Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 April 2018 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/199) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from news coverage of April 17, 2018 that 3 militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Sason district of Batman on April 16, 2018.
(04/200) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from news coverage of April 17, 2018 that Yürüyüş journal employee Ebru Yeşilırmak was not taken from Sincan Prison to hospital but not taken to the hospital because she covered the camera in the transfer vehicle. And it is also learned that she was injured at wrists and hands due to being forced to get off the vehicle in handcuffed position. Ebru Yeşilırmak was shot by the police in Gazi neighbourhood of Istanbul, while she was distributing Yürüyüş journal; and after being treated she was arrested. It is reported that Ebru Yeşilırmak needs medical treatment because of lung problems but her right to treatment was being prevented.
(04/201) Rejection of Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on April 10, 2018 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of limitations for prisoners in accordance with the law on the execution of sentences and security measures (law no 5275). With the last rejection, it was the 747th time that appeals for visiting Öcalan have been rejected so far. Abdullah Öcalan has met his lawyers on July 27, 2011 for the last time.
(04/202) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling for a while to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on April 17, 2018 at 13.30 and 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on April 17, 2018, 4 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Acun Karadağ, Mehmet Dersulu and Deniz Yılmaz) and at 18.00 8 people (Nazan Bozkurt, Selvi Polat, Mahmut Konuk, Deniz Yılmaz, Mert İmeci, Aleyna Sert, Ecem Polat, and Tolga Yurtaşan) were detained.
Thus in total 12 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on April 17, 2018. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(04/203) Detained Journalists in Istanbul…
Adil Demirci, 1 of 3 journalists detained in Istanbul on April 12, 2018 through an investigation against Etkin News Agency editors and reporters is arrested by the court on April 17, 2018 for ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’. It is learned that Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayıp are still under custody.
(04/204) Preventions and Interventions Against May 1 Preparations…
10 of 22 members of Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), Socialist Women’s Council (SKM) and Socialist Youth Associations’ Federation (SGDF) who were detained while distributing leaflets about May 1, in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on April 13, 2018, are arrested by the court on April 17, 2018. 12 people are released on juridical control conditions. The names of arrestees are: ESP central council member Şahin Tümüklü, Ali Karaçay, Serkan Zorlu, Özge Doğan, Deniz Çokgül, Samet Koç, Ali Aykul, Hüseyin İldan, İlkay Oflaz and People’s Democratic Congress Istanbul co-spokesperson Gülçin Aykul.
(04/205) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened against workers who protest the company for not paying their wages and detained 7 workers. It is learned that detainees were released the same day after procedures at the prosecutor’s office.
(04/206) Trial of İhsan Eliaçık…
The final trial of the case against author İhsan Eliaçık on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26, for his articles on a website and his speeches, is held on April 17, 2018. After defence hearings the court sentenced İhsan Eliaçık to 6 years and 3 months for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’. The court also put a ban on leaving the country, a ban on leaving Istanbul and probation rules (visiting police station twice a week).
(04/207) Trial of Suavi…
The final trial of the case against singer Mehmet Suavi Saygan on Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 33, for a speech he made in an event in Izmir is held on April 17, 2018. After defence hearings the court sentenced Suavi to 11 months and 20 days for ‘insulting the President’ and converted the penalty to 14 thousand Turkish liras of fine.
(04/208) Trial of Ayşe Hür…
The final trial of the case against historian Ayşe Hür on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24, for her social media post (“I have declared repeatedly: PKK is not a terrorist organisation, it is a guerrilla/people’s movement which commonly uses terror”), is held on April 17, 2018. The court sentenced Ayşe Hür to 1 year and 3 months for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and postponed the sentence.
(04/209) Trial of Journalists in Istanbul…
The case against Fatih Polat, Evrensel newspaper executive editor, on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2, for a news report (“High school student is detained during the class”) published in the newspaper on the grounds that ‘publishing the identity on a periodical’ started to be held on April 17, 2018. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to September 6, 2018.
(04/210) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On April 17, 2018, 3 former police chiefs (2 are dismissed by the state of emergency decree and 1 retired) in Sivas and 25 people in Bitlis are detained.
3 people detained through an Adana based investigation are arrested by the court on April 17, 2018.
1 person detained in Samsun is arrested by the court on April 17, 2018.
(04/211) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against 14 former soldiers on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14 is held on April 17, 2018. The court sentenced 12 defendants to heavy life sentence for ‘violating the Constitution’. The court also sentenced defendants to differing jail penalties for ‘restriction of freedom by using force and threatening and manipulating’, ‘violation of residence immunity at night by using force’, ‘hijacking or seizing of aircraft’, ‘blocking communication’, ‘hijacking and seizing of aircraft and land vehicles’.
The final trial of the case against Mehmet Oğuz Kaya, former general secretary of Constitutional Court, on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 21 is held on April 17, 2018. The court sentenced Oğuz Kaya to 10 years for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The final trial of the case against 19 former soldiers (including 14 arrestees) on Gaziantep Heavy Penal Court No 10, for the incidents occurred in Silopi Special Forces Operational Base during July 15 coup attempt, is held on April 17, 2018. The court sentenced 14 defendants to heavy life penalty for ‘violating the constitution’ and acquitted 5 defendants.
The final trial of the case against Alettin Duman on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 15, for being confidential imam of Malaysia is held on April 17, 2018. The court sentenced Alettin Duman to 18 years for ‘leading an illegal organisation’.
The final trial of the case against Hakan Taş on Kırşehir Heavy Penal Court is held on April 17, 2018. The court sentenced Hakan Taş to 18 years for ‘leading an illegal organisation’.
[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.