Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
1 December 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/001) Lawyer Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment in Hatay…
It is learned from news coverage of November 30, 2023, that lawyer Bülent Akbay had a quarrel with two people, reported to be the bodyguard and driver of the chief public prosecutor, in front of the courthouse in the İskenderun district of Hatay and was subjected to physical violence of these two people. It is also reported in the news that Bülent Akbay was also subjected to physical and verbal violence by these 2 people in the office room of the chief public prosecutor.
In the statement made by the Iskenderun Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on the subject, the following was said: “On the double-lane road between the Iskenderun Courthouse and Iskenderun Technical University, which was decided to be closed to civilian traffic on October 25, 2023, but which is actually used by civilian vehicles due to the fact that the regulations are still not finalized, lawyer Bülent Akbay was driving in the middle of the road and prevented the passage of the official car, in which the Chief Public Prosecutor was also present. The driver was first warned by honking the horn, and then Bülent Akbay was reminded that the car was an official one and that it had priority of passage in traffic. When lawyer Bülent Akbay displayed aggressive behavior with insults and physically intervened with the police officer, the police officer neutralized Bülent Akbay in a controlled manner. During the altercation, both Bülent Akbay and the protection police were injured.”
(12/002) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on December 1, 2023, to the chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by families and tutelary of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, and Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in Imralı Prison, to visit them was not responded to.
(12/003) March Prevented in Istanbul…
The police prevented the march after the press statement in front of the Istanbul Bar Association in the Beyoğlu district on November 30, 2023, to protest the non-release of Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) Hatay MP Can Atalay, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for ‘aiding the overthrow of the government’ in the final hearing of the Gezi Trial on April 25, 2022, despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling.
(12/004) Journalist Detained in Ankara…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 30, 2023, that Tuncay Özdamar, WDR Cosmo Turkish Director, was detained in Ankara Esenboğa Airport where he arrived from Germany on September 30, 2023, on the grounds of targeting people who were involved in the fight against terrorism in his social media posts and was released on the same day after statement procedures at the prosecutor’s office.
(12/005) HDP Executive and Another Person Detained in Mardin…
On December 1, 2023, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) former district co-chair Şiyar Koç and Dilan Çıtanak were detained in the Nusaybin district of Mardin through a Muş based investigation. It is learned that 2 people were taken to Muş.
(12/006) Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor on Trial…
The trial of the lawsuit filed against 7 people, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, due to ‘bid rigging’ started on November 30, 2023, at Istanbul Büyükçekmece Criminal Court of First Instance. The court adjourned the hearing to April 24, 2024.
(12/007) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
Following the reversal of the verdict against the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul MP Enis Berberoğlu and journalist Erdem Gül in the case known as the “MİT Trucks Case” by the Penal Department No. 3 of the Court of Cassation, it was decided to separate Erdem Gül’s file in the retrial. The retrial of the case against Erdem Gül at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14 continued on November 30, 2023. The court adjourned the hearing to February 28, 2024.
(12/008) Writers and Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Pakrat Estukyan, writer and editor of the Armenian pages of Agos Newspaper, Cihan Doğan, lawyer Emran Emekçi, Mehmet Nimet Sevim, and Ramazan Yurttapan, Editor-in-Chief of Democratic Modernity Magazine, continued on December 1, 2023, at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 30. After the defenses, the court adjourned the hearing to February 2, 2024.
(12/009) Journalist on Trial in Izmir…
The first trial of the case against journalist Onur Öncü, on the allegations of filming during the hearing of the case on Deniz Poyraz’s death in the attack on the HDP provincial office, started on December 1, 2023, at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 23. After the defenses, the court announced its verdict and acquitted Onur Öncü.
(12/010) Journalist on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against former Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş due to ‘insulting a public officer’ continued on December 1, 2023, at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 39. The court adjourned the hearing to December 21, 2023.
(12/011) Lawyers and Association Members on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against 49 people, including 11 lawyers from Lawyers’ Association for Freedom (ÖHD) and 38 members of the Association for Solidarity with Families of Detainees (TUAD), which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, was held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14 on November 30, 2023. The court acquitted 49 people.
(12/012) People on Trial in Ankara…
The final trial of the case against 15 people who were detained during the police intervention against a press statement to protest femicides in Ankara was held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 66 on November 30, 2023. The court acquitted 15 people on the charges of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’ and ‘simple injury’ and sentenced 2 people on the charge of ‘resisting to prevent duty’.
(12/013) The Person on Trial in Urfa…
The case against Emine Şenyaşar, whose husband Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar and sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar were killed after a quarrel between Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP candidate İbrahim Halil Yıldız and his bodyguards and shopkeepers in the Suruç district of Urfa on June 14, 2018, on the charge of ‘insulting state organs’, was held on Urfa Penal Court of First Instance No 5 on November 30, 2023. The court adjourned the hearing to February 22, 2024.
(12/014) People on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against 7 members of the organizing committee of the 2021 Newroz celebration in Diyarbakır started to be held at the Diyarbakır Penal Court of First Instance No 5 on December 1, 2023. The indictment demands a sentence for 7 people on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’. After defences, the court adjourned the trial to March 1, 2024.
(12/015) Ban of Access to Web Content…
It is learned that the news reports on https://artigercek.com, https://halktv.com.tr, and https://www.diken.com.tr websites regarding the allegations on Halk Bank were banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 5 on November 30, 2023.
It is learned that the news article titled “Everyone from the police to the prosecutor is involved!” published on https://www.birgun.net website, was banned from access by Istanbul Küçükçekmece Penal Court of Peace No. 3 on October 30, 2023, and the content was ordered to be deleted.
[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.