Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
1 March 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/001) Earthquakes in Antep, Maraş and Malatya…
According to the information recorded by Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, on February 6, 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 in Şehitkamil district of Antep which struck at 04:17 local time and an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 in Ekinözü district of Maraş which struck at 13:24 local time killed at least 45,089 people as of March 1, 2023.
(03/002) Police Intervention to Protests in Ankara and Istanbul…
The police intervened in the press declaration in front of the Community Houses headquarters in Ankara on February 28, 2023 which was held to protest the evacuation by the governorate’s office of the tents of the crisis coordination center by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), the Health and Social Service Workers’ Union (SES) and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Veterinary Clinic in Defne district of Hatay; and detained 14 people including Community Houses chair Nebiye Merttürk. It is learned that the journalists were prevented by the police from recording. Detained people were released on the same day.
The police intervened in the press declaration in front of Istanbul Community House, held on the same day for the same cause, and detained 8 people including Community Houses deputy chair Zeynep Çelik. It is learned that the police used physical violence to force the journalists away from the area.
(03/003) Prosecutions and Detentions for Social Media Posts…
The General Directorate of Security announced that prosecutions were initiated against 606 people and 147 people were detained, 27 people were arrested for their social media posts about the earthquakes in Antep and Maraş, as of March 1, 2023.
(03/004) Detained Scientist in Elazığ…
Geophysics engineer Professor Övgün Ahmet Ercan was detained in Elazığ on February 28, 2023, through a Malatya based investigation, on the charge of ‘publicly disseminating misleading information’ on the grounds of his social media posts about the earthquake. Professor Övgün Ahmet Ercan was brought to Malatya, and was released by the court with a ban on leaving the country on March 1, 2023.
(03/005) Detained Person in Rize for Social Media Posts…
Rize Community House member Şenol Terzioğlu is detained in Fındıklı district of Rize on February 28, 2023, on the grounds of social media posts about earthquake and other issues. Şenol Terzioğlu is released by the court on judicial control conditions on March 1, 2023.
(03/006) Police Raid to TKP Office in Osmaniye…
It is learned that the neighbourhood office of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) in Osmaniye was raided by the police on February 28, 2023, and the people in the office were detained. The number and the names of the detained people could not be learned.
(03/007) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 28, 2023 that, 4 prisoners (Hacı Geçiken, Onur Kangal and 2 prisoners) in Diyarbakır High Security Prison No. 1 and 1 prison (Recep Bal) in Diyarbakır High Security Prison No. 2 were transferred to other prisons which could not be learned.
It is claimed in the news coverage of March 1, 2023 that, a prisoner named Şükrü Çiçek in Izmir Kırıklar F Type Prison was asked to pay 40,000 Turkish Liras for travel fee, in response to his demand to participate in his father’s funeral.
(03/008) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on February 28, 2023 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by the lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, in order to visit him was not responded.
(03/009) Detained ESP Executive in Edirne…
The Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Party Assembly member Ali Haydar Keleş who was detained in Edirne, was arrested by the court on February 28, 2023.
(03/010) Police Prevention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police prevented the press declaration of the Turkish Medial Association (TMA) central council members to be held after the trial of the case regarding the dismissal of the central council members of the TMA on February 28, 2023.
(03/011) The Case of Dismissal of TMA Central Council Members…
The trial of the case at Ankara Civil Court of First Instance No. 31 regarding the dismissal of the central council members of the TMA is held on February 28, 2023. The court adjourned the trial to April 6, 2023.
(03/012) Kobanê Case…
The trial of the case against 108 members and executives of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) including former co-chairs, including 17 arrestees, is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 22 on February 28, 2023. The defendants did not attend the trial due to the earthquakes. The court adjourned the trial to March 15-17, 2023.
(03/013) Journalist on Trial Bitlis…
The first trial of the case against Bitlis Journalists’ Association chair Sinan Aygül, over a news report he made, is held at Tatvan Penal Court of First Instance No. 1 on February 28, 2023. Sinan Aygül attended the trial and his lawyer demanded the case to be sent to the Court of Cassation for concrete norm control. The court rejected the demand and sentenced Sinan Aygül to 10 months on the charge of ‘disseminating misleading information’.
It is stated in the news reports that Sinan Aygül was the first person to be prosecuted for this charge, which is subject to a prison sentence of 1 to 3 years, in accordance with the amendment made in the Press Law.
(03/014) Musician on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against musician Gülşen Bayraktar Çolakoğlu, on the grounds of the expressions that she allegedly used at a concert is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 11 on March 1, 2023. The prosecutor declared legal opinion on the case and demanded sentence from 1 year up to 3 years for Gülşen Bayraktar Çolakoğlu on the charge of ‘inciting hatred and hostility among public’. The court adjourned the trial to May 3, 2023.
Gülşen Bayraktar Çolakoğlu was detained and arrested on August 25, 2022; and she was released on house confinement upon the objection on August 29, 2022. The house confinement decision was lifted on September 12, 2022.
(03/015) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalist Ceren Sözeri, upon complaint of Serhat Albayrak, Turkuvaz Media Group Vice President of Executive Board, for the article titled “Who caused poll defeat of AKP”, is held at Istanbul Commercial Court of First Instance No. 2 on March 1, 2023. The court adjourned the trial to June 21, 2023.
(03/016) People on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 16 people, for a protest about ill prisoners, is held at Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No. 51 on February 28, 2023. The court issued detention warrants for the Revolutionary Party deputy chair Burcugül Çubuk and central executive board member Yeşim Tükel and adjourned the trial to June 6, 2023.
(03/017) People on Trial in Ankara…
The first trial of the case against 15 people who were detained by the police intervening in a press declaration held in Ankara to protest femicides, is held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 66 on February 28, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for 15 people on the charges of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’, ‘resisting to prevent public duty’ and ‘injury’. 3 police officers are heard as complainants at the trial. The court adjourned the trial to June 20, 2023.
(03/018) The Case Regarding Killing of Asylum Seekers in Izmir…
The first trial of the case against Kemal Korukmaz, regarding the murder of Syrian asylum seekers Ahmed el Ali, Memnun Nebhan and Muhammed Hüseyin el Abdo by burning in their workplace in Güzelbahçe district of Izmir on November 16, 2021, is held at Izmir Heavy Penal Court No. 1 on March 1, 2023. The court accepted the defendant’s lawyer’s request for mental stability examination, decide to continue detention of the defendant and adjourned the trial to June 14, 2023.
(03/019) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that Etkin News Agency website https://www.etha49.com is banned to access on the grounds of ‘protection of national security and public order’ by Zonguldak Penal Court of Peace on February 28, 2023.
(03/020) Fan Ban on Kayserispor-Fenerbahçe Match…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 28, 2023, that Kayseri Provincial Sports Security Board decided not to allow Fenerbahçe fans into the stadium in the football match of Fenerbahçe with Kayserispor to be held on March 4, 2023, after the slogans calling on government to resign after the earthquakes, during the Fenerbahce-Konyaspor match played in Istanbul on February 25, 2023.
(03/021) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
It is learned that 11 people are detained in operations covering 7 cities through an Istanbul based investigation.
[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.