Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
6 October 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(10/038) Female Violence Monitoring Report…
According to the ‘Record of Male Violence’ published by Bianet, at least 25 women were killed by men across Turkey in August 2026. The statement also noted that men had subjected at least 71 women to violence, sexually harassed 21 women, abused 9 children and forced 69 women into sex work.
(10/039) Knife Attack at a School in Istanbul…
On 6 October 2026, it was reported that one pupil lost their life and seven others were injured as a result of a knife attack carried out at the Sheikh Shamil Imam Hatip Secondary School in the Başakşehir district of Istanbul by a child who was a pupil at another school.
(10/040) Police Intervention at a Protest in Izmir…
On 5 October 2026, in İzmir, police intervened against demonstrators chanting slogans during a march organised in response to allegations that Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay was set to join the Justice and Development Party. It was reported that no one was detained during the intervention.
(10/041) Mayors and Others Detained in Mersin…
On 1 October 2026, as part of a ‘corruption’ investigation targeting the Mersin Metropolitan, Yenişehir and Mezitli municipalities, 60 people were detained; of these, 34 were remanded in custody by the magistrates’ court to which they were referred on 5 October 2026, whilst 26 others – including at least one placed under house arrest – were released subject to judicial supervision.
(10/042) Mayor and Other Individuals Detained in Istanbul…
Of the 17 people detained on 2 October 2026 as part of an investigation into the Eyüpsultan District Municipality in Istanbul, 13 – including Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen – were remanded in custody on 5 October 2026 by the magistrates’ court to which they were referred on charges of “membership of an organisation for the purpose of committing a crime”, “bribery” and “tender fraud”, whilst four were released subject to judicial supervision.
(10/043) Mayor and Others Detained in Istanbul…
Of the 14 individuals detained on 3 October 2026 as part of an investigation into the Ataşehir District Municipality in Istanbul and referred to the magistrates’ court on 5 October 2026, five – including Deputy Mayor Murat Güneş – were remanded in custody on charges of “forming an organisation for the purpose of committing a crime”, “bribery”, “extortion” and “tender rigging”, whilst nine were released subject to judicial supervision.
(10/044) Individuals Detained in Izmir…
On 6 October 2026, as part of an investigation into the Bayraklı District Municipality in Izmir, 45 people, including the former Mayor Serdal Sandal, were detained on charges of “forming an organisation for the purpose of committing a crime”, “bribery” and “tampering with a tender”.
(10/045) Person on Trial in Mardin…
The final hearing in the case brought before the Mardin Criminal Court of First Instance No. 3 against a person named Melek Karahan, on the grounds of a social media post relating to the 15 July coup attempt, took place on 6 October 2026. The court sentenced Melek Karahan to 1 year and 3 months’ imprisonment for the offence of “publicly disseminating misleading information to the public”.
Melek Karahan was arrested on 17 July 2026 but was released at the hearing held on 22 September 2026.
(10/046) The Trial of Journalists in Mardin…
The final hearing in the case brought before the Mardin Heavy Penal Court No. 2 against journalists Öznur Değer and Osman Akın, on the grounds of a news report they had published regarding allegations of torture, took place on 6 October 2026. The court sentenced Öznur Değer to one year and six months’ imprisonment and Osman Akın to ten months’ imprisonment on the charge of “singling out individuals who have served in the fight against terrorism”. The court also decided to suspend the pronouncement of the sentence for Osman Akın.
(10/047) The Trial of a Cartoonist…
The final hearing in the case against cartoonist Doğan Pehlevan, brought before the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 36 on the grounds of social media posts, took place on 6 October 2026. The court sentenced Doğan Pehlevan to 11 months and 20 days’ imprisonment for the offence of “insulting the President” and suspended the pronouncement of the sentence.
(10/048) Individuals on Trial in Malatya…
The trial of Fethiye Ok and Soner Çiçek, two individuals arrested prior to the NATO Summit held in Ankara on 7 July 2026, commenced on 6 October 2026 at the Malatya Heavy Penal Court No. 2. Following the defence submissions, the court announced its verdict at the first hearing, acquitting the two individuals of the charge of ‘membership of an organisation’ and ordering their release immediately.
(10/049) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of Leyla Can, the Istanbul Provincial Spokesperson for the Socialist Women’s Assemblies (SKM), which was brought before the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 25, continued on 6 October 2026.
The indictment seeks the conviction of Leyla Can on the charge of ‘membership of an organisation’. The court ordered Leyla Can’s release and adjourned the hearing until 26 November 2026.
Leyla Can had been arrested on 3 February 2026.
(10/050) Individuals on Trial in Diyarbakır…
On 6 October 2026, the trial commenced at the Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 6 against five individuals, three of whom are in custody, on charges of participating in protests against attacks on Kurds in Syria. The indictment seeks the prosecution of the five individuals on charges of “membership of an organisation”, “spreading organisation propaganda”, “participating in meetings and marches whilst carrying weapons or similar instruments or by disguising themselves”, and “endangering road safety”. The court ruled that the detention of three of the defendants should continue and adjourned the hearing until 28 January 2027.
(10/051) Journalist Under Investigation in Hakkari…
According to news reports published on 5 October 2026, it has emerged that the Hakkari Yüksekova Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into journalist Rabia Önver on the grounds of her social media posts, and that the journalist went to the Counter-Terrorism Branch of the Yüksekova District Police Headquarters to give a statement.
(10/052) Social Media Accounts Blocked…
According to press reports on 5 October 2026, it was learned that access to at least 70 X social media accounts – including those belonging to academics, economists and journalists – had been blocked on the grounds of ‘protecting national security and public order’, and that the accounts had been made invisible from within Turkey.
According to press reports on 5 October 2026, it was learned that the X social media account belonging to the economic columnist Erdal Sağlam had been blocked following his posts regarding the financial crisis.
[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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[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.