Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
1-2 May 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/001) Operations and Attacks…
Ministry of Interior announced that 2 soldiers (Mustafa Şen, Ensar Enes Ertaş) died and 2 soldiers were wounded when a military armored vehicle rolled into a ravine in Şırnak on April 30, 2024.
The Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced that 1 soldier (Sait Toktaş) died due to a lightning strike during the ” Pençe-Kilit” operation in the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on April 9, 2024.
(05/002) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 30, 2024, that the release of Veysi Aktaş, who was kept in İmralı F Type High-Security Prison and completed the execution of his life sentence which corresponds to 30 years according to the law, on April 28, 2024, was postponed for 1 year by the decision of administration and observation board and that this decision was not communicated to his lawyers.
It is learned that Sedanur Uğur and Sibel Örkmen, who were arrested for participating in the protests about Van, were kept in wards with judicial prisoners although they stated that they did not want to stay with judicial prisoners. It is learned from the news coverage of April 26, 2024, that 2 prisoners were subjected to physical violence by other prisoners on April 26, 2024, and were injured in various parts of their bodies. It is learned that Sedanur Uğur and Sibel Örkmen were taken from this ward and were kept in solitary cells for 2 days and then were taken to another ward where forensic prisoners were kept.
(05/003) Interventions against the May 1st Celebrations…
On May 1st, the Security Forces Union wanted to march to Taksim Square and lay a wreath at the monument in the square to celebrate May 1 Labor Day but was denied permission by the Governorate of Istanbul.
(05/004) Interventions against the May 1st Celebrations…
The Governorate of Istanbul announced in a press release titled ‘May 1 Measures’ on April 30, 2024, that public transportation on highways will be restricted as of 04.00 on May 1, 2024, sea and rail system transportation will be restricted as of 05.30 on May 1, 2024, and some routes in Fatih, Beyoğlu, Şişli and Beşiktaş districts will be closed to transportation as of 05.30 on May 1, 2024.
On May 1, 2024, the police intervened against the members of the Association for Solidarity with Prisoners’ Families (TAYAD) who wanted to go to Taksim in Istanbul and detained 6 people (Ayşe Lerzan Conde, Emir Karakum, Hasan Basri Yıldız, Mecit Şahinkaya, Feridun Osmanağaoğlu and Ferdi Sarıkaya). The detainees were released the same day after statement procedures at the police station.
The police intervened against the members of the Youth Committees who wanted to go to Taksim and detained at least 15 people.
The police intervened against the members of the Mücadele Birliği who wanted to go to Taksim. During the intervention, Serpil Ünal, a reporter for the newspaper Mücadele Birliği, was handcuffed behind her back and detained. It is not known how many people were detained during the intervention.
The police intervened against the members of the People’s Liberation Party gathering in Beşiktaş for the same reason and detained 23 people. The detainees were released the same day after statement procedures at the police station.
The police intervened against the members of Socialist Women’s Assemblies (SKM), Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF), and Revolutionary Party who gathered in Okmeydanı for the same reason. ESP Co-Chair Şahin Tümüklü and ESP Istanbul Provincial Chair Hatice Deniz Aktaş were detained by physical violence. It is not known how many people were detained in total.
It is learned that 4 people were handcuffed behind their backs and detained in Mecidiyeköy.
The police intervened against the members of the Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP) and Youth Assemblies who wanted to gather in Şişli and march to Taksim for the same reason, detaining 10 people.
It is learned that the police seized copies of Evrensel newspaper in the hands of Labor Party members at search points in the Saraçhane district of Istanbul.
The police intervened with tear gas and rubber bullets against the people who gathered in Saraçhane in Istanbul and wanted to march to Taksim. It is not known how many people were detained and how many people were injured during the intervention.
It is learned that during the police intervention in Beşiktaş, journalists were taken away from the area and prevented from taking video footage after a police chief ordered: “Sweep the press”. It is also reported that a police chief instructed journalists following the peaceful demonstration in Saraçhane to “sweep the press” and the police prevented journalists from taking footage after the instruction.
182 of 217 people who were detained during the day-long interventions against the May 1 protests were released after statement procedures at the police. 35 people will be referred to the courthouse.
In Tunceli, 3 people participating in the May 1 celebration were detained for holding yellow, red, and green tissues. 3 people were released after statement procedures.
Minister of Interior announced on social media that a total of 226 people were detained across Turkey, including 217 people in Istanbul, 4 people in Tunceli, 3 people in Maraş and 2 people in Aydın.
(05/006) MP on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Can Atalay, Hatay MP of Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), for his speech at a protest about the Ankara Train Station Massacre, was held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 on April 30, 2024. The court acquitted him on the charges of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ and ‘violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’.
(05/007) Former MP on Trial…
The trial of the case against İdris Baluken, former Diyarbakır MP of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), due to 3 separate speeches he made, was held at Siirt Heavy Penal Court No 2 on April 30, 2024. The indictment demands a sentence for İdris Baluken on the charges of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ and ‘insulting the Turkish nation, state of the Republic of Turkey, institutions and organs of the state’. Following the defences, the court adjourned the trial to June 25, 2024.
(05/008) Journalist on Trial in Osmaniye…
The first hearing of the case against Erkan Yiğitsözlü, a reporter for KHK TV, who was dismissed from his job at Anadolu Agency (AA) with a Statutory Decree, started on April 30, 2024, at Osmaniye Heavy Penal Court No 2. The indictment demands a sentence for the journalist on the charges of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ and ‘violating the Law on Prevention of Financing of Terrorism’. Following the defenses, the court adjourned the trial to September 19, 2024.
(05/009) Lawyer on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The first trial of the case against lawyer Burhan Arta, on the grounds of his activities as a lawyer, started on April 30, 2024, at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4. Witness statements were heard. After the defences, the court adjourned the trial to September 5, 2024.
Burhan Arta was detained on April 25, 2023, arrested on April 28, 2023, and released on May 25, 2023, upon objection.
(05/010) Person on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final hearing of the retrial of the case against Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activist Zelal Bilgin, who was sentenced to 9 years in Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4 on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’, and whose sentence was overturned by the Court of Cassation on the grounds of “incomplete investigation”, was held on April 30, 2024. The court sentenced Zelal Bilgin to 8 years and 5 months for ‘being a member of an illegal organization’.
[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.