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Pagina principale arrow newsitems arrow Globaly Growing on-line Cyber-Attacks on Media and Journalists, reach also Eurofora

Globaly Growing on-line Cyber-Attacks on Media and Journalists, reach also Eurofora

Scritto da ACM
Tuesday, 23 August 2016
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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- While PanEuropean CoE prepares a Landmark International Conference on its "Cyber-Crime" Convention of Budapest, later this Autumn, between the Estonian and Cyprus' rotating Presidencies of the 47-Member Countries' strong Organisation of Strasbourg, (Timely preceded by a "Freedom of Expression at the Internet" Euro-Atlantic Conference on September, organized Together with the OSCE), Alarming Reports about a New Wave of Politicaly-motivated Hackers' Attacks Targetting Media and Individual Journalists surfaced these Days both in the USA, Russia and Other Countries accross the World, strongly Denounced also by the Latest, 2016 Annual Report of Global "Committee to Protect Journalists", including also several News WebSites, from Australia to the Franco-Germano-Swiss area's "Eurofora", which, after a 2O15 "Defacement" Cyber-Attack, amidst a Long Series of Intermittent Attempts of "Account HiJacking" between late 2012 and August 2016, surprisingly Faced Now also a Brutal Peak in various Attempts to Hinder necessary Website UpDates, between 2012-2016, but also Steal Passwords and/or Block Access, amidst a sudden, Unprecedented Internet Harassment, as that which is Denounced by CPJ's Latest Report, in various Cases of Individual Journalists that some Politicaly-Motivated Attacks and/or Threats, often Hiring Criminal Hackers and/or "Trolls", attempt to Censor, Intimidate or Muzzle, for UnMentionable real Reasons, (See Infra).


-------------------


A new "Series of Cyber Breaches Targeting Reporters", was Denounced these Days by North American Media, which pointed f.ex. "at the New York Times and Other US News Organisations", revealed by "US Officials" now, but already "Detected in Recent Months" and "Investigated by the FBI and Other US Security Agencies".
Alarming Press Reports Focused on Internet "Hackers ... Targeting News Organisations", which Face "Intrusions" and Other Cyber "Attacks".


In Fact, Individual "Reporters were Targeted", but Not the Company's "Internal Systems", as a "Times"' Spokesperson reportedlty stressed".


These "Breaches...are Part of an apparent Surge in Cyber Attacks in the Past Year" (2015-2016), in "a Series of Recent Intrusions", where "US Intelligence Officials Believe" that, probably, Foreign "Spy Agencies are Using a Wave of Cyber Attacks ... to Gather Intelligence ...into the US Political System", CNN and other mainstream Media reported.


>>> "News Organizations are considered Top Targets, because they can yield Valuable Intelligence", f.ex. "on Reporter Contacts in the Government, as well as Communications and UnPublished Works with <<Sensitive>> Information".


While it's not excluded that at least some Aspects of those Latest Press Reports might, eventualy, be more or less Biaised by a current Dispute about Russia, between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, in their Competition for the Forthcoming US Presidential Election of November 2016, as even CNN warned in fine, Nevertheless, it's also a Fact that, already, a Wider Spectrum of Recently Aggravated Cyber-Atacks against various Journalists and Media around the World, had been already Denounced Earlier :

petersburg_web_media_on_internet_spying_400


In fact, the Issue about "Multiple Attempts to Spy on Journalists" and other "Cyber Attacks on Oppositionist Activists, goes Much Further than Recent Complaints, f.ex. by a Russian Journalist of Saint Petersburg's Internet Newspaper "Fontanka" to be allegedly a "Victim of a Cyber Attack to Steal his Personal Information", for which he reportedly Suspects a pro-regime "Billionaire" whom he had "mentioned" in "several Articles" that he had written recently.


--------------------------------


Experienced Press Freedom Watchdog, New York based, Global "Committee to Protect Journalists" (CPJ  : with which "Eurofora"s co-Founder had Succesfuly Cooperated already as Early as since 2004 on a thorny Affair pending at ECHR in Strasbourg about the Cold-Blood Murder of a Dissident Journalist, K. Adali, whose Wife had vainly Denounced that she was Threatened and Pressured to Drop her Complaint, until EuroJudges were Alerted and promptly Decided to hold a Public Audience, Resulting in a Landmark case Condemning Turkey's Authorities for blatantly Failing even to Investigate the Killing of that Journalist who was Criticizing Ankara's Policies, despite being a Turkish Cypriot living in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus held by Turkey's Military since the 1974 Bloody Invasion),  had  Warned against such a Growing Trend since 2013 :


 - "We have seen  (such) Attacks against Individual Journalists and against individual News Outlets Increasing over the last few years," the CPJ's F. deputy Director, Robert Mahoney, had Warned. This may occur even by Paying some e-Thugs : Indeed, Recently, it has become "very Cheap to Hire Criminal Hackers to mount such a(n)... Attack", so that, Nowadays, "Digital Security, Information Security is Vital," Mahoney told Journalists. "We have Reports ...of Journalists coming Under Attack, ...there were Attacks against News outlets (and)... We have seen whole Newspapers brought Down ... Because there's been an Attack", he Denounced.

 

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>>> In Fact, it's mainly Because "Criminal Hackers provide a Cheap and easy Way of Censoring the Press", that "Cyber Attacks against Journalists and Media ...have Increased", CPJ has observed.

 

+ In the Latest, 2016 Edition of CPJ's "Attacks on the Press" Annual YearBook, Published earlier this Summer,  Elisabeth Witchel, a Consultant for CPJ, who had also launched the Indepêndent Press Freedom NGO's  "Global Campaign Against Impunity", observes that "for Journalists, it's "easier said than done", when it comes to Face various Harrasments on the Web : Because, f.ex., "according to U.S. Journalist and Founder of (a specialized NewMedia Website) "Michele Ferrier ; ....- "If your Job is being Public as a Journalist, you canNot Avoid" that, including on "Social Media", (such as "Twitter" of "Facebook", Internet "Forums", etc), since "it's Expected to be OnLine in Many Capacities. Or if you are an independent OnLine News Provider, who are you going to call to step in for you?", she Wonders. Moreover, "Ignoring ... Threats can be Risky", while "There is No Safe Space OnLine, and Limited Recourse to just ... get Off the Computer".


-----------------------------

 

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Recently, such Incidents reportedly included also "2 News WebSites, based in Australia, belonging to Fairfax Media, the Digital Age Editions, and Sudney Morning Herald" Newspaper, which have reportedy been "Hacked" on May 2016, resulting in a Lot of "EMail ... Accounts ...Being "Leaked OnLine", according to Specialized "Information Security" Global Website "HackMageddon"'s (founded by Italian Systems Expert Paolo Passeri in London) recent "Cyber Attacks Timeline" List.

 


On July 2016, "Single Individuals" come 4rth, and "News" Organisations 8th, among a large List of 18 Groups of "Targets" (Headed by Industry and Government Organizations) of "Cyber Attacks", in terms of Quantity of reported Incidents, according to the Latest Report of "HackMageddon"'s Monthly "Time Line", just Published in Mid-August.

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>>> But, in fact, famous News WebSite "Russia TV.com", and Press-feeding International "Wikileaks" Internet Activists, are among the Main Highlights of Cyber-Attacks' Targets, according to that Latest Report for the 2nd Half of July 2016, just Published by "HackMageddon", who points at Issues such as the Coup in Turkey and other Turkish Goverment Documents, as well as on the US Democratic Party's current leaks, while also, Top News-Surfing GOP US Presidential Candidate Donald Trump is also reportedly "always a Compelling Target" for some "quite Active" "Hactivists"...


- HM observed "Multiple Cyber attacks carried on in the wake of the foiled Coup in Turkey",  "such as the DDoS  Attacks against Wikileaks and RT.com," but also ... Wikileaks was Crippled while leaking  295,000 emails allegedly hacked from AKP the Turkey ruling party", i.e. "the so-called <<Erdogan's E-Mails>>", whose "Publication" triggered another Serious Cyber-Attack, whose Mechanism is yet "UnKnown".


 
 rt_august_new_ddos_cyber_attacks_400
 

   Meanwhile, "RT" has Denounced even More Recent "Series of DDOS Attacks" also during August, - perhaps Linked with "Wikileaks"' (itself hit not only on July, but also in August,  by a reportedly very Nasty Cyber Attack) well known Anouncements on several forthcoming "revelations" about Hilary Clinton's hidden "private" emails.. 

 wikileaks_website_attacked_by_us_hackers_400

     The Latest relevant "Statistics" show "a Peak of Activity during the 2nd Week" of July 2016 for various such Attacks on the Internet, with "Cyber-Crime" ranking "on the Top of the Motivations behind Attacks chart", for the Second Time in a Row : 69% in June, it went Up to 72,4% on July 2016, (while "Cyber-Espionage" remains "Stable", at a 3rd Rank with almost 10%), according to HM's "Cyber Attacks Statistics" Monthly Publication.


    "Accounts Hijacking" Tops that List, in July as on June 2016, while "DDos", "Targeted Attacks" and "Defacement" come 3rd, 4rth and 5th, among a Total of 14 Ways to Breach Cyber Security.    "Politics" clearly Top that "Cyber Landscape", Followed by "Finance", "Culture"-"Sports", and "Terrorism", among 9 Categories, the Latest "HM" Publication confirmed.


-----------------------------------------------


=> For the Author of an upcoming (2016) Book on "Cyberactivism and Citizen Journalism" cases, and CPJ's Advocacy Director, Courtney Radsch, "the Best course of action for Journalists Under Attack, will be a Combination of Monitoring and potentially Responding to the Threats, and Reporting to (Internet) Platforms and/or Authorities".
In fact, "The artificiality of the online/offline dichotomy for ... journalists in the Digital Age, highlights the Need for a range of Solutions to addressing (also) OnLine Harassment and Abuse" :


- F.ex., "although ...people are learning what Tools could be effective When someone becomes Targeted, ..(-nevertheless), "If there is a large pool of people who Hate you, but others are interested in Swatting or Stalking or physically Abusive Attacks, ...make you Unaware of these Threats could put you at greater Risk", she observes, cittingTom Lowenthal, aC PJ's Technologist.


A "Journalist used to Deal with Trolls", Russia and Ukraine writer Lokurt, reportedly "said her co-Editor .. gets... Attacks aimed at him (which) .. Focus more ... on his Political position".


But, "only about 40 % of Journalists who were Harassed OnLine chose to Respond, and only about Half of them Confronted the Person OnLine", found a 2014 "Pew" Research Survey of OnLine Harassment in the US.


An "Independent Journalist ...who covers the Middle East" Hot Issue, and wrote a "Times"' Article, Nazish, reportedly  "Chronicled the Range of Threats and Violence ...Journalists ... Face" in certain Internet-related cases, , including her own story of "Intimidation during an Investigation on a Security-related Issue", "Following the Publication" of which, "she Faced a Barrage of Social Media Hate", including "Threats", some of which, "were really Specific" and "used specifically to Intimidate me".
In fact, "it is not always ... Strangers who Harass .. Journalists OnLine", since "some comments come (even) from ... Collegues and Sources who engage in ...(what) Exacerbates the Attacks".


 - Thus, f.ex., "Tracking down" those "posting Threats on (Web) pages", "and sending Screenshots" of their Wrongdoings at the Internet, was "an Australian Journalist's" way "to Combat ... Threats OnLine".  

- But, "Going Public", "Can Bring down even Greater OnLine Wrath and escalate into Violence", "as it has been the case with ...(a) Controversy in the US, which has caught .. Journalists Covering ... Violent OnLine" Thugs "who have Soughty to Destroy their Careers, and Pursue them OffLine", resulting in "a Harassment Campaign ...that included Attacks against Journalists ...Covering ..Threats of ..Death that Accompagnied the Vitriol".


However, another "Journalist ... who... was the Target of OnLine Attacks" just a few years ago, and "Continued to Receive Periodic Hate Messages, ..said Going Public made it Easier for her to Deal with it, on a Personal AND Professional level", CPJ's Book notes.


"One prominent Obstacle in getting ...Reporters to Talk about their Cases", f.ex. "about Threats to ..;Journalists", is, nevertheless, also the Fact that "Journalists who Speak out" about that, sometimes "are Publicly Humiliated, Harassed by Supporters of Politicians and the Establishment". Even "their Families and Collegues often Suffer along with them" in such cases.


"In many parts of the world, including countries that have special mechanisms to address online abuse, law enforcement Officials are Rarely Prepared to deal with these types of complaints". So that, "a Common Refrain among Journalists around the World" is that "the Police had No Idea how to Deal with these Attacks".


"In the US", Internet "Users can file Complaints with the <<Internet Crime Complaint Center>> (IC3), while elsewhere, "one of the few Legal Avenues available to Victims ...of On-Line Attacks", "Requires Victims to Send Copies of Offending Photos to the Authorities".


Indeed, among "Steps for Protection against OnLine Threats", are "Includ(ed) Saving Records of them, and Reporting Abuse to the Authorities".


 - "Interviews with Journalists and Increasing Controversy ...indicate that some Managers of Electronic and Social Media Platforms are Aware of the Need to Do More to Empower Users to Combat OnLine Abuse, But there is Disagreement over Whether the Intermediaries should play a More Proactive role - and, if so, How", while "all of the Major Platforms have been Criticized for Lack of Transparency on Reporting and Redress".


In several cases, "Reporting Abuse via a Social Media platform often Feels Futile, as Requests for Help go UnAnswered and Unacknowledged, say Journalists interviewed" by the CPJ "and who have Spoken Out on this topic".


- "Law Enforcement oOcials often suggest that Journalists facing OnLine Threats stay Off" the Internet, "But most Journalists consider this an ImPractical and InSufficient response", because "Journalists are Public Figures who Depend on Social Media both for Researching and Disseminating the News, as well as for Engaging with their Audience and Building their Public Profile. Responding to Attacks by Vacating their Social Media Space can actually Amplify the Abuse, which may then go UnRebutted, and have (even) Economic Repercussions for the Journalist".


"Few Statistics have been compiled about the Scope of OnLine Harassment and Threats", "but such Problems are Widespread according to Numerous Studies, including a ...Survey (co-Authored) by ... the International International News Safety Institute, as well as the work of the Association for Progressive Communications, and Extensive Anecdotal Evidence", observes CPJ's 2016 Annual Report published this Summer.


"Efforts to Combat and Address OnLine Abuse and ...Violence often emanate From the Developed World", "the study by a Best Practices Forum on Online Abuse and ...Violence" against certain Minorities, "at the 2015 Internet Governance Forum concluded."


"An IGF-sponsored Study ...on How to Counter Abuse OnLine", "Found that such Abuse as well as ...Violence <<Impede>> the Victims'  <<Right to Freedom of Expression, by creating Environments in which they do Not feel Safe to express themselves." Moreover, "Journalists who are also Minorities, or who are Foreign to the Countries in which they work, may face Additional Threats or Violence."
=> Indeed, "many ...Journalists who Face such Attacks feel Compelled to self-Censor", since their "Publishers do Not Always Respond" in the way, f.ex., of a "Newspaper (which) ... Publish(ed) a Supportive Editorial, and Provided ...with a Car to Transport ...To and From the Office" one of its Journalists who had been "Attacked OnLine for an ...Article that she Wrote ... while Working as Staff Reporter".


"After giving up Freelancing", that Journalist "began Working as a Staff Writer", and "said her Editor is Aware of what happened". Nevertheless, she "added : <<It still makes me Think Twice before I pitch an Article that talks about"some "Hot" Issues, but "That shouldN't happen."


+ Moreover, "among the Repercussions of the OnLine Attacks was that Editors Stopped accepting her Work. "I caN't work as a freelancer Anymore," she said to CPJ. "The OnLine Attackers Stripped her of that Livelihood".


=> On the Contrary, "Media Compagnies (should) Realize (that) it is really Essential that they Back up the People Working for them, whether they are Freelancers, or Not", the affected Journalist urged.


Speaking at "a Session" of Global "Internet Governance Forum" (IGF) in Brazil, on November 2015, former "Freelancer" Journalist Freitas, reminded that, initialy, "although her (1st) Editor Praised the Quality of (her) Article", nevertheless, "the Newspaper Declined to Publish it", so that "she Ended up Publishing the Article on (Bloggers' Website) "Huffington Post - Brasil"...


"Immediately" after that, she "received Vicious Threats on social Media. Her "Personal information was put OnLine, (known as "Doxxing"), ...and she received packages filled with worms at her house. She Left Home for several weeks out of Fear for her, and her Family's Safety."


----------------------------


"Eurofora" had initialy Faced Various such sly Cyber-Aggressions and other Internet-relatred Harassment since the 2nd Half of 2012, while several Hackers' Sly Attacks and other Web-related Incidents "Exploded" from the Beginning of 2015, becoming quite Dangerous in the Middle of this Summer 2016, (Comp. f.ex. Facts cited Supra).

In this regard, "Eurofora" was Invited to Participate in an Annual Conference of French Authorities, Scientists, Legal and Web Experts, held some Years ago in Strasbourg, (See, f.ex. :...), followed by another, more Recent Invitation also by a Private "Cyber-Security" Company at Meetings organised with SME Businesses during a Digital Technologies Mega-Event held near EU Pariiament's premisses here, as well as by an exceptional Invitation in an Important EU Conference on Internet Security at Lille City, held earlier this year (2016) with Key-note Speaker the EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Günter Oettinger, from Germany, (to which it became, unfortunately, practicaly Impossible to Attend, due to an Overlaping with EU Parliament and CoE Assembly's Plenary Sessions those Same Days).
 


(../..)


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***

("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora" Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be Published asap).

***

(NDLR : Headline PICTURE = from "HackMageddon" Cyber-Security News Website's Latest Report for July 2016 incidents' "TimeLine", just published on Mid-August : Comp. Supra).

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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.

Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.

The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.

This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.

In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..

EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.

    But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.

    His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
-------------------------
    Holovaty expressed his will to check  "Matters still Outstanding" and  those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit.  This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".

    CoE's Resolution also asks  from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.

    Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out  which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.

    Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
    
     - "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.

    - "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.

    - "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.

    - "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."

    Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World.  "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.

    In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...

    Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific :  - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.

    - The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.

    "Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...

    Moreover, on 2008,  CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008...  concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.

"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.

- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur.  Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...

    - "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.

    But, "the Electoral  system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.

    + Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".

    The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.

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