Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
12 July 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(07/089) Operations and Attacks…
The Ministry of National Defence announced that 1 soldier (Erdem Kavak) who was wounded in a weapon accident during the “Claw-Lock” military operation of the Turkish Armed Forces in the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on July 11, 2023, died in hospital on July 12, 2023.
(07/090) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Diyarbakır…
It is claimed in the news coverage of July 12, 2023 that 4 shepherds in Türeli rural neighbourhood of Lice district of Diyarbakır were subjected to torture and ill-treatment of the soldiers on June 3, 2023. One of the shepherds named H. Y. stated the following to the press: “We were near the animals at night, we were four of us, me, my brother, my uncle and his son. A clash took place at 03.20, and then the soldiers captured us and blamed us. Then they forced us to lay down on the ground, handcuffed us behind our backs and tortured us, insulted us. They kicked us at the head”.
(07/091) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 11, 2023 that an ill prisoner named Özge Özbek in Ankara Sincan Women’s Closed Prison who was taken to hospital on July 10, 2023 was taken back to prison although the doctor offered an urgent operation.
(07/092) Detained HDP Members and Executives in Balıkesir…
It is learned that 4 people [the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Balıkesir provincial executive Abdulhalim Aksu, Edremit district co-chair Emrah İşler, Bandırma district executive Baran Aşar and HDP member Serdar Kocaman] were detained in Balıkesir on July 11, 2023. The reason for detention is unknown.
(07/093) The Case Against Human Rights Defender and Other People in Izmir…
The trial of the case against 6 people including human rights defender and medical secretary of the HRFT in Izmir Aytül Uçar and the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) member Erdoğan Akdoğdu is held at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No. 49 on July 12, 2023. 6 people (Aytül Uçar, Emine Akbaba, İrem Çelikbaş, lawyer Erdoğan Akdoğdu and 2 others) have been detained by the police intervening the protest against the new rector appointed to Boğaziçi University, held in Izmir on June 24, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 6 people on the charges of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’, ‘resisting to prevent public duty’ and ‘insult’. The court adjourned the trial to October 11, 2023.
(07/094) DBP Co-Chair and Parliamentary Member on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against the Greens and Left Future Party (YSP) Batman MP and the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Keskin Bayındır is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 10 on July 12, 2023. The court decided to ask to the Grand National Assembly whether Keskin Bayındır was a parliamentary member, and to continue the ban on leaving the country and adjourned the trial to November 8, 2023.
(07/095) Journalists on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The first trial of the case against 18 journalists including 15 arrestees is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No. 4 on July 11, 2023. The court rejected recusation demand of the lawyers, decided to release 15 journalists with a ban on leaving the country and adjourned the trial to November 9, 2023.
22 people were detained on July 8, 2022 and 16 journalists (Mezopotamya News Agency editor Aziz Oruç, Jinnews news director Safiye Alağaş, Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association Co-chair Serdar Altan, Xwebûn newspaper editor-in-chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş and journalists Ömer Çelik, Neşe Toprak, Mehmet Şahin, Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Elif Üngör, Remziye Temel, Suat Doğuhan, Lezgin Akdeniz, İbrahim Koyuncu, Abdurrahman Öncü, Ramazan Geciken and Mazlum Güler) were arrested by the court on July 16, 2022. Journalists Gülşen Koçuk, Kadir Bayram, Mehmet Yalçın, Esmer Tunç and 2 people (Feynaz Koçuk and İhsan Ergünlü) were released on judicial control conditions. On March 21, 2023, the court has decided to separate the case against Jinnews news director Safiye Alağaş, journalist Gülşen Koçuk, Feynaz Koçuk and İhsan Ergünlü, and Safiye Alağaş was released from prison on June 15, 2023.
(07/096) Journalist and Other People on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 7 people including journalist Şehriban Alkış, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 23 on July 11, 2023. The prosecutor declared legal opinion on the case and demanded sentence for 7 people on the charge of ‘resisting a public official’ and acquittal of the defendants on the charges of ‘violation the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’ and ‘damage to public property’. The court adjourned the trial to November 14, 2023. 7 people have been detained by the police intervening the press declaration outside of the Provincial Directorate of Family Labour and Social Services in Istanbul to protest Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.
(07/097) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Jinnews reporter Rozerin Gültekin who was detained in Bursa on June 12, 2022 as she was reporting, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 58 on July 11, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for Rozerin Gültekin on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’. Rozerin Gültekin attended the trial and made defence declaration. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to January 18, 2024.
(07/098) Journalists and Other People on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against 13 people including 2 journalists (İrfan Tunççelik and Ümit Turhan Coşkun) on the grounds of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’ and ‘committing a crime on behalf of an illegal organisation without being a member of it’, over a protest held in front of Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Prison on May 10, 2019; is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 on July 13, 2023. The court acquitted 13 people.
(07/099) People on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against 15 people on the grounds of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’, ‘aiding an illegal organisation’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, over a press declaration held in Istanbul on May 9, 2019 regarding the hunger strikes in prisons, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 on July 11, 2023. The court acquitted 15 people.
(07/100) SGDF, ESP and SKM Members and Executives on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against 9 people including the Socialist Youth Associations’ Federation (SGDF), the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and the Socialist Women’s Assembly (SKM) members and executives, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 27 on July 12, 2023. The court decided to continue detention of 2 people (Yaren Tuncer and Okan Danacı) and to release 7 people with a ban on leaving the country and adjourned the trial to September 14, 2023.
9 of 11 people (SGDF co-chairs Yaren Tuncer and Okan Danacı, SGDF executive board member Senem Pektaş, SKM general assembly member Tanya Kara, ESP Party Assembly member Birkan Polat, Özge Doğan, Alev Özkiraz, Can Papila and Deniz Bahçeci) who were detained on March 12, 2023 were arrested by the court on March 15, 2023 while 2 people (journalist Elif Bayburt and Devrim Barış) were released on judicial control conditions.
(07/101) Child on Trial for Insulting the President…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 12, 2023 that, the final trial of the case against a 14-year-old child named B. C. G. on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ was held at Istanbul Gaziosmanpaşa Juvenile Court No. 2 on July 6, 2023 and that the court sentenced the child to 5 months and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
(07/102) Banned Event in Istanbul…
Kağıthane District Governorate’s Office banned the press declaration to be held in front of Çağlayan Courthouse in Istanbul on July 12, 2023 before the first trial of the case against 9 people including SGDF, ESP and SKM members.
(07/103) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
It is learned that 40 people were detained in operations covering 6 cities through an Ankara based investigation on July 12, 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.