Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
8 May 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/060) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 7, 2020 that, 3 militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı on May 6, 2020.
(05/061) Person Was Shot by Watchman in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 7, 2020 that, a quarrel took place between 2 people (Yüksel D. and Orhan D.) and watchmen who ask these people to show their ID cards in Arnavutköy district of Istanbul, and that Yüksel D. was shot at his foot by a watchman after this. It is learned that Yüksel D. was taken to Arnavutköy Public Hospital and Orhan D. was detained on the same day.
(05/062) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 7, 2020 that, prisoners in Osmaniye T Type Prison No 2 were not given disinfectants, cleaning supplies, gloves and face masks for protection from Covid-19; some wardens do not wear face masks and gloves and some wardens do not follow social distancing rule during roll-calls; 14 prisoners are kept in a ward for 10 people; telephones used by prisoners were not disinfected; food given to prisoners was insufficient and poor; and personnel serving the food were not wearing face masks and gloves.
It is learned from the news coverage of May 7, 2020 that, prisoners in Van High Security Prison were not given disinfectants, cleaning supplies, and face masks for protection from Covid-19; and face masks and other supplies were sold at high prices at prison commissary. It is also stated in the news reports that prisoners were not allowed to subscribe to Yeni Yaşam and Xwebun newspapers and prisoners were restricted to use social, cultural and sports rights.
It is learned from the news coverage of May 7, 2020 that in Urfa T Type Prison 23 people were kept in a ward despite of Covid-19 pandemic, and many of prisoners have to sleep on floors due to lack of beds.
(05/063) Police Intervention to Funeral of İbrahim Gökçek…
The police used pepper spray and rubber bullets to intervene the funeral of Grup Yorum member İbrahim Gökçek who lost his life on May 7, 2020, at Gazi Cemevi in Sultangazi district of Istanbul on May 8, 2020. İbrahim Gökçek, who was on death fast for 323 days to demand an end to oppression and bans on Grup Yorum, and who ended his fast on May 5, 2020, following applications to Izmir and Istanbul governorates for a concert, died in hospital on May 7, 2020. It is learned that the police blocked all streets around Cemevi, detained 36 people including 2 children, dropped gas bombs into Cemevi, broke into mortuary in Cemevi and abducted İbrahim Gökçek’s dead body. It is reported that detained 26 people who were taken to Sultangazi Police Station were not allowed to see their lawyers. 10 other detainees including 2 lawyers and 1 apprentice lawyer were taken to Istanbul Security Directorate. Detained people are: Muratcan Oflu, Aydın Gevin, Cengiz Şahin, Dursun Şahin, lawyers Didem Baydar Ünsal and Seda Şaraldı and apprentice lawyer Doğa İncesu, Grup Yorum band members Dilan Poyraz, Eren Erdem, Fırat Kıl, Dilan Ekin, Bakican Işık, Sevda Kurban, Beyhan Gün, Rıdvan Akbaş, Bahar Ertürk.
(05/064) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declarations of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 1276 days to regain their jobs, in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on May 7, 2020 at 13.30 and at 18.00, and forced people away from the monument by using physical violence.
(05/065) Police Intervention to a Protest in Düzce…
On May 7, 2020, the police intervened the press declaration of Alev Şahin in order to regain her job from which she was dismissed by a state of emergency decree, in front of Düzce Governorate and detained her. Alev Şahin was released on the same day, after being fined for violating Law of Misdemeanour and Public Health Law.
(05/066) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The indictment of Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office against Mehmet Ferhat Çelik (managing editor of Yeni Yaşam newspaper), Aydın Keser (executive editor of Yeni Yaşam newspaper), Barış Pehlivan (managing editor of Oda TV), Barış Terkoğlu (chief news editor of Oda TV) and reporter Hülya Kılınç and Murat Ağırel (Yeniçağ newspaper writer), Birgün newspaper writer Erk Acarer and Akhisar Municipality Press Department officer E. E for the news reports on National Intelligence officer who died in Libya and was buried in Manisa, is accepted by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 34.
The indictment demands jail sentence from 5 years to 10 years for 8 people, on the charge of, ‘disclosure of information relating to the security and political interests of the state’, noted in Article 329/1 of Turkish Penal Code, and from 4 years to 10 years on the charge of ‘disclosure of information and documents related to intelligence activity’, noted in Article 27 of the Law Amending the Law on State Intelligence Services and the National Intelligence Organization.
Oda TV chief news editor Barış Terkoğlu and reporter Hülya Kılınç were detained on March 4, 2020 and were arrested by the court on March 5, 2020. Oda TV managing editor Barış Pehlivan was detained on March 6, 2020 and was arrested on the same day. Mehmet Ferhat Çelik, Aydın Keser and Murat Ağırel were detained and then released on judicial control conditions on March 6, 2020; however, upon prosecutor’s appeal they were detained again and were arrested on March 8, 2020. On May 2, 2020 the court issued a warrant for Erk Acarer who lives abroad.
(05/067) Medeni Yıldırım Case…
It is learned that the trial of 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, which was to be held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 7 on May 14, 2020 is adjourned to October 22, 2020, due to Covid-19 pandemic. 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’.
(05/068) Broadcast Ban for TV Channels…
On May 7, 2020, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) issued Halk TV with a broadcast ban for five times, and administrative fine for five times, for expressions of Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu during a programme.
On May 7, 2020, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) issued Habertürk TV with administrative fine, for some expressions of IYI Party chair Meral Akşener during a programme.
(05/069) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Ministry of Health declared that 57 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,977 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on May 7, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 3,641 and total number of confirmed cases is 133,721 as of May 7, 2020.
It is learned from the news coverage of May 8, 2020 that 44 prisoners in Istanbul Silivri L Type Prison No 7 were tested positive for Covid-19.
[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, 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.