Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
13 April 2022 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/149) Suspicious Death in Prison…
It was learned that 6 prisoners in Istanbul Silivri L Type Prison No 5 have committed suicide on April 8, 2022 after they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment; and 2 of them have lost their lives.
A brother of Ferhan Yılmaz, one of the prisoners who lost their lives, stated the following to the press: “They called from the prison on Sunday, they said to my mother, ‘Your son had a heart attack, you need to come to the hospital he is in critical condition’. He was taken to Silivri Public Hospital. My parents immediately went to the hospital, but they did not allow them to meet in any way. When I went there, the doctor said on the first day, ‘What happened to him, there is nothing left of his internal organs, the guy is about to explode’. But then he did not give any explanation, when we asked he told us to call the prison. We never saw my brother in the hospital. Then they said he died. They said it was a heart attack but we saw him while we were washing him, there was a mark on his neck as if he was hung with a rope, both of his eyes were bleeding, his nose was completely broken and filled with cotton, there was a big swelling and bruise on his chest, as if a branch has been stuck in. His upper lip so swollen that it was big as a hand. There were stitches on his right foot (…) Later on, the prison administration said to us, ‘A rebel broke out in the prison, and your son was among them. He had a heart attack due to the rebel’. My brother had completed his sentence; he was going to be released today. We have sent him money. Why would he join the rebel when he was about to be released?”
The General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses of the Ministry of Justice made a declaration and stated the following: “As a result of the investigation it is understood that, Ferhan YILMAZ, a convict in Silivri L Type Closed Prison No 5, mentioned in the news, got ill, and he was immediately taken from his ward, brought to the infirmary unit and after the first intervention was made, he was transferred to the Silivri Penitentiary Institution State Hospital with 112 Emergency Service. Then he was transferred to Silivri State Hospital for further examination and treatment procedures, he was admitted to the General Intensive Care Service, and he died on 10.04.2022 at 18:30 due to cardiac arrest while his treatment was continuing in Silivri State Hospital, General Intensive Care Service. An administrative investigation was immediately initiated. On the other hand, there was no death in Silivri L Type Closed Prison No 5, except Ferhan YILMAZ in 2022. Moreover; although it was claimed that the convict Halil KASAL, mentioned in the news, was in intensive care, it was understood that he was already in the penitentiary institution and that he did not have any health problems.”
(04/150) Labour Killings…
On April 13, 2022, the Worker Health and Worker Safety Council (ISIG) revealed that at least 118 workers including 6 women, 2 children and 6 migrant workers died while working in March 2022. It is stated that at least 9 of the workers died due to Covid-19. In the first three months of 2022, 347 workers died while working.
(04/151) Disappeared Asylum Seeker in Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 12, 2022 that, Mihemed Mîr Mîrzen (23), an asylum seeker who was detained by soldiers as he was crossing to Turkey from Iran on March 16, 2020, is gone missing and no news were received since then.
(04/152) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Tunceli…
It is learned that Doğukan Gül, a person who was detained in Tunceli on April 11, 2022, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment at the Provincial Directorate of Security.
Doğukan Gül stated the following to the press: “We were walking on the road at around midnight. We heard gunshots and got scared. We started walking fast. And the police officers forced us into the car and took us to the police station. As soon as I entered the police station, all the police officers attacked me. They hit me for three minutes. Likewise, when I was taken to another room, they used violence against me (…) I fainted and found myself on the floor. After that, they realized that I had nothing to do with the incident and asked me not to complain.”
It is learned that Doğukan Gül had a medical report evidencing the torture and ill-treatment and filed a criminal complaint against police officers.
It is stated in the news reports that Doğukan Gül’s father requested the mobile electronic system integration and security camera recordings but he was refused on the grounds of disorder of cameras.
Tunceli Governorate’s Office made a declaration and stated the following: “A verbal argument took place at the exit of a cafeteria between 3 security guards and a large group of people who went to a cafeteria in the city center after working hours on April 11, at around 23:00, and then the verbal argument turned into a brawl. In the incident, two public officer were injured in various parts, while a public officer’s hand was broken. While the public officers were leaving Tunceli Public Security Branch Directorate to go to the hospital to get a medical report after making their official statements, the other party encountered the group in front of the building and a clash broke out again between the two groups. The incident was ended with the intervention of the officials who were there. Both parties filed complaints against each other. A judicial investigation has been initiated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and an administrative investigation has been initiated by our Governorship.”
(04/153) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on April 12, 2022 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in order to visit him was not responded.
(04/154) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the press declaration of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on April 12, 2022, which was held to protest detention of members and executives of HDP through a “Kobanê Investigation”, and detained 3 people including Kadıköy district co-chair of HDP. It is learned that HDP Istanbul MP Musa Piroğlu was subjected to physical violence of the police and fell out of his wheelchair. Detained people are released on April 13, 2022.
(04/155) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of Yasin Keskin, who demands to be reinstated to his job at Çankaya Municipality, in outside of municipality building on April 12, 2022 and forced him away from the building by using physical violence. It is learned that Umut-Sen reporter Ozan Deniz was detained by the police by using physical violence which injured him at the face.
(04/156) Detained People in Van…
24 people have been detained in Van through an investigation of Akçadağ Public Prosecutor’s Office against Yenimahalle Free Public Association on April 6 and 7, 2022. 3 of them (Metin Duman, Mehmet Salih Kırat and Görgin Kara) are arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ while 21 people are released on judicial control conditions on April 12, 2022.
(04/157) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against journalist Hasan Cemal, on the grounds of successively insulting the President in his two social media posts in 2016 and 2022, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 24 on April 12, 2022. The court acquitted Hasan Cemal.
(04/158) Lawyers on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 19 lawyers, for having a demonstration on October 12, 2015, at Istanbul Courthouse to protest October 10 Ankara Massacre, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 on April 12, 2022.
The indictment demands sentence for 19 lawyers on the charges of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’. The court adjourned the trial to June 30, 2022.
(04/159) Investigation for Justice Watch in Urfa…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that, Urfa Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against Emine Şenyaşar for her justice watch in front of Urfa Courthouse. On June 14, 2018, Justice and Development Party Urfa MP candidate İbrahim Halil Yıldız and his personal guards had a quarrel with shopkeepers in Suruç district of Urfa which resulted in death of Emine Şenyaşar’s husband Hacı Esved Şenyaşar and her sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar. It is reported that there are 15 investigations Emine Şenyaşar for her justice watch so far.
(04/160) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 25 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 6,635 as of April 12, 2022.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 98,462 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 14,972,502 as of April 12, 2022.
[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.