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11 March 2020 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]

11 March 2020 Daily Human Rights Report

(03/123) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…

It is learned from the news coverage of March 10, 2020 that 5 HPG militants died in an air bombardment of Turkish Armed Forces to Hakurk area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government.

(03/124) Intervention to Grup Yorum Band Members on Hunger Strike…

On March 11, 2020, the police raided the house in Küçükarmutlu neighbourhood of Sarıyer district of Istanbul where Grup Yorum band members İbrahim Gökçek (on hunger strike for 267 days) and Helin Bölek (on hunger strike for 264 days) stay.

It is reported that people who were in the house to support Gökçek and Bölek were handcuffed behind their backs and 3 people (Erdinç Aslan, Ayhan Gün, Yurdagül Gümüş) were detained.

It is learned that İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek were taken to Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital and stated that they do not accept medical intervention.

(03/125) Hunger Strike in Prison…

It is learned that 4 of 8 lawyers including Selçuk Kozağaçlı, chair of Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) who were on a hunger strike in prisons since February 4, 2020, to support demands of Mustafa Koçak, and Grup Yorum band members İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek who are all on death fast; and to demand fair trial and cancellation of results of proceedings which came up with unfair trials, converted their strike to infinite death fast while 4 others paused the strike. Ebru Timtik, Barkın Timtik, Aytaç Ünsal and Oya Aslan will continue the strike as infinite, Aycan Çiçek, Engin Gökoğlu, Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Ayşegül Çağatay paused their strike.

(03/126) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…

The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 1218 days to regain their jobs, in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on March 10, 2020 at 13.30, and forced people away from the monument.

(03/127) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…

The police intervened the press declaration for Mustafa Koçak, İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek, at Taksim Square in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on March 10, 2020 and detained 2 people (Ahmet Gökçek and Özlem Balkır). Detained people are released on the same day. Mustafa Koçak is on death fast for 252 days in Izmir Şakran T Type Prison, to demand a fair trial. İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek have gone on a hunger strike on June 18, 2019 and İbrahim Gökçek turned his strike to a death fast on January 3, 2020 and Helin Bölek did it so on January 20, 2020.

(03/128) Detained Journalist in Edirne…

It is learned that Halk TV cameraman Yavuz Dönmez was detained in Edirne while reporting on asylum seekers at the border on March 10, 2020 and was released on the same day.

(03/129) Detained People in Cizre…

It is learned that 2 people (Zübeyde Akdoğan and Ahmet Akdoğan) are detained in house raids in Cizre district of Şırnak on March 10, 2020. The reason of detention is unknown.

(03/130) Former HDP Co-Chair on Trial…

The case against Figen Yüksekdağ, former co-chair of HDP, on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 16 is held on March 10, 2020. Figen Yüksekdağ attended the trial to make her defence. The indictment demands Figen Yüksekdağ to be sentenced from 30 years up to 83 years for ‘leading an illegal organisation’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, ‘opposing to the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’, and ‘inciting hostility and hate among people’. The court decided to continue detention of Figen Yüksekdağ adjourned the trial to May 21, 2020.

(03/131) Co-Mayor on Trial in Diyarbakır…

The first case against Cemal Özdemir, HDP co-mayor of Sur district of Diyarbakır, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 8 on March 10, 2020.

The indictment demands sentence for Cemal Özdemir from 17 years and 6 months to 36 years, for 22 activities he participated in, statement of an anonymous witness and 3 social media posts and demands jail sentence from 17 years and 6 months to 36 years for Cemal Özdemir, on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, ‘possession of hazardous substances without permission’ and ‘selling, purchasing, carrying and owning weapons and/or bullets which are severe in terms of quality’.

After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Cemal Özdemir and adjourned the trial to April 16, 2020.

Cemal Özdemir was detained on December 20, 2019 and was arrested on December 23, 2019. Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to Sur Municipality on December 21, 2019.

(03/132) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…

The case against journalist Kibriye Evren on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 is held on March 10, 2020. Kibriye Evren attended the trial and made defence. The indictment demands Kibriye Evren to be sentenced for ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’. The court decided to lift judicial control conditions on Kibriye Evren and adjourned the trial to July 14, 2020.

Kibriye Evren was arrested after being detained with 141 others through a Diyarbakır based investigation on October 9, 2018, and was released at the first trial on November 12, 2019

(03/133) Former CHP MP on Trial…

The final trial of the case against Fikri Sağlar, former MP of Republican People’s Party (CHP), is held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 14 on March 10, 2020. The court sentenced Fikri Sağlar to 10 months on the charge of ‘insulting the President’.

(03/135) People on Trial in Istanbul…

The final trial of the case against 7 people (Ayfer Yılmaz, Muzaffer İpek, Türkan Sünbül, Elvan Uçar, Mürvet Kesen, Zübeyde Ağırbaş, Maynur Yılmaz) is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 36 on March 10, 2020. 7 people were detained on November 24, 2019, while they were distributing leaflets on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Esenyurt district of Istanbul, and were arrested by the court.

The court acquitted 7 people.

(03/136) The Case Against People Evacuated from Sur…

The trial of the case against 40 people including 19 arrestees who were evacuated from the buildings they were stuck in during the curfew in Sur district of Diyarbakır during February and March, 2016; is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 on March 20, 2020.

The court has decided to separate the cases for each person on January 10, 2020.

The court sentenced 1 person (Mehmet Şirin Kaya) to life imprisonment on the charge of ‘disrupting integrity and unity of the state’ and to 13 years on the charge of ‘attempting to kill a public officer’. The court decided to continue detention of Mehmet Şirin Kaya.

The court adjourned the trial of the case against Burhan Balta.

(03/137) Ban of Event in Izmir…

It is learned that the event “Freedom to Art – We Want Grup Yorum Alive” organized by several trade unions, professional organisations and democratic organisations, which was to be held Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center in Izmir on March 12, 2020 is banned by Izmir Governorate on March 11, 2020.

(03/138) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

On March 10, 2020, 19 of 59 people including university students who were detained in Ankara on February 28, 2020, are arrested by the court. 40 people are released on judicial control conditions.

(03/139) Special Security Zone in Şırnak…

Şırnak Governorate made a declaration on March 10, 2020, and announced 15 rural areas with given coordinates in central, Cizre, Silopi, Uludere, Güçlükonak, Beytüşşebap districts as special security zones as of February 15, 2020 until December 31, 2020.

[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.

[2]To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.

[3]https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT

[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari

[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.