Woman human rights defender Sebnem Korur Fincancı sentenced to imprisonment, granted release from prison
On 11 January 2023, Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court sentenced woman human rights defender and doctor Şebnem Korur Fincancı to 2 years 8 months 15 days imprisonment on charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” under article 7/2 of the Law on the Fight Against Terrorism. The court also ruled for her release from prison. She was released from Bakirköy Women’s Prison in the evening of the same day. The human rights defender appealed her sentence at the Istanbul regional court of appeals.
On 20 October 2022, the Ankara Chief Prosecutor launched a criminal investigation against the woman human rights defender and the head of Turkish Medical Association Şebnem Korur Fincancı over her remarks during a live interview she gave to Medya News TV on 19 October 2022. The woman human rights defender is being accused of “terrorist propaganda” and “degrading the Turkish nation, the State of Turkish Republic and the Institutions of the State”. The investigation was initiated following the complaint made by the Ministry of Defence.
Şebnem Korur Fincancı is a woman human rights defender and the President of the Turkish Medical Association. She is a member and the former head of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation. She is also one of the founding members of the Forensic Doctors’ Association and has played a major role in the development of the Istanbul Protocol, which sets the United Nations reference standards on the investigation and documentation of the cases of torture. She has conducted forensic investigations, at times undercover, to expose torture in multiple countries. In 2014 she received the International Hrant Dink Award and the Hessian Peace Prize in 2018.
On 11 January 2023, Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court sentenced woman human rights defender and doctor Şebnem Korur Fincancı to 2 years 8 months 15 days imprisonment on charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” under article 7/2 of the Law on the Fight Against Terrorism. The court also ruled for her release from prison. She was released from Bakirköy Women’s Prison in the evening of the same day. The human rights defender appealed her sentence at the Istanbul regional court of appeals.
Şebnem Korur Fincancı is a woman human rights defender, forensic medical expert and the President of the Turkish Medical Association. She is a both a member, and has served as the former head of, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation. She is also one of the founding members of the Forensic Medicine Specialists Association and has played a major role in the development of the Istanbul Protocol, which sets the United Nations reference standards on the investigation and documentation of the cases of torture. She has conducted forensic investigations, at times undercover, to expose torture in multiple countries. In 2014 she received the International Hrant Dink Award and in 2018 the Hessian Peace Prize.
On 11 January, the third hearing of the case against woman human rights defender, the head of Turkish Medical Association Şebnem Korur Fincancı took place at the Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court, where the prosecutor had asked for the maximum sentence of seven and a half years as punishment for “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” through mass media.
In her final address to the court, she said that she and the Turkish Medical Association had been targeted because of their rights-focused work. Her lawyers warned the court that the criminal proceedings in question had violated her right to a fair trial.
Şebnem Korur Fincancı was brought from Ankara to Istanbul to attend her first hearing. She was transported over land, handcuffed in a prisoner transfer vehicle, despite her lawyers’ request for air transfer due to her poor health condition. She was sent to Bakırköy Women’s Prison in Istanbul to await the next hearing which took place on 29 December 2022.
On 27 October Ankara 3rd Criminal Judgeship of Peace ordered that the human rights defender be detained pending trial. She was transferred to Ankara Sincan high security prison, where she was held until the first hearing on 23 December 2022.
On 26 October Sebnem Korur Fincancı was arrested at her home in Istanbul upon orders of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor for “propaganda for a terrorist organisation” as per Article 7 (2) of Anti-Terror Law, and for “degrading the military or security services of the State” as per Article 301 (2) of the Turkish Penal Code.
O n 25 October 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the authorities in Turkey would do whatever it takes to stop the Turkish Medical Association and Şebnem Korur Fincancı, including legal action. Additionally, the chair of the coalition parter Nationalist Movement Party Devlet Bahçeli said that TMA should be closed down and Şebnem Korur Fincancı should be stripped of her Turkish citizenship.
On 20 October 2022 a criminal investigation was launched against the human rights defender after she appeared in a live interview with Medya News TV on 19 October 2022, giving her opinion as a forensic expert on a piece of video footage whereby she said that the footage “reveals that chemical and toxic gases were used which directly affects the central nervous system” and “it is important that an effective investigation must be held to hold the people, the states who use such weapons accountable and this investigation must be conducted by independent delegations.” . Although she didn’t name any institution or state as the perpetrator of the possible use of chemical weapons, the Turkish Ministry of Defence reacted to this by filing a complaint against her, prompting the Prosecutor to initiate an investigation into the matter.
Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of Sebnem Korur Fincancı and calls on the Istanbul regional court of appeals to overturn the prison sentence. It believes that the human rights defender was targeted for her legitimate human rights work and the verdict is a politically motivated decision given after an unfair trial. Furthermore, Front Line Defenders urges the Turkish authorities to stop using anti-terrorism legislation, and laws on degrading and insulting the state and its organs to prevent human rights defenders from exercising their legitimate and peaceful human rights work in the country.
On 20 October 2022, the Ankara Chief Prosecutor launched a criminal investigation against the woman human rights defender and the head of Turkish Medical Association Şebnem Korur Fincancı over her remarks during a live interview she gave to Medya News TV on 19 October 2022. The woman human rights defender is being accused of “terrorist propaganda” and “degrading the Turkish nation, the State of Turkish Republic and the Institutions of the State”. The investigation was initiated following the complaint made by the Ministry of Defence.
Şebnem Korur Fincancı is a woman human rights defender and the President of the Turkish Medical Association. She is a member and the former head of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation. She is also one of the founding members of the Forensic Doctors’ Association and has played a major role in the development of the Istanbul Protocol, which sets the United Nations reference standards on the investigation and documentation of the cases of torture. She has conducted forensic investigations, at times undercover, to expose torture in multiple countries. In 2014 she received the International Hrant Dink Award and the Hessian Peace Prize in 2018.
During the TV interview, the woman human rights defender was asked to give her expert opinion about a video footage, where she said that “it obviously reveals that chemical and toxic gases were used which directly affects the central nervous system” and “it is important that an effective investigation must be held to hold the people, the states who use such weapons accountable and this investigation must be conducted by independent delegations.” Although there was no mention of any particular institution or state in her comments, the criminal investigation claimed that Şebnem Korur Fincanci made propaganda of an armed terrorist organisation (PKK) and that she had publicly proposed that an independent investigation be conducted into the alleged use of a toxic chemical gas which affects the nervous system by the Turkish military in the Iraqi Kurdistan.
Pro-government media outlets and social media accounts initiated a targeting and defamation campaign against the human rights defender. Additionally, senior government officials made statements regarding legal action against Şebnem Korur Fincanci and Turkish Medical Association. On 25 October 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the authorities in Turkey would do whatever it takes to stop the Turkish Medical Association and Şebnem Korur Fincancı, including legal action. Additionally, the chair of the coalition parter Nationalist Movement Party Devlet Bahçeli said that TMA should be closed down and Şebnem Korur Fincancı should be stripped of her Turkish citizenship.
On 26 October 2022, woman human rights defender Şebnem Korur Fincancı was arbitrarily arrested by anti-terror police officers with an early morning raid in her home in Istanbul despite that her lawyers had already informed the prosecutor’s office that she would voluntary testify. The arrest was upon orders from the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor for “propaganda for a terrorist organisation” as per Article 7 (2) of Anti-Terror Law, and for “degrading the military or security services of the State” as per Article 301 (2) of the Turkish Penal Code. The Public Prosecutor’s office also requested her dismissal as the chair of the Turkish Medical Association and the election of a new president.
On 27 October 2022, Şebnem Korur Fincancı was brought before the Ankara 3rd Criminal Judgeship of Peace which ruled for the arrest of the woman human rights defender on accusations of making propaganda for a terrorist organisation. Şebnem Korur Fincancı was then transferred to Sincan F-type high security prison in Ankara where she is still being held.
On 22 November 2022, upon reviewing and the indictment submitted by Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office, the Ankara 4th Heavy Penal Court decided to transfer the case to Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court on the basis of lack of jurisdiction. Şebnem Korur Fincancı will be transferred to Istanbul before the first hearing which will be held on 23 December 2022 at 9.30 in Istanbul.
Front Line Defenders condemns the charges and arbitrary detention of woman human rights defender Şebnem Korur Fincancı as it believes they are directly linked to her legitimate and peaceful human rights work in Turkey. Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned about the Turkish Government’s continued use of anti-terrorism legislation and laws on degrading and insulting the state and its organs to prevent human rights defenders from exercising their legitimate and peaceful human rights work in the country.
