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14 June 2019 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]

14 June 2019 Daily Human Rights Report

(06/059) Male Violence Monitoring Report for 2019 May…

According to “2019 May – Male Violence Monitoring Report” of Bianet which was published on June 13, 2019, at least 27 women including 1 trans woman are killed by men in May 2019; and at least 380 women were wounded. Men killed 126 women in the first 5 months of 2019, and committed violence against 53 women.

It is also stated in the report that, men raped at least 3 women in May, 2019; abused 28 women and 39 children, and forced at least 64 women to sex work.

(06/060) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…

It is learned from the news coverage of June 13, 2019 that, in Ömeryan area of Mardin’s Nusaybin district, a fire started due to military operations and that the authorities do not intervene the fire on the grounds of ‘security’.

(06/061) Ayten Öztürk Case…

The trial of the case against Ayten Öztürk, who was alleged to be subjected to torture and ill-treatment for 6 months, when she was being interrogated by National Intelligence Service (MIT) after being detained on March 8, 2018 in Lebanon; is held on June 13, 2019. The case was first opened on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 16 and then was sent to Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 3.

Ayten Öztürk, revealed the torture she was subjected to and stated the following at the trial: “For the first twenty days, they tortured me psychologically every morning, noon, and evening in order to make me speak. They used injections to make me faint. When I open my eyes, I had a blurred vision. They had masks on their faces. They were playing songs that praise being a Turk. They were pulling my hair and putting a tube into my throat so that they could force me to have some liquid food. They said ‘We have all opportunities; we can make you conscious again even if you lose your consciousness; we can operate you even if you lose an organ so that we can continue torturing you’. Since I did not accept the liquid food they gave, all the sugary liquid was poured on me and dried on my clothes which made me to stink. I was kept there like this for a month. They forced me to have a bath in a place which was separated with a tulle curtain, I did not want to have a bath there. I was too thin due to losing weight. My skin was peeling off. They used electricity in two ways to torture me. First one was giving electric shocks in an area between nail and finger, right on top of the little finger; I still have the marks of it. They tied me to some rings on the wall. They tortured me more heavily while I was on my period, I was feeling exhausted. They put some liquid stuff on me and said bad words. They tried to abuse and rape me with the clubs.”

 The court decided to continue detention of Ayten Öztürk and adjourned the trial to October 3, 2019.

(06/062) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…

It is learned from the news coverage of June 13, 2019 that, Süleyman Benzer, a prisoner kept in Düzce T Type Prison, who has ended hunger strike a while ago, was kept in a solitary cell and was not medically treated.

It is learned from the news coverage of June 13, 2019 that, Özgür Amed’s book “Who Ate the Kidney?” was not given to Avni Uçar, a prisoner kept in Diyarbakır D Type Prison, on the grounds that it “humiliates and damages the reputation of the prison”.

(06/063) 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 947 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on June 13, 2019 at 13.30 and 18.00.

It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on June 13, 2019, 2 people (Merve Demirel and Nazan Bozkurt) and at 18.00 2 people (Derviş Lermi and Acun Karadağ) were detained.

Thus in total 4 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on June 13, 2019. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.

(06/064) Police Intervention to a Protest in Düzce…

On June 13, 2019, the police intervened the sit-in protest of Alev Şahin, who rallies in Düzce in order to regain her job from which she was dismissed by a state of emergency decree and detained Alev Şahin. It is learned that Alev Şahin was released on the same day. With the last intervention, Alev Şahin has been detained for 18 times so far.

(06/065) Police Intervention to a Protest in Batman…

33 people who were detained in police intervention against the press declaration to be held by People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Batman provincial organisation and HDP Batman Youth Assembly in Hasankeyf district of Batman on June 12, 2019; are released on June 13, 2019. Berfin Can, one of the detainees stated the following: “We were subjected to the attack of the police with clubs, rubber bullets and shields. When we entered into the district office of HDP, they broke he windows and used rubber bullets. The police were yelling ‘Go out of the building otherwise we will smother you’. (…) When we were taken to the hospital, they brought the doctor to the detention vehicle and we did not accept this as a medical examination. They continued to beat and insult us while we were being taken back to the police station”.

(06/066) Detained TJA Activist in Istanbul…

It is learned that Seyhan Başak, an activist of Tevgera Jinên Azad – Free Women’s Movement (TJA) is detained in Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport on June 12, 2019. It is learned that Seyhan Başak was taken to Istanbul Police Headquarters Anti-Terror Department.

(06/067) Detained People in Istanbul for Delivering a Newspaper…

On June 13, 2019, 4 people who were delivering “Istanbul Sokakta” newspaper during an event of 4th Resistance Days Festival organized by BEKSAV in Maltepe district of Istanbul, are detained by the police on the grounds of a ban on the newspaper. The names of detained people are: Gülcan Taşkıran, Cansu Akkuş, Halit Kaya and Okan Karababa.

(06/068) Journalist Was Put in Prison for ‘Insulting the President’…

Journalist Yavuz Selim Demirağ, was put in prison on June 13, 2019, due to 11-months of jail penalty given to him on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in a speech he made. Yavuz Selim Demirağ, declared on his social media accounts on the same day that he has been released since the execution of the sentence is postponed for 10 days due to overcapacity of prisons.

Yavuz Selim Demirağ was attacked by anonymous people in front of his house in Ankara on May 11, 2019; and 6 people who were detained because of the attack were released on May 13, 2019.

(06/069) Detained People in Urfa for Social Media Posts…

It is learned that on June 13, 2019, 3 people are detained in Suruç and Halfeti districts of Urfa, for social media posts. The names of detained people are: Mustafa Karak, Cengiz Uğurlu and Celal Kayran.

(06/070) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…

The case against Assist. Professor Noemi Levy Aksu from Boğaziçi University for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 27 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on June 13, 2019. It is learned that Aksu mentioned that the Supreme Court has approved a local court’s acquittal decision for a case on a text about Abdullah Öcalan and that the chief judge intervened her, saying “It’s the court’s fault. Is it freedom of expression to praise a terrorist organisation? Shall we say that it is freedom of expression if a woman was raped here? Would you defend a rape?”. The court sentenced Noemi Levy Aksu “to 2 years considering the responsibility of her act; to increase the sentence to 3 years since she committed the act through media; and to decrease to 2 years and 6 months considering the possible effects of the sentence in future”, for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.

The separate cases against 4 academicians (PhD student Şenay Çınar, Research Assistant Zeynep Arıkan and Assist. Professor Meltem Gürle from Boğaziçi University and Research Assistant Belin Benezra from Bilgi University) for the same reason are held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37 on June 13, 2019. The court sentenced Şenay Çınar to 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict. The court adjourned the trials of the cases against Meltem Gürle, Zeynep Arıkan and Belin Benezra to July 11, 2019.

The case against Professor Leyla Işıl Ünal from Ankara University for the same reason is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 on June 13, 2019. The court decided to send a writ to the Ministry of Justice in order to continue proceeding according to Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code and to end proceedings until then.

The case against Lecturer Didem Pekün from Koç University for the same reason is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 on June 13, 2019. The court adjourned the trial to November 7, 2019.

(06/071) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…

The case against 4 people including Etkin News Agency editor Semiha Şahin and reporter Pınar Gayıp, on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 is held on June 13, 2019. The court released Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayıp on house confinement conditions and adjourned the trial to October 15, 2019.

Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayıp were detained on April 12, 2018 and were arrested on April 19, 2018.

(06/072) Hrant Dink Murder Case…

The case against 85 people (4 arrested) including security, national intelligence and gendarmerie personnel, on the grounds of being responsible and negligent on the murder of Hrant Dink, executive editor of Agos newspaper, is held on June 13, 2019 on Istanbul Heavy PEnal Court No 14. It is learned that, Muammer Güler, Istanbul Governor back then, and previous personnel of National Intelligence Service (MIT) Regional Directorate were expected to be heard as witnesses at the trial however, it is learned that MIT did not respond the writ on “informing whether those personnel are still on duty and conducting the process for witnesses”. It is learned that the trial will continue to be held on June 14, 2019.

(06/073) Indictment Against HDP Executives and Members…

It is learned from the news coverage of June 13, 2019 that, Adana Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment against 12 people including People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Adana co-chair Gülseren Tural and 8 members of HDP, on the grounds of ‘establishing people’s court’, demanding heavy life penalty for defendants; and that the indictment is accepted by Adana Heavy PEnal Court No 12. It is reported that the first trial will be held on July 10, 2019.

(06/074) HDP Executive on Trial in Malatya…

The final trial of the case against Mehmet Aydıner, HDP co-chair of Doğanşehir district of Malatya, on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on June 13, 2019. The court sentenced Mehmet Aydıner to 1 year and 6 months.

(06/075) HDP Executive on Trial in Hakkari…

The case against Sinan Kaya, HDP co-chair of Hakkari, on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on Hakkari Heavy Penal Court No 3 is held on June 13, 2019. The court acquitted Sinan Kaya.

Sinan Kaya was detained on March 12, 2019 in a protest about hunger strikes in prisons and then was arrested.

(06/076) People on Trial in Balıkesir…

The final trial of the case against 11 people, for a press declaration they held in Burhaniye district of Balıkesir, to protest murder of Diyarbakır Bar Association chair Tahir Elçi, is held on Balıkesir Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on June 13, 2019. The court acquitted 11 people.

(06/077) Person on Trial in Siirt for ‘Insulting the President’…

It is learned from the news coverage of June 13, 2019 that, Vezir Emeç, who was on trial on the charge of ‘insulting the President on social media posts’, on Baykan Penal Court of First Instance, was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months.

(06/078) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

On June 13, 2019, a person named E.B. in Istanbul and a person named H.S.P. in Tokat are detained on the grounds of using “kacsaatoldunet” account on Twitter.

(06/079) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

The final trial of the case against 9 people, for the incidents in Gendarmerie Communications and Information Systems Group Command, Logistics Command and Gendarmerie Commando Security Command during July 15 coup attempt, is held on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 15 on June 13, 2019. The court sentenced former colonel Sami Balcı to 15 years on the charge of ‘aiding to violate the constitutional order’, and 8 people to jail penalties differing from 6 years 3 months to 8 years 3 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

The final trial of the case against Muhammed Harun Bulut on Adana Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on June 13, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 7 years and 6 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

[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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[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari

[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, Yeni Yaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Tr724, 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.