Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
16 April 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/172) People Subjected to Physical Violence of Gendarmerie in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 15, 2021 that, the gendarmerie reaching Zorova rural neighbourhood of Sur district of Diyarbakır, gathered young people in the public square on the grounds of a street writing “We love life so much that we could die for it”. It is stated in the news reports that gendarmerie committed physical violence of gendarmerie and others who react against this were subjected to insults and threats. It is reported that gendarmerie took 10 residents to the city center and then took back to the rural neighbourhood, and these people were subjected to threats and insults all the way.
(04/173) People Subjected to Physical Violence of Gendarmerie in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 15, 2021 that, in Eminoğlu hamlet of Karahasan rural neighbourhood was raided during the military operation in rural areas of Lice district of Diyarbakır; and some people in a house were subjected to physical violence. It is reported that 4 people are detained by using physical violence. Some of the detained people are: Berat Akgeyik, Eyüp Özkan.
A resident of Eminoğlu hamlet stated the following: “Our house is raided and searched. They said ‘If anything happens to one of our soldiers you will have to think about the rest’ and threatened us. Berat Akgeyik, an 18-year-old shepherd living with us, is handcuffed and detained for no reason. And he was battered at that time”.
(04/174) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 15, 2021 that, Serdar Köse, a prisoner in Malatya Akçadağ Prison, was subjected to disciplinary proceedings which resulted in prevention from communication rights.
(04/175) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on April 15, 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.
(04/176) Police Prevention to Health Workers’’ Protests in Diyarbakır and Istanbul…
The police prevented the health workers marching to participate in the press declaration of healthcare and labour organisations saying “We do not give up our right to life, stop deaths” in front of Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate on April 15, 2021. It is learned that health workers held the declaration in another place.
The police prevented the press declaration in front of Diyarbakır Provincial Health Directorate on April 15, 2021 too.
(04/177) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the press declaration of Turkish Post and Telegraph Corporation (PTT) workers who had been dismissed for being members of Postal, Telephone and Telecommunication Employees’ Union (PTT-SEN), in front of Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Social Security Institution on April 15, 2021. It is learned that the police detained 8 people including union organizer Ayşe Büşra Yılmaz, and seized their cell phones to delete the video recordings of intervention. Detained people are released after statement procedures on the same day.
(04/178) Police Intervention to People Distributing Leaflets in Ankara…
The police intervened members of United Struggle Forces distributing leaflets about 1 May International Workers’ Day, and detained 8 people by using physical violence in Ankara on April 15, 2021. 8 people are released after statement procedures on the same day and after being imposed a penalty fine for violating the Law of Misdemeanour.
Detained people are: Zarife Çamalan, Hacer Atahan, Enes Said Şahin, Selim Doğan Koç, Deniz Akbıyık, Dîlan Mollaahmetoğlu, Barış Ceyhan, Berhat Uzunay.
(04/179) Detained HDP Executive in Kocaeli…
Kamuran Onay, former district co-chair of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Dilovası district of Kocaeli who was detained on April 14, 2021 is released by the court on house confinement on April 15, 2021.
(04/180) Detained People in Adana…
13 people who were detained in house raids in Adana through an investigation against PKK on April 14, 2021; are released by the court on judicial control conditions on April 15, 2021.
(04/181) Detained People in Hakkari…
6 people (Ramazan Dayan, Murat Erdemir, Kazım Tekinalp, Dıldar Kara, Ahmet Yıldız and Eshat Duman) who were detained in Çukurca district of Hakkari on April 15, 2021 are released after statement procedures on the same day.
(04/182) Detained Person in Mardin…
It is learned that an investigation on the charges of ‘insulting the mayor’ and ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’ is initiated against 10 people, in relation to the protest held on April 6, 2021 against urban transformation project in Yeşilli district of Mardin. It is also learned that 1 person who was detained through this investigation on April 15, 2021 is released after statement procedures on the same day.
(04/183) Co-Mayor on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Yıldız Çetin, HDP co-mayor of Erciş district of Van who was suspended and replaced by a trustee, is held at Van Heavy Penal Court No 5 on April 15, 2021.
Yıldız Çetin joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. The court sentenced Yıldız Çetin to 7 years and 6 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and decided to release her upon verdict.
Yıldız Çetin was detained on October 15, 2019 and was arrested on October 22, 2019. The Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to Erciş municipality on October 22, 2019.
(04/184) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 4 people including Etkin News Agency editor Semiha Şahin and reporter Pınar Gayıp, on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 23 is held on April 15, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 4 people on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court adjourned the trial to July 14, 2021.
(04/185) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Cem Şimşek, former executive editor of Evrensel newspaper, on the grounds of insulting the President in a news report “German cartoonists sketched Erdoğan badly”, is held at Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No 27 on April 14, 2021.
The court adjourned the trial to July 8, 2021.
(04/186) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalist Cengiz Çandar, on the charge of ‘praising offence and offender’ in a social media post in 2017, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 30 on April 15, 2021.
The court lifted the detention warrant for Cengiz Çandar and proceed rogatory letters, adjourning the trial to September 23, 2021.
(04/187) People on Trial in Ordu…
The first trial of the case against 7 people (Adem Güney, Ali Baymak, Hakan Top, Hamide Salduz, Muhammet Güney, Mustafa Varmış and Taner Güney) who were fighting against the hydroelectric power plant project in Korgan district of Ordu, is held at Korgan Penal Court of First Instance on April 15, 2021.
The indictment demand sentence for 7 people on the charge of ‘violation of the freedom to work and labour’.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to June 25, 2021.
(04/188) Ban of CHP Posters and Banners…
It is learned that banner of Republican People’s Party (CHP) reading “128”, hung on Başakşehir district office in Istanbul was removed by party executives upon prosecutor’s instruction on April 15, 2021.
(04/189) Proceedings Against Parliamentary Members…
On April 15, 2021, a proceedings demanding lift of impunity of Istanbul independent MP Ahmet Şık is submitted to Grand National Assembly.
(04/190) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that domain names of Mezopotamya News Agency are banned to access on the grounds of “protection of national security and public order” by Diyarbakır Penal Court of Peace No 4 and 5 on April 14, 2021.
(04/191) Ban of Events in Hakkari and Denizli…
Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on April 15, 2021 and announced that all meetings, open-door assemblies, demonstrations, marches, sit-in protests, human chains, op-ed stands, public sessions, any kind of audio-visual activities with mobile audio-visual vehicles, hunger strikes, opening stands, collecting petitions, flying sky lanterns or balloons, commemorations, concerts, festivals, theatre plays, screening shows, firing torches, distributing leaflets, hanging banners and so on are banned for 15 days as of April 16, 2021. All events are banned in Hakkari for 329 days since June 5, 2020.
Denizli Governorate made a declaration on April 15, 2021 and announced that all meetings, indoor and open-door assemblies, demonstrations, press declarations, opening tents and stands, collecting petitions, sit-in protests, commemorations and so on are banned for 30 days as of April 15, 2021.
(04/192) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 297 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,845 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on April 15, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 61,400.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 35,031 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 4,086,957 as of April 15, 2021.
It is learned that professor Melih Aktan in Istanbul lost his life from Covid-19 on April 15, 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.