Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
15 – 17 July 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(07/127) Explosion at Production Facility in Muğla…
On July 15, 2023, 1 person (Nur Hayat Karataş) died and 1 person was injured in the explosion that occurred in a hydrogen gas production and filling facility in the Menteşe district of Muğla. It is learned that 2 people (A. B. and A. B.) who were detained in connection with the incident were arrested by the court on the charge of ‘causing the death of one person and the injury of more than one person by negligence’ on July 17, 2023.
(07/128) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Urfa…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 17, 2023 that, a person named Mazlum Çelik who was abducted by 3 persons on Maşuk-Ataşehir street of Karaköprü district of Urfa on July 14, 2023, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, forced to be a police informant and was threatened in a cave that he was forcibly taken to. Mazlum Çelik, who was released at that night, had a medical report at Mehmet Akif İnan Research and Training Hospital that evidence the torture and ill-treatment but his criminal complaint was not accepted at the police station in Haliliye district and at Urfa Provincial Security Directorate. Mazlum Çelik stated the following to the press: “They forced me into the vehicle. They took me to a cave where I do not know. First, two people spoke to me in Kurdish and asked if I had any connection with the ‘organisation’. I said I did not. Every time I said no, they started hitting more. They tortured me with electricity. They dug a grave inside the cave and said that if I did not work with them, they would put me in that grave. They said that if they bury me, no one would even find my body. They started hitting me with hoses. After handcuffing my hand at intervals, they continued to give electricity. They called one of them ‘president’, and that person was saying ‘don’t let him talk, just shoot him at the head’. And said ‘We’ll leave a note next to you after shooting you at the head. We will write that this will be the end of the traitors’. He even said, ‘We’ll dress two policemen in guerrilla outfits and have them take pictures with them’ (…) They left me at night and said that if I filed a complaint, they would pick me up again and shoot a bullet in my head. They told me to rest for a week and that they would see me again.”
(07/129) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 14, 2023 that, the letters of journalists Abdurrahman Gök and Mehmet Şah Oruç in Diyarbakır Prison, to other journalists were seized, their notebooks and diaries were seized during ward searches. It is also learned that Evrensel, BirGün and Yeni Yaşam newspapers were not allowed in the prison, the television and radio channels were limited, the common area usage of prisoners was reduced to 3 hours a week from 10 hours, and the prices at the prison commissary were high.
(07/130) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 15, 2023 that, an ill prisoner named Şivekar Ataş in Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison was not receiving medical treatment.
(07/131) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned that the hunger strike of 6 prisoners (Rıdvan Kaya, Fikret Erden, Serhat Erdemci, İhsan Oral, Baran Gül and Orhan Doruk) demanding an end to right violations in Kırıkkale F Type Prison, which started on June 12, 2023, has ended on July 17, 2023.
(07/132) Police Intervention to Press Declaration in Istanbul…
The police intervened in the press declaration of Saturday Mothers/People held at the Galatasaray Square of Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on July 15, 2023, and detained 15 people including journalist Dilan Şimşek and the Human Rights Association (HRA) Istanbul branch chair Gülseren Yoleri by using physical violence. It is learned that the police prevented journalists from recording the intervention. Detained people were released after statement procedures on the same day. Detained people were: Hanife Yıldız, İrfan Bilgin, Mikail Kırbayır, Besna Tosun, Ali Tosun, Hasan Karakoç, Gülseren Yoleri, İsmail Yücel, Davut Arslan, Cihan Kaplan, Cüneyt Yılmaz, Maside Ocak, Leman Yurtsever, Hatice Onaran, Dilan Şimşek.
(07/133) Gendarmerie Intervention to Protest in Urfa…
The gendarmerie intervened in the protest against power cuts in Viranşehir district of Urfa on July 15, 2023 and detained 20 people by using physical violence. 10 of the detainees were released after statement procedures, 4 of them (İsmail Akyol, Abdulkadir Yıldızoğulları, Mehmet Yıldızoğulları and Zafer Keskinbıçaklı) were arrested by the court on the charges of ‘resisting to prevent public duty’, ‘damage to public property’ and ‘endangering traffic safety’, while 6 people were released on judicial control conditions.
(07/134) Detained People in Şırnak…
It is learned that 1 of people (Abdullah Ekin) who were detained in house raids in Bana village of Güçlükonak district of Şırnak on July 13, 2023 was released after statement procedures on July 14, 2023 and 1 person (Resul Kaya) was released by the court on judicial control conditions on July 15, 2023.
(07/135) Former HDP MP on Trial…
The trial against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) former Diyarbakır MP Semra Güzel, who was detained on September 2, 2022 after her immunity was lifted and was arrested on September 3, 2022; is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 22 on July 14, 2023. Semra Güzel joined the trial via sound and vision system from prison. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Semra Güzel and adjourned the trial to October 6, 2023.
(07/136) People on Trial in Izmir…
The retrial of the case against 91 people for participating in a protest, which was to be held at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No. 2 on July 14, 2023 is adjourned to November 1, 2023 as the chief judge was on leave.
The protest was organized by Izmir branches of Education and Science Workers’ Union (Egitim-Sen) of Confederation of Public Employees Unions (KESK) and several Alevi associations and was held on February 13, 2015 in Konak district of Izmir, where police intervened and detained 70 people by using physical violence. And a case was opened against 91 people afterwards. The Penal Department No. 2 of Izmir Regional Court has overturned the local court’s verdict on January 31, 2022.
(07/137) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 15, 2023 that, Yeni Yaşam newspaper’s website www.yeniyasamgazetesi4.com was banned to access on July 14, 2023.
(07/138) Special Security Zones in Bitlis…
Bitlis Governorate made a declaration on July 14, 2023 and announced the regions between Kesen Brook South, Melihazel Brook Southeast and Hamini Brook southwest in Hizan district as special military security zones between July 14-28, 2023.
(07/139) Special Security Zones in Şırnak…
Şırnak Governorate made a declaration on July 14, 2023 and announced 14 regions (Cudi Mountain, Bestler Dereler, Kurt Mountain, Kureşin, Karaçalı T., Kel Mehmet D., Serin V., 2088 Rk T., Küçük Su Y., Gabar Mountain, Altın Mountain, İncebel Mountain, Oymakaya, Tanin Tanin) in central, Cizre, Silopi, Uludere, Güçlükonak, Beytüşşebap districts as special military security zones between July 15-29, 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.