Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 February 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/249) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2021 that, 15 HPG militants died in air and land operations of Turkish Armed Forces within “Claw Eagle 2” operation to Gara area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government between February 10 and 14, 2021.
(02/250) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2021 that, İ. A., a prisoner in Antalya Elmalı T Type Prison, was subjected to physical violence of the correction officers because of rejecting to stand up during roll-calls. It is stated in the news reports that İ. A. was subjected to physical violence of other prisoners in the ward too. It is reported that İ. A. has fractures in his cheekbone, chin and ribs due to violence. Human Rights Association (IHD) Antalya branch made a visit to İ. A. and prepared a report stating the following: “[İ. A.] states that, after 2-days of solitary cell confinement for he rejected to stand up during roll-calls; he was taken to the sub-manager’s room and was asked whether he persists in his rejection and was responded as ‘Then I am sending you to another ward. You can insist on your attitude there’. (…) Then he states that, he felt the hostile environment in this new ward immediately, and in a short while he was dragged to the restroom area of the ward by 2 prisoners, and was attacked there which resulted in fractures in cheekbone. He states that he banged the ward door for help and asked to be taken out, but nobody came for a long while and when the officers came and took him out, he was severely beaten in the aisle. He was put in a solitary with broken ribs and chin, and he had bruises all over his body. He was taken to Elmalı Public Hospital the next day, and he was then referred to Antalya Research and Training Hospital where the doctors told him that he was almost dying. Then he states that, he had a surgery on January 20, and was kept for a night in Antalya L Type Prison after the operation where itself was felt as a torture; he was in post-operation condition with high-fever and was kept in a small cell without any bed, was not visited by any doctors of health personnel and was not given any painkillers and antifebrile. He also states that he was not treated after being taken back to Elmalı.” The report also includes the declaration of prison administration which states the following: “It was declared that, the prisoner rejected the roll-call and his ward was altered because of this; he was beaten by other prisoners and while he was taken out of this ward towards a solitary cell, he threw himself on the floors, and injured himself by hitting his head to the walls; the officers used proportional force against him since he was resisting, and it is out of question that he was beaten by officers”.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2021 that, 2 prisoners (Ekrem Muhammed Hennan Hamudi and Yücel Balyacı) in Antalya Alanya L Type Prison, were subjected to disciplinary proceedings for they submitted to the prison administration that they were to participate in the hunger strike to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. It is learned that 2 prisoners were penalised with 11 days of solitary cell confinement which was first cancelled by Alanya Court of Execution but was approved by Alanya Penal Court.
(02/251) Police Prevention to Protest About Hunger Strikes in Prison…
The police prevented the press declaration at Human Rights Monument in Bağlar district of Diyarbakır on February 17, 2021; which was held to draw attention to indefinite hunger strikes that started on November 27, 2020 in prisons to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. It is learned that the police prevented the group from entering the park and the group had a sit-in protest.
(02/252) Police Prevention to a Protest in Diyarbakır…
The police prevented the human-chain protest of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Women’s Assembly and Free Women’s Movement (TJA) as a part of “Justice for All”, at Dağkapı Square of Sur district of Diyarbakır on February 17, 2021.
(02/253) Detained HDP Executives in Yalova…
On February 14, 2021, 8 people (provincial executives of HDP) were detained in Yalova. 5 of them are arrested by the court and 3 of them are released on judicial control conditions on February 17, 2021.
(02/254) Detained HDP Executives in Batman…
HDP’s provincial co-chairs Fatma Ablay and Ömer Kulpu, and central district co-chair Gurbet Doğan who were detained after the police raid to HDP offices in Batman on February 15, 2021; are released by the court on judicial control conditions on February 17, 2021.
(02/255) Detained People in Mardin…
13 people who were detained in Mardin on February 15, 2021 are released by the court on February 17, 2021.
(02/256) Detained People in Şırnak…
2 of 34 people who were detained in several districts of Şırnak on February 15, 2021 are arrested by the court on February 17, 2021. It is learned that 25 people are released while 7 people are still under custody.
(02/257) Detained People in Van…
28 people who were detained in Van are released after statement procedures on February 17, 2021.
(02/258) Detained People in Ağrı…
2 of 28 people who were detained in Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı are arrested by the court, 26 people are released on February 17, 2021.
(02/259) Detained People for Social Media Posts in Erzurum…
4 people (Merhas Gündüz, Devrim Gündüz, Necati Bülbül and Cengiz Çetin) who were detained for social media posts, in Karayazı district of Erzurum on February 15, 2021 are released after statement procedures on February 17, 2021.
(02/260) The Case Against Diyarbakır Bar Association Executive Board Former Members…
The trial of the case against 11 lawyers (Ahmet Özmen, Mahsum Bati, Nuşin Uysal Ekinci, Cihan Ülsen, Sertaç Buluttekin, Muhammet Neşet Girasun, Serhat Eren, İmran Gökdere, Velat Alan, Ahmet Dağ and Nahit Eren), members of previous executive board of Diyarbakır Bar Association, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 13 on February 17, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 11 lawyers on the charges of violating Article 216 (provoking hatred and hostility among people) and Article 301 (degrading Turkish Nation, State of Turkish Republic, the organs and institutions of the State) of Turkish Penal Code. Lawyers are charged for the expression “Armenian Genocide” stated in the Bar Association’s declaration on April 24, 2017; the expression “Kurdistan” in anther declaration and the report on killing of a civilian in Oğul village of Hakkari.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to June 25, 2021.
(02/261) Actors on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against actors Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen, on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in their expressions in Public Arena programme on Halk TV channel on December 21, 2018; is held at Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of First Instance No 8 on February 17, 2021.
The indictment demands Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen to be sentenced to 4 years and 8 months each.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to March 1, 2021.
(02/262) Person on Trial in Batman…
The trial of the case against TJA activist Mekiye Ormancı is held at Batman Heavy Penal Court No 2 on February 17, 2021.
After defence hearings the court released Mekiye Ormancı and adjourned the trial.
Mekiye Ormancı was arrested on October 9, 2018.
(02/263) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that access to https://umutgazetesi19.org, https://raperinagel21.com, https://ydgenclik3.net, https://yenidemokrasi13.net websites are banned on the grounds of “protection of national security and public order” by Diyarbakır Penal Court of Peace No 2 on February 16, 2021.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2021 that https://nuceciwan69.com website was banned to access by Osmaniye Penal Court of Peace No 1 on February 5, 2021 and https://nuceciwan70.com website was banned to access by Maraş Penal Court of Peace No 2 on February 10, 2021 on the grounds of “protection of national security and public order”.
It is learned from the news coverage of February 17, 2021 that https://ahval.me website was banned to access by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 6, https://partizanmim13 website was banned to access by Adana Penal Court of Peace No 5, https://alinteri1.org website was banned to access by Diyarbakır Penal Court of Peace No 3 and https://yenidemokrasi12.net website was banned to access by Bursa Penal Court of Peace No 2, on February 3, 2021 on the grounds of “protection of national security and public order”.
(02/264) Ban of Events in Van…
Van Governorate made a declaration on February 17, 2021 and announced that, all open-door meetings and demonstrations are banned for 15 days as of February 18, 2021. All events are banned in Van for 1564 days since November 21, 2016.
(02/265) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On February 17, 2021, 30 people are detained in house raids in Istanbul.
(02/266) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 86 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 649 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on February 17, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 7,325.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 27,738 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,609,389 as of February 17, 2021.
[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.