Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
6 June 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(06/044) Torture Under Custody in Istanbul…
It is learned from news coverage of June 6, 2018 that, 4 people who have been detained on the grounds that a pump riffle was found in their car during a road check point in Bağcılar district of Istanbul on May 16, 2018, were subjected to torture at Bağcılar 100. Yıl Kemalpaşa Police Station, in a room without surveillance cameras. The pictures alleged to be taken under custody of 4 people are covered by the news reports. It could be seen in the pictures that one of the detainees being tortured is handcuffed to a heater core. Bruises and marks of physical violence on 4 people subjected to the police violence could also be seen in other pictures.
It is learned that the physicians did not give medical reports that evidence the physical violence to 4 people, in the hospital visit before being released the next day.
(06/045) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that HPG militants organized an attack to Çiçekli Military Station in Tunceli on June 5, 2018. It is learned that there is no casualty due to attack.
(05/046) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on June 5, 2018 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of limitations for prisoners in accordance with the law on the execution of sentences and security measures (law no 5275). With the last rejection, it was the 761st time that appeals for visiting Öcalan have been rejected so far. Abdullah Öcalan has met his lawyers on July 27, 2011 for the last time.
(06/047) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling for a while to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on June 5, 2018 at 13.30 and 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on June 5, 2018, 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Mahmut Konuk) and at 18.00 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Acun Karadağ) were detained.
Thus in total 6 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on June 5, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(06/048) Lawyer Detained in Istanbul…
On June 5, 2018, lawyer Ramazan Demir is detained for his social media posts, in a police station where he has been to get information about a detained client. Ramazan Demir is released after the proceedings at the prosecutor’s office the same day.
(06/049) Detained HDP Members…
On June 5, 2018, at least 3 people including executives of HDP (People’s Democratic Party) are detained in house raids in Mersin. The names of detainees known so far are: Faik Eroğlu, Hasan Cide, Bagri Buğday.
(06/050) Arrested Cartoonist in Yalova…
It is learned that Nuri Kurtcebe (69), who was arrested on June 4, 2018, in Yalova, for a finalised sentence of 1 year 2 months and 15 days for insulting the President, is released on probation upon the appeal made by his lawyers.
(06/051) Person Detained for ‘Insulting the President’ in Istanbul…
Rukiye Ünlü, who was detained on the grounds of insulting the President in social media posts, is arrested by the court on June 5, 2018.
(06 / 052) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The final trial of the case against Professor Büşra Ersanlı (retired from Marmara University) for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on June 5, 2018. The court sentenced Büşra Ersanlı to 1 year and 3 months and did not postpone the verdict.
The final trial of the case against research assistant Sezen Çilengir on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32 for the same reason, is held on June 5, 2018. The court sentenced Sezen Çilengir to 1 year and 3 months and postponed the verdict.
The case against Assoc. Professor Emine Fişek on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 is held on June 5, 2018. The court adjourned the trial to July 17, 2018.
The case against Professor Ali Kerem Sayset on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37 is held on June 5, 2018. The court adjourned the trial to November 1, 2018.
With the last two penalty verdicts, the courts have sentenced 15 people for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” to 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda of an illegal organisation’. In 2 of 15 verdicts the courts did not postponed the sentence.
(06/053) Journalists on Trial in Van…
The case against Selman Keleş, reporter of Dicle News Agency which was closed down by the state of emergency decree and against journalist Arif Aslan, on Can Heavy Penal Court No 5 is held on June 5, 2018. The court rejected the demand of lifting juridical control over Arif Aslan and adjourned the trial to November 15, 2018.
(06/054) HDP MP’s on Trial…
The final trial of the case against HDP Diyarbakır MP İdris Baluken, on Diyarbakır Penal Court of First Instance, for ‘attempting to sneak forbidden material to prison’ is held on June 5, 2018. The court acquitted İdris Baluken. A memory card was found in x-ray search on İdris Baluken, who was visiting arrested politicians Hatip Dicle, Fırat Anlı and Mehmet Ermiş in Diyarbakır D Type Prison; after an official report, a case was opened against him.
(06/055) HDP Former Co-Chair on Trial…
The case against HDP former co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ, on the grounds that she ‘insulted Turkish Nation, the Republic of Turkey, the state with its institutions and organs’ in her defence after being detained on November 4, 2016, on Diyarbakır Penal Court of First Instance No 13 is held on June 5, 2018. Figen Yüksekdağ did not attend the trial. The court decided to send an official writ to the prison where Figen Yüksekdağ is kept, for her to be brought to the sound and vision system room, and to bring her forcefully to the room in case Yüksekdağ rejects, and adjourned the trial to September 2018.
(06/56) Revolutionary Youth Associations’ General Secretary on Trial…
The case against Berkay Ustabaş, Revolutionary Youth Associations’ (DGD) General Secretary and student of Istanbul University Sociology Department, on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 is held on June 5, 2018. Berkay Ustabaş attended the trial via sound and vision system in Kırıkkale F Type Prison. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Berkay Ustabaş and adjourned the trial to September 5, 2018.
The indictment demands Berkay Ustabas’ being sentenced for ‘organising and leading illegal meetings and demonstrations’ and ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
Berkay Ustabaş was arrested in Çağlayan Courthouse where he has been for an official statement, on June 5, 2018.
(06/057) Person on Trial for Social Media Post of “Kurdistan” in Erzincan…
The final trial of the case against S. B. (21), a student of Erzincan University, for sharing a heart-shaped picture with “Kurdistan” written on it on social media, on Erzincan Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on June 5, 2018. The court sentenced S. B. to 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda of an illegal organisation’ and postponed the sentence.
(06/058) People on Trial for ‘Insulting the President’ in Istanbul…
The case against Beyza Metin, former chair of The Chamber of Electrical Engineers Istanbul Branch, Erdoğan Demir, Gürsel Kaya, Mehmet Şamil Altan, Nebile Irmak Çetin and Önder Atay, for a press declaration in front of Istanbul Sirkeci Terminal on October 13, 2015, to protest October 10, Ankara Terminal massacre, on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 15 is held on June 5, 2018. After defence hearings the court sentenced the trial to July 10, 2018.
(06/059) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On June 5, 2018, 10 military personnel in operations covering 11 cities through a Muğla based investigation, 4 people in Ankara, 7 people in operations covering 5 cities through a Tekirdağ based investigation.
(06/060) Elections on June 24, 2018…
Sadettin Köse and Birol Tutuş, who were detained for writing “There is 1 message from the kettle” and “Hope is HDP” on the walls in Istanbul, are arrested by the court for ‘making propaganda of an illegal organisation’ on June 5, 2018.
The police intervened against the event of HDP (People’s Democratic Party) co-chair Sezai Temelli, during electoral campaign in Ceylanpınar district of Urfa. After the event, at least 3 people are detained by the police using physical violence. The police also used pepper spray against HDP members including MP candidates who react to detentions. It is reported that MP candidate İsmail Kaplan was subjected to physical violence and HDP flags on the street were lifted.
A racist group attacked the HDP campaign stand in Karacabey district of Bursa on June 5, 2018. The group tore the flags and Selahattin Demirtaş posters. The police did not detain any of the attackers however detained a HDP member named Uğur Şahin.
On June 5, 2018, the vehicle of HDP members who visit Hüseyinli village of Istanbul’s Çekmeköy district, was stopped by a person claiming to be the local headman and holding a gun. It is learned that 3 members of HDP (including 1 woman) were subjected to physical violence.
On June 5, 2018, HDP members including MP candidates are attacked by a racist group in Bolu. It is reported there was no casualty and HDP members maintains the electoral campaign after the attack.
It is learned that a racist group attempted to attack HDP’s electoral campaign office in Şehitkamil district of Antep, while HDP Antep MP Mahmut Toğul was visiting the office on June 5, 2018. It is learned that the police did not intervene the attackers who lifted HDP flags around.
Canan Kaftancıoğlu, CHP (Republican People’s Party) Istanbul chair, made a declaration on June 5, 2018 and announced that flags and posters of CHP are taken down all over Istanbul.
[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, ETHA, Dihaber, Yurt, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, Ntv, Bianet.org, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Özgür Radyo, Sendika.org, El Cezire, BBC, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar.