Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
15 April 2022 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/180) Lawyer and Other Person Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment in Batman…
It is learned that lawyer Orhan Alphan, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment of a police officer, as he was intervening this police officer committing violence on a detainee at Batman Courthouse on April 14, 2022. It is reported that Orhan Alphan was injured at the face, got a medical report and filed a criminal complaint against the police officer.
(04/181) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that, two of the prisoners who were subjected to torture and ill-treatment in Istanbul Silivri L Type Prison No 5 were transferred to other prisoners. It is reported that Abdulmenav Çetin was transferred to Manisa Salihli L Type Prison and Coşkun Ağca was transferred to Izmir Kırıklar F Type Prison No 2. It is also stated in the news reports that another prisoner Halil Kasal is kept in a hospital in Izmir.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that, Xemgin Karakaş, a prisoner in Afyon T Type Prison was threatened to death by correction officers.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that 4 prisoners (Fahrettin İşlek, Fırat Erbağa, Kemal Kahraman, Mehmet Tiryaki) were transferred from Van High Security Prison to other prisons under coercion. It is stated in the news reports that prisoners’ families were not informed about the transfer.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 15, 2022 that, in Diyarbakır E Type Prison, personal belongings were scattered, and those who reject this were subjected to physical violence of the correction officers. It is also stated in the news reports that the phone conversations of the prisoners were interrupted as they start talking about torture and ill-treatment.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 15, 2022 that, Barış Aydın, a prisoner who was transferred to Adana Kürkçüler T Type Prison, was subjected to strip search at the entrance of prison. It is also stated in the news reports that prisoners were given 50 litres of water per person.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 15, 2022, prisoners in Antep Islahiye T Type Prison were subjected to stand up in military order during roll calls and those who reject it were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
(04/182) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that, prisoners in Samsun Bafra T Type Prison were forced to mouth search before hospital transfers and those who reject it were not taken to hospitals.
(04/183) Hunger Strikes in Prisons…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that 4 prisoners (İlhami İşçi, Uğur Ürün, Zennar Demir and Hiccet Umui) in Antep Islahiye T Type Prison were on indefinite hunger strike since April 6, 2022, to demand an end to right violations. It is also stated in the news reports that prisoners on hunger strike were not given salt, sugar and lemon.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 14, 2022 that prisoners in Diyarbakır High Security Prison No 1 will go on a 3-day hunger strike to demand an end to right violations.
(04/184) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on April 14, 2022 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in order to visit him was not responded.
(04/185) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the “Justice Watch” of prisoners’ families, outside of Bakırköy Courthouse in Istanbul on April 14, 2022; and detained 2 people (Fince Akman and Cemile Karakaş) by using physical violence. 2 people are released on the same day.
(04/186) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the women marching on Istiklal Street of Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on April 14, 202, to protest the price raises in period products; and detained 6 people. Detained people are released on the same day.
(04/187) Gendarmerie Intervention to a Protest in Adıyaman…
The gendarmerie intervened the protest against the marble quarry project in Serintepe neighbourhood of Kömür district of Adıyaman in April 14, 2022 and detained 20 people. Detained people are released on the same day.
(04/188) Detained HDP Executives in Şırnak…
On April 11, 2022, 10 people including the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Cizre district co-chair and executives were detained in house raids in Cizre district of Şırnak. 3 of them (HDP Cizre district co-chair Mesut Nart, Mehmet Şerif Elçioğlu and Ahmet Benzer) are released by the court on judicial control conditions on April 14, 2022. 6 people have been released on judicial control conditions on April 13, 2022.
(04/189) Detentions Related to Newroz Celebrations…
It is learned that detention warrants were issued on April 15, 2022 for 105 people through the investigation of Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office on Newroz celebration in the city. 66 people including Kurdish Xwebûn newspaper’s grant owner Kadri Esen and journalist Ali Koçer are detained in house raids.
(04/190) The Case Against Human Rights Defender and Other People in Izmir…
The first trial of the case against 6 people including human rights defender and medical secretary of the HRFT in Izmir Aytül Uçar and the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) member Erdoğan Akdoğdu is held at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 49 on April 15, 2022. 6 people (Aytül Uçar, Emine Akbaba, İrem Çelikbaş, lawyer Erdoğan Akdoğdu and 2 others) have been detained by the police intervening the protest against the new rector appointed to Boğaziçi University, held in Izmir on February 3, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 6 people on the charges of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’, ‘resisting to prevent public duty’ and ‘insult’.
Due to the need for a bigger room, the trial was held at the Izmir Heavy Penal Court room. The court rejected the request of the defendants’ lawyers for identification of the police chiefs who were among the audience and rejected to take them out despite their potential to affect the trial. The demands of the defendants’ lawyers for immediate acquittal and rejection of unlawful evidence were also rejected by the court. I. T. stated that their right to peaceful assembly and demonstration was prevented by police intervention. Aytül Uçar, identified a police officer who tortured and ill-treated her in the audience in the courtroom, but the court rejected to identify this person. In her statement, Emine Akbaba stated that they were handcuffed behind their backs in the detention vehicle, they were taken to the hospital in this way, and one of the complainant police officers punched her. M. K. stated that he was exposed to gas at close range, was kicked on the ground and his nose was broken; lawyer Erdoğan Akdoğdu stated that he was detained because they objected to handcuffing behind the back. M. K. also stated that the police officer who broke his finger while he was handcuffed behind his back during another intervention was the person identified by Aytül Uçar. One of the complainant police officers stated that he withdrew his complaint. The court decided to send a writ to an authorized court in Istanbul for the official statement of İrem Çelikbaş, to accept the requests of the 3 police officers to participate in the case, to write a warrant to determine whether there is a security camera in the detention vehicle, and adjourned the trial to June 24, 2022.
(04/191) Former CHP MP on Trial…
It is learned that the Penal Department No 2 of Bursa Regional Court reversed the acquittal of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) former Balıkesir MP Mehmet Tüm and sentenced him to 11 months and 20 days on the charge of ‘insulting the President’.
(04/192) HDP Executive on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against HDP’s central executive board member Sevim Akdağ, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 8 on April 14, 2022. The indictment demands sentence for Sevim Akdağ on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member. The court adjourned the trial to September 6, 2022.
(04/193) People on Trial in Eskişehir…
The final trial of the case against 6 people who were detained by the police intervening the “We Cannot Find Shelter” protests in Eskişehir on September 22, 2021, is held at Eskişehir Penal Court of First Instance No 4 on April 14, 2022. The indictment demands sentence for 6 people on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’. The court acquitted 6 people.
(04/194) Actor on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against actor Genco Erkal on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 16 on April 14, 2022. The court acquitted Genco Erkal.
(04/195) Orhan Günbay Case…
The final trial of the case against 4 police officers (S. K., O. O., D. K., A. K.) for death of Orhan Günbay is held at Bitlis Heavy penal Court No 1 on April 14, 2022. Orhan Günbay has lost his life when police opened fire to a car on the grounds of ‘disobeying stop warning’ in Ahlat district of Bitlis on December 16, 2019.
The court sentenced the police officers to life imprisonment on the charge of ‘intentional killing’ and reduced the sentenced to 25 years for “good behaviour”.
(04/196) Gezi Davası…
It is learned that on April 15, 2022, Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 conducted the monthly review of arrestees within the case against 17 people, for Gezi Park protests in 2013, and by a majority of votes, the court has ruled to continue arrest of Osman Kavala on the grounds that there has been no change in his legal situation. It is learned that one of the judges of the court board has expressed a dissenting opinion, noting that Osman Kavala should be released on judicial control conditions.
The Court of Cassation has reversed the acquittal decision of the local court regarding the “Gezi Case”, and the number of defendants raised to 52, as the case was consolidated with the “Çarşı Case” on October 8, 2021. Osman Kavala who has been arrested on November 1, 2017, was acquitted on February 18, 2022 in the Gezi Park protests case but was arrested without being released from prison, on the grounds of another investigation regarding the coup attempt in 2016.
(04/197) Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Opinion on Osman Kavala…
Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights presented her opinion on 14 April 2022 as an intervening party in the violation procedure initiated by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on February 2, 2022, within the scope of the supervision of the implementation of the Osman Kavala decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Mijatovic, in her opinion to the ECHR, stated that not releasing Osman Kavala was contrary to Turkey’s obligation to fulfil the ECHR decision, and said that “Charging Kavala with espionage was placed only for the purpose of keeping him in prison. This and the timing of the prosecutor’s request for detention clearly show that this purpose is placed above fulfilling a binding decision of the ECHR”.
(04/198) Removal of Banners in Kocaeli…
It is learned that the banners reading “We will be more as we die”, hung on HDP’s Darıca district Office in Kocaeli were removed upon the prosecutor’s order on April 14, 2022.
(04/199) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that Etkin News Agency’s website www.etha35.com is banned to access by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority on April 14, 2022.
(04/200) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 21 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 5,127 as of April 14, 2022.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 98,514 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 14,983,158 as of April 14, 2022.
[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.