Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

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The New York based Center for Constitutional Rights called on US President Barack Obama last week to break his three-year silence over Israel’s 2009 killing of 18-year-old US citizen Furkan Doğan during its siege on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara ship in international waters.

The CCR states in its 16 May 2013 letter (emphasis theirs):“Recently, the Israeli government apologized to Turkey, acknowledging “a number of operational mistakes” that might have led to the loss of life or injury. Despite these admissions, the US still has not publicly called upon Israel to provide any detailed information on Furkan’s death or made any public call for accountability regarding his killing. The silence from the US in relation to the killing of its citizen and eight other civilians effectively results in impunity. Furthermore, it sends a message that the government will tolerate the killing of US human rights defenders by Israel.”

full text of letter: http://ccrjustice.org/files/FINAL%20Letter%20to%20Obama%20Furkan%20Dogan.pdf

• Father of Mavi Marmara victim joins Turkish PM’s US trip (worldbulletin.net)

This entry was posted on May 22, 2013 at 18:39 and is filed under human rights, Human Rights Defenders.

Tags: Barack Obama, CCR, Centre for Constitutional Rights, Furkan Doğan, Gaza, Human rights defender, impunity, Israel, killing, Middle East, MV Mavi Marmara, Turkey, United States