Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 January Daily Human Rights Report
(01/200) Allegation of Kidnapping in Mersin…
It is claimed in the news coverage of January 17, 2019 that, Mehmet Koç, a member of People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Mersin Youth Assembly, was detained by the police while he was walking, was taken to a place outside the city centre and was subjected to torture and ill-treatment there.
Mehmet Koç stated the following: “The place they stopped me was secluded. While we were arguing, a police officer with a mask on his face, suddenly put handcuffs behind my back and wanted to put me in the car. When I scream he hit me with the butt end of his gun and they put me in the car. They kept beating me in the car. They took me to the gardens at Dikilitaş. They took me out of the car there and kept hitting. They said ‘We know that you organize all actions in the neighbourhood. What we are doing you is only the beginning. You will see what else we will do to you’, while at the same time hitting me. After beating me they pushed me in the creek. (…) After pushing me into the water they left me there. I got out of the creek on my own and went home.”
It is also stated in the news reports that the police seized the medical report that Mehmet Koç got from a hospital to evidence the physical violence.
(01/201) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on January 17, 2019 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 782nd 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.
(01/202) 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 800 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on January 17, 2019 at 13.30, and at 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on January 17, 2019, 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 3 people (Gülnaz Bozkurt, Deniz Yılmaz and Nazan Bozkurt) were detained.
Thus in total 6 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on January 17, 2019. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(01/203) 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 January 17, 2019, and attempted for a sit-in protest in front of Health Department. The police intervened into the sit-in and detained Türkan Albayrak. It is learned that Türkan Albayrak was released the same day. It is the 74th time of detention of Türkan Albayrak.
(01/204) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The separate cases against 2 academicians (Lecturer and director Emin Alper and Assist. Professor Kerem Eksen from Istanbul Technical University) for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 36 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ are held on January 17, 2019. The court sentenced Emin Alper and Kerem Eksen to 1 year and 3 months each for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
The separate cases against 4 academicians (Lecturer Özlem Köseoğlu, Research Assistant Süreyya Topaloğlu, Assist. Professor Alper Akyüz from Bilgi University and Professor S.I. from Sabancı University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 is held on January 17, 2019. The court adjourned the trials of the cases against Süreyya Topaloğlu and S.I. to March 7, 2019, the trial of the case against Özlem Köseoğlu to September 26, 2019 and the trial of the case against Alper Akyüz to February 7, 2019.
The case against researcher M.E.Y. from Bilgi University for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 is held on January 17, 2019. The court adjourned the trial to April 25, 2019.
(01/205) Özgür Gündem Newspaper Case…
The case against executive editor Zana Kaya, managing editor İnan Kızılkaya, grant holder Kemal Sancılı, editorial consultants Aslı Erdoğan, Necmiye Alpay, Filiz Koçali, Ragıp Zarakolu and Bilge Aykut and writer Eren Keskin of Özgür Gündem newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 on January 17, 2019. The court decided to continue detention of Kemal Sancılı and adjourned the trial to April 10, 2019.
(01/206) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The case against 10 people including journalist İshak Karakaş, for their social media posts on Turkish Armed Forces’ military operation to Afrin, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 28 on January 17, 2019. The prosecutor declared legal opinion on the case and demanded sentence for 10 people on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation in a continuous way’. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to March 26, 2019.
(01/207) Journalist on Trial in Şırnak…
The case against 19 people 9 of which are arrested including Ziya Ataman, reporter of Dicle News Agency which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held on Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No 1 on January 1, 2019. Kadir Ataman, a witness heard at the trial, stated that his statement was taken under pressure in custody and rejected the statement. The court decided to continue detention for 9 people and adjourned the trial to March 26, 2019.
(02/208) Aladağ Dorm Fire Case…
The case against 14 people, for the fire broke out in a school dorm of Aladağ Students’ Welfare Association (Aladağ Kurs ve Okul Talebeleri Yardım Derneği) where 11 children and 1 dorm staff died and 24 people were injured, is held on Kozan Heavy Penal Court on January 17, 2019. The court adjourned the trial to April 30, 2019.
(01/209) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against Ali Efendi Peksak, former judge of the case on “Operation Sledgehammer”, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 on January 17, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 12 years for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The final trial of the case against a student, Mesut Vargeloğlu, on Sivas Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on January 17, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 7 years and 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(01/210) ECHR Decision on former HDP MP Osman Baydemir’s Application…
It is learned that the application of Osman Baydemir, former Urfa MP of HDP, to European Court of Human Rights, about a penalty fine given to him for a speech he made in 2006, is concluded on January 17, 2019. ECHR sentenced Turkey to pay damages for ‘violating the freedom of though and expression of Osman Baydemir. According to ECHR decision, Turkey will pay 2975 Euro as damages.
(01/211) Deportation of Dutch Journalist…
It is learned that Ans Boersma, Turkey correspondent of the Netherlands-based Het Financieele Dagblad (FD) finance newspaper is deported from Turkey on January 17, 2019. It is stated in the news reports that Ans Boersma was detained at Istanbul Migration Directorate office where she went to extend her residence permit, and then was deported to the Netherlands. It is also stated in the news reports that the reason of deportation was the information from Netherlands police claiming a relation with illegal organisations. It is reported that prosecution office speakers state that the Netherlands have no demand for deportation or extradition.
[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.