Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
13 April 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/147) Person Subjected to Physical Violence of Police in Çorum…
It is learned from news coverage of April 12, 2018 that a visually handicapped (84% percent) person named Zafer İlhan was subjected to physical violence of undercover police in Mecitözü district of Çorum. Zafer İlhan stated in his declaration as follows: “A police officer named M. Mustafa Seyhan insulted me while I was at an atm machine. He said ‘What did you get by complaining, you traitor? I broke an Alewit’s head 10-15 days ago and now I will break yours’. And I responded him ‘go on your way fellow’. He asked me to give my ID card. I said ‘You are not on duty nıw. Call the police on duty so I will give my ID’. He pulled me by the neck and threw me on the floor before the police came. And he flopped on me when I fell. I was hoping to get help from the police coming but they used force on me. One was holding my feet while two undercover police officers were beating me and insulting with curses. (…) They took me to Mecitözü Public Hospital, the same police officers who beat me. They talked to the doctors rather than me. They tried to prevent me having a treatment and doctors giving me a medical report.
It is learned that Çorum Police Headquarters applied to administrative investigation about police officer M. Mustafa Seyhan.
(04/148) People Subjected to Physical Violence of Police in Van…
It is learned from news coverage of April 12, 2018 that a person named Yunus Güneş who owns a cafe was beaten by police officers in Erciş district of Van, on April 8, 2018. The incident happened after a discussion between Yunus Güneş and an undercover police officer who went to his cafe, and Yunus Güneş was beaten by police officers including district police chief C. C., deputy police chief and deputy trustee M.H. It is reported that the minutes of Yunus Güneş being subjected to physical violence of the police is recorded by security cameras. It is seen on video footage of security camera records that the police car on which Yunus Güneş was taken, was stopped by C.C. and M.H., and then Yunus Güneş was taken out of the car and beaten for minutes.
It is learned that Yunus Güneş was detained and then released on the same day, and he made an official complaint after getting a report that proves the violence he was subjected.
(04/149) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is claimed on news coverage of April 12, 2018 that in Ağrı Patnos L Type Prison a special team under the name of TİT was formed and the prisoners were being subjected to torture.
(04/150) 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 April 12, 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 April 12, 2018, 2 people (Mehmet Dersulu and Selvi Polat) and at 18.00 3 people (Selvi Polat, Nazan Bozkurt, and Gülnaz Bozkurt) were detained.
Thus in total 7 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on April 12, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(04/151) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of Öğrenci Kolektifi (Students’ Collective) members intended to be held in front of YÖK (Council of Higher Education) in Ankara on April 12, 2018. The protest was about the armed assault that happened in Eskişehir Ormangazi University on April 5, 2018 and resulted in death of 4 academicians. The police detained 11 people by using physical violence.
(04/152) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Eskişehir…
Private security guards and the police intervened the students who wants to distribute leaflets in Meşelik Campus of Eskişehir Ormangazi University about the armed assault that happened on April 5, 2018 and resulted in death of 4 academicians. The police detained 3 people.
(04/153) Detained Boğaziçi University Students…
2 students are detained in Hisar Campus of Boğaziçi University on April 12, 2018. It is learned that the total number of detainees raised up to 4.
(04/154) Newspaper Employee Detained in Antep…
Barış Polat, a delivery worker of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper for which a trustee was appointed previously, is detained in Antep Bus Terminal on April 12, 2018. It is learned that Barış Polat was taken to Antep Police Headquarters but the reason for detention is unknown.
(04/155) Journalist Detained in Adana…
2 (Mehmet Sıddık Aslan and Zahar Eye) of 30 people detained through an Adana based investigation on March 30, 2018 are arrested by the court on April 12, 2018. 28 people including Jin News reporter Filiz Zeyrek are released on juridical control conditions.
(04/156) HDP Executive Detained…
HDP Yüksekova district co-chair Hüsnü Beşer is detained in Yüksekova district of Hakkari on April 12, 2018. It is learned that Hüsnü Beşer is taken to police headquarters, however the reason for detention is unknown.
(04/157) Person Detained for Social Media Posts in Hatay…
Ali Çahan, who was detained in Iskenderun district of Hatay on April 10, 2018 for his social media posts in 2014, is arrested by the court for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ on April 12, 2018.
(04/158) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The case against 3 academicians (Stefo Benlisoy, Yasemin Gülsüm Acar and Hazal Halavut) for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ continued to be held on April 12, 2018. After defence hearings the court sentenced Stefo Benlisoy and Yasemin Gülsüm Acar to 1 year and 3 months (for each defendant) and postponed the sentence. FThe court rejected the demand of immediate acquittal or consolidating the case with another case on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35, for Hazal Halavut’s case and adjourned the trial to July 6, 2018.
The case against 10 academicians (O. K., T. A., H. Y., D. D., Ö. A., Gizem Bilgin, Alaeddin Dinç Alada, Mehtap Balık Kaya, Pedriye Mutlu) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35 continued to be held on April 12, 2018. The court decided to consolidate 10 cases and adjourned the trial to October 18, 2018.
The case against Y.A. for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37 continued to be held on April 12, 2018. The court adjourned the trial to October 17, 2018.
(04/159) Revolutinonary Party Members on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Revolutionary Party central executive board member Enes Can Tekin and member Efe Çatalbaş, for commemorating Aziz Güler who died while fighting against ISIS in Syria, is held on April 11, 2018. The court sentenced Efe Çatalbaş to 10 years and 6 months and acquitted Enes Can Tekin.
(04/160) People on Trial for ‘Insulting the President’ in Adana…
The final trial of the case against 9 people including Labour Party Adana chair Sevil Aracı on Adana Penal Court of First Instance No 15, for chanting ‘Murderer Erdogan will Account for This!” while protesting the bombing attack in Güvenpark, Ankara, is held on April 12, 2018. The court acquitted 9 people for absence of criminal intent.
(04/161) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On April 12, 2018, 34 people in operations covering 24 cities through an Izmir based investigation, 6 people in Adana, 7 people in Edirne and 1 person in Zonguldak are detained.
1 person who was detained for illegal attempt to flee in Edirne is arrested by the court on April 12, 2018.
(04/162) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against former Kuwait military attaché Staff Colonel Mikail Güllü who was detained in Saudi Arabia and brought to Turkey, on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 2 is held on April 12, 2018. The court sentenced Mikail Güllü to 9 years for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(04/163) Parliamentary Question of Ertuğrul Kürkçü…
HDP Izmir PM Ertuğrul Kürkçü raised a parliamentary question to Süleyman Soylu, Minister of Interior and asked information about violations of rights during AKP governance and particularly during state of emergency which was anounced on July 20, 2016.
Some questions raised by Ertuğrul Kürkçü aimed to clarify torture and ill-treatment allegations are as following: How many torture and ill-treatment complaints came up to Ministry of Interior since July 20, 2018? How many of these complaints are put in process? How many investigations are opened as a result of complaints? How many personnel are penalized as a result of investigations? How many personnel are dismissed? How many personnel are arrested or sentenced for these reasons? Do the numbers for torture and ill-treatment cases detected by the ministry coincide with the numbers given by Human Rights Association (HRD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT)? Does the ministry consider these institutions as partners in fighting against torture and ill-treatment and so conduct any ex officio investigations based on declarations of these institutions?
[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, ETHA, Dihaber, Yurt, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, Ntv, Bianet.org, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Özgür Radyo, Sendika.org, El Cezire,BBC, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar.