Turkey: After stepping in for Turkey at the EU the German Chancellor Schröder must now step in for the release of Eren Keskin

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) called urgently on Gerhard Schröder, still in office as German Chancellor, on Monday to use his influence for the release of the Turkish human rights lawyer Eren Keskin. Keskin was arrested on her return from a conference in Berlin at the airport in Istanbul. The letter of the President of the GfbV International, Tilman Zülch, says:

"You have worked so energetically and constantly for the entry of Turkey into the European Union that the arrest of the human rights lawyer must be unbearable for you. Eren Keskin was honoured last year with the Aaachen Peace Prize. We beg you urgently to undertake the necessary steps to ensure the immediate release of Ms Keskin from police custody.

Ms Keskin has on many occasions acted on behalf of Turkish and Kurd women who have been raped while in custody in Turkey. She aroused particular attention with the case of a Kurd woman who was raped by 405 Turkish officers and soldiers. None of the officers or soldiers charged had to appear before court. Because she had broken silence over sexual torture in Turkish prisons she had to appear before court on the charge of insulting the security forces.

At the end of 2002 the lawyer was forbidden to practise law for one year. Charges were also made against 16 of the 138 women who had dared to speak about their torture.

Dear Mr Schröder, we have always been puzzled about your silence in this and many other cases. We now beg of you sincerely to use the chances of your office once again.”