Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
16-18 November 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/167) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Batman…
It is learned that Sultan Evcil, mother of Mehmet Evcil, who was detained in a house raid in Batman on November 16, 2024, on the grounds of protests against the decision to dismiss co-mayors of Mardin, Batman, and the Halfeti district of Urfa on November 4, 2024, and appoint trustees to replace them, was subjected to physical violence by the police.
(11/168) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Kütahya…
It is learned from the news coverage of 16 November 2024 that, plainclothes police officers raided the house of Mehmet Ali Güngör and his wife in Kütahya on 14 November 2024, and used physical violence against Mehmet Ali Güngör and his wife; and that Mehmet Ali Güngör was wounded due to physical violence; and that the police officers called an ambulance and left the house after informing that they came to the wrong address.
My wife opened the door before me. When she opened the door, they pushed my wife on the floor. The moment they hit my wife, I thought that the neighbors were arguing in our apartment, they had mixed up the door number and came to our house. I was afraid that they would harm my family. There was a brawl for about 10 minutes. I didn’t know they were police officers until that moment. I panicked when they threw my wife on the ground. If they had told me they were police officers when they first arrived, I would have told them my name, they would have realized that I was the wrong person. I was right behind my wife and after my wife, they punched me in the jaw without saying anything. Then 4-5 people suddenly pounced on me, pushed me from my back and laid me on the ground. They bent my arm from behind and broke it as if they were breaking wood.’
(11/169) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Mardin…
It is learned from the news coverage of 18 November 2024 that, people who were detained in Mardin on 4 November 2024, on the grounds of the protests against the decision to dismiss co-mayors of Mardin, Batman, and the Halfeti district of Urfa and appoint trustees to replace them, were subjected to torture and ill-treatment under custody.
Lawyers’ Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Mardin Branch Co-Chair Lawyer Lokman Emen stated the following to the press: “Almost all of the detainees were forced to be informants. Each detainee was forced to give the names of different people and threats were made that if they did not, they could be subjected to torture, sexual assault and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison’.
(11/170) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of 15 November 2024 that, the petition of Şaban Kaygusuz, a prisoner with 90% disability report, who is kept in Kayseri Bünyan T Type Prison No 2, to be transferred to a prison close to his family was rejected without giving a reason, and Şaban Kaygusuz was put in a single room and cannot meet his basic needs in this room.
(11/171) Prevention of Right to Access Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of 17 November 2024 that, some women prisoners in Kocaeli Kandıra F Type Prison No 1 were referred to Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine Hospital Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department and were taken back to prison without being treated after the gendarmerie refused to leave the room saying ‘I will not leave even if the doctor tells me to leave’.
(11/172) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of 16 November 2024 that, Dilek Ekmekçi, a prisoner in Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Prison, went on an indefinite hunger strike on 15 November 2024, demanding a fair trial.
(11/173) Prisoner Whose Release Was Postponed by the Prison Administration and Observation Board…
It is learned from the news coverage of 15 November 2024 that, the release of Elif Yaş, a prisoner in Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Prison, who completed the execution of her prison sentence, was postponed by the Prison Administration and Observation Board (CİGK) for 6 months, on the grounds of not accepting to repentance. It is also reported in the news that the release of 15 prisoners in Bakırköy Women’s Prison was postponed by the decision of CIGK before.
(11/174) Interventions in Protests Against the Trustee Decisions…
On 17 November 2024, the police intervened in the peaceful demonstrations in the Yüksekova district of Hakkari against the decision to dismiss co-mayors of Mardin, Batman and the Halfeti district of Urfa on 4 November 2024 and appoint trustees to replace them, and against the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. It is not known whether anyone was detained during the intervention.
The police intervened with tear gas and water cannons against the people marching towards Basın Junction after the Freedom and Democracy Rally in Batman on 17 November 2024 for the same cause. It is not known whether anyone was detained during the intervention.
(11/175) A Child and Others Detained and Arrested for the Protests Against the Trustee Decisions…
3 people (Fatma Öztürk, Rojhat Taş, Şeyhmus Kavri) of the 5 people including 1 child, who were detained in Mardin on 4 November 2024 in response to the decision to dismiss co-mayors of Mardin, Batman, and the Halfeti district of Urfa and appoint trustees in their place, were released by the Criminal Peace Judgeship on 15 November 2024. 2 of them (Ferhat Erdem and M.Ç.) were arrested on the grounds of ‘damaging public property’ and ‘committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organization without being a member of an illegal organization’.
On 16 November 2024, 24 people including 6 children were detained in house raids in Batman for the same protests. The detainees whose names are known are Aziz Dal, Hakan Şimşek, Hasan Eraslan, Ömer Altınışık, Mustafa Akgül, Hüseyin Turan, Ferhat Sakin, Ferit Turan, and Mehmet Evcil.
(11/176) A Child and Others Detained and Arrested in Van…
6 of the 7 people who were detained in house raids in the İpekyolu district of Van on November 13, 2024, were released by the criminal peace judgeship on judicial control conditions on November 15, 2024. 1 child (Ç.A., 15) was arrested on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’.
(11/177) Musician on Trial in Istanbul…
The first hearing of the case against musician Cihan Çelik, on the grounds of a song he sang at a previous event, was held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 22 on 14 November 2024. The indictment demands a sentence for the musician on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court adjourned the hearing to 18 February 2025.
(11/178) Journalist on Trial in Van…
The first hearing of the lawsuit filed against journalist İdris Yılmaz was held on 14 November 2024 at Van Erciş Penal Court of First Instance No 4, on the grounds of a social media post on torture and ill-treatment during the protests against the refusal to give the executive mandate to Abdullah Zeydan, who was elected Co-Mayor of Van Metropolitan Municipality from Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in the 31 March 2024 elections. The indictment demands a sentence for the journalist on the charges of ‘inciting the public to disobey the law’, ‘inciting the public to hatred and hostility’, and ‘publicly disseminating misleading information’. Following the defenses, the court adjourned the hearing to 9 January 2025.
(11/179) Party Chair Under Investigation…
It is learned from the news coverage of 16 November 2024 that, the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office decided ‘lack of jurisdiction’ for the investigation file against Özgür Özel, chair of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), on the charges of ‘insulting the President’ and ‘slander’, on the grounds of his expressions in the speech he made at the rally held at Esenyurt Cumhuriyet Square on 31 October 2024, against the arrest of Ahmet Özer, CHP elected mayor of Esenyurt district of Istanbul, and appointment of a trustee in his place. It is learned that the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office ruled ‘lack of jurisdiction’ on the grounds that Özgür Özel is a Manisa MP for the 28th term and decided to send the file to Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Parliamentarians Bureau.
(11/180) Party Executives Under Investigation in Istanbul…
It is learned that on 18 November 2024, DEM Party Istanbul Esenyurt district co-chairs Rojda Yılmaz and Abdullah Arınan were called to the police station to give their official statements. The reason for the investigation could not be learned.
(11/181) Party Building Raided by the Police in Istanbul…
It is learned that on 18 November 2024, DEM Party Istanbul Esenyurt district office was raided by the police and many materials were scattered and some books and photographs were seized.
(11/182) Canceled and Banned Concerts…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 16, 2024 that, musician Xecê’s concert in Kars on November 17, 2024 was canceled by the Governorate of Kars on the grounds of ‘renovation’. Musician Xecê’s 3 concerts in Erzurum, Ağrı and Muş between November 16-21, 2024 were also canceled by the venue owners without any reason.
It is learned from the news coverage of 16 November 2024 that, musician İlkay Akkaya’s concert in the Osmangazi district of Bursa was banned by the Osmangazi District Governorate on 16 November 2024. The reason could not be learned.
(11/183) Banned Events and Demonstrations…
The Governorate of Bitlis announced on 15 November 2024 that, all activities such as press statements, sit-in protests and surveys, setting up/opening tents and stands, organizing petitions, distributing leaflets, brochures, and flyers, and all kinds of protest actions, and the entry and exit of people who are considered to be able to participate in these actions and activities to and from the provincial borders are banned for 2 days between 16 November 2024 and 17 November 2024.
(11/184) Special Security Zone in Ağrı…
The Governorate of Ağrı announced on 15 November 2024 that Hamiske, Kirlik and Kumluk areas within the borders of Yaygınyurt and Güngören villages in the Doğubayazıt district have been declared as temporary special security zones for 15 days between 15 November 2024 and 29 November 2024.
[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.