Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
1-3 June 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(06/001) Suspicious Death of a Village Guard in Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 1, 2024, that Akif Çapık, a village guard in the Başkale district of Van, was wounded while on guard duty and was taken to Başkale State Hospital where he lost his life.
(06/002) Journalist Subjected to Physical Violence in Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that journalist Yasin İpek, who shared a social media post about alleged irregularities in Vanspor, was subjected to physical violence by an anonymous person who warned him ‘not to report on Vanspor again’. It is also stated in the news reports that the journalist received a medical report documenting the physical violence and will file a criminal complaint.
(06/003) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024 that Grup Yorum member Vedat Doğan, who is kept in Kırşehir High Security Prison, has been on an indefinite and non-revolving hunger strike since April 3, 2024, demanding transfer.
(06/004) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 31, 2024, that lawyer Merve Nur Doğan, who is kept in Mersin Tarsus Women’s Prison refused to attend the final hearing of the case against her due to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, gave a petition to the court stating that she would not attend the hearing and the court decided to force Merve Nur Doğan to attend the hearing via Voice and Video Information System (SEGBİS) and the lawyer was taken to the SEGBİS room by using physical violence.
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that Grup Yorum member Vedat Doğan, who is kept in Kırşehir High Security Prison, is kept in a single room, his demand to be in the same ward with another Grup Yorum member Rezzan Şengül was not met on the grounds of ‘not being in good behavior’, he was only allowed to go out for 1 hour and was not allowed to benefit from the right to chat on the grounds of ‘not being in good behavior’.
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that prisoners’ belongings were thrown away during ward searches in Izmir Buca Kırıklar F Type Prison No 1, prisoners’ requests to meet with the prison director about their complaints were not responded, Ayhan Azgın (60, m) who was arrested for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ was kept in the same block with prisoners arrested and convicted in ISIS cases and letters that prisoners wanted to send from prison were seized.
(06/005) Co-Mayor Detained in Van…
Mehmet Sıddık Akış, who was elected as co-mayor of Hakkari Municipality in the March 31 local elections, was detained on June 3, 2024, in Van on the allegations of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’. It is learned that there is a confidentiality order on the file and a 24-hour restriction on lawyer visits.
(06/006) People Detained in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that 13 people were detained in house raids on June 2, 2024, for protesting under the name of ‘One Thousand Youth for Palestine’ in front of the Istanbul office of a company having commercial relations with Israel on May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024. Detained people were released by the criminal peace judgeship on judicial control conditions on the same day.
(06/007) Person Detained in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 1, 2024, that Ramazan Şimşek, who was detained on May 29, 2024, on the charges of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’, ‘inciting or insulting the public to hatred and hostility’ and ‘hate and discrimination crime’ under Article 122 of Turkish Penal Code, on the grounds of announcing that Pine Café, which he owns, will serve only in Kurdish after May 15 Kurdish Language Day, was released by the criminal peace judgeship on the same day on judicial control conditions of house confinement and ban on leaving the country.
(06/008) People Detained in Urfa…
On May 31, 2024, the gendarmerie detained 5 farmers who protested Dicle Elektrik A. Ş. teams’ dismantling of a transformer used for agricultural irrigation in the Avurtepe neighborhood of the Siverek district of Urfa. The names of the detainees could not be learned.
(06/009) Police Intervention against a Protest in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 1, 2024, that teachers who marched in front of the Turkish Private Schools Association (TÖZOK) with the call of Private Sector Teachers’ Union, demanding base salaries and secure employment, were demanded to take off their aprons with the slogan ‘Teachers are strong with their union’; and that some of the teachers who made a press statement in front of TÖZOK were handcuffed behind their backs and detained after the press statement ended. The total number of detainees and names of detainees could not be learned.
(06/010) Police Raid on a Municipality…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 3, 2024, that Hakkari Municipality building was blockaded by the police on June 2, 2024, the street where the municipality building is located and all streets leading to the municipality building were closed to traffic and the municipality building was raided on June 3, 2024. It is also claimed in the news reports that doors were broken during the raid and all chief offices of institutions were called for emergency duty. The reason for the raid could not be learned.
(06/011) Trustee Appointment to a Municipality…
The Ministry of Interior announced on June 3, 2024, that Mehmet Sıddık Akış, who was elected Co-Mayor of Hakkari Municipality in the March 31 local elections, has been suspended from office due to an ongoing trial against him and Hakkari Governor Ali Çelik has been appointed as trustee in his place.
(06/012) Political Party’s Billboard Removed by the Police in Mersin…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that, the Saadet Party (SP) Mersin Provincial Presidency hung a billboard on Hastane Street in Mersin with the message “Israel bombs, AKP watches. We cannot be silent. We have to resist against oppression” was removed by the police and fire brigades.
(06/013) MP Blocked from Traveling Abroad…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) spokesperson and Şırnak MP Ayşegül Doğan, who went to Istanbul Airport to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Commission (PACE), was prevented from leaving the country on the grounds of a ban on leaving the country, which was lifted in December 2023.
(06/014) Journalist on Trial in Izmir…
The final trial of the case against ETHA editor Pınar Gayıp, on the grounds of insulting police officers during the police intervention against the condolence tent for Ivana Hoffmann who lost her life in Kobanê in 2015, was held on May 31, 2024. The court sentenced the journalist to 1 year 2 months and 17 days of imprisonment on the charge of ‘repeatedly and publicly insulting public officials’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
(06/015) The Hrant Dink Case…
The trial of the case against 15 public officials, 7 of them arrested, for the murder of Hrant Dink, Editor-in-Chief of Agos Newspaper, continued on May 31, 2024 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14. The prosecutor announced the final opinion on the case; and demanded a sentence for the defendants Veysel Şahin, Osman Gülbel, Onur Karakaya, Okan Şimşek, Mehmet Ayhan, Hasan Durmuşoğlu, Gazi Günay, Ali Öz to 2 times aggravated life imprisonment each for ‘deliberate intentional killing’ and ‘violating the constitution’, Muharrem Demirkale to aggravated life imprisonment for ‘deliberate intentional killing’. The prosecutor demanded aggravated life imprisonment from 22 years and 6 months to 30 years for Bekir Yokuş on the charges of ‘aiding to intentional killing by design’ and ‘violating the constitution’, and a prison sentence from 22 years and 6 months to 30 years for Yavuz Karakaya on the charge of ‘aiding to intentional killing by design’. The prosecutor also demanded acquittal for Volkan Şahin, Şükrü Yıldız and Mehmet Ali Özkılınç. The court decided to continue the arrest of the arrested defendants and judicial control measures against the defendants and adjourned the trial to July 16 and 17, 2024.
(06/016) Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor on Trial…
The trial of the lawsuit filed against 7 people, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, due to ‘bid rigging’ continued on May 31, 2024, at Istanbul Büyükçekmece Penal Court of First Instance No 10. The court decided to get a new expert report due to discrepancies in the expert reports and adjourned the hearing to October 2, 2024.
(06/017) Lawyer on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final hearing of the retrial of the case against lawyer Merve Nur Doğan on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 10 was held on May 31, 2024, after the sentence of 10 years and 6 months was reversed by Penal Department No 3 of the Court of Cassation. The court sentenced Merve Nur Doğan to 9 years in prison.
Merve Nur Doğan was arrested on October 9, 2020.
(06/018) Artists and a Peace Mother on Trial in Siirt…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 2, 2024, that Siirt Heavy Penal Court No 2 accepted the indictment against Fatma Dayan, Gülistan Dayan, Kader Kılıç, Nalin Gökçen, Servet Ervan, and Peace Mother Ayşe Taşçı on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ for the songs they sang during March 8 celebrations in Siirt.
(06/019) People on Trial in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 31, 2024, that the verdict of the case against 14 students, who protested against the rector appointed by the President to Boğaziçi University, was reversed by Penal Department No 20 of Istanbul Regional Court of First Instance No 22 on the grounds of ‘incomplete prosecution’.
(06/020) Investigation against Gendarmerie Personnel in Şırnak…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 3, 2024, that in 2 separate investigations initiated by the prosecutor’s office in 2009 against Ertaç Kılıç, then commander of Güçlükonak Gendarmerie Commando Division, and Lieutenant Mehmet Pehlivan, who was on duty at Güçlükonak Gendarmerie Station Command, regarding Fettah Erden, who was detained in Boyuncuk (Hêtma) village of Güçlükonak district of Şırnak on April 20, 1994, and was not heard from again, prosecutor’s office decided not to initiate any investigation against Mehmet Pehlivan on March 5, 2024, and on April 30, 2024, it is learned that a verdict of ‘no prosecution’ was given for Ertaç Kılıç.
(06/021) Constitutional Court Decision on the Death of Mehmet Emin Levent in Şırnak…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 1, 2024, that the Constitutional Court evaluated the individual application about Mehmet Emin Levent (21, e) who lost his life due to the fire opened by security forces during the curfews in the Cizre district of Şırnak between September 4 and 12, 2015, and ruled that there was no effective investigation into the death of Mehmet Emin Levent and that the right to life was violated on procedural grounds, and decided to pay 120 thousand Turkish Liras of non-pecuniary damages to the applicants. It is also learned that the application on personal liberty and security was rejected due to the non-exhaustion of remedies.
On January 5, 2018, Cizre Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office decided ‘no prosecution’ in the investigation on Mehmet Emin Levent’s death, and the appeal to Şırnak Criminal Peace Judgeship was rejected on March 12, 2018, on the grounds that “the principle of proportionality has been fulfilled due to the ongoing operations”.
(06/022) Constitutional Court Decision on Targeting of an LGBTI+ Rights Activist…
On June 3, 2024, the Constitutional Court evaluated the individual application regarding the news reports in the press on June 3, 2024, that LGBTI+ rights activist Efruz Kaya, who took part in a video published in 2019 as part of the ‘November 20 Transgender Remembrance Day’, was targeted with discriminatory and phobic discourse by Yeni Akit, Doğru Haber and İLKHA, and that the criminal peace judgeships did not impose an access ban on the news reports and rejected the requests for content removal, and ruled that the rights to effective remedy and respect for private life were violated and decided to pay 10 thousand TL compensation to the applicant.
(06/023) Banned Events and Demonstrations…
The Governorate of Hakkari announced on June 3, 2024, that demonstrations, open-air meetings, indoor and outdoor meetings, press declarations, sit-ins and surveys, setting up/opening tents and stands, organizing petitions, distributing leaflets and flyers and all other forms of protest activities are banned for 10 days between 08.00 on June 3, 2024 and 23.59 on June 12, 2024.
The Governorate of Diyarbakır announced on June 3, 2024, that all kinds of protests (demonstrations, marches, vigils, vigils, press declarations, hunger strikes, sit-in protests, rallies, opening stands, setting up tents, distributing leaflets, hanging banners, etc.) to be organized across the province in relation to the appointment of a trustee to Hakkari Municipality will be prevented. It has been announced that all kinds of protests, the entry of people and vehicles that are considered to be able to participate in these protests into the borders of Diyarbakır province, the exit of people and vehicles that are considered to be able to participate in these protests from the outer districts and their entry into the provincial center have been banned for 4 days between 14.15 on June 3, 2024 and 14.14 on June 7, 2024.
The Governorate of Van announced on June 3, 2024, that demonstrations, open-air meetings, indoor meetings, press declarations, sit-ins and surveys, setting up/opening tents and stands, organizing petitions, distributing leaflets and flyers and all other forms of protest activities will be banned for 5 days between May 3, 2024 and May 7, 2024.
(06/024) Detained People within the Scope of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Investigation…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 1, 2024, that 6 people were detained in operations covering 6 cities through an investigation of Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ for alleged irregularities in Police Vocational School exams in 2006 and 2007. The names of the detainees could not be learned.
[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.