Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
10 – 12 May 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/071) Person subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in Urfa…
According to news reports published on May 10, 2025, it was learned that a person named İlyas Tokmak (18, male) was subjected to physical violence by the gendarmerie in the rural neighborhood of Arapbaba in the Viranşehir district of Urfa.
(05/072) Person Subjected to Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Antalya…
According to news reports on May 11, 2025, it was learned that one person was subjected to physical violence by two police officers on the street in the Kepez district of Antalya. It was reported that the two police officers were suspended from duty. The Governor of Antalya made the following statement on the matter: “Following the images circulating on social media showing personnel from the Motorcycle Police Unit engaging in an assault against an individual, the relevant personnel were immediately suspended from duty by the Provincial Police Department, and an administrative investigation has been initiated against them.”
(04/073) No Response to Request for Meeting with Abdullah Öcalan…
It has been learned that the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has not responded to the requests for a meeting submitted on May 9, 2025, by the family and legal guardian of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and the families and legal guardians of Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım, and Veysi Aktaş, who are being held at Imrali Prison.
(05/074) People Detained in Diyarbakır…
On May 9, 2025, seven people were detained in Diyarbakır during house raids on charges of “making propaganda for an organization.” The seven were released the same day after giving statements to the police. The names of those detained have not been learned.
(05/075) Lawyer Arrested in Istanbul…
Lawyer Burak Saldıroğlu was detained on May 10, 2025, in Istanbul while distributing printouts of posts made on the blocked social media account of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Burak Saldıroğlu was arrested on the same day by a magistrate’s court on charges of “insulting the president” based on a social media post he made.
(05/076) Person Detained in Izmir…
Sakine Mat (73), mother of Hüseyin Mat, co-chair of the Confederation of European Alevi Unions (AABK), was detained on May 8, 2025, at Adnan Menderes Airport in İzmir during passport control on charges of making propaganda for an organization as part of an investigation opened in Erzurum. Sakine Mat was released on May 9, 2025, after giving her statement.
(05/077) Person Detained in Istanbul…
Fashion designer Barbaros Şansal was detained on May 10, 2025, at Istanbul Airport on charges of “publicly insulting the Turkish nation, the Republic of Turkey, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the government of the Republic of Turkey, and the judicial organs of the state” in a case filed at the Izmir Criminal Court of First Instance No. 14. Barbaros Şansal was released the same day after giving his statement.
(05/078) Trial of a Journalist in İzmir…
The final hearing of the case against journalist Semra Turan at the Izmir Heavy Penal Court No. 13 was held on May 12, 2025. The court acquitted Semra Turan of the charge of “membership in an organization.”
(05/079) Trial of Journalists in Izmir…
The trial of journalists Melike Aydın and Tolga Güney at the Izmir Heavy Penal Court No. 13 continued on May 12, 2025. The indictment seeks the punishment of Melike Aydın and Tolga Güney on charges of “membership in an organization.” The court postponed the hearing to July 18, 2025.
(05/080) Trial of a Journalist in İzmir…
The trial of journalist Delal Akyüz at the Izmir Heavy Penal Court No. 13 continued on May 12, 2025. The indictment seeks the punishment of Delal Akyüz for “membership in an organization.” The court postponed the hearing to July 18, 2025.
(05/081) Trial of Boğaziçi University Students…
The final hearing of the case against seven Boğaziçi University students, who were charged with “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” for displaying an image of the Kaaba at an exhibition held as part of protests against the appointment of a rector by the President, was held on May 9, 2025, at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 21. The court acquitted the seven individuals of the charge of “openly inciting the public to hatred and hostility.”
(05/082) Individuals on Trial in Bursa…
The trial of 11 people who participated in protests in Bursa against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu began on May 9, 2025, at the Bursa Criminal Court of First Instance. The indictment seeks the punishment of the 11 individuals for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911.” The court lifted the house arrest measures against two individuals and postponed the hearing to July 11, 2025.
(05/083) Individuals on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of actors Halil Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu, who testified as witnesses in an investigation targeting manager Ayşe Barım in connection with the 2013 Gezi protests, began on May 9, 2025, at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No. 24. The indictment seeks the punishment of two individuals for “giving false testimony.” The court postponed the hearing to May 23, 2025.
(05/084) Sertip Şen Case…
The trial of M.T., a soldier accused of killing Sertip Şen (46) on May 2, 2019, in the village of Onbaşılar in the Yüksekova district of Hakkari while he was grazing his sheep, as a result of gunfire from a military zone, continued on May 9, 2025, at the Yüksekova Heavy Penal Court No. 1. The court rejected the request for the soldier’s arrest and postponed the hearing until October 24, 2025.
(05/085) Social Media Accounts Blocked…
According to news reports on May 9, 2025, a second X social media account belonging to Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was blocked under Article 8/A of Law No. 5651 on the grounds of national security and public order.
According to news reports on May 9, 2025, the X social media account belonging to Torbalı Mayor Övünç Demir was suspended.
According to news reports on May 11, 2025, the X social media account belonging to Berkay Zengin, a member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) PM, was suspended.
(05/086) Attack on a Party Booth in Samsun…
On May 10, 2025, it was reported that an attack was carried out by unidentified individuals on a signature stand opened by the CHP in the Bafra district of Samsun. During the attack, two people (Hülya Bayraktar, Chairwoman of the CHP Bafra District Women’s Branch, and party member Leyla Demir) who were at the stand were subjected to physical violence by the attackers.
(05/087) The President’s Discriminatory and Phobic Statements…
The following discriminatory and phobic statements were made by the President during his speech at the “Strong Families with Mothers, Strong Turkey with Families” program on May 12, 2025: “We are taking necessary measures to prevent the so-called LGBT deviant movements from corrupting our society.”
(05/088) Special Security Zone in Şırnak…
The Şırnak Governor’s Office announced on May 11, 2025, that the Bestler Dereler Region within the borders of the Central District of Şırnak Province, the Gabar Mountain Region located within the borders of the Central District and Güçlükonak District of Şırnak Province, the Cudi Mountain Region located within the borders of the Central District, Silopi, and Cizre Districts of Şırnak Province, the Kurt Mountain Region located within the borders of the Central District, Silopi, and Uludere Districts of Şırnak Province, The Kelmehmetler-Dönmezler-Kovankaya, Tahtareş, Hüsrevpaşa-Suhurpaşayayla, İncebeldağları, and Faraşin Regions within the borders of the Beytüşşebap district of Şırnak province, The Altındağları Region within the borders of the Beytüşşebap district of Şırnak province, The Oymakaya region located within the borders of the Beytüşşebap and Uludere districts of Şırnak province,
(05/089) Individuals Detained as Part of an Investigation Centered in Antep…
On May 6, 2025, within the scope of an investigation based in Antep, 47 provinces (Antep, Maraş, Ankara, Erzincan, Istanbul, Burdur, Izmir, Afyonkarahisar, Kayseri, Eskisehir, Denizli, Kirsehir, Konya, Hatay, Kilis, Osmaniye, Bursa, Adana, Trabzon, Bingöl, Malatya, Aksaray, Erzurum, Bolu, Balıkesir, Ardahan, Yozgat, Sakarya, Niğde, Manisa, Muğla, Şanlıurfa, Samsun, Mardin, Edirne, Kırklareli, Kocaeli, Aydın, Isparta, Yalova, Tokat, Diyarbakır, Ordu, Batman, Van, Çanakkale, and Antalya) were detained on charges of “being active within the organization’s current structure” and “providing financial support to the organization.” Of these, 77 were arrested by the criminal court of first instance on May 10, 2025, while 148 were released on judicial control conditions.
[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.