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UN chief should protest Turkey's arrest of journalist who addressed UN



GENEVA, UN chief Ban Ki-moon and human rights commissioner Zeid should urgently protest Turkey's arrest today of journalist and human rights defender Orhan Kemal Cengiz, a possible act of reprisal for his human rights advocacy including his recent visit to the UN Human Rights Council to testify about human rights violations by the Turkish government, said UN Watch, a Geneva based non-governmental human rights group. As reported in the media, Cengiz and his wife Sibel Hurtas, also a journalist, were detained today at Istanbul's Atatruk airport, while about to board a flight to London to attend a conference. Hurtas has since been released.
Mr. Cengiz visited the UN Human Rights Council in February, and testified about human rights abuses in Turkey, hosted by the Geneva Summit for Human Rights, a coalition of 25 human rights groups including UN Watch. Yesterday he was interviewed by the Washington Post. "By arresting a peaceful journalist, lawyer and human rights defender, the Turkish government compromises its claim to be defending democracy and the rule of law," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. "We urge Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner Zeid to speak out today." Click here for more information on Orhan Kemal Cengiz

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UN Watch -- Bio and Archives

UN Watch is a Geneva-based human rights organization founded in 1993 to monitor UN compliance with the principles of its Charter. It is accredited as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and as an Associate NGO to the UN Department of Public Information (DPI).


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