Releasing a joint statement regarding the prison sentence given to Şebnem Korur Fincancı, a signatory to the declaration “We will not be a party to this crime”, rights and law organizations have said, “Advocacy for human rights cannot be sentenced.”

Rights and law organizations have held a press conference at the İstanbul Medical Chamber for Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, who is a signatory to the declaration entitled "We will not be a party to this crime" and was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison.

Barış Bildirisi imzacısı Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı'ya verilen hapis cezası nedeniyle ortak açıklama yapan hak ve hukuk örgütleri, "İnsan hakları savunuculuğu cezalandırılamaz" dedi.

Hak ve hukuk örgütleri, 2 yıl 6 ay hapis cezasına çarptırılan Barış Bildirisi imzacısı Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı için İstanbul Tabip Odası’nda basın açıklaması yaptı.

Toplantıya katılan temsilciler, “Şebnem Korur Fincancı’nın ve Barış Akademisyenlerinin yanındayız” dedi.

On 22 May 2018, the first hearing of three academics was held in Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court and the first hearing of two others was held in Istanbul 27th High Criminal Court. All five are among the academics facing trial on charges of disseminating ‘terrorist propaganda’ for having signed a peace petition drafted by Academics for Peace.

On 5 June 2018, the hearing of two members of Academics for Peace was held in Istanbul’s 32nd High Criminal Court. One of the academics had requested the removal of a judge from the panel on the basis of bias, but their request was refused. Both were charged with disseminating “terrorist propaganda” for having signed a peace petition drafted by Academics for Peace and sentenced to one year and three months in prison. One academic’s sentence was suspended; the other did not request that their sentence be suspended.

On 18 September 2018, the third hearing of four members of Academics for Peace concluded in Istanbul’s 28th High Criminal Court. All four were sentenced to one year and three months in prison on charges of creating “terrorist propaganda” for having signed the peace petition drafted by the Academics for Peace in January 2016. The sentences of all four academics were suspended.

On 25 September 2018, the hearings of 11 members of Academics for Peace concluded in Istanbul’s various criminal courts. The 28th High Criminal Court sentenced two academics to one year and three months in prison on charges of creating “terrorist propaganda” for having signed the peace petition drafted by Academics for Peace in January 2016. The sentences of two academics were suspended. The cases of the other nine academics remain ongoing.

During the period from 26 September to 26 October 2018, prison sentences were handed down to eight members of Academics for Peace. They were all sentenced to one year and three months in prison on charges of creating “terrorist propaganda” for having signed the peace petition drafted by Academics for Peace in January 2016. All sentences were suspended.

From 26 October to 17 December 2018, the first hearings of more than 100 members of Academics for Peace were held, and prison sentences were handed down to 28 academics. They were all sentenced on charges of creating “terrorist propaganda” for having signed the peace petition drafted by Academics for Peace in January 2016.

Professors in Mersin and Eskişehir have responded to their dismissals by creating their own spaces for sharing knowledge: Kültürhane and Eskişehir School.

Deniz Altınay doses and tamps coffee in a way that shows he has done it many times before. Just three years ago, his daily routine used to be much different. 

The World Medical Association has expressed shock at prison sentences handed down to several leading Turkish physicians.