Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
12 September 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(09/116) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 11, 2018 that Sinem Oğuz, a prisoner from Kayseri Bünyan Prison who is brought to Ankara Closed Women’s Prison for a trial, was subjected to physical violence of the wardens because she rejected strip search. It is reported that Sinem Oğuz had a medical report from prison infirmary evidencing the physical violence and will make an official complaint against the wardens.
HDP Kocaeli MP and Human Rights Inquiry Committee member Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu submitted a parliamentary question addressing Minister of Justice and stated that, in Sivas E Type Prison 22 people are kept in a ward for 8 people; water is provided for prisoners only 30 minutes a day and the water given is dirty; ill prisoners are transferred to hospitals with delay and the requests submitted by prisoners is not sent to addressed authorities.
It is learned from the news coverage of September 11, 2018 that in Şırnak T Type Prison, 5 prisoners and 3 of their visitors were subjected to physical violence of the wardens during visit on September 6, 2018 and Şırnak Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation on this issue. It is reported that the prosecutor’s office did not take statements yet.
(09/117) 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 for a while to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on September 11, 2018 at 13.30 and 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on September 11, 2018, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 2 people (Gülnaz Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
Thus in total 4 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on September 11, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(09/118) Detained Austrian Journalist in Ankara…
Journalist Maz Zirngast, an Austrian citizen, is detained in Ankara on September 11, 2018. It is reported that Max Zirngast is detained for his news reports on Turkey and his book on Kobane.
(09/119) People Detained in Şırnak…
17 of 35 people who were detained in central, Cizre and Silopi districts of Şırnak on September 9 and 10, 2018 are released by the court on juridical control conditions and with a ban on leaving the country on September 11, 2018. It is learned that 18 people are still under custody.
Esmer Çıkmaz who was detained and then released, has lost her son and daughter during curfews in İdil and Cizre districts. It is learned that Esmer Çıkmaz’s appeal to European Human Rights Court will be held in November and she would not be able to attend the trial because of prohibition on leaving the country.
(09/120) Detained Members of TÖPG…
3 members of Social Liberty Party Initiative (TÖPG) are detained in house raids in Ankara and Hatay on September 11, 2018. The names of detainees and where they were taken is unknown.
(09 /121) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The separate cases against 4 academicians (Ildırım Başak Demir from Galatasaray University, Assist. Professor Çağla Diner from Kadir Has University, Professor Melih Kırlıdoğ from Nişantaşı University and Assoc. Professor Gülçin Coşkun from Kemerburgaz University) for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on September 11, 2018. The court decided to consolidate the cases against Ildırım Demir, Çağla Diner and Gülçin Coşkun with other cases of Academics for Peace on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35 and adjourned 3 trials to October 18, 2018. The court approved demand of rogatory for Melih Kırlıoğlu who is abroad and adjourned the trial to February 26, 2019.
The separate cases against 3 academicians (Bülent Bilmez and Süreyya Topaloğlu from Bilgi University and T. E. from Pennsylvania University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 is held on September 11, 2018. All 3 academicians did not attend the trials due to being abroad. The court adjourned trial of Bülent Bilmez to February 12, 2019, trial of Süreyya Topaloğlu to October 11, 2018 and trial of T. E. to February 26, 2019.
(09/122) Former HDP Co-Chair on Trial…
The case against Figen Yüksekdağ, former co-chair of HDP, on Diyarbakır Penal Court of First Instance No 13, on the charge of ‘insulting Turkish nation, state of the Republic of Turkey, state institutions and organs’ in her testimony after being detained on November 4, 2016, is held on September 11, 2018. Figen Yüksekdağ is brought forcefully to sound and vision system room although she has declared an excuse to the court to not to attend the trial. Figen Yüksekdağ stated that she would not make any defence because she did not receive the indictment and that it is unlawful to be forcefully brought to sound and vision room despite her excuse. It is learned that Figen Yüksekdağ’s statements about President Tayyip Erdoğan in her testimony were not included in completely in official reports. The court decided to ask consent of Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 9 for consolidating the case with the one on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 9 for the same testimony, and adjourned the trial.
(09/123) HDP PM’s on Trial…
The case against HDP Istanbul PM Hüda Kaya, on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, ‘publicly inciting to commit crime’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4 is held on September 11, 2018. The demand of lawyers that the legal proceedings against Hüda Kaya should end due to impunity of a parliamentary member is rejected by the court based on the provisional clause amended to the Constitution. The court also rejected to consolidate the case with the one on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19 against HDP’s former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş. The court decided to obtain information from HDP whether HDP’s central executive committee has a decision on Kobane and adjourned the trial.
The case against 27 people including HDP Mardin PM Pero Dündar, on the charge of ‘establishing and leading an illegal organisation’, on Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4 is held on September 11, 2018. The court rejected the demand for ending legal proceedings against Pero Dündar, lifted the ban on leaving the country for Pero Dündar and adjourned the trial.
(09/0124) Executives HDP and HDK on Trial in Istanbul…
The case against 29 people (9 of which are arrested) including HDP party assembly members Can Memiş and Celalettin Can and executives of People’s Democratic Congress (HDK), on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 28, on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, is held on September 11, 2018. The court released 3 people (Bedia Aydemir, Gülistan Aydın and Gülsen Biter) and adjourned the trial to November 15, 2018.
29 people were detained on February 7, 2018 through an operation against executives HDP and HDK, and 10 of 29 people were arrested by the court on February 20, 2018. 9 people were released on the first trial held on June 26, 2018.
(09/125) Executive of EMEP on Trial…
The case against Mehmet Türkmen, deputy of Labour Party (EMEP), for his social media posts on Turkish Armed Forces’ military operation to Afrin, on Antep Heavy Penal Court No 8 is held on September 11, 2018. The chief judge did not attend the trial on excuse and the trial is adjourned to October 25, 2018.
(09/126) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On September 11, 2018, 32 people are detained in operations covering 21 cities through an Ankara based investigation on leakage of Police Commissars Exam’s questions in 2011; 20 former police officers dismissed by state of emergency decrees are detained in Bursa, 5 people including public employees and military members who are dismissed by state of emergency decrees are detained in Edirne in alleged attempt to illegally flee abroad; and 1 person in Eskişehir is detained on warrant.
It is learned that a detention warrant is issued on September 11, 2018 through a Kayseri based investigation for 33 people including 27 military members on active duty, and operations are initiated in 9 cities to detain these people.
It is learned that 1 of 2 people who were detained in Edirne in alleged attempt to illegally cross to Greece, is arrested by the court on September 11, 2018 and 1 people is released on juridical control conditions. It is reported that 2 more people who were also detained were transferred to Çanakkale Police Headquarters for interrogation.
It is learned from the news coverage of September 11, 2018 that an investigation is initiated against singer Mabel Matiz, on the grounds of ‘supporting an illegal organisation by using 1 dollar bills’ in the video clip of his song “Ya Bu İşler Ne?”. It is reported that Mabel Matiz gave testimony at Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan.
(09/127) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against 5 defendants including Ali Demir, former chair and Ömer Pekşen, former deputy of Student Selection and Placement Center (OSYM), on Kayseri Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on September 11, 2018. The court separated the cases of Ali Demir and Ömer Pekşen in order to be prosecuted on the charge of ‘misconduct’. The court sentenced 3 defendants to jail penalties differing from 1 year 10 months and 15 days to 10 years and 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
[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, T724, 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.