmir Women’s Prison. Her next hearing is scheduled for 28 March 2019.
On 16 January 2018, a lawyer confirmed the ongoing detention of Dr. Sekouba Conde in Harmandalı Repatriation Centre in İzmir. The defender had been uncontactable for over a month.
On 11 October 2017, human rights defender Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde was put in pre-trial detention and charged with “membership of an armed terrorist organisation.” A repatriation process was also initiated against her husband, human rights defender Dr. Sekouba Conde, who is originally from Guinea and a legal resident in Turkey. He has been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and possesses a two year residency and work permit issued by Turkish authorities and valid until 2019.
Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and Dr. Sekouba Conde are the founders of the Association of Solidarity and Mutual Assistance to Migrants (ASEM), an organisation which focuses on the right to health of African migrants and refugees and in particular, helps migrants and refugees who cannot access medical treatment because of constraints in Turkish health policies for migrants and refugees.
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- 15 April 2019 : Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde released from detention on probation with an international travel ban
- 21 February 2019 : Ongoing judicial harassment of Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and Dr. Sekouba Conde
- 18 January 2018 : Ongoing detention of Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and initiation of repatriation of Doctor Sekouba Conde
On 28 March 2019, Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde was released from detention on probation with an international travel ban. She was detained on terrorism-related charges since October 2017 in İzmir Women’s Prison.
On 4 October 2017, Dr. Sekouba Conde and Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde’s house was raided by police in connection with a case against a number of people accused of “membership of a terrorist organisation”, namely the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party (DHKP-C), recognised as a terrorist organisation in Turkey. A witness in this case had testified against Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde, claiming that during a symposium, she worked as an interpreter on behalf of the DHKP-C.
Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde still faces charge of “membership of a terrorist organisation.” Her next hearing is scheduled for 20 June 2019.
Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde has been detained for over 15 months on terrorism-related charges and is currently being held in İzmir Women’s Prison. Her next hearing is scheduled for 28 March 2019. The last confirmed location of her husband, Dr. Sekouba Conde, was Aydın Repatriation Centre, where he had been detained since July 2018. He had only been released from Harmandalı Repatriation Centre in May 2018.
Dr. Sekouba Conde and Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde, are the founders of the Association of Solidarity and Mutual Assistance to Migrants (ASEM), an organisation that focuses on the right to health of African migrants and refugees. It helps migrants and refugees, who are not ordinarily entitled to healthcare in Turkey, to access medical treatment.
At her last hearing on 10 January 2019, an anonymous witness testified that Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde had done translations into Arabic on behalf of a terrorist organisation. This is despite the fact that the woman human rights defender does not speak Arabic. She made reference to the hearing in a letter she sent to the online newspaper Bianet on 15 February 2019. In the same letter, she said that she had not recently received any letters from her husband, Dr. Sekouba Conde. His current whereabouts remain unconfirmed.
On 4 October 2017, Dr. Sekouba Conde and Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde’s home was raided by police in connection with a case against a number of people accused of “membership of a terrorist organisation”, namely the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party (DHKP-C), recognised as a terrorist organisation in Turkey. A witness in this case had testified against Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde, claiming that during a symposium, she worked as an interpreter on behalf of the DHKP-C. Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde has been detained since October 2017 and charged with “membership of a terrorist organisation.” After being transferred to various locations, she is now being held in İzmir Women’s Prison.
When police attempted to forcefully take Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde into custody during the raid, her husband Dr. Sekouba Conde intervened and stated his intention to file a complaint. He was taken into custody for “resisting a police officer” and threatened with repatriation to his native Guinea. The human rights defenders were brought to İstanbul Security Directorate’s Anti-Terror Branch. Although Dr. Sekouba Conde’s lawyers were told that he would be released, a repatriation process was initiated by the Directorate General of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior for “posing a threat to public order, public security or public health.”
On 14 February 2018, Dr. Sekouba Conde’s lawyer was told that the repatriation process initiated against Dr. Sekouba Conde was temporarily suspended, and on 30 March 2018, his lawyer learned that the Constitutional Court of Turkey had made an interim decision suspending his repatriation to Guinea. On 15 May 2018, he was released from Harmandalı Repatriation Centre, where he had been held for over eight months. On 24 July 2018, he was detained once again, despite holding a valid residence permit for Turkey. Following this detention, he was believed to have been held in Aydin Repatriation Centre.
Front Line Defenders expresses its concern over the ongoing detention of Dr. Sekouba Conde and Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde. It urges the authorities in Turkey to immediately release and drop charges against Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde, to confirm the whereabouts of Dr. Sekouba Conde, and to drop the repatriation process against him if he remains at risk of repatriation, as it is believed both defenders are being targeted solely as a result of their legitimate human rights work.
On 16 January 2018, a lawyer confirmed the ongoing detention of Dr. Sekouba Conde in Harmandalı Repatriation Centre in İzmir. The defender had been uncontactable for over a month.
On 11 October 2017, human rights defender Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde was put in pre-trial detention and charged with “membership of an armed terrorist organisation.” A repatriation process was also initiated against her husband, human rights defender Dr. Sekouba Conde, who is originally from Guinea and a legal resident in Turkey. He has been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and possesses a two year residency and work permit issued by Turkish authorities and valid until 2019.
On 4 October 2017, the human rights defenders’ home was raided by police in connection with a case against a number of people accused of “membership of a terrorist organisation”, namely the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party (DHKP-C), recognised as a terrorist organisation in Turkey. A witness in this case testified against Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde, claiming that during a symposium, she worked as an interpreter on behalf of the DHKP-C.
When police attempted to forcefully take Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde into custody, her husband intervened and stated his intention to file a complaint against the responsible police officers. Dr. Sekouba Conde was threatened that he would be sent to a repatriation centre and taken into custody for “resisting a police officer.” The defenders were brought to İstanbul Security Directorate’s Anti-Terror Branch. Although the lawyers were informed that Dr. Sekouba Conde would be released, a repatriation process was initiated by the Directorate General of Migration Management of the Ministry of Interior under Article 54 (1) of the law “On Foreigners and International Protection”: “a removal decision shall be issued in respect of those foreigners who/whose (d): pose a public order, public security or public health threat.” Dr. Sekouba Conde’s lawyer appealed the initiation of a repatriation process but the appeal has not yet been heard.
On 11 October 2017, Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde was charged with “membership of an armed terrorist organisation” by the Istanbul Vacation Criminal Judgeship of Peace and placed in pre-trial detention in Balıkesir T Type Prison. The case is confidential and the authorities have failed to provide any information regarding the investigation to the lawyers. Her husband Dr. Sekouba Conde was initially sent to Istanbul Kumkapı Repatriation Centre, Kırıkkale before being sent to İzmir Harmandalı Repatriation Centre. For approximately one month after he was sent to İzmir Harmandalı Repatriation Centre, Dr. Sekouba Conde was uncontactable, leading his colleagues to presume that he had already been repatriated.
On 16 January 2018, a lawyer from İzmir Bar Association reported that Dr. Sekouba Conde is still detained in Harmandalı Repatriation Centre in İzmir and visited him. The lawyer reported that Dr. Sekouba Conde was deprived of his right to make a phone call and could not inform anybody about his situation.
Front Line Defenders is concerned about the detention of Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and the possible repatriation of Dr. Sekouba Conde as it is believed that they have been targeted solely as a result of their legitimate human rights work.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Turkey to:
1. Immediately drop all charges against Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and unconditionally release Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and Doctor Sekuoba Conde;
2. Ensure respect for the rights of Ayşe Lerzan Caner Conde and Dr. Sekouba Conde while in detenion, including unfettered access to family and a lawyer;
3. End up the repatriation process, considering that Dr. Sekouba Conde has been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and could be at risk if sent back to his country of origin;
4. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Turkey are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
