ATIK | Confederation of Workers from Turkey in Europe | AHM-ATIK News Center
TURKEY | 06 – 04 – 2010 | Avni Er was arrested in Italy on 1st April 2004 and sentenced to 7 years in a trial that repeatedly violated the rights of defense, for “belonging” to the DHKP-C, a communist party of the Turkish revolutionary Left inserted in the infamous blacklists drawn up by the EU after 11th September.
Avni has been over 6 years in prison, continuing to denounce the Turkish fascist state in his letters and asking for rights and dignity for his people. Now he has been released from prison and taken in the CIE [Center for Identification and Expulsion, N. d. T.] of Bari, under the infamous immigration laws. He has been there for about a month.
The imminent risk of judicial expulsion in Turkey hangs over him.
If expelled to Turkey, as a political opponent he risks to be arrested again, in violation of the legislative principle of ne bis in idem, according to which a person cannot be convicted twice for the same crime.
Submitting a second rogatory letter for judicial assistance, (the first was rejected), Turkish government has already demonstrated that wants to continue to institute proceedings against him.
In case of expulsion, Avni could be sentenced again to life imprisonment or to not less than 15 years. He would be immediately arrested and brought in the notorious F-type prisons the Turkish State built since 2000, and there he would be subjected to torture and / or to degrading and inhuman treatment, not only because in Turkey such a breach is constantly practiced against both Turkish and Kurdish political opponents, but also because of the role the sentence of Assizes Court of Perugia assigns him: he is listed as a subject who knows vital information regarding the association DHKP-C, and Turkish counter-terrorism will try to get them by all means in it will think necessary or useful.
Avni has asked for political or humanitarian asylum. But after the elections that made increase the reactionary right within the Berlusconi government in Italy, the territorial jurisdictional Commission has rejected this request, arguing, among other things, that torture in Turkey is not a “systematic practice” and then the fear that this political opponent could be subjected to torture is completely groundless.
The lawyer Flavio Albertini has appealed against this decision before the Court of Bari. Representatives of leftist parties, Italian and international associations for the defense of human rights intervened in support of Avni as well, and also the Italian section of Amnesty International launched a call.
We fear Avni can be nevertheless “delivered” to Turkey, without awaiting the decision of the Court of Bari and in open violation of international treaties on human rights that Italy has signed.
At this time international pressures on our government can be decisive.
We invite you to send mail to:
Ministry of Interior
Roberto Maroni
Palazzo Viminale,
Piazza Viminale 1
00184 Rome, Italy
Fax: + 39 06 46549832
Email: liberta.civiliimmigrazione @ interno.it
