Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
8 July 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(07/084) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 7, 2020 that, Tacettin Kardaş who was detained for his social media posts in 2015, in Sur district of Diyarbakır on June 30, 2020 was subjected to torture and ill-treatment at Diyarbakır Gendarmerie Command.
Tacettin Kardaş stated the following on torture and ill-treatment that he was subjected to: “They detained me and took to the station. While we were on the way, soldiers with Nationalist Movement Party emblems on their guns, insulted me in the vehicle for I did not bend my neck. They mentioned my 2 children who joined HPG and then died, and they said ‘We killed two of your children, and we will kill the third one. You will receive the dead body of your child. They were committing violence against me while they were saying these. Torture and insults went on at the station”.
(07/085) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned that the hunger strike of 10 prisoners in Urfa T Type Prison which started by 5 prisoners (İlyas Yeşilçayır, Ahmet Sabaç, Emrullah Oruç, Serhat Bulut and Bahtiyar Aygün) on July 24, 2020 and 5 more prisoners (Hidayet Düger, Hıdır Demirtaş, Erkan Bayram, Mehmet Tahir Özcan and Reber Varhan) who joined them on July 4, 2020, to demand an end to right violations in prison, is ended on July 7, 2020 after prison administration accepts their demands.
(07/086) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 7, 2020 that, Fatma Özbay, a cancer patient prisoner in Izmir Şakran Women’s Prison was referred to hospital but taken back to prison without being treated because of absence of the physician.
(07/087) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
On July 7, 2020, 7 activists of Kırkyama Women’s Solidarity and FeminAmfi who hung a banner on “Enough is enough! Women demand security for life!” on building of Directorate of Family, Labor and Social Services on July 7, 2020. Names of detained people are unknown. Detained people are released on the same day.
(07/088) 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 1337 days to regain their jobs, in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on July 7, 2020 at 13.30 and at 18.00 and forced people away from the monument by using physical violence.
(07/089) Police Intervention Against HDP’s Protest in Mardin…
The police prevented the press declaration of People’s Democratic Party (HDP) members in front of Mardin Courthouse, to protest arrest of Sevil Rojbin Çetin, a member of HDP’s Democratic Local Administrations Board and Free Women’s Movement (TJA) on July 7, 2020.
(07/090) Arrested TJA Member in Diyarbakır…
Sevil Rojbin Çetin, HDP’s Democratic Local Administrations Board and Free Women’s Movement (TJA) member who was detained in Diyarbakır on June 26, 2020 is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on July 7, 2020. Sevil Rojbin Çetin was physically attacked by police dogs and torture and ill-treatment of the police raiding her house.
(07/091) Detained Person in Şırnak…
On July 7, 2020, 1 person (Selim Akbaş) is detained in a house raid in Sulak village of İdil district of Şırnak. The reason of detention is unknown.
(07/092) Co-Mayor on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against Cemal Özdemir, HDP co-mayor of Sur district of Diyarbakır, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 8 on July 7, 2020.
The indictment demands sentence for Cemal Özdemir from 17 years and 6 months to 36 years, for 22 activities he participated in, statement of an anonymous witness and 3 social media posts and demands jail sentence from 17 years and 6 months to 36 years for Cemal Özdemir, on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, ‘possession of hazardous substances without permission’ and ‘selling, purchasing, carrying and owning weapons and/or bullets which are severe in terms of quality’.
After defence hearings the court sentenced Cemal Özdemir to 7 years and 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’, and 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, and acquitted on other charges.
Cemal Özdemir was detained on December 20, 2019 and was arrested on December 23, 2019. Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to Sur Municipality on December 21, 2019. Cemal Özdemir was released on April 16, 2020.
(07/093) The Case Against “I Want My Job Back” Protestor in Ankara…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 7, 2020 that, Mehmet Dersulu, one of the participators of “I Want My Job Back” in Yüksel Street, Ankara, is sentenced to 5 months by the court on the charge of ‘resisting to prevent public duty’ and suspended the sentence.
(07/094) Journalist on Trial in Izmir…
The trial of the case against Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Ruken Demir, on the grounds of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ is held at Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 19 on July 7, 2020.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to November 9, 2020.
Ruken Demir was detained on November 12, 2019 and was arrested by the court on November 16, 2019. Ruken Demir was released at the first trial held on March 5, 2020.
(07/095) Actors on Trial in Istanbul…
The indictment of Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office against actors Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen, on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in their expressions in Public Arena programme on Halk TV channel on December 21, 2018; is accepted by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of First Instance No 8 on July 7, 2020.
The indictment demands Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen to be sentenced to 4 years and 8 months each.
(07/096) Ban of Events in Urfa…
Urfa Governorate made a declaration on July 7, 2020 and banned all open door meetings, demonstrations, sit-in protests, hunger strikes, opening tents and stands, press declarations, concerts, festivals, distributing leaflets, hanging banners and so on for 30 days as of July 8, 2020.
(07/098) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
2 of 11 people including military members on active duty who were detained through an Eskişehir based investigation are arrested by the court on July 7, 2020. 9 people are released provided that 3 of them will be on judicial control conditions.
(07/099) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Ministry of Health declared that 19 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,053 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on July 7, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 5,260 and total number of confirmed cases is 207,897 as of July 7, 2020.
[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.