Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
17 October 2017 Daily Human Rights Report
(10/201) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
Governorate of Hakkari declared that between October 16-17, 2017 2 soldiers died due to bomb attacks during military operations in rural areas of Hakkari’s Çukurca district.
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) declared on October 16, 2017 that during operations in IKBY’s Zap district 2 soldiers died and 3 soldiers were injured due to explosives detonating and clashes with HPG militants. It is reported that 1 of the injured soldiers is severely wounded.
(10/202) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from news coverage of October 17, 2017 that prisoners arriving at the Bakırköy Prison were forced to strip naked and searched. Letters of prisoners were delayed and medical examinations were made while prisoners were handcuffed. It is learned that Prisoners who refuse this were sent back to prison.
It is learned from news coverage of October 17, 2017 that Prisoners who refuse to wear name tags in Elazığ High Security Prison No 2 were not given their cargos and letters. It is reported that prisoners decided to boycott their weekly visit and telephone rights to protest rights violations in the Prison.
It is learned from news coverage of October 17, 2017 that 29 prisoners including one LGBTI+ prisoner were kept in solitary confinement since their transfer from Antalya Type L Prison to Denizli Type T Prison on June 17, 2017.
It is also reported that prisoners were forced to be searched naked, wear name tags and physically abused during transfer and arrival at Denizli prison.
(10/203) Rejection of Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that on October 16, 2017 PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s attorneys rezan Sarıca, İbrahim Bilmez, Ebru Günay and Faik Özgür Erol requested from Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office to meet with him. The request was denied on October 17, 2017 based on limitations regarding the convicted prisoners due to Law on the Execution of Criminal and Security Measures Number 5275. With this latest decline meeting requests with Öcalan have been denied for the 695st time.
PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s brother Mehmet Öcalan and sister Fatma Öcalan also submitted visiting requests on October 16, 2017. The request was denied on October 17, 2017 due to same reason.
(10/204) Police Intervention Towards ‘‘I Want My Job Back’’ demonstrations in Ankara…
Civil servants discharged from their jobs with Statuary Decree’s planned for press meetings in front of the Human Rights Monument in Ankara Yüksel Street on October 16, 2017. Demonstrations of the group has been going on for several weeks. Two meetings planned at 13.00 and 18.00 respectively were both prevented by the police forces who clocked entrance to the street by barriers.
During the intervention towards the meeting at 13.30, 3 people (İlker Işık, Sultan Aydoğdu and Aleyna Sert) and during the 18.00 meeting, 6 people (Acun Karadağ, Veli Saçılık, Turgut Türksoy, İlker Işık, Simge Aksam and Gülnaz Bozkurt) were physically abused and detained.
10 people in total were detained during the demonstration of October 16, 2017. All detainees were released within the same day.
(10/205) Police Intervention Towards Demonstrations Against Bill Enabling Muftis Performing Civil Marriage…
On October 17, 2017 members of Ankara Womens Platform gathered in front of the Turkish Parliament building to organize a press briefing about the bill in Parliament enabling Muftis performing civil marriage. Police officers intervened the meeting, physically abused and detained 11 women. Names of the detained women are: Gülşah Öztürk, Nebiye Merttürk, Ayşen Ece Kavas, Meziyet Yıldız, Buse Uçar, Selda Alpay, Tülay Devrim, Melike Ada and Aysun Gençtan.
(10/206) Police Intervention Towards Demonstration in İstanbul…
It is learned that on October 16, 2017 students and parents, who gathered in front of Şişli Industry Vocational High School demonstrating against the demolition of the school, were physically abused by police officers intervening. It is learned that one graduate student was detained.
The school has 60 hectares of land and is a prominent and modern institution also is one of the schools with largest green space. The Project in motion plans for a shopping mall to be built on 47 hectares, leaving 13 hectares for the school.
(10/207) Detention and Arrests…
7 of 16 people including HDP Narlıdere Co-chair Filiz Dursun detained in Izmir on October 5, 2017 were arrested on October 16, 2017 due to ‘insulting the President’ trough their social media posts and ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’. Names of the detainees are: Filiz Dursun, Ali Özer, Zihni Demir, Serkan Demir, Metin Acar, Basri Karaman and Rıdvan Sonvur.
4 people previously detained through the same investigation were released after processing in the Police Station. 5 people are reportedly remaining in detention.
(10/208) Detentions and Arrests in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
It is learned that 15 regular soldiers and one person named A.B. trying to illegally enter Bulgaria through Edirne were detained on October 16, 2017.
It is learned that spouse and daughter of detained US Consulate employee N.M.C. were released with judiciary control condition by the court they were transferred to on October 16, 2017. They were detained in Merzifon district of Amasya on October 7, 2017.
(10/209) Trials in Muğla for Commemoration of October 10 Massacre…
The final trial of 21 people took place on October 16, 2017. The case was opened by Muğla Penal Court of First Instance based on defendant’s attendance to a demonstration in Muğla’s Datça district to protest October 10 Ankara massacre. The court sentenced 11 people to 1 years 3 months due to ‘insulting the President’. The court changed the imprisonment into a fine of 77 thousand TLs in total for 11 defendants. The court deferred the announcement of the verdict concerning 10 defendants.
(10/210) Trials for Demonstrations Against April 16 Constitutional Referendum in İzmir…
The trial of 24 people for the case opened by Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 33 started on October 16, 2017. Defendants were accused of ‘insulting the President’, ‘violating the law on meetings and demonstrations’, ‘insulting sovereignty of the state’ by attending the ‘No, it’s not over’ demonstrations in İzmir. The court accepted the attorneys of the President’s involvement in the case. The court also overruled the demand of the attorneys of the defendants that the demand of the attorneys of the President should be delivered to Constitutional Court and the Court should rule according to the verdict of the Constitutional Court. The court adjourned the trial to January 15, 2018.
(10/211) Trials of Attorneys in Adana …
The trial of 10 attorneys including Adana Bar President Veli Küçük started on October 16, 2017. The case was opened by Adana Heavy Penal Court No 10. Following the defenses the court ruled for release of all 10 defendants.
On April 17, 2017, 10 attorneys refused their bags to be searched by police officers and tension rise between two parties. Later a case was filed against attorneys due to ‘preventing public servant from functioning’ and ‘harming public property’ requesting up to 9 years of penalties.
(10/212) Trial of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça …
It is learned on October 16, 2017 a committee from Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court went to Ankara Numune Hospital to hear the defense of Nuriye Gülmen who has been on a hunger strike for 222 days. Gülmen was dischsarged from her job with a Statuary Decree and she is on hunger strike for 22 days. Gülmen is kept in prisoner’s ward of the hospital. It is reported that during the meeting where Gülmen’s attorneys were also present, she declared she would not testify under this circumstances and she would speak and tell why she is on a hunger strike if she is released and allowed to come to the court.
The third trial of Nuriye Gülmen’s case was adjourned to October 20, 2017. However, Numune Hospital stated that even with required medical equipment within the court room it would risk Gülmen’s life to go to the courtroom.
(10/213) Trial of Former Adana Bar President…
The trial of former Adana bar president Mengücek Gazi Çıtırık took place on October 16, 2017. The case was opened by Adana Heavy Penal Court No 13 based on the accusation of ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’ due to several speeches Çıtırık made. Following the defenses the court adjourned the trial to a further date.
(10/214) Writer on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of Kurdish Writer Association and KURD-PEN member Hasip Kılıç started on October 16, 2017. The case was opened by Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 10 due to alleged ‘membership of an illegal organization’. Yanlıç attended the trial and made his defense in Kurdish. Following the defenses the court ruled for the release of Yanlıç with judiciary control condition and adjourned the trial date to January 2018.
Hasip Yanlıç was arrested on July 12, 2017 based on the lectures he gave in BDP Politics Academy and Education Houses.
(10/215) Trials in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
The final trial of 3 military officers took place on October 16, 2017. The case was opened by İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 based on the allegation of officers bringing Air Force Academy students to İstanbul during July 15 Coup attempt. The court sentenced 3 defendants to life sentences due to ‘attempting to overthrow the constitutional order’.
The final trial of Ergün Yiğiter, accused of leaking questions of the military staff test, took place on October 16, 2017. The court sentenced Yiğiter to 9 years due to ‘membership of an illegal organization’.
The trial of A.D. who was discharged from service with a Statuary Decree continued on October 16, 2017. The case was opened by Ankara heavy Penal Court No 23. A.D. declared that he wishes to benefit from penitence clause and made confessions. The court ruled for the release of A.D. with judiciary control condition and adjourned the trial to a further date.
(10/216) Amount of Compensation Paid for Unlawful Search, Unlawful Detention and Unlawful Arrest…
CHP İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu submitted a parliamentary question for Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım to answer, regarding the amount of compensations paid to citizens for unlawful search, unlawful detention and unlawful arrests during 2015 and 2016. Ministry of Justice Management of Law answered the question and stated that for 2 thousand 197 cases in 2015, 39.246.150 TL and for 2 thousand 130 cases in 2016, 22.055.306 TL was paid.
[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, ETHA, Dihaber, Yurt, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, Ntv, Bianet.org, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Özgür Radyo, Sendika.org, El Cezire,BBC, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar.