Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
15 April 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/155) Operations and Attacks…
The Ministry of National Defence declared that 1 soldier died in an attack to Başika military base in Iraq on April 14, 2021.
(04/156) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2021 that in Kocaeli Gebze Women’s Prison, prisoners were not given adequate amount of hot water and cleaning supplies; and the number of prisoners in wards is over capacity.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2021 that, journalist Nedim Türfent who is kept in Van High Security Prison was not given the letter sent to him, on the grounds of being “inconvenient”.
(04/157) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on April 14, 2021 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was not responded.
(04/158) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police used physical violence to intervene the press declaration of Migros grocery store workers and their supporters, in front of Migros CEO Tuncay Özilhan’s villa on April 14, 2021. The workers at Migros warehouse in Çayırova district of Kocaeli were dismissed after being members of Warehouse, Harbour, Dock and Sea Workers Union (DGD-SEN). It is learned that 14 people who were detained are released after statement procedures on the same day. It is reported that the police intervened the journalists too.
(04/159) Police Intervention to a Protest in Izmir…
4 people (Gül Gök, Meryem Yıldırım, Güngör Didar Gül and İrem Nur Çelikbaş) who were detained in the police intervention to the protest regarding Istanbul Convention organized by Socialist Women’s Assembly (SKM) and Free Young Women (ÖGK) members in front of the Presidency Directorate of Communications Office in Izmir on April 13, 2021; are released by the court on judicial control conditions on April 14, 2021.
(04/160) Detained Person in Diyarbakır…
Halil Ercan, who was subjected to torture and ill-treatment while he was being detained in Bismil district of Diyarbakır on April 6, 2021; is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on April 14, 2021.
(04/161) Detained People in Adana…
On April 14, 2021, 10 people are detained in house raids in Adana through an investigation against PKK.
(04/162) Detained Doctor in Osmaniye…
On April 12, 2021, public prosecutor M. B. in Osmaniye, walked into orthopaedist Kemal Gökhan’s room at Osmaniye Public Hospital and wanted to be examined. It was stated in the news report that M. B. has threatened doctor Kemal Gökhan after being refused. Doctor Kemal Gökhan was then called to the prosecutor’s office to make his official statement on the charge of ‘insult’.
Kemal Gökhan stated the following in his declaration covered by the press: “I was examining another patient while the door was banged. (…) He has entered into the room saying ‘I am the chief prosecutor’. I got a call from the emergency room when I finished examining the patient in the room. At the moment I hung up the phone, he said ‘Will you take a look at me?’ and I asked what the problem was. He told that he has been examined by another doctor earlier, and he came for the follow-up examination. I told him that he should get an appointment for the doctor that saw him first, and stated that his condition is not a matter of urgency. Then he said ‘Do not advise me, you will examine me’. (…) He raised his voice and started to shake his finger at me. I was speaking normally but he said ‘Do not yell at me’. I said ‘Mister, I cannot have a dialogue with you now’ and left the room. When I came back, I found that he has closed our outpatient clinic. We said to him ‘Look, you are preventing us to examine other patients, you are taking up other patients’ right to health by using your personal power’. He got angry, and shook his finger again. Later, while I was taking care of other patients, I found out that I was being called to the police station. (…) I was to be handcuffed behind my back and taken for interrogation. I was on duty shift at hospital, and I had to leave my duty to make my statement there.”
Osmaniye Public Prosecutor’s Office made a declaration and stated the following: “Although public prosecutor M. B. introduced himself and reminded that he had an appointment, the doctor on duty left the examination room and avoided to examine and treat him, and he instructed the security guards to take M. B. out of the room, in an insulting way. Prosecutor M. B. who left the hospital without being treated then made a criminal complaint and the Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation against the doctor on the charge of insult. The doctor is released after he has given his statement as the suspect of the investigation on the same day.”
It is learned that the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) initiated an inspection against M. B.
(04/163) Former HDP Co-Chair on Trial…
The trial of the case against Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19 on April 14, 2021
Selahattin Demirtaş joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. The court decided to send a writ to consolidate the case with that on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 22 and adjourned the trial to May 6, 2021.
(04/164) Journalists on Trial in Edirne…
The trial of the case against Mezopotamya News Agency reporters Naci Kaya and İdris Sayılğan is held at Edirne Penal Court of First Instance No 8 on April 14, 2021. 2 journalists were detained in Edirne while they were reporting on the asylum seekers crossing the Greek border.
The indictment demands sentence for 2 journalists on the charge of ‘entering military zones without permission’.
The court acquitted 2 journalists. İdris Sayılğan was arrested by the court on the charge of ‘violating the ban on leaving the country’, and Naci Kaya was released on March 2, 2020. İdris Sayılğan was released upon his lawyers’ appeal on March 3, 2020.
(04/165) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Gazete Yolculuk reporter Buse Söğütlü, on the charge of ‘targeting a public officer held an anti-terror duty’ is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 on April 14, 2021. The court adjourned the trial to September 14, 2021.
(04/166) HDP Executive on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against HDP’s provincial co-chair Hülya Alökmen, for the events and protests she participated in and for being a delegate of Democratic Society Congress, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on April 14, 2021.
The court sentenced Hülya Alökmen to 10 years and 6 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and issued a detention warrant against her. It is learned that Hülya Alökmen is detained on April 15, 2021.
(04/167) Ban of CHP Posters and Banners…
It is learned that banner of Republican People’s Party (CHP) asking “Where is the 128 billion dollars?”, hung on Amasya provincial office of the party was removed upon prosecutor’s instructions on April 14, 2021.
It is learned that the same banner hung on Sakarya provincial office of CHP was removed upon the court’s verdict on April 14, 2021.
It is learned that the posters of CHP on billboards in Bilecik were removed upon prosecutor’s instructions on April 14, 2021.
It is learned that the banner hung on Niğde provincial office of CHP was removed upon prosecutor’s instructions, and the provincial chair of CHP made an official statement to Niğde Directorate of Security on the charge of ‘insult’, on April 14, 2021.
It is learned that the banner hung on Karaman provincial office of CHP was removed upon the governorate’s office instruction on April 14, 2021.
It is learned that the banner hung on Tunceli provincial office of CHP was removed upon prosecutor’s instructions on April 14, 2021.
It is learned that the banner saying “Will you say what you have done with 256 billion bucks” hung on Kastamonu provincial office of CHP, was removed upon prosecutor’s instructions on April 14, 2021.
(04/168) Proceedings Against Parliamentary Members…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2021 that, 10 proceedings demanding lift of impunity of 10 parliamentary members are submitted to Grand National Assembly.
Parliamentary members subjected to proceedings are:
- CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
- CHP Istanbul MP Oğuz Kaan Salıcı
- CHP Istanbul MP Yunus Emre
- CHP Istanbul MP Fethi Açıkel
- CHP Tekirdağ MP Faik Öztırak
- CHP Malatya MP Veli Ağbaba
- CHP Çanakkale MP Muharrem Erkek
- CHP Izmir MP Ahmet Tuncay Özkan
- HDP Batman MP Ayşe Acar Başaran
- HDP Antalya MP Kemal Bülbül.
(04/169) Administrative Fine for TV Channel…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2021, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) issued Halk TV channel with administrative fine, for a news report broadcasted in the prime-time newscaster.
(04/170) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news reports about Kocaeli University rector’s son who was appointed to the Presidential Office, published on https://gazetemanifesto.com, https://www.kocaeligazetesi.com.tr, https://halktv.com.tr websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 2 on April 14, 2021.
(04/171) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 279 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,802 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on April 14, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 62,797.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 34,734 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 4,025,557 as of April 14, 2021.
[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.