Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
13 November 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/154) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of November 12, 2020 that, the hunger strike of prisoners in Van High Security Prison which was continuing as 10-day strike of rotating groups of 10 prisoners since September 14, 2020, and which has started on the demand of an end to right violations, ended upon some of prisoners’ demands were accepted.
(11/155) Detained Co-Mayor, District Council Members and Other People in Şırnak…
On November 9, 2020, 12 people including co-mayor and district council members were detained in house raids in Şırnak. 7 people are referred to the court on November 12, 2020 and they are all released provided that 2 of them will be on judicial control conditions. 5 people were released after statement procedures on November 10, 2020.
Detained and released people are: suspended Cizre co-mayor Berivan Kutlu (on judicial control conditions), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Cizre district co-chair Güler Tunç (on judicial control conditions), Cihan Ölmez, Mesut Nart, Mustafa Dal, Ali Tanış and Mesut Üçkaç.
(11/156) Detained HDP Executives in Erzurum…
Necmettin Aydın and Adem Gözüngü, HDP’s district executives who were detained on November 10, 2020 in Horasan district of Erzurum, are arrested by the court on November 12, 2020.
(11/157) Former HDP Co-Chair on Trial…
The trial of the case against former HDP co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ, on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in her declaration about arrest of journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 10 on November 12, 2929. The court adjourned the trial to February 11, 2021.
(11/158) Journalist on Trial…
The trial of the case against Jinnews Agency reporter Melike Aydın, for her news reports, which was planned to be held at Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 2 on November 12, 2020, is adjourned due to damage of the courthouse at Izmir earthquake.
Melike Aydın was detained on November 12, 2019 and was arrested by the court on November 16, 2019. Melike Aydın was released upon her lawyers’ appeal on January 30, 2020.
(11/159) People on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against 22 people who were detained in the police intervention against the press declaration for the 4th year of Suruç Massacre, which was held on July 20, 2019 in Kadıköy district of Istanbul, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 27 on November 12, 2020. Çağla Seven and Koray Türkay, who got injured in Suruç Massacre; Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) co-chair Şahin Tümüklü and ESP central executive board member Ebru Yiğit are among defendants of the case.
It is learned that the court board interrupted Koray Türkay in his defence declaration, stating that it was “a political analysis”. ESP co-chair Şahin Tümüklü stated that he was subjected to physical violence during detention, Çağla Seven also stated that she was subjected to physical violence of the police and was handcuffed behind her back while she was being detained.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to February 18, 2021.
(11/160) Prison Massacre Case…
The case against 196 people who were on duty at Gendarmerie General Command during “Operation Back to Life”, which caused death of 12 people and injury of 29 in Bayrampaşa Prison, is held on Bakırköy Heavy Penal Court No 13 on November 12, 2020. The operation which killed 32 people in 20 prisons in total was conducted to enable conversion of the prisons to F Type prisons and to end hunger strikes in prisons on December 19, 2000.
It is learned that only 1 journalist was allowed in the court room, because of precautions for Covid-19 pandemic. Mehmet Ay, who was Deputy Gendarmerie Commander of Istanbul back then, is heard as a witness. The court adjourned the trial to March 3, 2021.
(11/161) Ban of Events in Mardin…
Mardin Governorate made a declaration on November 12, 2020 and announced that, all open-door and indoor meetings, demonstrations, press declarations, opening tents and stands, sit-in protests, commemorations, festivals, concerts, plays, and son on are subject to permission of local authority for 30 days as of November 13, 2020.
(11/162) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news reports about an investigation on the charges of ‘threat, plunder and blackmailing’ against a television channel’s owner, which were published on https://t24.com.tr/, https://tele1.com.tr/, https://odatv4.com/, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/ web sites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights, by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No 11 on November 10, 2020.
(11/163) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 88 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,841 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on November 12, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 11,233 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 404,894 as of November 12, 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.
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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.