Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
17 March 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/187) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 16, 2021 that, 3 HPG militants died in an air operation of Turkish Armed Forces to Metina area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on February 22, 2021.
(03/188) Abducted Person in Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 16, 2021 that, Sezer Tatar, a member of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) was forced into a car and abducted by people claim themselves as police officers in Van on March 12, 2021. It is reported that Sezer Tatar was subjected to physical violence and forced to be a police informant in the car, and was released on the same day.
Sezer Tatar stated the following: “2 persons whom I haven’t seen before, called my name behind my back. And one more person came near me with a white car at that moment. This person wanted to talk to me, and I said that I do not know them and have nothing to talk with them. They tried to get me in the car by using force. They started to punch me when I screamed for help and they locked the doors as soon as they got me in the car. They took my phone by force and turned it off. They took me towards city garage through the canal way. (…) They showed me police identity card, closing the names on it. They said ‘We know you, we are the state, we are the police’. As I said that they were committing a crime and they should immediately release me, they started to beat and threaten me. (…) I said that I did not want anything so that they should not bother me again. After a while they released me near the neighbourhood and told me that they will wait until Monday; ‘Either you will accept what we ask for or we will put you in trouble. You see, we abducted you. We are the state; we can find you in any case. Wither you will work for us or we will keep disturbing you’ they said.”
(03/189) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that 2 urgent appeals of visit following the claims on social media about health condition of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, made on March 15 and 16, 2021 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by lawyers of Abdullah Öcalan was not responded.
Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office made a declaration on March 16, 2021 and stated that Abdullah Öcalan’s health is in good state.
(03/190) Police Prevention to a Protest in Urfa…
It is learned that Emine Şenyaşar, who was holding a justice watch in front of Urfa Courthouse, is banned to enter the yard of the courthouse by Urfa Public Prosecutor’s Office on March 16, 2021. It is reported that Emine Şenyaşar held the justice watch in front of entrance door. On June 14, 2018, Justice and Development Party Urfa MP candidate İbrahim Halil Yıldız and his personal guards had a quarrel with shopkeepers in Suruç district of Urfa which resulted in death of Emine Şenyaşar’s husband Hacı Esved Şenyaşar and her sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar.
(03/191) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Cumhuriyet newspaper reporter Seyhan Avşar and former executive editor of Sözcü newspaper’s website Necdet Önemli, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 29 on March 16, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for journalists on the charge of ‘targeting public officers who were assigned with fight against terrorism’.
After defence hearings the court acquitted journalists.
(03/192) Journalist on Trial in Muğla…
The final trial of the case against journalist Hakan Aygün, on the charge of ‘insulting religious values’ in his social media post is held at Bodrum Penal Court of First Instance No 3 on March 16, 2021.
The court sentenced Hakan Aygün to 7 months and 15 days and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
Hakan Aygün was detained on April 2, 2020 and was arrested by the court on April 3, 2020. He was released from prison on May 5, 2020.
(03/193) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalist Aziz Oruç and Ersin Çaksu, for the news reports on Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on March 16, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 2 people on the charge of ‘publicly degrading the state, the government, and the military or security organisation’.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to July 13, 2021.
(03/194) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Cumhuriyet newspaper’s former reporter Alican Ulludağ and executive editor Olcay Büyüktaş Akça, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32 on March 16, 2021. The case was opened for the news report “The Security Directorate knew the preparation of Ankara terminal massacre 8 days before the attack”, which was published on November 22, 2019.
The court adjourned the trial to June 15, 2021.
(03/195) Former HDP Co-chair on Trial…
The trial of the case against HDP’s former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19 on March 16, 2021.
Selahattin Demirtaş joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. It is learned that the European Court of Human Rights’ verdict for immediate release of Demirtaş was not added to the case file. The court decided to send a writ to Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 22 for consolidating with another case against Selahattin Demirtaş, send a writ for Turkish translation of ECHR decision and to consider recusation demand and adjourned the trial to April 14, 2021.
(03/196) Former Parliamentary Member on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Mahmut Alınak, a former parliamentary member, on the grounds of ‘insulting the President in social media posts’, is held at Kars Penal Court of First Instance No 1 on March 16, 2021. After defence hearings the court acquitted Mahmut Alınak.
(03/197) HDP Member on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against HDP Youth Assembly member Newroz Gülen is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 27 on March 16, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for Newroz Gülen on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
Newroz Gülen joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court released Newroz Gülen and adjourned the trial to July 1, 2021.
(03/198) People on Trial in Antalya…
The first trial of the case against 27 people is held at Antalya Heavy Penal Court No 9 on March 16, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 27 people on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to May 25, 2021.
(03/199) Journalist and DTK Member on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against Gün TV channel former managing editor Barış Barıştıran, Democratic Society Congress (DTK) executive board member Hilmi Aydoğdu and Mustafa Çukur is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 8 on March 16, 2021. 3 people are charged with ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ for broadcasting DTK congress on Gün TV channel on March 26, 2016.
The court sentenced Mustafa Çukur to 1 year 6 months and 22 days on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and acquitted Barış Barıştıran and Hilmi Aydoğdu.
(03/200) Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu is Stripped of MP Status…
HDP Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu is stripped of his MP status after the final verdict of the court was read out at the Plenary Session of the Parliament on March 17, 2021. Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu was filed a suit for sharing the article of T24 news portal “KCK: Kurdish problem will be solved if AKP develops a resolution policy” on social media, and the case at Kocaeli Heavy Penal Court No 2 was not ceased after Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu was elected as a parliamentary member on June 24, 2018. On February 19, 2021 the Court of Cassation approved 2 years and 6 months’ sentence given to HDP Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
(03/201) Closure Case Against HDP…
Bekir Şahin, Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation filed a closure case against the HDP by appealing to the Constitutional Court on March 17, 2021. It is stated in the indictment that “it has been understood that the executives and members of the HDP, with their statements and actions, act in a way incompatible with democratic and universal legal principles, they act together with the PKK terrorist organization and the organizations affiliated with it and they aim to disturb or eliminate the indivisible integrity of the state with its country and nation” and demanded political ban on 687 members and executives of HDP.
(03/202) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
2 of 3 people who were detained in Edirne in an alleged attempt to illegally flee abroad are arrested by the court while 1 of them is released on judicial control conditions on March 16, 2021.
(03/203) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 71 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 874 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on March 16, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 16,749.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 29,623 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,911,642 as of March 16, 2021.
It is learned that Professor M.D. Mehmet Ümit Ergenoğlu in Istanbul lost his life from Covid-19 on March 16, 2021.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 16, 2021 that 1 prisoner in Izmir Kırıklar F Type Prison tested positive for Covid-19.
[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.