Prominent Turkish endocrinologist Cihangir Erem was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for alleged affiliation with the Gülen movement. His sentence was based on evidence consisting of routine activities such as using the services of a federally approved bank. He appears to be a target of political scapegoating.
https://apnews.com/article/european-court-bylock-coup-turkey-c42bdb9f56d3046097bc5e105048ddbc
December 6, 2023
Yilmaz Tunc
Minister of Justice
Department of Justice, 06659 Kizilay, Ankara, Türkiye
E-mail: info@adalet.gov.tr
Phone: +90 (0312) 417 77 70
Fax: +90 (0312) 419 33 70
X: @adalet_bakanlik
Dear Minister Tunc:
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 write to express our concern for Professor Cihangir Erem, an internationally recognized Turkish endocrinology and metabolism expert. He was arrested in September 2023 after the Supreme Court of Appeals upheld his sentence to seven years and six months in prison due to alleged ties to the Gülen Movement.
Evidence justifying his conviction included transactions at the Gülen-affiliated Bank Asya, involvement in the group’s religious conversations, and certain books found in his home, which were used to prove his membership in the movement. We are deeply concerned that these accusations are baseless and that he is a target of political scapegoating. For example, millions of Turkish people, including members of the ruling party utilized the services of Bank Asya, since it was a federally approved official bank.
In the recent “Yalcinkaya” judgment case on September 26, 2023, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that Turkish courts’ conviction of a teacher of terrorism over activities such as the use of a mobile application or having an account at a certain bank was unlawful. The ECtHR faulted Turkey due to violations of three articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR): Article 6, which concerns the right to a fair trial; Article 7 on no punishment without law; and Article 11 on freedom of assembly and association. We believe that the Turkish court is committing the same violations in the case of Prof. Cihangir Erem.
We urge that the charges against our colleague, Professor Cihangir Erem, be dismissed. He is a highly respected scholar, the 69th most cited endocrinology expert in the world, according to Google Scholar data, and his skills would be better used in a medical setting for patient care than in a prison.
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:
Murat Mercan
Ambassador of the Türkiye to the United States
2525 Massachusetts Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20008, USA
E-mail: embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr
Phone: +1 202 612 67 00
Fax: +1 202 612 67 44
X: https://twitter.com/turkishembassy
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520, USA
Phone: + 1 202 647-4000
X: @ABlinken
Zuhtu Arslan
President Of Supreme Court
Address: Ahlatlıbel Mahallesi İncek Şehit Savcı Mehmet Selim Kiraz Bulvarı No:4
Posta Kodu:06805
Çankaya, Ankara
E-mail: bilgi anayasa.gov.tr
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