Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
29 November 2019 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/315) Military Operation to North and East Syria…
Turkish Armed Forces announced that 1 soldier (Bünyamin Çabuk) died and 2 soldiers got wounded due to stroke of lightning in Xakurke area on November 28, 2019 within the military operation to north and east Syria.
(11/316) 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 1115 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on November 28, 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 November 28, 2019, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Taylan Sungur) and at 18.00 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
Thus in total 4 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on November 28, 2019. It is learned detained people were released on the same days they were detained.
(11/317) Police Intervention to a Commemoration in Ankara…
The police intervened the commemoration for Tahir Elçi, who was killed in Diyarbakır 4 years ago, organized by Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), Human Rights Association (İHD), (Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) and Social Law Group in front of Ankara Courthouse on November 28, 2019. It is learned that the police seized and tore down the banners in Turkish and Kurdish. It is reported that the commemoration event is held inside of the courthouse.
(11/318) Detained People in Ağrı…
5 of 11 people who were detained in house raids in Doğubayazıt, Tutak and Taşlıçay districts of Ağrı on November 27, 2019 are arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on November 28, 2019. Arrested people are: People’s Democratic Party (HDP) provincial executives Kazım Aslan and Celal Kürkçü, HDP Doğubayazıt district executive Faruk Sevkan, Elif Aslan and İrfan Aslan. It is learned that 6 people (Okan Sekirden and Agriculture Workers’ Union Ağrı Branch chair Hanifi Demir and 4 more people) are released on judicial control conditions.
(11/319) Detained People in Antalya…
Adnan Ünlü, one of 4 people who were detained in house raids in Antalya on November 27, 2019 is arrested on the charge of ‘insulting the President’, and İdris Demirbaş is arrested on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ on November 28, 2019. 2 people (Gül Ekinci Benek and 1 more person) are released on judicial control conditions.
(11/320) Detained People in Diyarbakır…
12 people who were detained in house raids in Diyarbakır on November 27, 2019 are released on November 28, 2019. It is learned that 8 of them will be on judicial control conditions.
(11/321) Police Raid to Political Party Offices and Detained People in Kocaeli…
Bülent Uyguner, 1 of 23 people who were detained in house raids and raids to offices of HDP in Darıca, Dilovası and Gebze districts as well as provincial office in Kocaeli on November 26, 2019, is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on November 28, 2019. 22 people who are still under custody: HDP provincial co-chair Leyla Aygün, HDP provincial executive İrfan Demirkaya, HDP Party Assembly members Mehmet Alçınkaya and Engin Güleser, Abdulkadir Demir, Kutbettin Güneysu, Ebubekir Çoban, Osman Kurum, Zakire Dündar, Meryem Uslu, Kudret Davutoğlu, Hasret Erdem, Emine Karaaslan, Mehmet Karaaslan, Yüksel Genç, Damla Bağcı, Melike Aydın, Melek Yerkan, Tekin Gür, Şenol Taşdemir, Biret Aydemir, Gökhan Demirtaş and Necla Erdoğan.
(11/322) Detained People in Mardin…
7 people who were detained in house raids in Kızıltepe and central districts of Mardin on November 27, 2019 are released on November 28, 2019. Detained people are: HDP Youth Assembly member Özgür Ermiş, Mizgin Sırnaç, Azat Akansel, Sultan Irmak, Hatip Öncü, Elif İnan and Hilal with unknown surname.
(11/323) Detained Journalist in Mersin…
Journalist Mehmet Fırat Öksüz who was detained on November 28, 2019 in Mersin through an investigation on his social media posts is released on the same day after statement procedures.
(11/324) Detained District Council Members and Other People in Muş…
It is learned that Ümit Sakık, former city council member who was detained in house raids in Muş on November 27, 2019, is arrested on November 28, 2019.
It is learned that Malazgirt district council member Sema Tekin and Muş city council member Faruk Demir are detained in house raids in Muş on November 28, 2019.
(11/325) Detained Person in Istanbul for ‘Insulting the President’…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 28, 2019 that Dürdane Özselgin (63), is detained by gendarmerie while she was visiting a friend’s house in Çatalca district of Istanbul. It is reported that she was detained on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in a quarrel she had in local market. It is reported that Dürdane Özselgin’s regular medications were not allowed in custody. It is reported that Dürdane Özselgin was released with a ban on leaving the country on November 29, 2019.
(11/325) Hrant Dink Murder Case…
The case against 76 people (4 arrested) including security, national intelligence and gendarmerie personnel, on the grounds of being responsible and negligent on the murder of Hrant Dink, executive editor of Agos newspaper, is held between November 26 and 28, 2019 on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14. It is learned that, Yunus Dolar who was heard as a witness on November 26, 2019, stated that as Minorities Office of Istanbul Security Directorate, they have informed Şişli and Bakırköy district security directorates about taking due precautions for a possible assault in 2004, when protests against Agos newspaper emerged. Mustafa İlhan, who was police director in Samsun back then is heard as a witness on November 27, 2019. It is learned that Mustafa İlhan stated the following when he was asked about the photograph of Ogün Samast, the murderer, in front of a Turkish flag posing with police officers at the headquarters in Samsun: “I did my job. I was not informed about the photograph”.
The court decided to re-evaluate the demand of hearing National Intelligence Service officers Hüseyin Kubilay Günay, Özel Yılmaz, Handan Selçuk and Ahmet Köksoy as witnesses and adjourned the trial to February 18, 2020.
(11/326) 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 November 28, 2019 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 (Mehmet Ziriğ) to heavy life imprisonment and 17 years. It is learned that Mehmet Ziriğ was forcefully taken out of the courtroom after he started shouting slogans. The court sentenced 2 people (Fırat Darı and Mazlum Yaşa) to heavy life imprisonment and 18 years each, 1 person (Süleyman Göksel Yerdut) to heavy life imprisonment and 15 years. The court adjourned the trials of Halil İbrahim Yıldız and İsmail Yılmaz to January 20, 2020.
(11/327) Former HDP MP on Trial…
The case against former HDP Kars MP and Democratic Society Congress board member Mülkiye Birtane at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4 on November 28, 2019. The indictment demands sentence of 15 years to 22 years and 6 months for Mülkiye Birtane on the charge of ‘establishing and leading an illegal organisation’. The court decided to continue detention of Mülkiye Birtane and adjourned the trial to December 13, 2019.
Mülkiye Birtane was detained on November 26, 2018 and was arrested on December 7, 2018.
(11/328) Özgür Gündem Main 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 November 28, 2019. The court adjourned the trial to January 13, 2020.
(11/329) Özgür Gündem Case…
The trial of the case against director Veysi Algan and Hüseyin Süzügen on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 22 for participating in “Editors in Chief on Watch” campaign to support Özgür Gündem newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held on November 28, 2019. The court adjourned the trial to February 18, 2020.
The trial of the case against Can Dündar is held on the same day and the court adjourned the trial to May 21, 2019.
(11/330) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against journalists Aziz Oruç, Selman Keleş, Özgür Paksoy, Kenan Kırkaya, İshak Yasul and Ersin Çaksu, for news reports and articles published between October 21 – November 1 in 2016 on Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on November 28, 2019. The court sentenced İshak Yasul, Kenan Kırkaya, Özgür Paksoy and Selman Keleş to 5 months each on the charge of ‘publicly degrading judicial bodies of state’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict. The court decided to separate the cases against Aziz Oruç and Ersin Çaksu.
(11/331) Journalist on Trial in Batman…
The final trial of the case against Deniz Kılıç, former Batman correspondent of Azadiya Welat newspaper, on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ on social media posts is held at Batman Heavy Penal Court No 2 on November 28, 2019. The court sentenced Deniz Kılıç to 3 years and 2 month and 15 days.
(11/332) “KCK Lawyers Case”…
The case against 46 lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 19 is held on November 28, 2019. After defence hearings the court decided to hear İrfan Dündar as a witness and adjourned the trial to March 26, 2020.
(11/333) Lawyer on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against lawyer Can Tombul from The Law Office of the Oppressed, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35 on November 28, 2019. The indictment demands sentence for Can Tombul on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Can Tombul and adjourned the trial to March 26, 2020.
Can Tombul was detained in Istanbul on July 31, 2018 and was arrested by the court on August 3, 2018; he was released by the court on September 12, 2019.
(11/334) Constitutional Court Decision on Right to Assembly and Demonstration…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 28, 2019 that the Constitutional Court has concluded on individual appeal of Hayriye Özde Çelikbilek, who was sentenced to a fine of 219 Turkish Liras for ‘opposing the Law of Misdemeanour’ after being detained in a police intervention to a protest. The court decided that Çelikbilek’s right to assembly and demonstration was violated and sent the case to Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 3 for retrial. Hayriye Özde Çelikbilek was detained in the protest “Close Down Rapist Ensar Foundation” against Ensar Foundation in Kızılay, Ankara on March 25, 2016.
(11/335) Constitutional Court Decision on Freedom of Communication…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 28, 2019 that the Constitutional Court has concluded on individual appeal of Orhan Bingöl, whose letter from Bolu F Type Prison to an NGO was seized by prison administration on November 13, 2016. The court decided that freedom of communication of Orhan Bingöl was violated and he should be paid a compensation of 1000 Turkish Liras.
[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, 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.