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08 February 2019 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

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

08 February Daily Human Rights Report

(02/083) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…

It is learned from the news coverage of February 7, 2019 that disciplinary proceedings are initiated against Ersan Nazlıer, a prisoner kept in Maltepe Prison No 1, for the expressions he used in 3 fax messages he sent.

(02/084) 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 821 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on February 7, 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 February 7, 2019, 3 people (Acun Karadağ, Nazan Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 5 people (Mehmet Dersulu, Nazan Bozkurt, Deniz Yılmaz, Umutcan Aybak and Taylan Sungur) were detained.

Thus in total 8 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on February 7, 2019. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.

(02/085) Police Intervention Against Students Holding a Banner in METU…

4 students of Middle East Technical University (METU), who were detained for holding a banner in front of Physics Department to protest President’s visit to the university on February 6, 2019, are released after statement procedures at the prosecutor’s office on February 7, 2019.

(02/086) Detained Executives of HDP in Mardin…

On February 7, 2019, People’s Democratic Party (HDP) provincial co-chair Ali Sincar and provincial executives Abidin Unay, Halil Yağan and Adil Başaran are detained in house raids in Mardin. It is learned that provincial co-chair Eylem Amak’s house was also raided but she was not found home thus not detained.

(02/087) Detained Executives of DBP in Adana…

Democratic Regions Party (DBP) party assembly member Beritan Önen is detained in a house raid in Seyhan district of Adana on February 7, 2019. It is learned that the reason for detention is a speech she made at an event.

(02/088) Former Executive of HDP is Detained in Adıyaman…

Birsen Tunç, former executive of HDP is detained in a house raid in Çelikhan district of Adıyaman on February 7, 2019, on the grounds of ‘aiding an illegal organisation’.

(02/089) 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 Alper Akyüz from Bilgi University for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ are held on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced Alper Akyüz to 2 years and 6 months for ‘aiding an organisation knowingly and willingly, although not being a member’. The court did not defer the announcement of the verdict since it is over 2 years.

The separate cases against 3 academicians (Professor İzge Günal and Professor Halil Resmi from Dokuz Eylül University and Professor Cengiz Erçin from Kocaeli University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 36 are held on February 7, 2019. The court decided to send the case against Cengiz Erçin to Kocaeli Heavy Penal Court based on lack of venue decision. The court decided to send the cases against İzge Günal and Halil Resmi to Izmir Heavy Penal Court based on lack of venue decision.

The separate cases against 4 academicians (Assist. Professor Özge Ejder Johnson from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, PhD student Elif Sandal Önal, Lecturers Onur Ceritoğlu and Murat Dağlı from Bilgi University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35 are held on February 7, 2019. The court decided to ask for permission of the Ministry of Justice in order to conduct legal proceedings according to Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code and to stop trials until then for 4 cases.

The case against Professor Huri Özdoğan from Istanbul University for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37 is held on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced Huri Özdoğan to 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict.

(02/090) Police Officer on Trial for Committing Physical Violence Against Perihan Pulat…

The case against 1 police officer for injuring Perihan Pulat (77), a participator of “I Want My Job Back” protests, in the police intervention on May 1, 2018 is held on Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 14 on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced police officer E.G. to a fine of 3000 Turkish Liras and deferred the announcement of the verdict.

The police officer did not attend the trial held on February 6, 2019 and the court has issued a detention warrant for him.

(02/091) ECHR Decision on Orhan Tunç Who Died During Curfew in Cizre…

European Court of Human Rights announced the conclusion on the application about Orhan Tunç, who died during curfew in 2016 in Cizre district of Şırnak. ECHR found the application “inadmissible” on the ground that remedies from the Constitutional Court have not been exhausted.

(02/092) Medeni Yıldırım Case…

The case against Adem Çiftçi, a soldier on compulsory military service, for death of Medeni Yıldırım in Lice district of Diyarbakır on June 28, 2018, on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 7 is held on February 7, 2019. Medeni Yıldırım was killed with a shot fired from military station during a march to protest the construction of a high security military station in Kalecik village of Lice. The indictment demands jail penalty up to 18 years for Adem Çiftçi for ‘killing with an eventual intent under unjust provocation’.

It is learned that the expert report demanded by the court is included in the case file. The expert report stated that the bullet killed Medeni Yıldırım matches the gunshots fired from watch box at the entrance of Kayacık Station and from the watch box number 6.

The court adjourned the trial to May 16, 2019.

(02/093) Police Officers on Trial in Istanbul…

The final trial of the case against 2 police officers F.Z. and Ö.S., for injuring Gökçe Algan by the pressurized water from an anti-riot vehicle during Gezi Park protests in Istanbul, is held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 7 on February 7, 2019. The court acquitted 2 police officers.

(02/094) EMEP Members on Trial in Istanbul for Distributing Leaflets…

The final trial of the case against Labour Party (EMEP) members Neslihan Karyemez and Bilal Karaman, for distributing leaflets that criticise Turkish Armed Forces’ military operation to Afrin, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 33 on February 7, 2019. The court acquitted 2 people.

Bilal Karaman and Neslihan Karyemez, who was pregnant back then, were arrested on January 26, 2018 on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and were released on the first trial of the case held on February 27, 2018.

(02/095) Former CHP MP on Trial…

The final trial of the case against Barış Yarkadaş, former MP of Republican People’s Party (CHP) and executive editor of Gerçek Gündem news portal, upon former Minister of Environment and Urbanisation Erdoğan Bayraktar’s official complaint about a news report, is held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 68 on February 7, 2019.The court sentenced Barış Yarkadaş to 10 months for ‘breach of confidentiality’ and decided to suspend the sentence for 5 years.

(02/096) The Case Against Academician Bülent Şık…

The case against Assist. Professor Bülent Şık, Bianet news portal writer, food engineer, and a signatory of the petition “We will not be a party to this crime”, for declaring a report of the Ministry of Health, which covers a research on cancer conducted in Antalya, Ergene and Dilovası in between 2011-2015, is held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on February 7, 2019. The findings of the report were not published by Ministry of Health, although it was carried out by the Ministry of Health, Public Health Agency of Turkey. Assist. Professor Bülent Şık then declared the findings of the report in an article series “The State conceals carcinogen products; we are concealing them! This is the list of poisonous products!”.

The indictment demands a penalty of imprisonment for a term of 5 years to 12 years for Bülent Şık on the charges of ‘disclosure of secrets about duty’, ‘provision of prohibited information’ and ‘disclosure of prohibited information’.

After defence hearings the court decided to ask The Ministry of Health whether the declaration of the report was banned or not and whether ban decision was communicated with related units and adjourned the trial to May 30, 2019.

(02/097) Journalist on Trial in Van…

On February 7, 2019, Penal Department No 7 of Erzurum Regional Court concluded on the appeal on 1 year and 3 months’ sentence given by Erciş Penal Court of First Instance No 1 to journalist İdris Yılmaz for his news reports. The court acquitted İdris Yılmaz without any necessity of re-trial.

(02/098) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…

The final trial of the case against Cumhuriyet newspaper reporter Alican Uludağ, on the charge of ‘violating the confidentiality of investigation’, for his news reports “Prosecutor Supporting Yes for Referendum Attends a Meeting of Fethullahist Organisation’ which was published on March 20, 2017, is held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced Alican Uludağ to 10 months and deferred the announcement of the verdict.

(02/099) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…

The case against Fatih Polat, Evrensel newspaper executive editor, on the charge of ‘insulting the President’ in his article “What do respondents say about the allegations about Erdoğan family?”, started to be held on Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No 31 on February 7, 2019.

Fatih Polat’s lawyer stated that the charges against him is in the scope of press charges, and demanded the court to send the case to Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No 2 based on decision of lack of jurisdiction. The court rejected the demand and adjourned the trial to May 14, 2019.

(02/100) Newspaper Employee on Trial in Mardin…

The case against Çetin Kurşun, an employee of Azadiya Welat newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held on Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 2 on February 7, 2019. The indictment demands sentence for Çetin Kurşun on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

Çetin Kurşun attended the trial to make his defence.

The court decided to continue detention for Çetin Kurşun and adjourned the trial to April 30, 2019.

Çetin Kurşun was detained on February 6, 2018 and was arrested on February 19, 2018.

(02/101) Journalist on Trial in Ağrı…

The case against Abdullah Kaya, reporter of Dicle News Agency which was closed down by a state of emergency, is held on Ağrı Heavy Penal Court No 2 on February 7, 2019. Abdullah Kaya joined the trial via sound and vision system from Rize L Type Prison.

The indictment demands sentence for Abdullah Kaya on the charge of ‘aiding an organisation knowingly and willingly, although not being a member’.

The court decided to continue detention for Abdullah Kaya and adjourned the trial to May 13, 2019.

(02/102) “İstanbul KCK Main Case”

The case against 205 people including members and executives of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 3 is held on February 7, 2019. It is learned that the documents for defence declaration of Erhan Aslan, who is arrested through another investigation, and thus Erhan Aslan could not make his defence. The court rejected the demand for cancelling red notice for Ragıp Zarakolu and adjourned the trial to May 28, 2019.

(02/103) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

On February 7, 2019, 17 former police officers are detained in operations covering 7 cities through an Ankara based investigation against Directorate General of Security; 10 people including 1 military member on active duty are detained in operations covering 9 cities through a Konya based investigation; 5 people are detained in house raids in Ankara and 5 people are detained in house raids in Amasya.

(02/104) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

The final trial of the case against Yahya Memiş, former member of the Supreme Court, is held on Penal Department No 9 of the Supreme Court on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 7 years and 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

The final trial of the case against Ahmet Kütük, former member of the Supreme Court, is held on Penal Department No 9 of the Supreme Court on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 11 years for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

The final trial of the case against Şahin Kazancı, former deputy governor, on Antep Heavy Penal Court No 10 is held on February 7, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 6 years and 3 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

(02/105) March 31, 2019 Elections…

HDP’s co-mayor candidate Narin Gezgör, who was detained on February 5, 2019, for she mentioned the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in her speech at the opening of HDP’s campaign office in Ceylanpınar district of Urfa, is released by the court on judicial control conditions on February 7, 2019.

[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, 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.