HRAA: BlastsinGungorenIstanbul
ENG002/2008
July 28, 2008
We, as Human Rights Agenda Association would like to express our deep grief about the successive bombings which caused the killings of 17 people and injured more than 150 people in Güngören, Istanbul. No matter what the reasons are and who are behind it, this horrific act which is an open breach of human rights and humanitarian law which are recognised and highly regarded by the international community cannot possibly be legitimised under any circumstances.
This act is a direct violation of “right to live” which is protected and guaranteed by international human rights documents and is a direct violation of the common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions:
“Common Article 3 of Geneva Conventions 1949
Art. 3. In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:
(1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shallin all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.
To this end, the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
(a) violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
b) taking of hostages;
(c) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
(d) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions withoutprevious judgement pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording allthe judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.
(2) The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for. An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict.
The Parties to the conflict should further endeavour to bring into force, by means of special agreements, all or part of the other provisions of the present Convention.
The application of the preceding provisions shall notaffect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict.”
Since its inception, Human Rights Agenda Association has categorically rejected violence of any kind. While the Association is aware of the fact that states are actually the main perpetrators of human rights abuses, it equally rejects human rights violations carried out by armed opposition groups. In this connection, we, as Human Rights Agenda Association, deem these blasts as outrageous attack against humanity as a whole and therefore openly express our protest. This assault, which was clearly carried out with full hate, is at the same time directed against human rights, humanitarian law and democracy. We express our sincere condolences to those who lost their loved ones and wish speedy recovery to the injured. We demand that all requirements of the victims are fully met and that those who are responsible must be brought before law at once.
Respectfullyyours,
Human Rights Agenda Association