Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
15 – 17 September 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(09/166) Children Being Hit by an Armoured Vehicle in Şırnak…
It is learned that on September 15, 2018, an armoured vehicle in reverse on Adile Naşit Street in İdil district of Şırnak hit 3 siblings (1 girl and 2 boys, Z. Ü., B. Ü. And Y. Ü.) crossing the road. It is learned that 3 children were wounded and were taken to İdil Public Hospital and were discharged from the hospital on the same day.
It is stated in the news reports that special operation police officers intervened the people who react against the armoured vehicle hitting 3 children, and fend people off the scene of accident.
(09/167) Civilian Car Being Hit by a Military Armoured Vehicle…
It is learned that a military armoured vehicle on patrol hit a civilian car in Tuşba district of Van on September 15, 2018. It is claimed in the news reports that the military armoured vehicle was at a high speed. It is reported that the driver of the armoured vehicle is taken by the police to the station for testimony.
(09/168) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that 1 militant died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Yağlıdere district of Giresun.
(09/169) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 15, 2018 that, after the 3-days hunger strike of the prisoners of PKK and PJAK cases in all prisons in Turkey, demanding end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and release of ill prisoners, which started on September 12, 2018; 4 prisoners in Elazığ T Type Prison are taken from their wards and put into solitary cells. It is stated in the news reports that 4 prisoners were subjected to physical and verbal violence by wardens and were not allowed to take their belongings.
It is learned from the news coverage of September 15, 2018 that 14 female prisoners in Tarsus T Type Prison were transferred under coercion to prisons in Elazığ and Kayseri. The names of prisoners transferred to the prisons are: Fatma Gökhan, Bedia Kasnak, Özgül Yasa, Sivekar Ateş, Seyran Demir, Zeynep Turan, Aycan Özdoğan, Nursel Yiğit, Mevlüde Güler, Evin Şahin, Zahide Yavuz, Feride Sapçak, Leyla Balta and Songül Yılmaz.
(09/170) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 15, 2018 that Merve Aydoğan, a prisoner with coeliac disease in Kayseri T Type Women’s Prison, was subjected to insults by wardens and soldiers while she was being transferred to hospital; and was taken back to prison without being treated because she rejected medical examination in handcuffs.
(09/171) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 14, 2018 that, women prisoners in Bayburt M Type Prison started a hunger strike on September 13, 2018 to protest the violations of rights in prison.
(09/172) Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 16, 2018 that, Meral Dönmez, a prisoner from Tarsus Prison, is on hunger strike for 16 days demanding to be transferred to a prison in Istanbul where her family lives. It is stated in the news report that the prison administration does not provide Vitamin B1 to Meral Dönmez.
(09/173) 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 14, 15, and 16, 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 14, 2018, 4 people (Alev Şahin, Mehmet Dersulu, Mahmut Konuk and Nazan Bozkurt) and at 18.00 3 people (Alev Şahin, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on September 15, 2018, 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Alev Şahin and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 3 people (Alev Şahin, Gülnaz Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on September 16, 2018, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Gülnaz Bozkurt) and at 18.00 3 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Acun Karadağ and Gülnaz Bozkurt) were detained.
Thus in total 17 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on September 14, 15, and 16, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(09/174) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
Türkan Albayrak, who was dismissed from her job at Sarıyer district Health Department, on the grounds of ‘personnel security investigation’ and ‘archive search’, on August 3, 2018; made a press declaration to regain her job on September 14, 2018 and attempted for a sit-in protest in front of Health Department. The police intervened the sit-in and detained Türkan Albayrak. It is learned that Türkan Albayrak was released the same day.
(09/175) Police Intervention Against Saturday Mothers’ Protest in Istanbul…
Police obstructed all the streets around Galatasaray Square in Istanbul to prevent Saturday Mothers to gather for the 703rd time who rally every Saturday for 23 years in the same place. Upon police prevention, the group including parliament members, representatives of political parties, human rights defenders and artists along with families of disappeared people gather in front of Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul office and started to march. The police prevented the march too, thus, the group had a sit-in protest and made a press declaration there.
(09/176) Workers are Detained Due to a Protest in Istanbul…
On September 14, 2018, construction workers who build the 3rd airport in Istanbul, had a strike action to protest occupational accidents/killings and poor working conditions. It is learned that the gendarmerie intervened the protest using pressurized water, rubber bullets and pepper spray. It is learned that the workers did not stop the action despite of the intervention.
The committee from Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK), including DISK chair Arzu Çerkezoğlu and Worker Health and Work Safety Department chair Kanber Saygılı, who wants to visit protesting workers is prevented by the police from meeting the workers on the grounds of ‘instruction of the governor’.
It is learned that the rooms of workers in the construction site were raided by the gendarmerie. It is learned that the room doors were broken and workers were subjected to physical violence during the raid. It is reported that 543 people are detained in the raid, including Yunus Özgür, Construction Workers’ Union (İnşaat-İş) general secretary; Deniz Gider, organizer of İnşaat-İş, and Yusuf Yılmaz, a member of Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP). İnşaat-İş union declared that 380 of the detainees were taken to Arnavutköy Gendarmerie Station, 73 people were taken to Provincial Gendarmerie Command in Maslak; 90 people were taken to Eyüp district Gendarmerie Command. It is learned that HDP PM’s who wants to visit detained workers in Arnavutköy Gendarmerie Station were not allowed in. 160 of detainees are released on September 15, 2018.
İnşaat-İş union and DISK affiliate Revolutionary Construction Workers’ Union (Dev Yapı İş) made a declaration on September 16, 2018 and stated that an interrogation room is set in the site, and workers who were not detained are being beaten and subjected to psychological oppression there; besides, no information is provided to lawyers and PM’s about the situation of detainees.
Vasip Şahin, governor of Istanbul, made a declaration on September 16, 2018 and announced that 401 people are detained for the protest and 275 of them are released.
(09/177) Police Intervention to Protests in Istanbul and Ankara to Support Airport Construction Workers…
The police intervened the press declarations organized on September 15, 2018 in Istanbul and Ankara, to protest detention of hundreds of airport construction workers in a raid after they go on a strike action to protest occupational accidents/ killings and poor working conditions.
The police used gas bombs and rubber bullets to intervene the press declaration to be held at Khalkedon Square in Kadıköy district of Istanbul, and detained 31 people including 3 children; Dev Yapı İş union chair Özgür Karabulut, DISK executive board member Kanber Saygılı, AFP reporter Bülent Kılıç, Alınteri newspaper reporter Öncü Algül, Özgür Gelecek newspaper reporter Taylan Öztaş and lawyer Oya Öznur are also among the detainees. It is reported that AFP reporter Bülent Kılıç and lawyer Oya Öznur were released the same day. The names of detainees known so far are: Ayten Artı, Oya Öznur, Nuri Cemal Çilingir, Kanber Saygılı, Elvan Polat, Mert Özyer, Harun Reşit Savğat, Zeynep Demir İlgezdi, Tuğçe Karul, Uğur Karakuş, Erdal Güzel, Ertuğrul Bilir, Şengül Yüksel, Halil Aksu, Öncü Akgül, Ali Kemer, Taylan Öztaş, Kader Cihan, Cihan Uyanık, Ethem Akdoğan, Bahadır Altan, Murat Yıldırım, Faruk Yıldırım.
It is reported that the police used pepper spray and rubber bullets to intervene the press declaration to be held in Sakarya Street, Ankara; and detained 5 people (İnşaat-İş union Ankara correspondent Murat Çoban, Anıl Yeşiltepe, Mehmet Öztürk, Furkan Bircan and Zarife Çamalan) by using physical violence. It is learned that Veli Saçılık fainted due to pepper spray used by the police.
(09/178) Person Detained and a Cafe Sealed in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 16, 2018 that, Yaşar Kazıcı, who owns a cafe in Diyarbakır named Komün Kafe Neolitik, where photographs of Ramin Hüseyin Penahi, Zanyar Muradi and Lukman Muradi, who were executed by Iranian state on September 8, 2018; is detained by the police on an alleged report and was taken to Şehitlik Police Station for statement procedures.
It is reported than the cafe of Yaşar Kazıcı was sealed by the municipality police, on the grounds of lacking license. It is learned that Yaşar Kazıcı was detained once again after his cafe was sealed and then released the same day.
(09/179) Person Detained for ‘Insulting the President’ in Antalya…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 15, 2018 that, a person named K. D., who was detained in Manavgat district of Antalya, on the charges of ‘insulting the President’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ in social media posts, is arrested by the court.
(09/180) Person Detained for ‘Insulting the President’ in Antalya…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 15, 2018 that, a person who was fined by municipality police during “a control operation to beggars” in Antalya, was detained on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ and was released by the court on juridical control conditions on the same day.
(09/181) Person Detained for Social Media Posts in Bursa…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 15, 2018 that, a person named F. Ç. in Bursa, is detained on the grounds of “sharing an insulting cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed” on social media.
(09/182) People Detained in Istanbul…
It is reported that 16 people are detained in house raids in Istanbul through an investigation on PKK.
(09/183) Lawyers on Trial in Istanbul…
The case against 20 lawyers from Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and People’s Law Office, including 17 arrested lawyers (Ahmet Mandacı, Aycan Çiçek, Ayşegül Çağatay, Aytaç Ünsal, Barkın Timtik, Behiç Aşçı, Didem Baydar Ünsal, Ebru Timtik, Engin Gökoğlu, Naciye Demir, Özgür Yılmaz, Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Süleyman Gökten, Şükriye Erden, Yağmur Ererken, Yaprak Türkmen, Zehra Özdemir) and lawyer Ezgi Çakır and 2 lawyers for whom detention warrant is issued, on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37, on the charges of ‘leading an illegal organisation’ and ‘being an illegal organisation member’ continued to be held on September 14, 2018.
On the hearing held on September 14, 2018, the court released 17 arrested lawyers on juridical control conditions, and adjourned the trial to February 19, and 20, 2019.
Upon the objection made by the prosecutor’s office, the court issued detention warrant for 12 lawyers (Aytaç Ünsal, Aycan Çiçek, Engin Gökoğlu, Behiç Aşçı, Ahmet Mandacı, Barkın Timtik, Ebru Timtik, Naciye Demir, Özgür Yılmaz, Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Süleyman Gökten and Şükriye Erden) and overruled the objection to release of 5 lawyers (Ayşegül Çağatay, Yağmur Ererken, Didem Baydar Ünsal, Yaprak Türkmen and Zehra Özdemir). 5 (Aytaç Ünsal, Aycan Çiçek, Engin Gökoğlu, Behiç Aşçı and Ahmet Mandacı) of 12 lawyers for whom the court issued a detention warrant on September 15, 2018, are detained.
Aytaç Ünsal, Aycan Çiçek, Engin Gökoğlu and Behiç Aşçı, who were referred to the court once again on September 16, 2018, are arrested. It is learned that Anti-Terror Department police officers were in the courtroom, the court rejected the lawyers’ demand for taking police officers out of the courtroom, despite of the prosecutor’s opinion in favour. It is learned that lawyers demanded recusation of the court board. It is reported that, lawyers in the courtroom were taken out by the police using physical violence. It is reported that 4 lawyers who protest to be arrested again, were dragged on the floor by the police and were taken to detention room in the courthouse.
It is learned that lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı came to Çağlayan Courthouse during detention of 4 lawyers, where he also was to be heard once again by the court board; however, he was also detained by the police using physical violence, before he made his statement at the trial. Selçuk Kozağaçlı was taken to Istanbul Police Headquarters.
Ahmet Mandacı, who was detained in Çanakkale through the warrant issued, is also arrested after his statement is taken via sound and vision system on September 16, 2018. Thus the number of lawyers arrested again, raised up to 5 as of September 16, 2018.
(09/184) UK Citizen and Bulgaria Citizen on Trial on the Charge of ‘Being an Illegal Organisation Member’ in Aydın…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 16, 2018 that UK citizen Joseph Robinson was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months by Aydın Heavy Penal Court No 3, on the charge of being a YPG member; and that the court decided to continue juridical control conditions and the ban on leaving the country. It is reported that Bulgaria citizen Mira Rojkan, a friend of Joseph Robinson, was also sentenced by the court to 1 year 10 months and 15 days on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
Joseph Robinson and Mira Rojkan were detained in Didim district of Aydın on July 27, 2017; and Joseph Robinson was arrested by the court on July 29, 2017 while Mira Rojkan was released on juridical control conditions. Joseph Robinson was released after the trial held on November 24, 2017, on juridical control conditions and with a ban on leaving the country.
(09/185) Person on Trial for ‘Insulting Atatürk’ in Ankara…
The case against Safiye İnci, on the grounds of insulting Atatürk in a social media post, on Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 28, is held on September 13, 2018. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention and adjourned the trial.
(09/186) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
7 people are detained in house raids in Zonguldak on September 14, 2018.
21 of 33 people including majors on active duty, who were detained through an investigation on Turkish Land Forces Command personnel on September 10, 2018, are arrested by the court on September 14, 2018. It is learned that 12 people are released 11 of which are on juridical control conditions.
4 of 16 people who were detained through an Antep based investigation are arrested by the court on September 14, 2018. It is learned that 12 people are released on juridical control conditions.
4 of 16 people who were detained on September 9, 2018, in Ayvalık district of Balıkesir in an alleged attempt to illegally flee to Greece, are arrested by the court on September 14, 2018. 6 people are released provided that 4 of them are on juridical control conditions. It is learned that 1 person is taken to Ankara Police Headquarters due to another investigation. 5 people have been arrested through the same investigation previously.
It is learned that 4 of 9 people who were detained on September 13, 2018 through an Adana based investigation, are arrested by the court and 5 people are released on juridical control conditions on September 15, 2018.
It is learned that 4 of 8 people, including former military members dismissed by state of emergency decrees, who were detained through a Sivas based investigation are arrested and 4 of them are released on juridical control conditions by the court on September 16, 2018.
(09/187) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The case against Murat Arslan, former chair of Turkish Association for Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV) which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 25 is held on September 14, 2018. The prosecutor declared the legal opinion as to accusations and demanded jail sentence up to 15 years for Murat Arslan on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court decided to continue detention for Murat Arslan and adjourned the trial.
(09/188) Special Security Zone in Tunceli…
Tunceli Governorate made a declaration on September 15, 2018 and announced 31 areas with given coordinated in central, Ovacık, Pülümür, Nazmiye and Hozat districts as special security zones until July 1, 2019.
[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.