Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
14 March 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/113) Child Who Lost His Life in Şırnak…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that in Fındık town of Güçlükonak district of Şırnak, a 4-year-old child died, and the mother of the child Remziye Dayan was wounded when an object was found by children in the field and brought home exploded.
(03/114) Person Wounded Due to an Explosion in Şırnak…
Shepherd Muhammed Nas, who was grazing his sheep in Kasrik town of Şırnak on March 13, 2024, was wounded when a mine exploded in the Gabar Mountain area. It is learned that Muhammed Nas was transferred from Cizre State Hospital to Diyarbakır for treatment.
(03/115) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Ağrı…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Youth Assembly member Brindar Gezici, who was detained in the Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı on March 7, 2024, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment of soldiers and village guards at the police station.
Brindar Gezici’s sister, Şerzan Gezici, made the following statements about the torture to which her brother was subjected, as reported in the press: “My brother was detained in Bazîd and taken to a police station in Bazîd where he was tortured by soldiers and village guards. He was tortured on the way to the police station and fainted. After going to the police station, they poured water on his head and he woke up. Here he was again beaten with an iron rod by soldiers and village guards. Finally they squeezed his left hand fingers with pliers. They repeatedly hit his skull, legs and nose with a gun. He currently has fractures in his skull and nose. When I went to see my brother, he could hardly stand on his feet”.
(03/116) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that Selahattin Demirtaş, former co-chair of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), who is kept in Edirne F Type Prison, was subjected to a body search every time he enters and leaves the room where he is kept, and was asked to take off his shoes in front of the camera. Ramazan Demir, the lawyer of Selahattin Demirtaş, made a statement on the issue in the press: “In these days when there is very little time left until the elections, humiliating body searches have been imposed on Mr. Selahattin Demirtaş in Edirne Prison. With the instructions of the Ministry of Justice, as of today, Mr. Demirtaş is forced to take off his shoes in front of the cameras every time he leaves and enters the room for a visit. Mr. Demirtaş has stated that he defines this practice as an insulting bullying that he will never accept it and that from now on he will not meet with his family, lawyers, and MPs. The DEM Party Headquarters has also been urgently informed about the matter. The unlawful practice of removing shoes from our client Mr. Selahattin Demirtaş before and after his lawyer’s visit has been abandoned as a result of the negotiations.”
It is learned from the news coverage of March 14, 2024, that during ward searches in Diyarbakır High-Security Prison No 2, prisoners’ belongings were scattered, correction officers forced prisoners to ‘sit and stand’ and ‘take off their shoes’, and prisoners were threatened by correction officers after the cameras were turned off, books given to prisoners were seized even though they were inspected by the prison administration, some prisoners’ short stories and novels were seized, prisoners were subjected to physical violence by correction officers, and prisoners were made to sit on the floor during ward searches.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 14, 2024, that prisoners in Elazığ High Security Prison No 2, who participated in the hunger strike in prisons across Turkey demanding an end to the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, were subjected to disciplinary proceedings and were punished with solitary confinement within the scope of the proceedings, that prisoners were not given newspapers and books, were prevented from watching television and listening to the radio, letters of prisoners to human rights organizations were seized and petitions written to prison administration were not responded.
(03/117) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan not Responded to…
It is learned that the appeal made on March 14, 2024, to the chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by the lawyers in order to visit their clients PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in İmralı Prison was not responded by Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office.
(03/118) March 31st Elections…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that Veli Baygeldi, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Baskil mayor candidate, was threatened by a person in front of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Election Coordination Centre and then by Baskil Mayor İhsan Akmurat who came to a coffee house in Baskil district of Elazığ.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 14, 2024, that DEM Party’s election vehicle was attacked with a gun by an anonymous person or persons on Sivas Street in the Kocasinan district of Kayseri on March 13, 2024. While no one was injured in the attack, DEM Party Kayseri Provincial Organization announced that an investigation was initiated and one person is detained.
(03/119) Journalist and HDP and BDP Executives on Trial…
The trial of the case known as ‘KCK Academy Case’ against 16 people including journalist Haydar Ergül and members of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and HDP, continued on March 14, 2024, at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 22. The court adjourned the hearing to June 13, 2024.
(03/120) Musician on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against musician Emel Çiftçi on the charges of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ and ‘being an executive of an illegal organization’ continued on March 14, 2024, at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4. The court decided to lift judicial control measures against Emel Çiftçi and adjourned the trial to May 28, 2024.
Emel Çiftçi, a musician undergoing cancer treatment, was detained on August 21, 2023, at a hospital in Diyarbakır through an Ankara-based investigation. Emel Çiftçi was arrested by the court on the same day on the allegation of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ and was released on judicial control condition at the first hearing of the case held on 23 January 2024.
(03/121) The Nihat Kazanhan Case…
The retrial of the case on the killing of Nihat Kazanhan (12) in the Cizre district of Şırnak by police fire, after the Constitutional Court ruled that the right to life was violated, continued on March 13, 2024, at Cizre Heavy Penal Court No 1. The court rejected the requests of the complainant’s lawyers for the examination of the phone records and account movements of the defendant police officer and the prosecutor in charge to determine the addresses where the defendant can be found, including his close relatives, and to notify the competent Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices for the execution of the arrest warrant at these addresses and adjourned the trial to June 5, 2024.
(03/122) Police Officers on Trial in Burdur…
The final trial of the case against two police officers C. D. and R. Ç., on the charge of ‘causing death by intentional injury’, in relation to the death of Ali Kurama in custody in the Bucak district of Burdur on March 2, 2023, was held at Burdur Heavy Penal Court on March 13, 2024. The court acquitted police officer R. Ç. and sentenced police officer C. D. to 15 years imprisonment and then reduced the sentence to 9 years 4 months and 15 days by applying unjust provocation discount.
(03/123) People on Trial in Izmir…
On March 14, 2024, the trial of the case against 21 students who were detained by physical violence during a press statement in front of the Izmir Dokuz Eylül University Rectorate against the remote education decision taken after the Maraş earthquakes on February 6, 2023, started at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 28. The indictment demands a sentence for 21 people on the charges of ‘violating Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’ and ‘resisting to prevent duty’. After defenses, the court adjourned the trial to March 26, 2024.
(03/124) Proceedings against MPs…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that 7 proceedings demanding a lift of impunity of 5 parliamentary members of parliament are sent to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). Members of parliament for whom proceedings are prepared:
DEM Party Istanbul MP and Parliamentary Deputy Speaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder (1 proceeding)
Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) Istanbul MP Ahmet Şık (1 proceeding)
DEM Party Van MP Pervin Buldan (1 proceeding)
DEM Party Mardin MP Salihe Aydeniz (1 fezleke)
DEM Party Bitlis MP Hüseyin Olan (3 proceedings)
(03/125) Ban of Access to Web Content…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that a total of 67 content related to the President’s son Bilal Erdoğan on https://www.birgun.net, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr and https://bianet.org are banned to access by Istanbul Anadolu Criminal Peace Judgeship No 3 on March 13, 2024, on the grounds of violation of personal rights, and that the content is ordered to be deleted.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 13, 2024, that a total of 171 news articles and social media content about Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Mersin MP Levent Uysal on https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr, https://haber.sol.org.tr and https://halktv.com.tr were banned from access by Istanbul Criminal Peace Judgeship No 10 on March 13, 2024, on the grounds of violation of personal rights, and the content was ordered to be deleted.
[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.