Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
12-14 April 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/075) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 12, 2025 that, 2 HPG militants died in an air operation of Turkish Armed Forces using unmanned aerial vehicles against Gare area in Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on April 7, 2025.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2025 that, 1 militant died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in Zap area in KRG on January 12, 2025; and 2 militants died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in Zap area in KRG on February 4, 2025.
(04/076) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 11, 2025 that, a prisoner who was arrested for participating in the protests in Bursa to protest Ekrem İmamoğlu’s arrest, was subjected to verbal violence of the gendarmerie on duty during his transfer to hospital for an asthma attack and was threatened with the words “Wait until the results come out, you will see what I will do to you”.
It is learned from the data announced by General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses of Ministry of Justice that the total capacity of prisons is 299.881 people and the number of prisoners in prison is 403.060. Accordingly, 103.179 more prisoners are kept in prisons than the capacity.
It is learned from news coverage of April 13, 2025 that, 14 prisoners who were arrested through investigations against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and put in Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) Prison, were transferred to other prisons against their will.
(04/077) Prisoners Postponed Release by Prison Administration and Observation Board…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 12, 2025 that, the release of Naif İşçi, a prisoner in Diyarbakır High Security Prison No 1, who completed the execution of his life sentence on September 27, 2023, was postponed by Prison Administration and Observation Board (CİGK) for 3 months on the grounds of “not being able to evaluate the good behaviour of the convict”.
On April 13, 2025 it is learned from the news coverage of April 13, 2025 that, the release of Metin Toprak, a prisoner in Izmir Kırıklar Prison, who completed the execution of his life sentence, is postponed for 9 months on the grounds of lack of remorse.
(04/078) Event Prevented in Elazığ…
On April 14, 2025 it is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2025 that the stand in front of a shopping mall for the petition campaign of Republican People’s Party (CHP) was not allowed by the mall management and the stand was removed.
(04/079) Person Arrested in Istanbul…
It is learned that a person named Bekir Aslan, who was detained and released after a demonstration in Istanbul on April 10, 2025 to protest arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, is arrested by the criminal court of peace through another case against him, on the grounds of carrying a banner with “DEV-GENZ” written on it and sharing a song of Grup Yorum on social media.
(04/080) Detained Person in Balıkesir…
It is learned that a person named S.T. was detained after a press declaration in Balıkesir on April 12, 2025, about people who were arrested for participating in protests against arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, and was released after statement procedures at the police.
(04/081) IBB Mayor on Trial…
The trial of the lawsuit filed against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu due to his statements about Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor continued on April 11, 2025 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14. The indictment demands sentence for Ekrem İmamoğlu on the charges of ‘publicly insulting a public official for his duty’, ‘threatening’, ‘targeting people who took part in the fight against terrorism’. After defenses the court adjourned the trial to June 16, 2025.
(04/082) IBB Mayor on Trial…
The trial of the lawsuit filed against 7 people including IBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, on the grounds of a tender held when İmamoğlu was the Mayor of Beylikdüzü Municipality, continued on April 11, 2025 at Istanbul Büyükçekmece Criminal Court of First Instance No 10. The court adjourned the trial to July 11, 2025.
(04/083) Mayor and Other People on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against 5 people including Murat Hazinedar, former elected mayor of Beşiktaş district of Istanbul from Republican People’s Party (CHP), was held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 31 on April 11, 2025. The court sentenced Murat Hazinedar to 2 years and 6 months, Deputy Mayor Hüseyin Avni Sipahi to 2 years and 3 months, Çetin Kırışgil, Mürvet Günday and Rıfat Örnek to 1 year 10 months and 15 days on the charge of ‘abuse of office’.
(04/084) Mayor and Party Executives on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 22 people including Republican People’s Party (CHP) elected Istanbul Maltepe Mayor Ali Kılıç, CHP elected Istanbul Şişli Mayor Muammer Keskin, former CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu and former and current CHP executives continued on April 11, 2025 at Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No 59S. The indictment demands sentence for 22 people on the charge of ‘illegal donation, loan or borrowing, lending’. The court adjourned the trial to November 19, 2025.
(04/085) Journalists and Other People on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 10 journalists (Gülistan Dursun, Hayri Tunç, Enes Sezgin, Osman Akın, Mahsum Sağlam, Can Papila, Pınar Gayıp, Serpil Ünal, Yadigar Aygün, Zeynep Kuray) and 4 other people for the press declaration made in Istanbul on December 21, 2024 about journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin who lost their lives in Northern and Eastern Syria, started on April 11, 2025 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24. The indictment demands sentence for 14 people on the charges of ‘violating Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court ruled for Zeynep Kuray, Yadigar Aygün, Mahsun Sağlam, Pelin Laçin and Yağmur Filiz and adjourned the trial to May 27, 2025.
7 journalists (Gülistan Dursun, Can Papila, Pınar Gayıp, Serpil Ünal, Hayri Tunç, Muhammed Enes Sezgin and Osman Akın) were arrested on December 21, 2025 and were released on January 31, 2025 with the decision of tensip.
(04/086) Children on Trial for ‘Insulting the President’…
It is learned from news coverage of April 13, 2025 that, 353 children in total were prosecuted in Turkey in 2024 on the charges of ‘insulting the President’ and ‘publicly degrading the Government of the Republic of Turkey and judicial organs of the State’ and 44 children were sentenced to jail penalties for various terms in these cases.
(04/087) People on Trial for the Killing of a Refugee Mine Worker in Zonguldak…
The final trial of the case against 6 people, about Vezir Mohammad Nourtani, an Afghan national who was working in an illegal mine in Zonguldak despite its closure by the gendarmerie on November 5, 2023, was left to die by the mine owners, relatives and 2 employees after he was seriously injured in a work accident on November 9, 2023 and then his body was burnt, was held at Zonguldak Heavy Penal Court No 1 on April 11, 2025. The court sentenced 2 people to 5 years and 8 months for negligent homicide and 4 people to jail penalties differing from 1 year and 8 months to 4 years and 6 months for tampering with evidence.
(04/088) Criminal Complaints Filed Against Them by Directorate General of Security…
On April 12, 2025, it is learned from news coverage of April 12, 2025 that, General Directorate of Security filed a criminal complaint on the charges of ‘slander’, ‘publicly spreading misleading information’, ‘insulting the Turkish nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, institutions and organs of the state’ against people who declared that they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment including strip search after being taken under custody for participating in demonstrations to protest Ekrem İmamoğlu’s arrest. It is not known how many criminal complaints were filed against how many people in total.
(04/089) Suspended Student Community in Zonguldak…
It is learned from news coverage of April 13, 2025 that the activities of Amateur Astronomy Society at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University were suspended by the rectorate on the grounds of sharing the announcement of the protests to protest arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, and 2 people were dismissed from the society.
(04/090) Blocked Internet Contents…
It is learned that 3 news reports on https://ankahaber.net/ , https://halktv.com.tr/ , https://onedio.com/ websites about the allegations that some people were subjected to torture and ill-treatment including strip search after being detained during the protests against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, are banned to access by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 10 on the grounds of ‘protection of national security and public order’.
(04/091) Provinces where demonstrations and events are banned…
Antalya Governorate made a declaration on April 10, 2025 and announced that, on the grounds of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum to be held in Antalya, marches, sit-ins, sit-ins, and setting up stands/tents in all of Serik district and 3 neighborhoods of Muratpaşa district (Yeşilova, Yenigöl, Yeşilköy) will be prevented, Signature campaigns, tying/locking people using chains and similar materials, placing wreaths, sticking stickers, distributing leaflets, hanging banners, protests and similar events are banned for 4 days as of April 10, 2025 until April 13, 2025.
(04/092) Special Security Zone in Şırnak…
Şırnak Governorate made a declaration on April 11, 2025 and announced that Bestler Dereler Region in the central district of Şırnak, Gabar Mountain Region in the central district and Güçlükonak district of Şırnak, Cudi Mountain Region in the central district, Silopi and Cizre districts of Şırnak, Kurt Mountain Region in the central district, Silopi and Uludere districts of Şırnak, Kelmehmetler-Dönmezler-Kovankaya Region in the Beytüşşebap district of Şırnak, Tahtareş, Hüsrevpaşa-Suhurpaşayayla, İncebeldağları, Faraşin Regions, Altındağları Region in Beytüşşebap district of Şırnak province, Oymakaya Region in Beytüşşebap and Uludere districts of Şırnak province are declared as temporary special security zones for 15 days from April 12, 2025 to April 26, 2025.
(04/093) Detained People Through an Istanbul Based Investigation…
On April 11, 2025, 36 people were detained in house raids conducted in Istanbul, Ankara, Yozgat and Gümüşhane through an Istanbul based investigation on the allegations of ‘using ByLock, transferring money for organizational purposes and carrying out activities in the current structure of the organization.
[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.