Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 – 22 December 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/096) Prisoner Died in Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 17, 2025 that Sezai Aksu, an ill prisoner in Van F Type Closed Prison, died in Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaş Medical Center where he was transferred after his condition got worse.
(12/097) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 18, 2025 that, political prisoners in Konya Ereğli High Security Prison were forced to carry ID cards with the words “confessor leftist terrorist organization” on them while being taken to hospitals, infirmary, visits, ventilation, social activities and cargo delivery; and that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against prisoners who reject to do so.
It is learned from the news coverage of December 18, 2025 that lawyer Naim Eminoğlu is kept in solitary confinement in Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) L Type Prison No 2.
It is learned from the news coverage of December 21, 2025 that, B4 ward where political prisoners are kept in Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Prison was raided by gendarmerie on December 19, 2025 and prisoners were told “This is how you will see the greatness of the state, get out now or we will force you out” and were taken out of the wards and were taken to B3 ward.
(12/098) Kidnapped Person in Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 18, 2025 that Enes Sezgin, a member of Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), was abducted by 7 unidentified people in Van, threatened to “leave the city”, subjected to torture and ill-treatment and then left somewhere outside the city center.
In the press declaration, Enes Sezgin stated the following “On the evening of December 16, around 20.00, I was abducted behind Van Shopping Mall in a gray transporter with 7 masked people (…) Torture started inside the vehicle. From there I was taken to a deserted place where I was thrown into the snow for minutes. I was thrown into the snow and dragged for minutes. Then I was put back in the vehicle and taken to another place, where the torture continued. They left me there and drove away. In the car they asked me to leave Wan, again death threats and sexist swearing were made.”
(12/099) Police Interventions to Protests in Istanbul and Ankara…
The police intervened the protest organized by Istanbul University students in Fatih district of Istanbul on December 19, 2025 to mark the ninth month of the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and detained 33 people. The detainees were released after statement procedures at the police.
The police intervened the march organized for the same cause in Çankaya district of Ankara and detained 2 people. Detained people were released the same day after statement procedures at the police.
(12/100) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police used physical violence to intervene the press declaration of United Public Workers Confederation in front of Dikmen Gate of Grand National Assembly of Turkey on December 19, 2025. It is learned that no one was detained and the press declaration was held in another place after the intervention.
(12/101) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police prevented the press declaration of Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions (KESK) about the budget for 2026, which was planned to be held in front of Dikmen Gate of Grand National Assembly of Turkey on December 21, 2025. It is learned that the police prevented the press declaration in front of Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
(12/102) Police Intervention to a March in Istanbul…
The police prevented the march organized for Human Rights Week on Istiklal Street in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on December 17, 2025.
(12/103) Journalist Arrested in Tunceli…
Cihan Berk, PİRHA reporter Cihan Berk, who was detained in Tunceli on December 19, 2025, is arrested by the criminal court of peace on the charge of ‘being an illegal organization member’ on the same day.
(12/104) Journalist Arrested in Ankara for Social Media Posts…
Journalist Zihni Çakır who was detained in Ankara on December 20, 2025 due to his social media post about the Minister of Justice is arrested by the criminal court of peace on December 21, 2025.
(12/105) Detained Journalist in Istanbul…
On December 19, 2025, journalist Levent Gültekin, who was detained on the grounds of ‘publicly spreading misleading information to the public’ through his social media posts, was released by the criminal court of peace on the same day on the condition of a ban on leaving the country and judicial control measure of signing a petition.
(12/106) Detained Political Party Members…
6 of 13 members of Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) who were detained through an Istanbul based investigation on December 16, 2025, are arrested by the criminal court of peace on December 19, 2025. 7 people were released on judicial control conditions.
The names of the arrested people are: Selvinaz Göçmez, Ezgi Bahçeci, Deniz Bahçeci, Muhammed Bedran Çoğaltay, Gülfiraz Sağlık, Serhad Demirtaş.
(12/107) Arrested Person Due to Social Media Posts…
Murat Övüç, who was detained in Istanbul for wearing a turban in a social media post, is arrested by the criminal court of peace on December 20, 2025 on the charge of ‘inciting hatred and hostility among people’.
(12/108) Human Rights Defender on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Suna Bilgin, former branch secretary of Human Rights Association (IHD) Tunceli branch, is held at Tunceli Heavy Penal Court No 1 on December 17, 2025. The court sentenced Suna Bilgin to 6 years and 3 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(12/109) Human Rights Defender on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against human rights defender Nurcan Kaya continued on December 18, 2025 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13. The indictment demands Nurcan Kaya to be sentenced for ‘being an illegal organization member’ and ‘violating the Law on Prevention of Financing of Terrorism’. The court lifted the judicial control conditions on Nurcan Kaya and adjourned the trial to February 24, 2026.
(12/110) Former Mayor and Other People on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against 25 people including Hanay Handan Toprak Benli, former mayor of Avcılar district of Istanbul, elected from Republican People’s Party (CHP), was held at Istanbul Küçükçekmece Heavy Penal Court No 6 on December 18, 2025. The court sentenced Hanay Handan Toprak Benli to 10 years and 5 months on the charges of ‘bid rigging’ and ‘forgery of official documents’. The court sentenced Hanay Handan Toprak Benli to 2 years on the charge of ‘abuse of office’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
(12/111) Party Member on Trial in Izmir…
The final trial of the case against Fatma Funda Akbulut, DEM Party worker, is held at Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 18 on December 17, 2025. The court acquitted Fatma Funda Akbulut on the charge of ‘being an illegal organization member’.
(12/112) Indictment Against Comedian…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 18, 2025 that, an indictment is prepared by Istanbul Anadolu Public Prosecutor’s Office against comedian Yavuz Kırma for ‘publicly degrading religious values adopted by a section of the public’ due to his expressions in a show.
(12/113) Mehmet Sincar Case…
The retrial of Cihan Yıldız, about the killing of Democracy Party (DEP) Batman MP Mehmet Sincar on September 4, 1993, continued on December 18, 2025 at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6. The court adjourned the hearing to June 2, 2026.
(12/114) Racist and Sexist Chants of Football Team Fans…
On December 16, 2025, during the football match between Bursaspor and Somaspor, a group of Bursaspor fans made racist and sexist chants against Leyla Zana, former MP of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
On December 21, 2025, during the football match between Göztepe and Samsunspor, a group of Göztepe fans made racist and sexist chants about Leyla Zana.
(12/115) Academician’s Racist Social Media Post…
On December 18, 2025, it is learned from the news coverage of December 18, 2025 that, T.D.A., an academic at Kars Kafkas University Research Hospital, made racist social media posts about Kurds such as “No race other than Turks should be employed as administrators in public institutions in Turkey”, “These people kill each other very easily and occupy hospital emergencies”, “They have too many rights in this country and this should be reduced within the framework of law”.
T.D.A., who was detained on December 19, 2025 on the charges of ‘publicly insulting a section of the public’, ‘hate and discrimination’, ‘insult’, is released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions on December 20, 2025.
(12/116) Canceled Concert…
On December 20, 2025, it is learned from the news coverage of December 20, 2025 that, the concert of music band Koma Amed, which was to be held in Istanbul on December 20, 2025, was cancelled by the band due to permission procedures, after Küçükçekmece Sub-Governorate’s decision stating that “the request was deemed inappropriate”.
(12/008) Television and Radio Channels Penalized by RTÜK…
On 18 December 2025, it was reported in the media that the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed administrative fines on digital platform HBO Max for the series “Jasmine” and on digital platform Netflix for the program “Too Hot to Handle: Italy” and the digital platform Netflix was imposed administrative fines and it was decided to remove the programs in question from the catalog. It is also stated in the news reports that 3 radio channels (Radyo Lider İzmir, Radyomuğla, Seç FM) were given administrative fines.
(12/118) Access Restricted Internet Content…
It is learned that a news report about a judge on https://mezopotamyaajansi43.com/ website is banned to access by Istanbul Beykoz Penal Court of Peace on December 4, 2025. It is also reported that another news report and a social media post are also banned to access.
[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.