Orhan Inandi, a Turkish-Kyrgyz educator and President of Sapat Schools, was taken from Kyrgyzstan and brought to Turkey where he was allegedly tortured and charged with being an executive of a terrorist organization. Inandi had been working in Kyrgyzstan since 1995 and President of the Schools since 2001. He has received several medals and awards while in this position.
August 25, 2021
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
President of the Republic of Turkey
Beştepe, Cumhurbaşkanlığı Boulevard
06560 Yenimahalle
Ankara, Republic of Turkey
Phone: +90-312-525-5555
Dear President Erdogan:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is 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 are writing this letter in regard to Orhan Inandi, who is a Turkish-Kyrgyz educator and President of Sapat Schools in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He was kidnapped from his home country Kyrgyzstan by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and was tortured. The Turkish President also acknowledged in a statement following a Cabinet meeting on July 5th that Inandi was actually abducted by MIT, lauding the Turkish spies involved. After being unlawfully brought to Turkey, he was arrested on July 12th on charges of serving as an executive of a “terrorist” organization.
Inandi had been working in Kyrgyzstan since 1995 and had been the President of Sapat Schools since 2001. He received the title of “Excellence in Education of the Kyrgyz Republic” in 2002 and was awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2003 and the Dank Medal of the Kyrgyz Republic for his contributions. The abduction, forcible disappearance and extrajudicial transfer of Orhan Inandi to Turkey by Turkish authorities is not an isolated incident. It is an arbitrary violation of international and domestic law and international human rights norms and standards.
The committee is concerned that these charges are actually retaliation for the nonviolent exercise of the right to freedom of expression and are part of a recurring pattern of unlawful abductions of dissidents abroad by the MIT.
We write to urge you to ensure that Inandi is treated fairly, that he is provided with adequate medical treatment, and afforded regular access to family and independent legal representation. We further urge that whatever legal proceedings are held in his case meet international standards for fair trials, including not being held behind closed doors. If the charges are simply political in origin, he must be released immediately and unconditionally and returned to his home country, Kyrgyzstan.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Cc:
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken
Ambassador Hasan Murat Mercan
Embassy of the Republic of Turkey
2525 Massachusetts Avenue. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 1-202-612-6700 OR 202-612-6701
Fax: 1-202-612-6744
Email: embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr
Twitter: @TurkishEmbassy
The Honorable Dunja Mijatovic
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe
Avenue de I ‘Europe F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)3-88-41-3421
Fax: +33 (0)3-90-21-5053
Email: commissioner@coe.int
Committee Against Torture
Petitions and Inquiries Section
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
E-mail: petitions@ohchr.org,
TB-petitions@ohchr.org,
cat@ohchr.org,
registry@ohchr.org
Mr. Kemal Kilicdaroglu
President of Republican People’s Party
Söğütözü, Anadolu Boulevard, No:12
06510 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
Phone: +90- 312-207-4000
Twitter: @kilicdarogluk
Mrs. Meral Aksener
President of IYI Party
Mustafa Kemal, 2120. Cd. No:9,
06520, Çankaya
Ankara, Turkey
Phone: +90-312-408-0808
Twitter: @meral_aksener