Press conference to discuss civil society response 11am March 17 at the Taksim Hill Hotel
Istanbul, Turkey – Two International Rivers staff members were arrested and detained today for unfurling a banner at the opening ceremony of the World Water Forum (WWF) in Istanbul. They will be deported tomorrow morning or face a year in Turkish prison.
“>opinion piece on the World Water Forum and large dams was published in today’s Turkish Daily News, said “The response by the Turkish authorities highlights the undemocratic nature of the World Water Forum. Two protestors being deported for unfurling a banner is unacceptable. We call on the World Water Council to respect and support the rights of all people to speak freely and peacefully protest.”
The World Water Forum takes place every three years. It is organized by the World Water Council, a private organization whose most influential members are private water companies and some of the world’s biggest dam construction companies, funders and government agencies.
Based on five continents, International Rivers is an international environmental and human rights organization. For over two decades, International Rivers has been at the heart of the global struggle to protect rivers and the communities that depend on them.
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“International Rivers Condemns Suppression of Freedom of Speech,” press statement by Peter Bosshard at the Taksim Hill Hotel
For more, visit International Rivers’ World Water Forum page