Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
01 – 02 January 2019 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/001) Alleged Suicide Under Custody in Osmaniye…
It is claimed in the news coverage of December 31, 2018 that, Turgut B., a person who was detained for injuring a neighbour after a quarrel, attempted to kill himself at Kadirli District Police Department where he was kept under custody. It is reported that Turgut B. died in hospital. It is learned that a forensic investigation is initiated.
(01/002) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that 1 soldier died in a rocket attack to Kurtömer border post in Iğdır on January 1, 2019.
(01/003) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 1, 2019 that Musa Anter’s “Vakayiname” book which was sent to journalist Nedim Türfent in Van High Security Prison, was not given by prison administration on the grounds of “jeopardizing indivisibility of the state and attempting to form chaos”.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 1, 2019 that prisoners in Kırıkkale F Type Prison were subjected to arbitrary disciplinary proceedings and were debarred from communication via letters as a punishment in result of these proceedings.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 1, 2019 that Merve Aydoğan, a prisoner with coeliac disease in Kayseri Bünyan Closed Prison, were not given gluten-free bread despite of the medical report given to her and thus she cannot eat since last week.
It is learned from the news coverage of January 1, 2019 that prisoners in Bursa H Type Closed Prison were prevented from communication and social activity rights; Yeni Yaşam newspaper is not given to prisoners and the books they can have in wards is limited to 5 per person.
(01/004) Supreme Electoral Council’s Decision Preventing Right to Vote in Prison…
Supreme Electoral Council declared a decision on December 28, 2018 and announced that “arrested and convicted prisoners can only vote for the electoral district they are registered”. It is said that “with regard to right to vote of arrested and convicted prisoners (…) according to voting power defined in Article 86/5 of Law on Basic Provisions on Elections and Voter Registers No 298, a voter can vote only for the electoral district to which they are registered”. Ankara Bar Association made a declaration on December 31, 2018 and stated that the decision would lead to not registering prisoners to prison voter list in case they are kept in a prison outside of the electoral district and thus this wold mean “entrench upon the right to vote as a constitutional right”.
(01/005) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on December 31, 2018 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of limitations for prisoners in accordance with the law on the execution of sentences and security measures (law no 5275). With the last rejection, it was the 777th time that appeals for visiting Öcalan have been rejected so far. Abdullah Öcalan has met his lawyers on July 27, 2011 for the last time.
(01/006) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 784 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2019 at 13.30.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on December 31, 2018, 4 people (Mahmut Konuk, Cemal Yıldırım, Mehmet Dersulu ve Nazan Bozkurt) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on January 1, 2018, 3 people (Mahmut Konuk, Nazan Bozkurt ve Mert Aldıç) were detained.
Thus in total 7 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on December 31, 2018, and January 1, 2019. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(01/007) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the protestors in front of Çankaya Public Health Directorate on December 31, 2018, who rally to regain their jobs from which they had been dismissed by state of emergency decrees, and detained 4 people (Mahmut Konuk, Eser Budak, Cemal Yıldırım and Mehmet Dersulu). It is learned that 4 people were released the same day.
(01/008) Prevention of A Protest in Istanbul…
The press declaration to be held in Beşiktaş district of Istanbul on December 31, 2018 by Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) to commemorate those who died in “Reina Massacre” 2 years ago is prevented by the police. 39 people have died in an armed assault to the new year celebration at Reina club on January 1, 2019.
(01/009) German Citizen Detained in Ankara…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 31, 2018 that Adnan Sütçü, a German citizen who came to Turkey for his mother’s funeral, was detained on December 27, 2018 at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. It is learned that Sütçü was detained for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and was released by the court on the same day on judicial control conditions and with a ban on leaving the country.
(01/010) Ban on a Sticker in Antalya…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 31, 2018 that Antalya Court of Peace No 4 banned printing, copying and publishing of the sticker “We salute the resistance, Leyla Güven” designed by People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in Antalya, to support HDP’s Hakkari MP and Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair Leyla Güven who is on hunger strike for 54 days. It is reported that the court states that the sticker “could be transformed to propaganda of terrorist organisations by groups sponsoring these organisations; could lead to confrontation of people supporting contrasting views; could result in disturbance of security, public safety and peace within the province as well as the country and thus is banned to prevent possible attacks”. Leyla Güven has started a hunger strike in Diyarbakır E Type Prison on November 7, 2018, demanding an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.
(01/011) Prosecution Against HDP Members Hung Banners in Adana…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 1, 2019 that Adana Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation on the grounds of “praising offences and offenders”, against people who hung banners outside of HDP Adana office. The banners have pictures of Selahattin Demirtaş, former co-chair of HDP and “Abide by ECHR Decision. Release the Elected” and “Citizen, Comrade, Friend Demirtaş” expressions on. It is also reported that the banners were removed by the police upon the prosecutor’s instruction.
(01/012) People on Trial in Ankara for Supporting Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça…
The final trial of the case against 19 people who made a declaration in Yüksel Street in Ankara on May 22, 2017, to support Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, is held on Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 15, for ‘opposing the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’, on December 28, 2018. Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça has started a sit-in protest to regain their jobs from which they were dismissed by a state of emergency decree; and then went on a hunger strike in prison after being arrested during sit-in protests. The court acquitted 19 people and stated that “Everyone has the right to assemble and demonstrate unarmed and unaggressively, without prior permission”.
(01/013) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On December 31, 2018, 32 people are detained through an Ankara based investigation on Air Force personnel. It is reported that a detention warrant is issued for 28 people through the same investigation.
(01/014) 2018 Turkey Press Freedom Report…
Initiative of Free Journalists (ÖGİ) made a declaration on December 31, 2018 and announced that in 2018 in Turkey, 1 journalist was killed, 142 journalists were detained, 66 journalists were arrested, 520 journalists were judged, and 112 journalists were sentenced to jail imprisonments. In addition, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper and Gün Publishing House were seized by appointing trustees on March 28, 2018; Azadiya Welat and Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspapers were closed down by a state of emergency decree issued on July 8, 2018. 173 journalists in Turkey are still in prison.
(01/015) Investigated Social Media Accounts…
The Ministry of Interior made a declaration on December 31, 2018 and announced that 42.406 social media accounts were investigated between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018; and legal proceedings have been initiated against 18.376 people within this week.
[1]The reports on the human rights violations of the Documentation Center are claims unless they are certified. The claim of violation either is certified through thoroughly investigations of HRFT Documentation Center, including by judicial verdicts, and becomes a definite data or it is not included to the annual report.
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[5] Daily Human Rights Reports are prepared on the information gathered by the Documentation Center from its own network and the following dailies and internet portals: Vatan, Milliyet, Hürriyet, Habertürk, Evrensel, Birgün, Cumhuriyet, Fırat Haber Ajansı, Jinnews, ETHA, Mezopotamya Ajansı, Yurt, YeniYaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, T724, İleri Haber, Siyasi Haber, Alınteri, Kızılbayrak, Sendika.org, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar. Haber Sol, El Cezire, BBC, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP.