Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
26 – 28 May 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/250) Civilian Died in Şırnak…
On May 24, 2018, in Taşarası village of Şırnak’s Beytüşşebap district, an armoured attack was organized against a vehicle, in which 2 people, Faik Ecer and Sipan Ecer were present. It is learned that Faik Ecer died and his son Sipan Ecer got heavily injured. It is learned from news reports that the attack was claimed to be organized by HPG, however HPG made a declaration on May 26, 2018 to state that the attack was not organized by their side.
(05/251) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from news coverage of May 26, 2018 that 4 militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Baykan district of Siirt on May 22, 2018.
It is learned from news coverage of May 26, 2018 that 2 militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Ovacık district of Tunceli on May 18, 2018.
(05/252) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from news coverage that ill prisoners in Menemen R Type Prison who were on hunger strike since April 20, 2018, ended the strike upon acceptance of their demands on May 25, 2018.
(05/253) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on May 25, 2018 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s sister and brother along with the families of Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysel Aktaş in order to visit, was rejected the same day on the grounds of limitations for prisoners in accordance with the Law on the Execution of Criminal and Security Measures Number 5275. With the last rejection, it was the 77th time that appeals for visiting Öcalan have been rejected since September 11, 2016.
(05/254) 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 for a while to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on May 25, 26, and 27, 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 May 25, 2018, 3 people (Alev Şahin, Nazan Bozkurt and Selvi Polat) and at 18.00 4 people (Alev Şahin, Selvi Polat, Nazan Bozkurt, Gülnaz Bozkurt) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on May 26, 2018, 2 people (Alev Şahin and Selvi Polat) and at 18.00 3 people (Gülnaz Bozkurt, Selvi Polat, 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 May 27, 2018, 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Gülnaz Bozkurt, and Selvi Polat) and at 18.00 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Deniz Yılmaz) were detained.
Thus in total 18 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on May 25, 26, and 27, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(05/255) Detained Members of HDP and DBP…
On May 25, 2018, 8 people are detained for social media posts, in house raids in Darıca and Gebze districts of Kocaeli. The names of detainees known so far are: HDP (People’s Democratic Party) members Serhat Aydın, Gencer Ertuğer and DBP (Democratic Regions Party) Darıca district executive Tuncer Meriç.
(05/256) People Detained for Social Media Posts in Izmir…
On May 25, 2018, 2 employees of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality (Uğur Berk and Rıdvan –unknown surname) are detained for social media posts. It is learned that 1 person (Rıdvan) is released the same day, 1 person (Uğur Berk) is still under custody.
(05/257) DBP Co-Chair on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel, for a protest she attended, on Büyükçekmece Penal Court of First Instance No 11 is held on May 25, 2018. The court sentenced Sebahat Tuncel to 5 months for ‘opposing to law on meetings and demonstrations Code 2911’ and did not postpone the verdict.
(05/258) Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Main Case in Diyarbakır…
The trial upon the appeal to the verdict of Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 2, about the case against 154 politicians including 5 MP’s of HDP, is held on Gaziantep Regional Court Penal Department No 4, on May 25, 2018. The court approved the jail penalty sentences differing from 1 year to 2 months to 21 years, given to 89 politicians. The court also approved the acquittal of 43 people. Tayyip Temel, Pero Dündar, Musa Farisoğulları and Leyla Güven who are MP candidates of HDP, are among 89 politicians for whom the sentence is approved.
(05/259) Journalist on Trial…
The case against 19 people (9 of them are arrested) including journalist Ziya Ataman on Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No 1 is held on May 25, 2018. After defence hearings the court rejected demands for release and adjourned the trial to August 7, 2018.
(05/260) Co-Mayor on Trial…
The case against Mehmet Fazıl Türk, co-mayor of Akdeniz district of Mersin, to which a trustee was appointed, on Mersin Heavy Penal Court No 7 for ‘being an illegal organisation leader’, started on May 25, 2018. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention for Mehmet Fazıl Türk and adjourned the trial to September 13, 2018.
(05/261) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On May 25, 2018, 23 people in operations covering 20 cities through a Manisa based investigation, 5 people including deputy reporter judge of Constitutional Court in Tokat, and Ali Odabaşı, one of the lawyers of Zaman newspaper which was closed down by the state of emergency decree.
28 of 35 people who were detained through an Istanbul based investigation are arrested by the court on May 25, 2018. 7 people are released on juridical control conditions. With the last arrests, the number of arrestees raised up to 109, and 21 people are released on juridical control conditions and 81 people are still under custody. 211 people in total were detained through this investigation.
9 people who were detained through an Ankara based investigation are arrested by the court on May 25, 2018.
6 of 11 colonels who were detained through an Ankara based investigation are arrested by
the court on May 25, 2018. 5 colonels are released on juridical control conditions. With the last arrests the total number of arrested colonels raises up to 32, 19 people are released on juridical control conditions.
On May 26, 2018, 6 people in Eskişehir, 10 people in operations covering 12 cities through a Malatya based investigation are detained.
On May 27, 2018, 11 people in Trabzon, 1 person in Eskişehir and 25 people in operations covering 19 cities through a Kars based investigation are detained.
(05/262) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against 52 people about the incidents in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building during June 15 coup attempt, on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 is held on May 25, 2018. The court sentenced 10 defendants to heavy life penalty and 31 defendants to life penalty for ‘violating the Constitution’. The court acquitted 11 defendants.
The final trial of the case against 21 people (11 of them arrested) including business person Memduh Çıkmaz, who was brought from Sudan by an operation of National Intelligence Service, on Çorum Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on May 25, 2018. The court sentenced 19 defendants to jail penalties differing from 2 years 1 month to 10 years 7 months and 15 days. The court acquitted 2 defendants.
The final trial of the case against 35 people including 7 arrestees and 3 fugitives on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 is held on May 25, 2018. The court sentenced 16 defendants to jail penalties differing from 3 years 1 month and 15 days to 6 years and 3 months. The court separated the cases of 19 defendants.
The final trial of the case against 1 former employee of a school and dorm which were closed down by the state of emergency decree, on Tokat Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on May 25, 2018. The court sentenced the defendant to 7 years and 1 month for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The final trial of the case against 22 people including 16 arrestees on Eskişehir Heavy Penal Court No 4 is held on May 25, 2018. The court sentenced 20 defendants to jail penalties differing from 3 years 9 months to 10 years 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court acquitted 1 person and consolidated the case of 1 defendant with another case.
(05/263) Elections on June 24, 2018…
It is learned from news coverage of May 25, 2018 that Professor Alaattin Duran, Dean of Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, is discharged from his position by Istanbul University Rectorate upon instruction of The Council of Higher Education. It is reported that Alaatttin Duran was discharged after the visit of Muharrem İnce, CHP’s candidate for presidency to Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty. Alaattin Duran stated in news reports that, he was instructed not to allow Muharrem İnce into the faculty campus, and that he was discharged for not obeying this instruction.
It is learned that HDP (People’s Democratic Party) flags around the campaign office of HDP in Silopi district of Şırnak are taken off by the gendarmerie squads on May 25, 2018.
It is learned that The Supreme Electoral Board vetoed nomination of Abdullah Güngen, first MP candidate of HDP for Şırnak, based on the absence of restitution of divested rights decision. The nomination of İdris Baluken, HDP’s first MP candidate for Batman was also vetoed based on approval of the sentence given to him previously.
It is learned from news coverage of May 25, 2018 that Bingöl Governorate made an application to The Supreme Electoral Board for consolidation of 96 ballots and transportation of 31 ballots due to security reasons.
On May 26, 2018, a group of SP (Felicity Party) members including Ankara MP candidate Mehmet Fethi Öztürk, who were holding flags around, are attacked by a group of MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) members, alleged to include MHP Ankara MP candidate Mevlüt Karakaya. 7 members of SP got injured, 2 of them including Mehmet Fethi Öztürk are in serious condition. Ankara Governorate made a declaration and stated that a detention warrant is issued for Mehmet Fethi Öztürk and 4 members of MHP who were detained for the attack are released.
On May 26, 2018, an attack against the campaign group of Deniz Arık Binbay, This Social Order Must Change Platform’s independent MP candidate for İzmir was attempted. It is learned that the campaign continued after the attack in which nobody got injured.
On May 26, 2018, 5 people are detained in house raids after a march in Cizre district of Şırnak.
It is learned from news coverage of May 26, 2018 that The Supreme Electoral Board vetoed nomination of Turgut Öker, first MP candidate of HDP for İstanbul Region No 3, based on the absence of restitution of divested rights decision. It is also reported that Kahramanmaraş Penal Court of First Instance No 4 made a decision upon Öker’s lawyer Anıl Engizek, and stated that “There is no prohibition on divested rights for Turgut Öker”.
On May 27, 2018, The Supreme Electoral Board decided to consolidate and transport the ballots in 19 cities based on security reasons. It is learned that the number of voters covered by the ballots to be consolidated and transported is around 270.000.
(05/264) Event Banned in Istanbul…
The press declaration planned to be held on May 26, 2018, in Abbasağa Park in Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, as a part of “Turn it Off!” campaign to protest biased broadcasting of certain parts of media, is banned by Beşiktaş Governorate on May 25, 2018.
(05/265) Curfew in Lice…
Diyarbakır Governorate made a declaration on May 24, 2018 and announced that the curfew on 15 villages and 25 hamlets of Lice district started on May 24, 2018 as of 21.00 is lifted on May 26, 2018 as of 08.00. The villages and hamlets subject to the lifted curfew are: Şenlik, Birlik, Abalı, Erginköy, Tuzlaköy, Çeper, Daralan, Duruköy, Güçlü, Örtülü, Saydamlı, Bayırlı, Yamaçlı, Kıralan, Dernek villages; Elmadere, Ağılçık, Akçapınar, Ayaz, Şakan, Boyluca, Dahlık, Alikahya, Hacımusabey, Kutlamış, Vilu, Arpacık, Karadere, Sivritepe, Körtan, Körha, Seyrek, Silkito, Sumaklı, Zıraht, Acımeşe, Mengüsi, Puneyn, Çalıbükü, Kijikbadem hamlets.
(05/266) Curfew in Hani…
Diyarbakır Governorate made a declaration on May 24, 2018 and announced that the curfew on 8 villages and 17 hamlets of Hani district started on May 24, 2018 as of 21.00 is lifted on May 26, 2018 as of 08.00. The villages and hamlets subject to the lifted curfew are: Kaledibi, Akçayurt, Topçular, Y. Turalı, Kalaba, Uzunlar, Serenköy, Kırım villages; Başaklı, Güzelce, Taşburun, Karapilyari, Mezartarlası, Sıraevler, Horsel, Çay, Damlatepe, Uysal, A. Turalı, Gürbulak, Veziri, Aka, Karmen, Mazılı, Çağıl hamlets.
(05/267) Dismissed Mayor…
Erkan Hayla, mayor of Kale district of Denizli, who was elected as AKP candidate in 2014 and who resigned from AKP later on, is dismissed by the Ministry of Interior on May 25, 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.
[2] To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.
[3] https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT
[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, ETHA, Dihaber, Yurt, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, Ntv, Bianet.org, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Özgür Radyo, Sendika.org, El Cezire, BBC, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar.