Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
10 February 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/088) Earthquakes in Antep and Maraş…
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 18,991 people and injured 75,523 people in Adana, Adıyaman, Antep, Diyarbakır, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Maraş, Osmaniye, Urfa provinces as of February 10, 2023. It is reported that at least 6,444 buildings had collapsed.
(02/089) State of Emergency Decision…
The three-month state of emergency that was declared by the President based on the Article 119 of the Constitution and on subparagraph (a) of the Article 3 of the Law on State of Emergency, effective as of February 8, 2023 in 10 cities (Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Maraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Urfa) which were affected by the earthquakes that struck on February 6, 2023, is approved by the Grand National Assembly on February 9, 2023.
(02/090) Prevention of Journalists in Earthquake Region…
It is learned that Halk TV reporter Fırat Fıstık who was reporting in Hatay on February 9, 2023, was prevented by the gendarmerie saying “recording is prohibited”. It is reported that Fırat Fıstık continued reporting despite the prevention.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 9, 2023 that, journalist İsmail Saymaz who was live on Halk TV in Hatay was intervened by a person saying “Don’t be provocateurs, look at the helicopters! Don’t be provocateur, close this down!” and that İsmail Saymaz has to end the livestream.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 9, 2023 that Halk TV reporter Ferit Demir was subjected to police violence while he was reporting in Malatya. Ferit Demir stated the following to the press: “All cameras were placed on the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) truck. They did not allow us. They said, ‘The quota is full’ (…) The special operations officer, who was trying to save a woman in the rubbles, said something to me, ‘Why are you recording’ he shouted. Then, as I was leaving, the police wearing an anti-terror department vest, kicked me from behind. I fell down, my pants were torn, my leg was partially injured”.
(02/091) Detained Journalist in Diyarbakır…
Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Mehmet Güleş who was detained along with the volunteer he was interviewing in earthquake search and rescue efforts in Diyarbakır on February 8, 2023, is released by the court on judicial control conditions on February 9, 2023. The volunteer named Mehmet Nuri Güzel is also released by the court on judicial control conditions. It is learned that Mehmet Güleş was prosecuted on the grounds of “publicly disseminating misleading information” according to Article 217 of the Turkish Penal Code.
(02/092) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned that the definite hunger strike in turns which started in Izmir Şakran Women’s Prison on January 2, 2023, demanding an end to right violations, was ended due to earthquakes in Antep and Maraş on February 9, 2023.
(02/093) Prosecutions and Detentions for Social Media Posts…
The General Directorate of Security announced that prosecutions were initiated against 302 people and 37 people were detained, 10 people were arrested for their social media posts about the earthquakes in Antep and Maraş, as of February 10, 2023.
(02/094) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalist Canan Kaya, for the news report titled “Demirören is reaching the end of the road: What did Ziraat Bank ‘trustees’ want? We are explaining with dates!”, published on Medya Koridoru news portal on November 26, 2021, is held at Istanbul Civil Court of First Instance No. 39 on February 9, 2023. The court adjourned the trial to April 27, 2023.
[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.