The arrest and detention of Turkish engineer Dr. Faruk Yarman, based on the Turkish Government’s trial of an alleged conspiracy dating back to 2003, seems to violate due process as required under international law. CCS urges authorities in Turkey to ensure that Dr. Yarman is entitled to access to counsel and family while imprisoned and to early release under bail or bond, since he has not been accused of a violent crime.
Read our letter:
February 22, 2012
President Abdullah Gül
Office of the President
Cumhurbaskanligi Kosku
Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey
Via fax to: +90 312 470 13 16
Your Excellency:
We are an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world. We write in concern about Dr. Faruk Yarman.
Dr. Yarman is a Turkish engineer who has been detained in Silivri Prison in Istanbul since August 13, 2011. Dr. Yarman received his MS and Ph.D. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For the past 25 years he has worked for various companies in the defense industry. Although no charges have been brought against Dr. Yarman, he has been in jail for more than five months following accusations of involvement in plotting an alleged military coup (“Ergenekon”) in 2003 that was never carried out.
We understand that a number of US and Turkish engineering colleagues have affirmed that Dr. Yarman is a man of excellent character and repute who has never used or advocated violence. Imprisonment without charges or trial is prohibited under international human law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory, and the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is also a party.
We therefore respectfully urge you to intervene in Dr. Yarman’s case to ensure that it proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey’s obligations under domestic and international law. We also urge you to ensure Dr. Yarman’s well being in custody, including access to counsel and family, as well as reasonable opportunity for release on bail or bond pending the resolution of the proceedings, as we understand that Dr. Yarman has not been accused of violence and poses no threat of violence warranting pre-trial detention.
Sincerely,
Eugene ChudnovskyAlexander Greer
Joel Lebowitz
Walter Reich
Paul Plotz
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Copies to:
His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister
His Excellency Namik Tan, Ambassador ot Turkey to the US
The Hon. Framcis J. Ricciardone, Jr., US Ambassador to Turkey
Sir Nicolas Bratza, President, European Court of Justice,
The Hon. Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.