Call for “Justice for All” Before the Council of Europe and ECtHR: IJA Members and Volunteers to Highlight Human Rights Violations with March in Strasbourg
A major demonstration will take place tomorrow in Strasbourg to draw attention to ongoing human rights violations in Turkey. The protest march will begin at 10:30 AM in front of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Organized by the international human rights organization Peaceful Actions, the event is supported by numerous civil society organizations from across Europe, including the International Journalists Association (IJA).
The demonstration will call for justice for the millions of people oppressed in Turkey and urge the Council of Europe to take more concrete and determined steps to ensure the implementation of ECtHR rulings by Turkey.
IJA Supports the Justice March in Strasbourg
The International Journalists Association (IJA) will also support the event. The IJA will coordinate live broadcasts during the march and help ensure that the demonstration receives global visibility. IJA member journalists will report directly from the scene, conduct live streams, and share updates via social media.
IJA volunteers will support the action through online campaigns. In addition, the IJA will be among the signatories of a letter to be delivered to the Council of Europe and the ECtHR, which outlines specific demands concerning the human rights violations in Turkey.
The letter, prepared in three languages, will call on European institutions to take action to end human rights violations in Turkey, restore the rule of law, and enforce ECtHR rulings such as the landmark Yalçınkaya decision. The letter aims to draw attention to the violations in Turkey and directly appeal to European institutions.
“Pedal for Rights”
As part of the protest, there will be renewed calls for justice for millions under repression and for the Council of Europe to take more decisive steps to enforce ECtHR judgments. Cyclists from five European countries who have pedaled to Strasbourg as part of the “Pedal for Rights” initiative will lead the march.
“Justice Wall” – Share Your Message
As in previous years, the “Justice Wall” will be a central feature of the Strasbourg demonstration. This mobile wall, now in its third year in France, symbolizes the absence of justice in courts and state institutions. This year’s larger version will display illustrations highlighting human rights abuses in Turkey in its upper section, while the lower part will be reserved for participants’ messages and signatures. The event aims to offer a space of solidarity for all victims of rights violations – from the Gülen movement to environmental and animal rights defenders.
Theater Performance: Human Rights Abuses and Europe’s Silence
A theatrical performance will also be staged at the event, spotlighting human rights violations in Turkey and criticizing the silence of European institutions. The play will dramatically portray issues such as political imprisonment, and the wrongful incarceration of journalists and elected mayors. Through art, the event aims to raise awareness among the European public.
The program will also include speeches by Members of the European Parliament, musical performances, video messages, testimonies from victims, and public declarations. Human rights defenders will call on European institutions to take greater responsibility and to act against the ongoing injustices in Turkey.