Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 – 20 February 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/150) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 18, 2023 that 1 militant died in a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in Zap area of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on February 9, 2023.
(02/151) Earthquakes in Antep and Maraş…
According to the information recorded by Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, on February 6, 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 in Şehitkamil district of Antep which struck at 04:17 local time and an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 in Ekinözü district of Maraş which struck at 13:24 local time killed at least 41,156 people and injured 114.991 people as of February 20, 2023.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 19, 2023 that, 131 of the 329 people who were detained due to their responsibilities regarding the buildings collapsed in Antep and Maraş earthquakes were arrested, 181 were released provided that 127 of them will be on judicial control conditions and 17 people are still under custody.
(02/152) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Earthquake Region…
It is learned that a person named M. G., who was reported to have participated in search and rescue efforts in Antakya district of Hatay was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment by the police on the grounds of “looting” on February 19, 2023. It is reported that the person, who was detained and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, was released after it was understood that he participated in search and rescue efforts. M. G. stated the following to the press: “One of the police officers wanted to conduct a body search. Other policemen prevented him by saying, ‘Let’s beat him first, then we’ll search him’ (…) One of the policemen said to me, ‘God sent you. Now I will relieve my stress’. During the assault, we were taken to three or four places by the police, we were subjected to violence with handcuffs behind our backs.”
It is learned from the news coverage of February 20, 2023 that, a person whose name could not be learned was subjected to physical violence by the soldiers in the organized industrial zone where he went to get his name recorded for the aid. This person stated the following to the press: “I went to the organized industry, there was someone standing there, and before I even got out of the car, he said ‘we do not give aid’ and did not let me speak. When I said, ‘If only you had received my greetings,’ he took a stick and started attacking. Later, a military vehicle near him came, and the police also came. After the police left, the soldiers attacked us with kicks and slaps. They also damaged the car.”
(02/153) Prevention of Relief Activities in Earthquake Region…
It is learned that the stand of the Labour and Democracy Platform to collect aid for earthquake victims in Urfa on February 17, 2023 was removed by the police on the grounds of lack of district governor’s permission, and an administrative fine of 7,300 TL was imposed on one person named Fırat Ayebe who was at the stand.
It is learned that, the relief aid collected by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Güçlükonak district of Şırnak on February 17, 2023 was seized by the District Gendarmerie Command on the grounds of “being collected illegally”.
HDP made a declaration on February 17, 2023 and announced that 1500 tents, 8 trucks and 2 lorries of relief aid, 20 containers, 120 generators were seized by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.
(02/154) Police Intervention to a Protest in Izmir…
The police intervened in the sit-in protest in front of the Dokuz Eylül University Rectorate on February 17, 2023 to protest online education decision for universities due to the earthquakes, and detained 22 people by using physical violence. Detained people were released after statement procedures on the same day.
(02/155) Investigation Against Journalist…
It is learned that Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against journalist Mir Ali Koçer, on the grounds of ‘spreading misleading information to the public’ with his social media posts about the earthquakes, and that Mir Ali Koçer made his official statement to Diyarbakır Provincial Directorate of Security on February 17, 2023.
(02/156) Prosecutions and Detentions for Social Media Posts…
The General Directorate of Security announced that prosecutions were initiated against 452 people and 131 people were detained, 25 people were arrested for their social media posts about the earthquakes in Antep and Maraş, as of February 20, 2023.
(02/157) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 19, 2023 that, a person riding a motorcycle whose name could not be learned was stopped by a police armoured vehicle in Gülsuyu neighbourhood of Maltepe district of Istanbul on February 17, 2023, and this person who fell to the ground was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and was injured in the face. It is claimed in the news reports that the criminal complaint made by this person, who went to the police station after receiving a report evidencing the torture and other ill-treatment, was said, “Screw your report of assault. The police do not attack anyone without reason”.
(02/158) Person Died in Prison…
It is learned that a prisoner named Alparslan Arslan died in Istanbul Maltepe Prison on February 17, 2023. It is reported that an investigation was launched by Istanbul Anadolu Public Prosecutor’s Office about his death and the body was sent to the Forensic Medicine Institution.
(02/159) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2023 that, in the B16 ward of Diyarbakır T Type Prison No. 2, a mouse was found in the food given to the prisoners, and a prisoner was taken to the hospital due to that.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2023, the weekly phone call of a prisoner named Baki Yaş, in Tekirdağ F Type Prison No. 2 was terminated before its time because of his statements about the earthquake, and a disciplinary investigation was launched against the prisoner, which resulted in a penalty of prevention from his phone call right for 6 months.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2023, 2 prisoners named Serpil Cabadan and Elif Yaş in Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Prison were subjected to disciplinary proceedings because of their statements about the earthquake, and because talking to other visitors during a non-contact visit and they were given the penalty of prevention from visit rights for 6 months.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 18, 2023 that, the prisoners who were transferred from Maraş Türkoğlu Prison to Samsun Kavak Prison after the earthquake were subjected to torture and ill-treatment during transfer. H. Savcı, mother of one prisoner named Yaşar Savcı, stated the following to the press: “They have stopped the shuttle at one point and took them out of the vehicle. They took off their clothes, and torture them until they faint. Then put them naked in the shuttle and took to the prison. And they have tortured them there as well.”
It is learned from the news coverage of February 20, 2023 that 3 prisoners (Seyfettin Kurt, Murat Kozat and 1 more prisoner) were transferred from Karabük Prison to Samsun Kavak S Type Prison under coercion. It is learned that 3 prisoners were subjected to torture and ill-treatment at the entrance as they reject strip search.
(02/160) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on February 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, in order to visit them was not responded.
(02/161) Journalists on Trial in Ankara…
The indictment of Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office against 11 journalists including 9 arrestees, is accepted by Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 4 on February 17, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for the journalists on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation’, on the grounds of 149 news reports published by Jinnews and Mezopotamya news agencies.
11 journalists were detained on October 25, 2022 and 9 of them (Mezopotamya News Agency executive editor Diren Yurtsever, Mezopotamya News Agency reporters Berivan Altan, Deniz Nazlım, Selman Güzelyüz, Hakan Yalçın, Ceylan Şahinli and Emrullah Acar, and Jinnews reporters Habibe Eren, Öznur Değer) were arrested by the court on October 29, 2022. 2 people (Zemo Ağgöz and Mehmet Günhan) were released on judicial control conditions.
(02/162) Investigation Against Journalist…
It is learned that Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against journalist Hayri Demir on the grounds of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and that Hayri Demir made his official statement through the investigation on February 17, 2023 and was released on judicial control conditions by the court.
(02/163) Human Rights Defenders, Union and Association Executives on Trial in Van…
The trial of the case against 8 people including the Health and Social Service Employees’ Union (SES) branch co-chairs Figen Çolakoğlu and Zeki Seven and HRFT physician and Van-Hakkari Medical Chamber secretary Ayfer Bostan, HRFT physician and Van-Hakkari Medical Chamber chair Hüseyin Yaviç, who were detained by the police intervening in the press declaration held on February 8, 2022 in front of Van Research and Training Hospital on February 8, 2022, as a part of one-day-strike of health employees organized by the Turkish Medical Association, is held at Van Penal Court of First Instance No. 1 on February 17, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for 8 people on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’. After defence hearings the court decided to send the case to the prosecutor for legal opinion and adjourned the trial to March 31, 2023.
(02/164) Boğaziçi University Students on Trial…
The trial of the case against 7 students of Boğaziçi University, on the grounds of a picture depicting Kaaba at an exhibition as part of protests against the new rector appointed to the university, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 21 on February 17, 2023. The court decided to send the case to an expert committee of 3 members, consisting of a linguistics expert, a social sciences expert, and a public order and public security expert, in order to determine whether this deed is of a nature to incite the public to hatred and enmity, whether it is possible for a clear and imminent danger in terms of public security to emerge, and whether the deed is suitable for disrupting the public peace, and adjourned the trial to July 14, 2023.
[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.