Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
1 – 3 April 2017 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/001) Curfews in Turkey since 16 August 2015…
According to the information gathered by the HRFT Documentation Centre, between 16 August 2015 and 1 April 2017, there have been at least 189 officially confirmed round-the-clock [all daylong] and open-ended curfews in 10 cities and at least 41 districts of Turkey. These cities are as follows: DİYARBAKIR (110 times), MARDİN (28 times), HAKKÂRİ (19 times), ŞIRNAK (13 times), BİTLİS (5 times), BATMAN (3 times), MUŞ (2 times), BİNGÖL (3 times), TUNCELİ (5 times) and ELAZIĞ (1 time). In terms of right to life, right to health and other fundamental human rights, these curfews affected at least 1 million 809 thousand people.
(04/002) Hunger Strikes in Prisons…
According to the news appeared in press on 31 March 2017, the prisoners in Edirne F Type Prison finished the hunger strike on 31 March 2017. The prisoners were on hunger strike since 25 February 2017.
HDP Mus MP and member of Human Rights Commission of Turkish Parliament Burcu Celik Özkan applied to Sakran T Type Prison to see the prisoners who are on hunger strike. According to the news appeared in press on 2 April, the prison administration refused this request.
4 prisoners, who are on hunger strike in Van F Type Prison, were transferred to other prisoners against their will and demand. The names of the prisoners are as follows: Veysi Esen, Salih Özer, Engin Tırak and Erkan Atrak.
The total number of prisoners on hunger strike is 76. The total number of prisons in which prisoners are on hunger strike is 9. They are Sakran T Type Prison No 2, Sakran T Type Prison No 3, Sakran T Type Prison No 4, Sakran Woman Prison, Sincan Woman Prison, Tekirdag T Type Prison No 1, Tarsus Woman Prison, Bolu F Type Prison, Hatay T Type Prison.
The prisoners who are on hunger strike for 5 days periods are non-included to this number.
(04/003) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
According to the news appeared in press on 1 April 2017, in Tarsus C Type Woman Prison, the wards of the prisoners were raided by male guards. The prisoners who opposed this were beaten, were put in cells and they faced disciplinary punishments.
Tarsus C Type Prison is also overcrowded. 30 prisoners are kept in wards which are for 30 persons. The prisoners do not get adequate hot water and prisoners can have bath only once in a month.
According to the news appeared in press on 1 April 2017, in Sincan F Type Prison No 2, the issues of daily Ozgurlukcu Demokrasi dated 13, 15, 16, 18, and 20 March were given to prisoners after certain pages of the issues were cut off.
(04/004) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
According to the news appeared in press, 2 PKK militants were killed on 25 March 2017 in Kandil during the bombardment of Turkish Air Forces.
(04/005) Constitutional Referendum…
5 persons, including 2 women, were detained on Ercis district of Van on 1 April 2017 while they were campaigning for “No.” They were brought to court on 2 April 2017 and were released. Their names are as follows: Ayşe Ergün, Cihan Elvan, Mehmet Uğurlu, Azat Polat, Cihan Sabak.
Police intervened the meeting of HDP in Doğubayazıt district of Agri on 31 March 2017 because of the slogans shouted at the meeting. According to the news appeared in press, police open fire into the air and dissolved the crowd.
2 members of House of People, who opened a “No” stand and were distributing “No” leaflets, were forcibly detained on 1 April 2017 in Kocaeli.
According to the news appeared in press, in Corlu district of Tekirdag, a group who were campaigning for “No” was attacked by another group. 2 persons were, reportedly, injured slightly.
According to the news appeared in press, 2 members of House of People were attacked on 1 April 2017 by a group in Atakum district of Samsun.
The vehicle which was used by HDP in the referendum campaign was stopped at a checkpoint on Mugla-Izmir highway. Due to missing documents it was fined 15,000 TL and was banned from traffic for 15 days.
In Usak, CHP hang on 2 April a “No” banner on the wall of Hacı Gedik Han. When it was removed, CHP members hang it again. Following the negotiations with the Governor, it was decided that the banner will be on the wall up to evening of 3 April and within this time CHP will present the necessary documents about the Han to the governorate.
The Kurdish song “Bejin Na” which was used in the referendum campaign by HDP was banned in Van and Diyarbakır. The song was banned first in Sırnak.
The police confiscated on 31 March 2017 the vehicle of HDP in Bahcesaray district of Van for playing banned songs. The driver of the vehicle was also reportedly detained.
The Governorate of Ankara did not allow Meral Aksener to organize a meeting in Ankara.
Ercis District Electorate Board moved the ballot boxes of 26 villages to other places upon the request of District Gendarme Commandership.
100 posters which were hanged in Urfa by HDP were removed according to the verdict of Urfa Criminal Court of Peace No 4 which was given because of the picture of Co-Chair of HDP Figen Yuksekdag on the signboard.
(04/006) Person on Hunger Strike Fined…
Kemal Gün, the father of Murat Gun, a DHKP-C militant who was killed on 7 November 2016 in Tunceli during an air bombardment, is on hunger strike for 38 days to take the body of his son. Gun was fined 8,626 TL according to the Law of Misdemeanor.
(04/007) Kızıldere Commemoration Banned…
Tokat Governorate banned all commemorations in Tokat between 24 March 2017 and 3 April 2017.
According to the news in press, 25 members of People’s Front went to Kızıldere on 1 April 2017 by bus to commemorate Mahir Çayan and his friends. They were stopped at the entrance of Atakoy village (former Kızıldere) of Tokat’s Almus district by gendarme. 4 members of People’s Front were, reportedly, detained. The detainees were released on 2 April 2017.
(04/008) Child Detained…
M.A.A. (10, m) was detained on 2 April 2017 in Urfa for the picture of Abdullah Ocalan on his t-shirt. A. was released on the same day after his statement was taken.
(04/009) HDP MP Detained…
HDP Agri MP Dilan Dirayet Tasdemir was detained on 2 April 2017 in Mus. After she had given her statement to the court, she was released.
(04/010) Journalist Arrested…
Selma Keles, a reporter of DIHA which was closed down by a Decree with the Force of Law, and the employee of Ipekyolu Municipality Arif Aslan were detained on 20 March 2017 in Van. They were arrested on 31 March 2017 for ‘being a member of an illegal organization.’
(04/011) Journalist Arrested…
Fahrettin Kılıç, an employee of Journal Ozgur Toplum and journalists Murat Karakas and Hakan Ergün were detained on 28 March 2017. They were brought to court on 31 March 2017. Karakaş was given house arrest, Ergun was released with a judicial control condition and Kılıc was arrested for ‘being a member of an illegal organization.’
(04/012)Board Member of Woman Academy Detained.
Board Member of Woman Academy Figen Aras was detained on 31 March 2017 in Diyarbakir during a house raid. She was taken to Diyarbakir Police Headquarter.
(04/013) Public Employees Detained…
Branch secretary of Office Workers’ Union (BES) Abbas Aslan, member Education and Science Workers’ Union (EGİTİM-SEN) Figen Aras, Hasan Kaya who was expelled by Decree with the Force of Law and Neriman Yigit, an employee at Baglar Municipality, were detained on 1 April 2017.
(04/014) SYKP Members Detained…
3 members of Socialist Re-Foundation Party (SYKP) were detained on 1 April 2017 in Adana during house raids. The names of the detainees are as follows: Denzi Kürdoğlu, İbrahim BAdemci and Ayberk Özdoğan.
(04/015) Newspaper Distributor Detained…
Ahmet Boltan, distirbutor of daily Rojeva Medya, was detained on 1 April 2017 in Diyarbakir by plain-cloth polices. The newspapers were, reportedly, confiscated by the police.
(04/016) Detentions and Arrests…
4 persons who were detained on 20 March 2017 in Batman were arrested on 1 April 2017 for ‘being a member of an illegal organization.’ The names of the persons arrested are as follows: Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Chair for Batman Central District Şerif Yagiz, DBP Province Executive Gürgin Bilir, Adnan Erdem and Ibrahim Bicecek.
(04/017) Journalist on Trial…
Bursa Heavy Penal Court No 2 continued on 1 April 2017 the case against Omer Gur, a reporter of DIHA which was closed down by a Decree with the Force of Law. After the final defenses, the court sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment for ‘committing crime on the behalf of an illegal organization without being a member of it’ and 1 year and 6 months imprisonment for ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization.’
(04/018) Journalist on Trial…
Tunceli Heavy Penal Court continued on 31 March 2017 the case against Journalist and writer Ergin Dogru and Deniz Kazan. Dogru and Kazan participated the hearing via SEGBİS. After the defenses, the court did not release them to be tried without a remand. The hearing was adjourned to 12 May 2017.
(04/019) Hasan Cemal Case…
Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 continued the case against Hasan Cemal. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’ in an article series titled “Journal of Retreat.” After the final defenses, the court acquitted Cemal.
(04/020) Kemal Kurkut Case…
The prosecutor appealed to the release of the police official who was detained in connection with the death of Kemal Kurkut. Criminal Judicature of Peace overruled the rejection of the prosecutor.
Kemal Kurkut was shot on 21 March 2017 in Diyarbakir by the police when he tried to enter the Newroz Celebration.
(04/021) Trials in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 started on 27 March 2017 to hear the case against 29 journalists and writers. The hearings took place between 27 March and 31 March 2017. After the defenses of the defendants and their lawyers, the court released 21 defendants to be tried without remand on 31 March 2017.
The defendants who were released are as follows: Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habip Güler, Halil ibrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Muhammet Sait Kuloğlu, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Yakup Çetin, Yetkin Yıldız.
Atilla Taş, Ali Akkuş, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Seyid Kılıç, Yetkin Yıldız, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Yakup Çetin, Bünyamin Köseli, Cihan Acar, Abdullah Kılıç and Oğuz Usluer were detained again on the night of their release in connection with another investigation in which they were charged for ‘attempting to abolish the constitutional order.’
The prosecutor appealed to the release of Hanım Büşra Erdal, Ahmet Memiş, Bayram Kaya, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cuma Ulus, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta ve Muhammet Said Kuloğlu. They were detained and put into prison.
(04/022) Special Security Zone in Bingol…
The Governorate of Bingol declared special security zones in 23 regions between 1 April 2017 and 15 April 2017. Plateau of Ortacanak, Hasar Hill, Feretan, Cır Plateau, Merdiven Stream, Seytan Mountains, Sağgözae, Büyükçağ, Yeni Yazı, Dikpınar, Derman, Sekeran, Yenibaşak, Horivanik Stream, Kirkoy, Manav Stream, Guneslik, Comak Stream, Karacehennem Forest, Akimli Plateau.
(04/023) Curfew Lifted in Mazidagi…
Mardin Governorate lifted on 31 March 2017 the curfew which was declared on 27 March 2017 in 4 villages and 1 sub-village of Mazidagi.
[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.