Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
17-21 November 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(11/148) People Who Lost Their Lives in Storms and Floods in Zonguldak, Batman, and Diyarbakır…
Ministry of Interior announced that 9 people died due to floods as of November 20, 2023, including 3 people in Zonguldak, 1 person in a ship that sank off Zonguldak, 4 people including 3 children in Batman and 1 person in Diyarbakır.
(11/149) Operations and Attacks…
It was learned from the news coverage of November 18, 2023, that 3 militants died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in the Zap region of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (IKBY) on September 29, 2023.
It was learned from the news coverage of November 20, 2023, that 1 militant died in a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in the Metina area in IKBY on October 4, 2023.
The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced that 1 soldier (Abdullah Köse) died in a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants during the ” Pençe-Kilit” operation in IKBY on November 20, 2023.
(11/150) The Court of Cassation Decision on Can Atalay…
It was learned from the news coverage of November 20, 2023 that following the violation decision of the Constitutional Court (AYM) on the application of Can Atalay, Hatay MP of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for ‘aiding the overthrow of the government’ at the Gezi Trial’s final hearing on April 25, 2022 and whose sentence was upheld by the Court of Cassation’s Criminal Chamber No. 2, Istanbul Heavy Penal Court sent the case file to Penal Department No 3 of the Court of Cassation on the grounds that the Court of Cassation has the authority to decide on the case. Penal Department No. 4 of the Court of Cassation ruled that there is no room for a decision on the grounds that “there is no open appeal”.
(11/151) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It was learned from news coverage of November 17, 2023, that Ahmet Gür, a prisoner in Istanbul Marmara (Silivri) Prison, was transferred to a prison in Tekirdağ.
It was learned from the news coverage of November 19, 2023, that 14 prisoners in Ankara Sincan High-Security Prison No 1 were subjected to disciplinary proceedings on the grounds of dancing the halay to the song “Lê Amedê” and chanting slogans and were sentenced to 1 month of deprivation of communication and communication rights.
(11/152) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on November 17, 2023, to the chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by families and tutelary of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, and Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in Imralı Prison, to visit them was not responded to.
(11/153) Police Intervention Against Protests in Istanbul, Izmir, Diyarbakır, Urfa, and Van…
On November 18, 2023, the police intervened against the march for an end to the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in Van and detained 31 people by using physical violence. The detainees were released the same day after statement procedures.
On November 18, 2023, the police intervened against a march with the same purpose in Diyarbakır and detained 55 people. Detained people were released on November 19, 2023, after statement procedures. It was learned that a police officer hit a journalist with his shield during the intervention and threatened another journalist, who reacted to him by saying, “You have not seen me hitting yet.”
On November 18, 2023, the police intervened against a march with the same purpose in Urfa and detained 11 people.
On November 19, 2023, the police intervened against a march with the same purpose in Istanbul and detained 51 people. 50 people were released the same day after statement procedures. Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP) Istanbul Co-Chair Murat Kalmaz was released by the court on November 20, 2023, on judicial control condition.
On November 19, 2023, the police intervened against the people gathering in Izmir to participate in a march for the same purpose and detained 16 people. The detainees were released after statement procedures.
(11/154) Police Intervention Against Transgender Day of Remembrance Protests in Mersin and Izmir…
On November 20, the police intervened against the press statement organized by the Izmir Bar Association on November 20, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, on the grounds of the LGBTI+ banner being carried by the participants. It was learned that no one was detained, and the press statement was held despite the intervention.
The police intervened against the march before the press statement organized for the same purpose in the Pozcu district of Mersin. It was learned that no one was detained, and the press statement was held despite the intervention.
(11/155) People Detained in Izmir…
Poet Fadıl Öztürk and his wife Berrin Bicek Öztürk were detained on November 17, 2023, in Izmir due to their social media posts. 2 people were released by the court on the same day on judicial control condition.
(11/156) People Detained in Diyarbakır…
4 Amedspor fans, who were detained on November 19, 2023, on the grounds that they did not stand up during the national anthem, were released the same day.
(11/157) Person Arrested in Bursa…
A person named K. C., who was detained on the allegation of insulting Atatürk in front of an Atatürk statue in the İnegöl district of Bursa was arrested by the court on November 18, 2023.
(11/158) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalist Furkan Karabay, upon the complaint of the President’s former lawyer due to a social media post, continued on November 16, 2023 at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2. The court accepted the participation request of the President’s lawyer and adjourned the hearing to February 29, 2024.
(11/159) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against journalist Barış Pehlivan upon the complaint of a member of the Court of Cassation was held on November 16, 2023, at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2. The court decided to dismiss the case after the Court of Cassation member withdrew his complaint. It is learned that Barış Pehlivan was placed on probation on November 16, 2023, after the case was dismissed, and that the journalist was released on November 17, 2023.
(11/160) Journalist on Trial in Urfa…
The final hearing of the lawsuit filed against journalist Gökhan Yavuzel due to his book “Sahipsiz Şiirler” (Sahipsiz Şiirler) and his speech in a program was held on November 17, 2023, at Urfa Heavy Penal Court No 5. The court sentenced Gökhan Yavuzel to 1 year and 3 months on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization,’ deferred the announcement of the verdict, and lifted the ban on leaving the country.
(11/161) Artist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against artist Ferhat Tunç for insulting then Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım continued on November 20, 2023, at Istanbul Büyükçekmece Penal Court of First Instance No 16. The court rejected the request for a red notice for Ferhat Tunç, who is abroad and adjourned the trial to December 20, 2023.
(11/162) People on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against 42 people, who were detained during the Ankara Pride March on July 5, 2020, continued at the Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 52 on November 15, 2023. The indictment demands a sentence for 42 people on the grounds of ‘violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’, ‘insult,’ ‘simple injury’, and ‘resisting to prevent the execution of duty.’ During the hearing, KaosGL.org reporter Aslı Alpar and journalist Emel Vural, who were injured during the intervention, were heard as witnesses. Aslı Alpar said the following in their statement: “I am a journalist. I was in Kuğulupark on July 5, 2022 at around 16 p.m. I had gone early to monitor (…) The police surrounded a group of twenty people and did not allow us to take pictures. They kept pushing us. Even though we showed our press cards, they were trying to push us away from the area. Meanwhile, there was heavy traffic on Kennedy Street. I and another reporter friend of ours were hit by a car because they pushed us into the traffic (…) When they sprayed tear gas, I stepped back a bit, and a passerby said ‘your leg is bleeding’. I was injured in my leg when they pushed me.” Emel Vural stated the following: “I saw people thrown into the flowing traffic. I witnessed the police attacking people through their clothes. We were prevented from taking footage. I insisted on filming. My professional duty was to record those moments. Humanly, the scene we saw was horrible. I saw young people being gassed in the face with tear gas, being dragged on the ground in handcuffs. When I wanted to shoot, I was sprayed directly in the face with tear gas. I had shortness of breath for about an hour and was hospitalized.” The court adjourned the hearing to January 31, 2024.
(11/163) People on Trial in Izmir…
The final trial of the case against Emine Akbaba and İrem Çelikbaş, who were detained in the police intervention to the protest against the rector appointed by the President to Boğaziçi University in Izmir on February 3, 2021; was held on November 21, 2023. The conviction of Emine Akbaba and İrem Çelikbaş on the charge of ‘insulting the President’ at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 41 was reversed by Penal Department No 2 of Izmir Regional Court. The court sentenced 2 people to 10 months each for ‘insulting the President’ and postponed the sentences.
(11/164) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against Önder Öner, for his comments on news reports about a former deputy of Justice and Development Party (AKP), was held at Istanbul Anatolian Criminal Court of First Instance on November 20, 2023. The court sentenced Önder Öner to 1,740 TL judicial fine and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
(11/165) People on Trial in Ankara…
The final hearing of the case against 2 people, B. K., the shooter, and E. C., the model, for the photos taken at Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara and shared on social media accounts, was held on November 17, 2023, at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 2. The court acquitted 2 people on the charge of “publicly denigrating religious values embraced by a section of the public”.
(11/166) People Under Investigation Because of the Trans Pride March…
It was learned from the news coverage of November 16, 2023, that the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office decided on “non-prosecution” in the investigation against 9 people who were detained in the police intervention against the Trans Pride March on June 18, 2023.
(11/167) Imam Under Investigation…
On November 17, 2023, it was reported in the press that an imam named Halil Konakçı said, “The majority of Hatay is Arab. We have Kurdish and Arab brothers there. They still do. It was like that then too. It was under French occupation until 1938. There were debates about whether it should remain inside or outside the border. The call to prayer was banned in 1932. The French did not ban the call to prayer in Muslim villages and mosques in Hatay. In the center and villages of the French-occupied Hatay, the call to prayer was sung as ‘Allahu akbar’ until 1938. When Hatay was annexed to Turkey in 1938, the first thing they did was to ban the call to prayer. In other words, they did the cruelty in these lands that the French did not do.” It is learned that Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office decided “there is no ground for an investigation” regarding the investigation opened due to his social media post.
(11/168) Banned Events and Protests…
The Governorate of Van announced on November 17, 2023, that demonstrations, open-air meetings, press declarations, sit-in protests and surveys, setting up/opening tents and stands, organizing petitions, distributing leaflets, brochures, and flyers, and all kinds of protest activities are banned for 4 days as of November 17, 2023.
The Governorate of Bitlis announced on November 18, 2023, that all open and indoor meetings, demonstrations, press declarations, sit-ins, and surveys, setting up/opening tents and stands, organizing petitions, distributing leaflets, brochures, and flyers, and similar actions and activities are banned for 2 days as of November 18, 2023.
The Governorate of Şırnak announced on November 21, 2023, that all open-door meetings, demonstrations, press declarations, sit-ins, rallies, opening tents, petitions, opening stands, mass funerals and visits to cemeteries, commemorations, festivals, concerts, entertainment, performances, demonstrations and similar events will be banned for 7 days as of November 22, 2023.
(11/169) Administrative Fine Against TV Channels…
According to the news coverage of November 17, 2023, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed administrative fines on Tele 1 channel 3 times for the program “18 Minutes”; Halk TV channel 2 times for some expressions in the programs “Kayda Geçsin” and “Nasıl Olacak”; KRT channel 2 times for some expressions in the program “Medya Terapi”; Flash News channel 1 time for the program “Başkentte Gündem”. RTÜK also imposed 1 administrative fine on FOX TV channel for the TV series “Hudutsuz Sevda”, 1 administrative fine on Star TV channel for the TV series “Sakla Beni” and 1 administrative fine on Show TV channel for the program “Didem Arslan Yılmaz’la Vazgeçme” due to “encouraging violence and going against the mental and moral development of children and young people”.
(11/170) Ban of Access to Web Content…
It is learned that Deutsche Welle’s website, www.dwturkce.com, was banned from access by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 9 on November 17, 2023, upon RTÜK’s request.
[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.