Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
24 – 26 January 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/154) Person Died During Protest in Mersin…
On January 25, 2026 in Tarsus district of Mersin, Baran Abdi (24), a Syrian citizen on the balcony of another house, lost his life due to the fire opened from a house to the participants of the protest. It is reported that 2 people are detained in connection with the incident.
Mersin Governorate made a declaration on the incident and stated the following “After the unauthorized demonstration ended, a group of people entered into the garden of a house and a quarrel took place between the owner of the house and the group and the owner opened fire in the air. Syrian national B.A. (born in Aleppo in 2002) who was on the balcony of the opposite building was hit by a bullet and died in the hospital. After the incident, H.K. and his son A.K., who fired the gun into the air, were detained together with the gun and the investigation is being carried out meticulously.”
(01/155) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Custody in Urfa…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 24, 2026 that, 7 people who were detained in police intervention to the protest in Suruç district of Urfa against the attacks against Kurds in Syria, were not given food and water at Security Directorate where they were taken and were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
(01/156) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 24, 2026 that, Tuğçenur Özbay and Güzin Tolga, prisoners in Izmir Şakran Women’s Prison, were not taken to family visits, lawyer visits, phone calls and cargo pick-ups, on the grounds of refusing to carry prisoner ID cards with the word “left terror” on them.
On January 25, 2026 it is learned from the news coverage of January 25, 2026 that Emir Sağlam, a prisoner in Istanbul Silivri (Marmara) L Type Prison No 1, was subjected to physical violence for not accepting the demand to stay with other political prisoners, and for rejecting to stand in military order during morning and evening roll-calls.
(01/157) Police Intervention to Protests in Izmir, Adana, Bitlis, Istanbul, Ağrı, Urfa…
The police intervened the protest organized in Izmir on January 23, 2026 about the attacks against Kurds in Syria and detained 6 people. The police conducted house raids on January 25, 2025 and detained 5 people for participating in the same protest. The names of detained people are as follows: Mehmet Emin Karadağ, Agit Çelik, Yusuf Tink, Emre Sarıkaya, Mehmet Özçelik.
5 of 10 people including lawyer Musa Bender, who were detained on January 23, 2026 for participating in the protests in Adana, are arrested by the criminal court of peace on January 23, 2026.
5 of 10 people who were detained during police intervention against the protest in Güroymak district of Bitlis on January 23, 2026 for the same reason, are detained by the criminal court of peace on January 24 and 25, 2026. 5 people were released, 3 of them on judicial control conditions.
The police intervened the protest organized for the same cause in Fatih district of Istanbul and detained 95 people including DEM Party Istanbul Co-Chair Vedat Çınar Altan, using physical violence. 78 people were released after statement procedures at the police and 17 people were released after statement procedures at the prosecutor’s office on January 25, 2025.
On January 25, 2025, 5 people including DEM Party Ağrı provincial co-chair Serhat Yılmaz Köroğlu were detained by using physical violence. The detainees were released after statement procedures at the police on the same day.
7 of 11 people including 1 child, who were detained during the police intervention against the protest organized in Suruç district of Urfa for the same reason, are arrested by the criminal court of peace on January 25, 2026. 4 people were released.
4 of 7 people who were detained in police intervention against the protest organized for the same cause in Viranşehir district of Urfa, are arrested by the criminal court of peace on January 25, 2026. 3 people were released.
It is learned that the protest organized for the same cause in Adana on January 25, 2026 was prevented by the police.
(01/158) Detained Journalist in Diyarbakır…
On January 26, 2026, Zilan Gül, an employee of Yeni Yaşam newspaper, is detained in a house raid in Diyarbakır. The reason for detention could not be learned.
(01/159) Detained Health Worker in Kocaeli…
It is learned that a judicial and administrative investigation was initiated against a nurse who shared a video of braiding her hair on social media to protest the attacks against Kurds in Syria, and that the nurse was detained in Kocaeli on January 26, 2026.
(01/160) Access Ban on Social Media Accounts and Websites…
It is learned that 3 news reports on https://www.gercekgundem.com/, https://www.kamudanhaber.net/ , https://eksisozluk.com/ websites and 1 social media post about the Rector of Istanbul University were banned to access on the grounds of national security and protection of public order by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No 1 on January 19, 2026.
On January 24, 2026, it is learned from news coverage of January 24, 2026 that X social media account of Tevgera Jinên Azad (TJA) is banned to access on the grounds of national security and protection of public order.
[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.
[2]To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.
[3]https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT
[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari
[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.