Photo of Kemal Gürüz, courtesy of the Gürüz family
Dr. Halil Kemal Gürüz, a prominent chemical engineer, educator and retired professor, has become depressed in prison and has attempted suicide, CCS has learned from Dr. Gürüz’ family. He was arrested as part the alleged “Ergenekon” conspiracy charges and has been held in prison without bail since 2012.
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Read about CCS’s continuing efforts on behalf of Kamal Gürüz
His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Eugene Chudnovsky
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Basbakanlik
06573 Ankara, Republic of Turkey
June 18, 2013
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. Halil Kemal Gürüz.
Dr. Gürüz, a chemical engineer, education administrator, retired professor, and former university rector, has been in prison outside of Ankara since June of 2012, on charges relating to the 1997 alleged conspiracy against Turkey’s government (“Ergenekon”). We have been concerned about his arrest and his health, as we wrote to you earlier (letter attached) We understand from Dr. Gürüz’ family that his long imprisonment without bail has led him to become deeply depressed, to the point of attempting suicide.
We therefore respectfully urge you to intervene in Dr. Gürüz’s case at once to ensure that he is immediately released on bail on humanitarian grounds so that he can recover at home, as we understand that Dr. Gürüz has not been accused of violence and poses no threat of violence warranting pre-trial detention.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Alexander Greer
Joel Lebowitz
Walter Reich
Paul PlotzCo-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Related articles
- Prominent Turkish Academic Attempts Suicide in Jail (news.sciencemag.org)
- Trudy Rubin: Clues on Turkey in jailing of educator (mcclatchydc.com)
