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Human Rights Watch is writing in response to a number of developments in Tunisia since last Friday.
These include, on the one hand, the abduction-style arrest of Moncef Marzouki, his unacknowledged detention for two days, and his being charged with offenses that stem directly from the exercise of his right to freedom of expression and association as the spokesperson of the National Council on Liberties in Tunisia

Your case underscores clearly the personal risks to anyone who tries peacefully to begin a constructive dialogue on any sensitive topic such as the rights of the Kurdish minority. The fact that you were convicted and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment by the Ankara State Security Court in July 1998 for a speech you made on September 1, 1996 calling for peace and understanding with respect to the Kurdish minority and that the indictment specifically mentioned your reference to "the Kurdish people" as an incriminating phrase underscores the severe limits on peaceful expression that continue to exist in Turkey.

We would also like to state once again our outrage at the attack on your life on May 12, 1998, during which you were shot seven times in the lungs and leg. As we noted at the time, this attack followed a reckless campaign in the press purportedly based on leaked information from the prosecutor's office about alleged connections between the Workers Party of Kurdistan (PKK) and the Human Rights Association, which were later shown to be false. This attempted assassination reveals the real physical dangers that exist for those who speak out in Turkey on controversial topics. We remain concerned about the state of your health and are particularly concerned that imprisonment at this point may further exacerbate your injuries.

We continue to be dismayed that such debate, which is an essential component of a democracy and is clearly protected speech under international law, continues to be viewed as treason by the military, the courts, and some politicians. It is our belief that such debate is essential to a search for solutions to some of Turkey's long-standing and difficult problems, including how to guarantee fully the civil and political rights of the Kurdish minority.

Ultimately, we are hopeful that Turkish civil society, together with those in the government who support democratic reform, will succeed in its efforts to ensure true respect for freedom of expression. However, in the meantime, we will continue to urge the Turkish government finally to take the steps necessary to end such violations of its obligations under international human rights law. And we will continue to express to the Turkish government our outrage that you are being imprisoned at all and that it is occurring at a time when your health remains so precarious.

I and my colleagues at Human Rights Watch wish to express our deep regard for your efforts to improve human rights for all citizens of Turkey and send you our best regards. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can do to be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Holly Cartner
Executive Director
Europe and Central Asia Division

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