Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
7 – 9 February 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/053) Labor Killings…
Worker Health and Worker Safety Council (ISIG) stated that at least 146 workers including 6 women, 4 children and 4 refugees/migrants lost their lives while working in January 2026.
(02/054) Police Intervention Against Labor Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the protest of Migros warehouse workers in front of the company owner’s villa in Beykoz district of Istanbul on February 6, 2026 and detained 60 people using physical violence and handcuffing them behind their backs. 60 people were released the same day after statement procedures at the police.
(02/055) Police Intervention to Earthquake Commemoration in Ankara…
6 February earthquake anniversary commemoration in Ankara was intervened by the police who used physical violence and tear gas and chemical agents and detained Halkevleri Regional Representative Serdar Kibar. Serdar Kibar was released the same day after statement procedures at the police.
(02/056) Detained Journalists, Members and Executives of Political Parties, Associations and Unions in Operations in 22 Cities…
30 of 102 people who were detained on February 3, 2026 through an Istanbul based investigation in 22 cities (Istanbul, Antalya, Adıyaman, Urfa, Rize, Bursa, Van, Tekirdağ, Antep, Samsun, Tunceli, Malatya, Diyarbakır, Kocaeli, Yalova, Balıkesir, Denizli, Ankara, İzmir, Sakarya, Adana, Mersin) are arrested by the Criminal Judgeship of Peace on February 6, 2026. 16 people were released on judicial control conditions.
Names of the arrested persons: Erdoğan Gürbüz, Rıza Çimen, Fatma Çelik, Fatma Saygılı, Kenan Hessas, Mehmet Ali Tosun, Osman Kara, Özgür Aras, Süleyman Horoz, Beycan Taşkıran, Can Tekin, Dilan Ergül, Ali Çiftçi, Aytaç Sarıkaya, Aziz Benli, Hacı Çiçek, İdris Tilke, Endam Hatice, Mustafa Yağ, Hasan Çadır, Ramazan Karakaya, Ali İhsan Tekiş, Cem Ardıç, Turgay Köse, Yağmur Apa, Yusuf Çıkrık, Songül Akbay, Sema Uçar, Müslüm Koyun, Ezgi Gürbüz.
Accordingly, 77 of 102 people detained through this investigation are arrested while 25 people are released on judicial control conditions.
(02/057) Detained Political Party Chair in Istanbul…
People’s Liberation Party (HKP) chair Nurullah Efe was detained on February 6, 2026 on the grounds of a social media post about the President. Nurullah Efe was released after statement procedures on the same day.
(02/058) Political Party Executive Arrested in Tunceli…
It is learned that on February 5, 2026, ESP MYK member Orhan Çelebi who was detained in Tunceli on February 5, 2026, was released by the criminal court of peace on February 6, 2026.
(02/059) Detained People in Urfa and Istanbul for Protests…
5 people who were released after being detained for participating in the protests organized in Urfa against the attacks against Kurds in Syria, were detained again upon the objection of the prosecutor’s office. 3 people were referred to the criminal court of peace on February 6, 2026 and 3 people were arrested while 2 people were released on judicial control conditions.
The police intervened the protest organized by DEM Party in Sancaktepe district of Istanbul on February 7, 226 for the same reason and detained 4 people.
(02/060) Person Arrested in Muğla on the grounds of Social Media Posts…
A person named O.K., who was detained in Muğla on February 8, 2026 for sharing an image of a pig wearing a burqa made by artificial intelligence on social media, was released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions. O.K. was detained again upon objection of the prosecutor’s office and was arrested on the charge of ‘public incitement to hatred and hostility’.
(02/061) Co-Mayors, Political Party Members and Executives and Other People on Trial in Şırnak…
The final trial of the case against 15 people is held at Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No 3 on February 6, 2026. The court sentenced 12 people including Nevin Girasun, former co-mayor of İdil district of Şırnak, Nuri Akman, former co-mayor of Sırtköy town, Songül Erden, DEM Party İdil district co-chair Songül Erden, HDP Party Assembly member Resul Sadak, Mediha Akay, Hikmet Demir, Hamit Karagöl, Medine Fidan, Mehmet Yusuf Tan, Adem Temiz, Vasfi Afşin, Yusuf Vesek to 7 years and 6 months and 1 person (Erhan Malgaz) to 6 years and 3 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court acquitted 2 people.
(02/062) Lawyer on Trial in Adana…
The first trial of the case against lawyer Şiar Rişvanoğlu started on February 6, 2026 at Adana Heavy Penal Court No 11. The indictment demands sentence for the journalist on the charge of ‘being an illegal organization member’. The court adjourned the trial to February 16, 2026.
(02/063) Person on Trial in Urfa…
The final hearing of the case against writer Gökhan Yavuzel, on the grounds of insulting the President and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli in his social media posts, was held at Urfa Penal Court of First Instance No 16 on February 4, 2026. The court acquitted the writer on the charge of ‘insult’.
(02/064) Person on Trial in Urfa…
The final hearing of the lawsuit filed on the grounds of remarks made by writer Gökhan Yavuzel in a YouTube broadcast was held on February 4, 2026 at Urfa Criminal Court of First Instance No 16. The court acquitted the writer on the charge of ‘insulting the President’.
(02/065) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against journalist Fuat Yaşar was held on February 9, 2026. The decision to dismiss the case filed against journalist Fuat Yaşar at Istanbul 63rd Criminal Court of First Instance on the grounds of statute of limitations was overturned by the 24th Criminal Chamber of Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals. The court sentenced the journalist to 116 days of judicial fine.
(02/066) Person Against Whom an Indictment is Prepared…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 6, 2026 that Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment on the grounds of a social media post by Murat Övüç. The indictment demands sentence for Murat Övüç on the charge of ‘provoking hatred and hostility among people’. Murat Övüç was arrested on December 20, 2025. It is learned that the indictment states that Murat Övüç is “a suspect who exhibits feminine movements and defines himself as gay”.
[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.