Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
1 – 4 January 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/001) Murdered Women…
According to the report issued by We Will Stop Femicide Platform on January 2, 2021, at least 300 women were murdered by men, and 171 women were found dead suspiciously in 2020 in Turkey.
(01/002) Person Got Wounded by Security Forces’ Fire in Hakkari…
It is learned that 1 person (Reşat Ekinci) got wounded due to fire opened by security forces, intervening a group having picnic in Derindere village of Derecik district of Hakkari on December 30, 2020.
Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on January 1, 2021 and stated the following: “There were seen 6 persons in suspicious condition in the military forbidden zone (…) They were warned by the personnel on duty to move away from the zone, to prevent possible photographing of the area or smuggling which would threaten border security; and after these persons resisted a quarrel took place and warning shots were fired up into the air. After the incident, a person named Reşat Ekinci (26) who was seen as wounded is referred to health institutions (…) and he was discharged from the hospital following outpatient treatment. An administrative and judicial investigation about the case is initiated.”
(01/003) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 2, 2021 that, 6 HPG militants died in an air operation of Turkish Armed Forces to Avaşin area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on December 28, 2020.
(01/004) Asylum Seekers Died in Ağrı…
It is learned that 2 asylum seekers lost their lives while 3 of them were injured in the car crash that took place in a police chase in Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı on December 31, 2020. It is also reported that the police car on chase also had a crash which injured 2 police officers.
(01/005) Person Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment in Military…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 2, 2021 that, Hasan Düdük, who was on compulsory military service at Armoured Brigade Command No 3 in Çerkezköy district of Tekirdağ, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
Hasan Düdük was subjected to physical violence of specialised sergeant R. K. for he did not participate in cleaning activity on November 10, 2020, and he stated the following: “I went to the infirmary to be referred to a hospital that could give me a medical report evidencing the violence; the specialised sergeant who was accompanying me there, tried to persuade the doctor for not giving me a document for referral to the hospital (…) Although I got a referral document, the commander did not allow me to go to the hospital (…) I went to Çerkezköy Public Hospital in some way, and got a report evidencing the violence (…) I deserted from the military post because I could not stand all of these, but I went back there after 8 hours. (…) When I was taken to military prosecutor to make official statement, I wrote down a statement which covers everything, but my superiors tore up it because I mentioned that I was beaten. I make my statement verbally and I told everything to the prosecutor. I was them beaten by another master sergeant for I did not change my statement, and my toenail was broken due to this.”
It is stated in the news reports that Hasan Düdük filed criminal complaints against the officers in charge.
(01/006) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 31, 2020 that, social, cultural and sports rights of prisoners in Kayseri Bünyan T Type Prison were restricted, and Yeni Yaşam and Evrensel newspapers were not given to them although there is no ban imposed on these newspapers.
(01/007) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 31, 2020 that several prisoners joined the indefinite hunger strike in turns which started in prisons on November 26, 2020, demanding an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and to right violations in prisons.
The prisoners joining the strike are:
- Kayseri Bünyan T Type Prison: 1 prisoner (Rojbin Yakut).
It is learned from the news coverage of December 31, 2020 that, prisoners on hunger strike in Kayseri Bünyan T Type Prison were not given sugar and carbonate.
(01/008) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the press declaration of Bimeks workers at Boğaziçi University campus on December 31, 2020 and detained 6 people (Umut-Sen union organising coordinator Başaran Aksu and Bimeks workers Dilek Aslan, Leyla Akıncı, Atakan Başaran, Zeynel Çiftgöz and Betül Celep) by using physical violence. Bimeks workers who were dismissed without being paid wages and compensation, wanted to protest Vedat Akgiray, owner of the company, who also lectures at the university.
This was the 15th time of police intervention against and detention of Bimeks workers having protests in Boğaziçi University Campus.
(01/009) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
On January 4, 2021, the police intervened the students protesting the new rector of Boğaziçi University appointed by the President, and detained 2 people by using physical violence. It is reported that 2 people were released on the same day.
(01/010) Person Detained for Social Media Posts in Ankara…
On December 31, 2020, Women’s Defence Network member Buse Üçer who was detained by the police while she was leaving Mor Mekan (Purple Place) in Ankara, is released by the court on judicial control conditions on January 1, 2021. It is learned that she was detained for a social media post (“the days that we burn this city down are coming”) that she shared on women murders.
(01/011) Detained People in Adana…
3 people including 2 Syrian citizens (M. S. and M. H. along with M. A.) who were detained through an investigation on PKK, in Adana on December 30, 2020; are arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on January 1, 2021.
(01/012) Detained Person in Şırnak…
1 person (Hakkı Malgaz) who was detained at District Security Directorate in İdil district of Şırnak where he went to make an official statement through an investigation against him on December 30, 2020; is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘aiding an illegal organisation’ on December 31, 2020.
(01/013) Journalist on Trial in Balıkesir…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 2, 2021 that Bandırma Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment on the charge of ‘insulting the President’, against journalist Cem Bahtiyar for his social media posts and a comment he made on a Twitter post of the President.
(01/014) Investigation Against Journalists in Istanbul…
It is learned that Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated 14 investigations against Oda TV executive editor Barış Pehlivan and Oda TV news editor Barış Terkoğlu, for their book “Metastaz 2: Cendere”, and that 2 journalists made their official statements to 4 prosecutors on December 30, 2020.
It is reported that the indictments of these investigations demand 95 years of sentence for Barış Terkoğlu and 63 years of jail sentence for Barış Pehlivan.
(01/015) Person on Trial in Şırnak…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 1, 2021 that 7 years and 6 months of jail sentence given by Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No 3 to a person named Ali Akdağ, on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is approved by Diyarbakır Regional Court.
(01/016) Arrested Poet in Istanbul…
Poet Yılmaz Odabaşı who was detained in a notary office in Istanbul and was arrested by the court on December 30, 2020 is released from prison on December 31, 2020.
(01/017) Dismissal of Union Members in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 31, 2020 that, Media, Communication and Postal Employees’ Union (Haber-Sen) Diyarbakır branch member Esra Ademhan and Confederation of Public Employees’ Unions (KESK) supreme board delegate İzzet Ekin were dismissed from their jobs, on the grounds of provisional article of the decree No 375.
(01/018) Restriction of Books…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 3, 2021 that, Committee for Prevention of Children from Obscene Publications under Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services decided to restrict the book “Büyülü Gökkuşağı – The Magical Rainbow” according to Law 117 – Article 4. According to these restrictions, the book has to be labelled as “harmful to children”, and cannot be openly displayed, cannot be advertised and cannot be in schools and other places of children.
(01/019) Ban of Events in Hakkari and Van…
Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on December 31, 2020 and announced that, all events such as demonstrations and meetings; press declarations, sit-in protests, human chain protests, op-ed stands, public sessions, any kind of audio-visual activities with mobile audio-visual vehicles, hunger strikes, opening stands, collecting petitions, flying sky lanterns or balloons, commemorations (except for public institutions), concerts, festivals, theatre plays, screening shows, firing torches, distributing leaflets, hanging banners and so on are banned for 15 days as of January 1, 2021.
Van Governorate made a declaration on January 3, 2021 and announced that, all open-door meetings and demonstrations are banned for 15 days as of January 4, 2021. All events are banned in Van for 1519 days since November 21, 2016.
(01/020) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news reports on the ban of access to news reports on ban of access to news reports on the tender which was won by a friend of Bilal Erdoğan, President Tayyip Erdoğan’s son, which were published on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/, https://t24.com.tr/, http://www.diken.com.tr/ websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 7 on December 31, 2020.
(01/021) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On December 31, 2020, 1 person is detained in a house raid in Istanbul.
(01/022) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 239 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,219 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on December 31, 2020. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 14,380.
The Ministry of Health declared that 212 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,908 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on January 1, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 12,203.
The Ministry of Health declared that 202 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,713 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on January 2, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 11,180.
The Ministry of Health declared that 193 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,515 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on January 3, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 9,877.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 21,488 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,241,912 as of January 3, 2021.
It is learned that 3 health workers (doctor İlhan Doğan in Istanbul, doctor İlhan Demirel in Trabzon and doctor Lokman Öztürk in Izmir) lost their lives from Covid-19 in December 31, 2020.
It is learned that doctor Kemal Aslan in Mersin lost his life from Covid-19 in January 1, 2021.
It is learned that pharmacist Yavuz Eryılmaz in Istanbul lost his life from Covid-19 in January 2, 2021.
It is learned that 5 health workers (pharmacist Mehmet Cinpolat in Antep, pharmacist Halit Usluer in Tekirdağ, health officer Oğuzhan Özkan in Kayseri, Professor Uğur Yılmaz in Izmir, doctor Doğan Yıldırım in Mersin) lost their lives from Covid-19 in January 3, 2021.
[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.