30-31 December 2015 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/216) Curfew in Dargeçit…
The curfew in Dargeçit district of Mardin was lifted on 29 December 2015 on the 19th day of the curfew and operations.
(12/217) Curfew in Silopi…
Curfew in Silopi district of Şırnak reached its 18th day as of 31 December 2015.
Seyfettin Sidar who was missing for 4 days after leaving his house in Barbaros quarter to take a phone charger from his neighbour was found dead on 29 December 2015. He was shot at heart.
İsmail Yevşan (55) was reportedly wounded with shrapnel during the operations on 30 December 2015 in Nuh quarter. He was reportedly hospitalised.
(12/218) Curfew in Cizre…
Curfew and blockade in Cizre district of Şırnak reached its 18th day as of 31 December 2015 and the attacks of the Security Forces continued. Hacı Oğur (60) was shot and wounded in Nur quarter when he was going to mosque.
Zeynep Demir who had heart attack at home in Cudi quarter on 27 December 2015 died on 29 December 2015 in the hospital.
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Faysal Sarıyıldız announced that the families in Cizre and Silopi were called by the Security Forces to take the bodies of their relatives. MP Leyla Birlik also announced that even the people trying to go to hospital with white flags during the curfew were opened fire in Cizre and Silopi. She also added that confidentiality decisions were taken concerning the autopsy reports of the killed civilians.
The bodies of 7 persons were reportedly transferred on 30 December 2015 from Şırnak to Cizre and Silopi districts without informing the families. The police allegedly called the families to take the bodies and threatened them to bury the bodies if not taken.
Health worker and member of the union in health sector SES Abdülaziz Yural was shot to death by a sniper on 30 December 2015 when he was trying to help a person shot at leg during the attacks of Security Forces and wounded in Nur quarter.
Kazım Tonğ who wanted to take his children from the shelter to home was shot and wounded in Nur quarter.
(12/219) Curfew in Sur…
Curfew and blockade in Sur district of Diyarbakır reached its 21th day as of 31 December 2015. Curfew on Gazi Avenue was lifted on 30 December 2015. After the decision, Governorate of Diyarbakır banned all activities, protests, and demonstrations nearby the Gazi Avenue.
An unidentified 16 years old boy was killed during the attacks of Security Forces on 30 December 2015 in Hasırlı quarter.
(12/220) Operations and Attacks in the Southeast…
4 police officers were wounded when an armed clash broke out on 31 December 2015 in Sur district of Diyarbakır where the curfew reached its 21st day.
A soldier was opened fire on 29 December 2015 in Şırnak when s/he was withdrawing money from an ATM.
(12/221) Death n Custody Allegation in Ağrı…
Bekir Angi (35) who was allegedly detained on 29 December 2015 when he was going to border nearby Güngören village of Doğubayazıt district in Ağrı was beaten to death by the soldiers and his body was left in the Iranian side of the border.
(12/222) Lawyer on Trial in İstanbul…
Çağlayan (İstanbul) Heavy Penal Court No 20 continued on 24 December 2015 to hear the case against Sinan Zincir, Libertarian Lawyers Association (ÖHD) Co-Chair for İstanbul branch. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for “insulting the Turkish Army” according to the Article 301 TPC.
The court rejected the demand of Zincir’s lawyers for hearing additional witnesses and adjourned the hearing to 7 March 2016.
(12/223) Journalist on Trial in Van…
Erciş (Van) Heavy Penal Court started on 29 December 2015 to hear the case against Jin News Agency (JINHA) correspondent Vildan Atmaca launched on charges of “being member of an illegal organisation” and “making propaganda of an illegal organisation”. She was arrested after being detained while following an armed clash in Erciş district of Van.
After the identification and testimony of the defendant, the court decided to release Vildan Atmaca to be tried without remand and adjourned the hearing to 21 January 2016.
(12/224) Director Convicted…
Bakırköy (İstanbul) Penal Court of First Instance No 4 concluded on 28 December 2015 to hear the case against the director Mustafa Altıoklar launched on charges of “insulting public officer” for the expression he used against the Prime Minister on a TV show concerning Gezi Park demonstrations.
The court sentenced Mustafa Altıoklar to 10 months’ imprisonment under the Article 125 TPC for “insulting public officer”. The sentence was commuted to TL 6,000.
(12/225) Investigations, Detentions and Arrests on the Allegations of Insulting State President…
Construction worker F.E. (17) was arrested on 28 December 2015 in Çorlu district of Tekirdağ on the allegations of “insulting the State President” with the expressions s/he used on facebook.
The union in education sector Eğitim-Sen Chair for Sason district of Batman province Fırat Erdem was arrested on 30 December 2015 on the allegations of “insulting the State President” with the expressions s/he used on twitter.
(12/226) Magazine Editors on Trial…
Çağlayan (İstanbul) Heavy Penal Court No 14 started on 29 December 2015 to hear the case against editor-in-chief with the magazine Nokta Cevheri Güven and managing editor of the magazine Murat Çapan launched in connection with the cover page of the 24th issue of the magazine. Cevheri Güven and Murat Çapan who were detained during the raid conducted against the premises of the weekly Nokta in İstanbul on 2 November 2015 after the confiscation decision for the 24th issue of the magazine were arrested according to the Article 214 TPC on the allegations of “inciting an armed uprising against the government”. The indictment wants the editors to be sentenced terms of imprisonment up to 20 years.
After the identification and testimonies of the defendants, the court decided to release Cevheri Güven and Murat Çapan to be tried without remand and adjourned the hearing to a later date.
(12/227) Attacks against Roboskî Commemorations…
The police prevented a demonstration staged on 28 December 2015 in İzmir to commemorate and protest Roboski Massacre. 14 members of Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) were detained during the police intervention.
The police also attacked the protest in Güvenpark in Ankara and detained 4 persons.
The students organised a protest in Süleyman Demirel University campus in Isparta. The police prevented the protest and detained 40 persons.
The protest organised on 29 December 2015 by the students of Uludağ University in Bursa was also prevented. 39 students were detained during the police intervention.
The students organised a protest on 30 December 2015 in Kocaeli University campus. The police prevented the protest and detained 28 students.
The children H.G. (17) and M.U. (17) who were detained during the commemoration in Patnos district of Ağrı were arrested on 29 December 2015 for the slogans they shouted during the protest.
(12/228) Attacks against Curfew Protests…
A police chief opened fire in the air when Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Mehmet Ali Aslan objected the police for preventing a protest planned to be staged on 28 December 2015 in Batman. The police also attacked the group and detained 7 persons, 1 persons was wounded during the intervention.
The police also intervened and dispersed the protest organised by the unions on 29 December 2015 in Diyarbakır. 2 persons were wounded during the police intervention.
Enver Yıldız (41) was shot and wounded when the police opened fire against a group of protesters on 29 December 2015 in Mersin.
(12/229) Protesters Convicted in Ağrı…
Patnos (Ağrı) Penal Court of First Instance No 2 concluded on 28 December 2015 to hear the case against 4 persons launched for taking part in a protest on 15 February 2015.
The court sentenced Democratic Regionos Party Co-Chair for Patnos district İkram Bedirto 1 year and 6 months’ imprisonment; Fecri Aslankan, Ahmet Ege and Abdulmenaf Aktekin to 1 year and 3 months’ imprisonment for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”.
(12/230) Conviction in Mersin…
According to the news appeared in the press on 30 December 2015, Mersin Penal Court of First Instance No 4 concluded to hear the case against 16 persons launched in connection with a public statement on the killing of Kader Ortakaya. She was shot to death while trying to pass the border from Suruç to Kobanê.
The court sentenced all the defendants to 5 months’ imprisonment for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”.
(12/231) Child on Trial in Eskişehir for Demonstration…
Eskişehir Juvenile Court No 1 continued on 30 December 2015 to hear the case against Ö.A. (17) for taking part in a demonstration staged to protest in the Ankara massacre on 10 October 2015. The case was launched on the grounds that the nose of a police officer was broken.
The court decided to release the defendant to be tried without remand and adjourned the hearing to a later date.
(12/232) Political Party Executives on Trial in İzmir…
Yiannis Bournous, Member of the Political Secretariat of SYRIZA / Greece, took part and gave a speech during the meeting of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on Gündoğdu Square in İzmir before the elections on 7 June 2015. A court case was launched against 7 executives of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) for not informing officials about the speech of Yiannis Bournous.
İzmir Penal Court of First Instance No 22 started on 29 December 2015 to hear the case. The indictment wants the defendants to be sentenced for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”. Since the defendants did not appear before the court, the court adjourned the hearing to 29 February 2015.
(12/233) Gezi Park Trials…
Çağlayan (İstanbul) Heavy Penal Court No 13 concluded on 29 December 2015 to hear the case against 35 persons launched in connection with the Gezi Park demonstrations staged near the Prime Minister’s Office in Dolmabahçe Palace on 3 June 2013.
The court acquitted all the defendants. In his opinion as to the accusations at the previous hearing, the Public Prosecutor also wanted the defendants to be acquitted. The indictment wanted the defendants including members of Beşiktaş sports club supporters group Çarşı to be sentenced aggravated life imprisonment on the allegations of “attempt to overthrow the government” and “attempt to occupy Prime Minister’s Office”.
The case was allegedly launched upon complaints by police officers. But 4 police officers who did complaint against the defendants testified at the hearing on 2 April 2015 to the effect that they did not see or have any contact with the defendants during the demonstrations and withdrew their complaints.
(12/234) Activity Prevented in İzmir…
The police detained 7 members of Students Collective (Öğrenci Kolektifi) on 29 December 2015 in Bornova district of İzmir when they opened a stand to collect toys for immigrant children.
(12/235) Detentions and Arrests…
6 persons who were among 10 persons were detained on 20 December 2015 in Şişli district of İstanbul while selling the magazine Yürüyüş were arrested on 28 December 2015 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation” and “making propaganda of an illegal organisation”. The detainees were reportedly subjected torture and ill-treatment in police vehicle, at Şişli and İstanbul Security Directorates. The detainees were beaten and assaulted in custody, they were also forced to listen military songs.
(12/236) Operations throughout Turkey…
The police conducted raids on 28 December 2015 against the houses of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) members in İpekyolu, Saray and Özalp districts of Van.
DBP Co-Chair for Bahçesaray district Mesut Yabalak, HDP executives for Bahçesaray district Servet Cesur, Muhtesim Yalvaç and DBP executive for Bahçesaray district Emirhan Oruk, Suat Meşe who were among 7 persons detained in Bahçesaray district of Van were arrested on 28 December 2015 on the allegations of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation”.
The gendarmerie soldiers conducted operations on 28 December 2015 in Halfeli district of Iğdır and detained 15 persons.
Mustafa Silkin, Ömer Silkin, İsmet Silkin, Cafer Yılmaz and İsmail Salin who were among detainees were arrested on 29 December 2015 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
Mehmet Reşit Toygun, Muhammed Şehmus Şahin, Halil İbrahim Bozan who were detained during the house radis conducted on 28 December 2015 against the houses of Democratic Youth Associations Federation (Demokratik Gençlik Dernekleri Federasyonu – DEM-GENÇ) members in Adana were arrested on the same day on the allegations of “resisting security forces”.
7 children detained in Dargeçit district of Mardin were arrested on 28 December 2015 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
The police conducted operations in İstanbul and detained 4 persons in connection with a “Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (YDG-H) Investigation”.
The police raided the house of HDP Co-Chair for Muş province Elif Çetinbaş on the grounds that she was convicted on 29 December 2015 in a court case launched for a Kobanê demonstration. She was sentenced to 12 years and 5 months’ imprisonment.
The police conducted raids on 29 December 2015 against the houses of HDP activists in Menemen district of İzmir and detained 8 persons.
Şükran Özer who was detained in Derik district of Mardin was arrested on 29 December 2015 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
The imam Bakır Kutlu who was called to the Security Directorate on 29 December 2015 to testify in connection with an incident was detained on the allegations of “defending self-governance declarations during Friday sermons”.
Anaesthetist Agit Tetik (23) who was detained when s/he took her/his uncle Ali Tetik (34) to hospital for being shot at chest on 26 December 2015 in Cizre was detained in the hospital. Agit Tetik (23) was arrested on 29 December 2015.
(12/237) Political Party Premises Raided in Niğde…
On 28 December 2015, unidentified persons attacked with shotguns Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) premises in Niğde. No casualties were reported, the attack caused material damage.