Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
17 – 19 November 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/217) Academicians, Journalists and Right Defenders are Detained in Istanbul…
Professor Betül Tanbay from Boğaziçi University, who is also signatory of “We will not be a part of this crime” petition; Professor Turgut Tarhanlı, Dean of the Faculty of Law of Bilgi University; Anadolu Kültür Executive Board Deputy Chair Yiğit Ekmekçi; Executive Board member Ali Hakan Altınay; General Coordinator Asena Günal and former general director Meltem Aslan, Co-Director of Truth Justice Memory Center; and members of Anadolu Kültür Bora Sarı, Ayşegül Güzel, Filiz Telek, Yiğit Aksakoğlu, Yusuf Cıvır, Hande Özhabeş and producer Çiğdem Mater are detained on November 16, 2018 through an investigation against Anadolu Kültür. Anadolu Kültür Executive Board Chair Osman Kavala was detained in Istanbul Atatürk Airport on October 18, 2017 and was November 1, 2017.
It is learned from the news coverage that the detention warrant was issued for 20 people.
Istanbul Security Directorate made a declaration on November 16, 2018 and stated that academicians, journalists and right defenders are detained on the grounds that “they come together with Osman Kavala in a hierarchical order; organize meetings at DEPO which belongs to Anadolu Kültür Corp. in order to deepen and widen Gezi Park incidents; within ‘Civil Disobedience and Nonviolent Action’ activities, bring activism trainers, moderators and professional protestors from abroad in order to keep Gezi Park protests going; try to build new media; organize campaigns to stop export of pepper gas to Turkey and to be banned to use which came up as an issue during Gezi Park protests”.
12 people are released after statement procedures on November 16 and 17, 2018; Yiğit Aksakoğlu is arrested by the court.
(11/218) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that 1 soldier died and 4 soldiers got wounded in an explosion which happened during a howitzer firing practice in a military base in rural areas of Şenoba town of Şırnak’s Uludere district on November 17, 2018.
It is learned from the news coverage of November 17, 2018 that 2 militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Kömür town of Adıyaman on October 17, 2018.
(11/219) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 16, 2018 that Mustafa Mulla, a prisoner from Silivri L Type Prison No 6 is prohibited from visit and communication rights for 3 years as a penalisation for reacting against right violations in prison during his 3 months of arrestment. It is also stated in the news reports that Mustafa Mulla rejected to be handcuffed behind his back during transfers to the court and to carry the ID card with “terrorist” writing on it, during transfers to the hospital and infirmary and thus was subjected to physical violence of the wardens and gendarmerie.
It is learned from the news coverage of November 16, 2018 that 3 of 13 prisoners (Mehmet Aydemir, Hebat Aydemir and Siracettin Hassas) from C-16 ward of Manisa T Type Prison who have been subjected to physical violence of the wardens since November 6, 2018, because of rejecting to stand in military order during roll-calls are transferred to İzmir Şakran Prison under coercion.
It is claimed in the news coverage of November 16, 2018 that Fevziye Arukan, a prisoner who was arrested and sent to Alanya L Type Prison on November 12, 2018, has bruises and wounds in her body, due to torture she was subjected to under custody. It is stated in the news reports that, another prisoner from the same prison made a phone conversation with his family and told the following: “(…) We believe that she was detained 10 days ago and was subjected to torture under custody. There are beating marks and deep wounds in her fingers. She could have been subjected to electric shock torture. There are marks of strangulation in his neck. The officers that brought her to the solitary cell tells that she had committed suicide but we believe that Fevziye has been subjected to torture at the entrance of prison too. She does not have a clear memory and consciousness thus she is in severe trauma. She does not eat or drink. She tells that she would go on an indefinite hunger strike despite of our objections. She is not open to dialogue and thus we could not learn anything about her family. Fevziye told us that she was detained in Gazipaşa district of Antalya 2 days ago”.
It is learned from the news coverage of November 18, 2018 that prisoners in Kırıkkale F Type Prison were provided hot water for only 2 hours a week, they were forced to be medically examined in handcuffs and they are subjected to physical violence in case they reject.
(11/220) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on November 16, 2018 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s tutelary and lawyer 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).
(11/221) 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 740 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on November 16, 17, and 18, 2018 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 November 16, 2018, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 3 people (Alev Şahin, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on November 17, 2018, 3 people (Alev Şahin and Acun Karadağ) and at 18.00 4 people (Mehmet Dersulu, Gülnaz Bozkurt, Nazan Bozkurt and Alev Şahin) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on November 18, 2018, 3 people (Alev Şahin, Mehmet Dersulu and Nazan Bozkurt) and at 18.00 3 people (Acun Karadağ, Nazan Bozkurt, Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
Thus in total 17 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on November 16, 17, and 18, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(11/222) Police Intervention Against Saturday Mothers’ Protest in Istanbul…
Police obstructed all the streets around Galatasaray Square in Istanbul to prevent Saturday Mothers who rally every Saturday for 23 years in the same place to gather for the 712nd time on November 70, 2018. Upon police prevention, the group including parliament members, representatives of political parties, human rights defenders and artists along with families of disappeared people gather in front of Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul office and started to march. The police prevented the march too, thus, the group had a sit-in protest and made a press declaration there.
(11/223) Prevention of Human Rights Defenders’ Event in Istanbul…
“F sit-in”, which is organized for the 347th time by Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Prisons Committee, to demand release of ill prisoners, on November 17, 2018 is prevented by the police. Human rights defenders who attempt to march to Galatasaray Square from IHD office are prevented by the police and made a press declaration in front of IHD office.
(11/224) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
Türkan Albayrak, who was dismissed from her job at Sarıyer district Health Department, on the grounds of ‘personnel security investigation’ and ‘archive search’, on August 3, 2018; made a press declaration to regain her job on November 16, 2018 and attempted for a sit-in protest in front of Health Department. The police intervened the sit-in and detained Türkan Albayrak. It is learned that Türkan Albayrak was released the same day. It is the 46th time of detention of Türkan Albayrak.
(11/225) Neighbourhood Mayor Arrested in Urfa…
Ethem Polat, local mayor of Aşağı Karkutlu neighbourhood of Urfa’s Birecik district who was detained on November 16, 2018 is arrested by the court on the grounds of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on November 18, 2018.
(11/226) Detained HDP Members in Diyarbakır…
The police intervened People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Youth Assembly members who hang posters and distribute leaflets in Bağlar district of Diyarbakır for HDP Youth Assembly Congress which will be held on November 25, 2018 and detained 5 people. The names of detainees are: Hüsamettin Tanrıkulu, Renas Kocakaya, Yüksel Korkmaz, Mehmet Yalçın, Ayhan Ateş.
(11/227) Detained SGDF Members in Ankara…
Gizem Altınöz, Cem Eren Aslan and Sedat Polat, members of Socialist Youth Associations’ Federation who were detained in Ankara on November 13, 2018, are arrested by the court on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and ‘providing resource for an illegal organisation’.
(11/228) Detained People in Diyarbakır…
38 of 74 people, including 7 neighbourhood mayors, who were detained in operations in Diyarbakır, Hakkari and Elazığ through a Diyarbakır based investigation are arrested by the court on November 16, 2018. 36 people are released on juridical control conditions.
(11/229) The Case Against DBP Co-Chair…
The case against Democratic Regions Party co-chair Mehmet Arslan, on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, for his delarations on Turkish Armed Forces’ military operation to Afrin and his speeches in several actions and events is held on November 16, 2018 on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 10. Mehmet Arslan did not attend the trial. After defence hearings the court released Mehmet Arslan on judicial control conditions and adjourned the trial.
(11/230) Investigation Against a Lawyer…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 17, 2018 that an investigation on the charge of “insulting a public officer because of their duty” is initiated against lawyer Tugay Bek, chair of Prison Watch Committee of Adana Bar Association. It is learned that the investigation is about Tugay Bek’s article published on daily newspaper Evrensel on August 13, 2018 on the right violations in Tarsus Prison.
(11/231) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On November 16, 2018, 86 of 188 people for whom a detention warrant was issued are detained in operations covering 25 cities through an Ankara based investigation against former personnel of Air Force. 17 people in İzmir, on the grounds of using ByLock and 14 people in Istanbul are also detained.
On November 17, 2018, 41 people are detained in operations covering 12 cities through a Diyarbakır based investigation against Turkish Land Forces Command personnel; and 9 military members including 8 on active duty are detained through a Çankırı based investigation.
11 of 29 former police officer who were dismissed by state of emergency decrees and were detained through an Adana based investigation are arrested by the court on November 17, 2018.
1 person who was detained based on a warrant in Niğde on November 18, 2018 is arrested by the court on the same day.
(11/232) Banned Event in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 16, 2018 that Diyarbakır Governorate banned all actions and events for 15 days which would be organized to support HDP’s Hakkari MP Leyla Güven who goes on a hunger strike to protest isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in prison.
(11/233) Special Security Zone in Hakkari…
Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on November 16, 2018 and announced that 30 areas with given coordinates in central, Çukurca, Şemdinli and Yüksekova districts are special security zones as of November 20 until December 4, 2018.
[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.