86-year-old philanthropist businessman Celal Afsar arrested - TRNEWS

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10 Temmuz 2018 Salı

86-year-old philanthropist businessman Celal Afsar arrested

86-year-old philanthropist businessman, Celal Afsar, is the most recent victim of the injustices in Turkey. Celal Afsar started his first business by selling rugs on his shoulders. Later on, he eventually built the first furniture superstore in Turkey. Celal Afsar who, inspired by Fethullah Gulen, was the founder and major supporter of several private schools in Nigde, Turkey. Over many years, Afsar has provided scholarships and donations for thousands of low-income students to allow them to continue their studies. Local people of Nigde, who refer to him as “Uncle” Celal, describe Celal Afsar as a very humble, generous and honest person. Turkish state public broadcaster TRT depicted his life as an example of dedication to charity in 2011.

Celal Afsar was initially detained and spent seven days in police custody. On Friday, July 6, 2018, around 23:30 PM, he was arrested along with his daughter and son-in-law as part of a purge against the Gulen Movement (also known as the Hizmet Movement). Afsar and his family are accused of providing financial support to a “terrorist organization”. The arrest has also affected the situation of Celal Afsar’s wife. She is a bedridden patient. There is no one that can take care of her in their house as he and his daughter have been arrested.

86-year-old Celal Afsar was arrested despite his serious medial conditions. His doctor’s reports were not taken into consideration. The prison conditions are not satisfactory in Turkey. The Prisons Commission of Turkey’s Human Rights Association (İHD) announced on March 2018 that there are 1,154 ill prisoners in jails across Turkey, with 402 of them in serious condition, stating that these inmates need to be immediately granted the right to healthcare access.

Turkish prisons have turned into death houses during the Erdoğan regime. On July 1st, 2018, Zeki Güven, former intelligence chief of the Ankara Police Department was found dead in his bed at Sincan No 1 F Type Prison. Güven is not the first and will not be the last who has died in the prison. Stockholm Center for Freedom has tried to record people who died since 15 July 2018 in Turkey to the extent it is possible. SCF has compiled 117 cases of suspicious deaths and suicides in Turkey in a list in a searchable database format. Among these people, there are teachers, academicians, volunteers for philanthropic organizations, businessmen, engineers, and doctors.

We wholeheartedly condemn the arrest of the Nigde family who is known for their charity work. We respectfully request your support to urge the Government of Turkey to immediately release the 86-year-old philanthropist, Celal Afsar, his daughter and son-in-law.

Download sample statement as a word document:

We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached statement to following addresses:

1) U.S. Department of State
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

2) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Email: civilsociety@ohchr.org
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

3) Human Rights Watch
Twitter: @hrw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatch
NY Address:350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: +1-212-290-4700
Fax: +1-212-736-1300

Emma Daly, Communications Director
Tel: +1-212-216-1835
Fax: +1-212-736-1300

4) Human Rights Foundation
Twitter: @HRF
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsfoundation/
New York Address:350 5th Ave., #4515 New York, NY, 10001
Phone Number: (212) 246-8486

5) Freedom House
Twitter: @FreedomHouseDC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomHouseDC
info@freedomhouse.org
Phone: 202-296-5101
Fax: 202-293-2840

Annie Boyajian, Advocacy Manager
boyajian@freedomhouse.org

6) Amnesty International
Twitter: @amnestyusa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyusa
report@aiusa.org

7) International Federation for Houman Rights
Twitter: @fidh_en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FIDH.HumanRights
FIDH AT THE UN (NEW-YORK)
110 East 42nd street, Suite 1309 NY 10017 New-York
Phone Number: 001 646 395 7103

8) International Court of Justice
Email: information@icj-cij.org
Phone: (+31) 70 302 23 23
Fax: (+31) 70 364 99 28
Twitter: @CIJ_ICJ
Website: http://www.icj-cij.org/en

Also express your views or send attached statement below to following relevant Turkish authorities.

1. Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Justice
Website: http://www.justice.gov.tr
Email Address: info@adalet.gov.tr
Phone: +90 (0312) 417 77 70
Fax: +90 (0312) 419 33 70

2. Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Website: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/
Contact form: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/contact-us.en.mfa
Phone: +90 (312) 292 10 00

3. Union of Turkish Bar Associations
Website: https://www.barobirlik.org.tr
Email Address: barobirlik@barobirlik.org.tr
Phone: +90 (312) 292 59 00
Fax: +90 (312) 286 31 00

4. Presidency of the Constitutional Court
Website: http://www.anayasa.gov.tr
Email Address: bilgi@anayasa.gov.tr
Phone: +90 (312) 463 73 00
Fax: +90 (312) 463 74 00

5. Court of Cassation
Website: https://www.yargitay.gov.tr
Email Address: iletisim@yargitay.gov.tr
Phone: +90 (312) 416 10 00

6. Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C.
Website: http://vasington.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission
Email Address: embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr
Phone: +1 202 612 67 00
Fax: +1 202 612 67 44

News articles on Celal Afsar’s arrest:

https://turkeypurge.com/86-year-old-businessman-put-in-pre-trial-detention-on-terror-charges-report

https://stockholmcf.org/86-year-old-turkish-philanthropist-arrested-over-gulen-links/

http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/erdogan-ignores-quran-and-purges-more-workers-ahead-of-his-swearing-in/

http://aktifhaber.com/iskence/86-yasindaki-hayirseveri-kizi-ve-damadiyla-tutuklandi-olum-dosegindeki-esine-bakacak-kimse-kalmadi-h119546.html

https://ahvalnews2.com/tr/ohal/86-yasindaki-yurttas-kizi-ve-damadiyla-tutuklandi-yatalak-esine-bakacak-kimse-kalmadi

http://www.yeniasya.com.tr/gundem/86-yasindaki-is-adami-tutuklandi_466971

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from Advocates of Silenced Turkey http://silencedturkey.org/celal-afsar-arrested
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