Prof Vande Lanotte together with Van Steenbrugge Advocaten (VSA) are organising 'The Turkey Tribunal' where our director Prof Haeck will participate as a rapporteur. The event will be held in Geneva in June 2021.
In recent years, human rights violations have increasingly been reported in Turkey. Various international bodies and courts have confirmed this, sometimes even in very sharp terms. That is why we have taken the initiative to set up a 'Turkey Tribunal'. The tribunal is not a legally binding body, but the ruling of the tribunal will have high moral authority. All documents, the testimonials, and the verdict of the judges will be published in full transparency through modern digital means of communication. In this way, we want to inform and raise awareness towards the issue among the international community.
'Because silence is the greatest enemy of fundamental human rights.' – Prof Vande Lanotte
During the first four days, a report will be presented and questions will be put to the members of the tribunal. Witnesses will also be heard. The Turkish government will be given the opportunity to answer for itself.
The reports will be published on the website a few weeks before the tribunal starts. A short video will summarise the reports and be published on the website.
The hearings of the tribunal will be streamed live; afterwards, short videos will be made to summarize the hearings. These videos will be published on the website.
On the last day of the tribunal, the tribunal will announce its verdict. This will also be published on the website.
There will be two side events: one during the tribunal days on the prosecution of elected politicians in the zone of the Council of Europe, including Turkey and Spain, and the other in March on the impartiality of the judiciary.