Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 June 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(06/227) Civilian People Died in Şırnak…
Şırnak Governorate declared that 4 workers died due to an explosion during passage of a vehicle carrying fuel for road construction in rural areas of Silopi district of Şırnak on June 17, 2020. It is stated in the governorate’s declaration that the blast was due to improvised explosive device placed by HPG. 4 workers are: Emin Eroğlu, Haci Atilla, Nesim Beştaş and Osman Tuncay.
(06/228) Armed Assault to Human Rights Federation Chair…
On June 17, 2020, an anonymous armed assault was organized against Human Rights Federation (IHF) chair Hayrettin Eligül’s car in Gaziemir district of Izmir. It is learned that the car was damaged due to assault.
(06/229) Break into Eren Keskin’s House…
It is learned on June 17, 2020 that unknown person or persons broke into house of Eren Keskin, chair of Human Rights Association (IHD) in Istanbul.
IHD states the following: “On 16 June 2020, unknown individuals broke into Eren Keskin’s home. The incident was made to look like a burglary, with her belongings thrown around the house, but nothing was stolen. The incident was reported to the local police. (…) who then conducted an investigation at the defender’s house. It is understood from the initial findings that it was an attempt to intimidate and threaten Eren Keskin”.
(06/230) Interventions to “Democracy March”…
It is learned that after the march in Tatvan district of Bitlis on June 17, 2020, as a part of “Democracy March” organized by Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the police committed physical violence against HDP’s district co-chair Rumet Dursun and detained 1 person.
It is reported that HDP’s convoy including HDP co-chair Mithat Sancar’s vehicle was prevented by the police from entering into Batman on June 17, 2020. After waiting for a while HDP members entered into Batman however the police prevented the press declaration this time.
It is learned that the police intervened HDP MP’s who get out of their cars to greet back the people who greet HDP convoy in Bismil district of Diyarbakır on June 17, 2020; and that used pepper spray against HDP MP’s Ayşe Sürücü and Tayyip Temel.
The police prevented the march of the group including HDP MP’s and executives of several political parties in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on June 17, 2020.
The police, on the grounds of precautions for Covid-19, prevented HDP members from leaving Mardin to go to Diyarbakır to participate in the press declaration in front of HDP Diyarbakır office on June 17, 2020 as a part of “Democracy March”.
The police, on the grounds of precautions for Covid-19, did not allow HDP members coming from Bingöl to enter into Diyarbakır for the same cause.
The police on the grounds of precautions for Covid-19, prevented HDP members from leaving Şırnak to go to Diyarbakır for the same cause.
The police prevented the group from marching to Tunceli Bus Terminal to send HDP members from Tunceli to Diyarbakır for the same cause.
(06/231) 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 1317 days to regain their jobs, in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on June 17, 2020 at 13.30 and 18.00 and forced people away from the monument by using physical violence.
(06/232) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Düzce…
On June 17, 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.
(06/233) Police Intervention to a Protest in Hatay…
The police intervened the press declaration at Abdullah Cömert Park in Samandağ district of Hatay on June 17, 2020, about Edibe Özçelik who had a heart attack when her house was raided by the police in Samandağ district of Hatay and who died on January 20, 2020; and detained 1 person (Ümit Özçelik) by using physical violence. Detained person was released on the same day.
(06/234) Detained People in Van…
On June 17, 2020, 10 people are detained in Gürpınar district of Van, on the grounds of a secret witness report. It is learned that 10 people were released by the court on judicial control conditions on June 18, 2020.
Detained people were: Tajdin Gencer, Kinyas Gencer, Savaş Kaçak, Renas Kaçak, Aysel Kaçak, Bese Kaçak, Şerif Koçak, Nazdar Alkan, Musa Dik and Mesut Koçak.
(06/325) Co-Mayors on Trial in Van…
The final trial of the case against Şehzade Kurt and Azim Yacan, HDP co-mayors of İpekyolu district of Van, is held at Van Heavy Penal Court No 7 on June 17, 2020.
Co-mayors joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court sentenced Şehzade Kurt to 6 years and 3 months and Azim Yacan to 7 years and 3 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court releases Şehzade Kurt on verdict and decided to continue detention of Azim Yacan.
Şehzade Kurt and Azim Yacan were detained on November 8, 2019 and were arrested by the court on November 11, 2019. Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to İpekyolu district on November 9, 2019.
(06/236) Co-Mayor on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against Filiz Buluttekin, HDP co-mayor of Sur district of Diyarbakır, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 11 on June 17, 2020.
Filiz Buluttekin joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court released Filiz Buluttekin and adjourned the trial to October 26, 2020.
Filiz Buluttekin was detained on December 20, 2019 and was arrested by the court on December 23, 2019. Sur district sub-governor Abdullah Çiftçi was appointed as a trustee by Ministry of Interior on December 22, 2019.
(06/237) Co-Mayor on Trial in Mardin…
The trial of the case against Mülkiye Esmez, HDP co-mayor of Sur district of Diyarbakır, is held at Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 11 on June 17, 2020.
Mülkiye Esmez joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Mülkiye Esmez and adjourned the trial to September 11, 2020.
Mülkiye Esmez was detained on November 16, 2019 and was arrested by the court on November 26, 2019. Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to Derik district on November 16, 2019.
(06/238) Political Party Chair on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Lütfü Baksi, chair of Participatory Democracy Party (KADEP), for participating in Democratic Society Congress (DTK) activities, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 11 on June 17, 2020.
The court sentenced Lütfü Baksi to 6 years and 3 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(06/239) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against Jinnews reporter Beritan Canözer for her social media posts, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 11 on June 17, 2020. The court sentenced Beritan Canözer to 1 year 10 months and 15 days on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
(06/240) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against journalist Semiha Alankuş on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on June 17, 2020. The court acquitted Semiha Alankuş.
(06/241) Non-Prosecution Decision for Torture and Ill-Treatment Allegations in Prison in Osmaniye…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 17, 2020 that, Osmaniye Public Prosecutor’s Office decided non-prosecution of the criminal complaint about physical and verbal violence of the wardens and prison doctor that Ferhat Demirbaş, a prisoner in Osmaniye Prison, was subjected to on September 18, 2018. It is reported that Osmaniye Public Prosecutor’s Office grounded the decision on the medical report prepared by the same doctor who was alleged to commit verbal violence against Ferhat Demirbaş.
(06/242) The Case Against People Evacuated from Nusaybin…
The case against 70 people who were detained and then arrested on May 26, 2016, after being evacuated from the buildings they were stuck in during the curfew on Nusaybin district, is held on June 17, 2020 on Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 4. The court has decided to separate the case for each defendant and to start proceedings all over again with new case files on April 5, 2019.
The court sentenced 1 person (Rojhat Aydın) to heavy life imprisonment on the charge of ‘distributing unity and integrity of the state’ and to 20 years on the charges of ‘attempt to killing’, ‘damage to public property’ and ‘possessing explosive material without permission’. With the last verdicts, 45 people in total are sentenced through this case.
(06/243) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On June 17, 2020, 34 people are detained in operations covering 10 cities through a Niğde based investigation.
(06/244) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Ministry of Health declared that 19 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,429 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on June 17, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 4,861 and total number of confirmed cases is 182,727 as of June 17, 2020.
Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses declared the report “Prisons and Detention Houses in Covid-19 Pandemic” on June 17, 2020. According to the report 6 prisoners died from Covid-19 in prisons; 374 prisons in 439 prisons recovered from Covid-19; and there are 72 active cases in prisons. It is stated in the report that, first death from Covid-19 in prisons was on April 3, 2020; which was followed by 5 deaths respectively on April 4, April 8, April 15, May 15 and May 21, 2020. Names of prisoners and the prisons where they were kept is not shared in the report.
[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.