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18 June 2019 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]

18 June Daily Human Rights Report

(06/107) Missing Person in Tunceli…

It is claimed in the news coverage of June 17, 2019 that, Engin Eroğlu, who lives in Yaylagünü village of Tunceli’s Ovacık district and who is missing since June 15, 2019, fell into Munzur River due to being hit by the open tailgate of an intercity bus.

It is stated in the news reports that a passenger of a bus from Tunceli to Istanbul recorded a video during the travel in which Engin Eroğlu is covered. The passenger states in the news reports that, one of the tailgates of the bus was broken and thus kept opening during travel, as it did during their passage by Munzur River where the driver stopped the bus to close the tailgate and then continued driving. The passenger claims that the tailgate could have been hit to Engin Eroğlu while it has opened and pushed him into Munzur River.

It is learned that the driver of the bus was detained on this claim in Istanbul, and stated that he has never seen Engin Eroğlu and has nothing to say about the claims.

(06/108) Soldier Who Was Subjected to Physical Violence in Balıkesir…

It is learned from the news coverage of June 17, 2019 that, Muhammet Süleyman Karakuş, who was on compulsory military service at Balıkesir Gendarmerie Command, was subjected to physical violence of other soldiers. It is reported that Muhammet Süleyman Karakuş has fractures around his eye due to physical violence. It is reported that Muhammet Süleyman Karakuş reported an official complaint to a police station after getting a medical report evidencing the physical violence.

Muhammet Süleyman Karakuş stated the following: “While I was getting something from my personal closet in the ward, a senior soldier punched me. I fell on the ground. And then my friends saved me there. I had a nervous breakdown due to being beaten. The sergeant on duty took me Balıkesir City Hospital, where they gave me a tranquilizer injection and then I get back to my post. In the dining hall I run into S.O., the soldier who punched me. He stood up when he saw me and I pushed him as I thought he would hit me. M.Y., who was in charge of dining hall, held me at throat and got me on the ground. M.Y. and almost 10 senior soldiers started to kick me. My friends intervened. M.Y. held my arms and Y.Y., a senior soldier punched me in the eye. I lost vision and pushed myself on the ground. My eye was bleeding. I shouted ‘give me some ice’ but they did nothing. Another commander came around and he took me to the hospital. The doctor told that I have 3 fractures around my orbital and write a report of 1-week sick leave.”

(06/109) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…

It is learned that on June 18, 2019 People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Siirt MP Sıddık Taş submitted a parliamentary question demanding a response from Abdülhamit Gül, Minister of Justice, about the violations in Elazığ High Security Prison No 2. It is stated in the parliamentary question that, prisoners who ended hunger strike are penalised with prevention of visit and phone call rights for 3 months; almost 60 prisoners including seriously ill prisoners are kept in solitary cells; prisoners are forced to stand in military order during roll-calls and those who reject to do so were subjected to physical violence; and books sent to them and Yeni Yaşam newspaper are not given to prisoners.

(06/110) 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 951 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on June 17, 2019 at 13.30, and at 18.00.

It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on June 17, 2019, 2 people (Merve Demirel and Nazan Bozkurt) and at 18.00 2 people (Merve Demirel and Nazan Bozkurt) were detained.

Thus in total 4 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on June 17, 2019. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.

(06/111) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Ankara…

The police intervened the protestors in front of Çankaya Public Health Directorate on June 17, 2019, who rally to regain their jobs from which they had been dismissed by state of emergency decrees, and detained 4 people (Mahmut Konuk, Cemal Yıldırım, Barışcan Altınok and Çağlar Karabulut). It is learned that 4 people were released the same day.

(06/112) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…

Nursel Tanrıverdi and Selvi Polat who make a sit-in protest at Bakırköy Square on June 17, 2019, to regain their jobs from which they had been dismissed by state of emergency decrees are detained by the police intervening the protest. 2 people are released on the same day.

Nursel Tanrıverdi and Selvi Polat were arrested and released 5 times by the court so far, on the charge of violating The Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911 by holding a protest in Bakırköy Square and were released by the court. They were also acquitted on 6 different cases opened against them on the same charge.

(06/113) Detained HDP Members in Adana…

On June 17, 2019, 36 people including 7 children are detained in operations covering 4 cities through an Adana based investigation against People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP). It is learned that the prosecutor’s office limited lawyer visits to detainees for 24 hours. The names of detainees known so far are: DBP Adana provincial executive Halit Şaşmaz, Bayram Ektiren, Burhan Erol, Pınar Bozan, Helbest Canel Olgaç, Muhammed Enes Sezgin, Ahmet Ay, Şahin Ayriç, Cigerxin Güven, Serhat Demir, Yasin Çiğdem, Melike Yeşil, Saadet Çelik, Berfin Doğan, Salih Filiztek, Mihriban Kılıç, Doğuş Kanter, Necla Okuducu, Barış Aydın, Nuda Doğan.

(06/114) Detained DBP Executive in Diyarbakır…

Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Diyarbakır provincial executive Cemal Alkan is detained in a house raid in Diyarbakır on June 17, 2019. The reason of detention is unknown.

(06/115) Detained People in Istanbul for Delivering Newspaper…

4 people Gülcan Taşkıran, Cansu Akkuş, Halit Kaya and Okan Karababa) who were detained for delivering “Istanbul Sokakta” newspaper during an event of 4th Resistance Days Festival organized by BEKSAV in Maltepe district of Istanbul on June 13, 2019 are released by the prosecutor’s office on June 17, 2019. 4 people were detained on the grounds of a ban on the newspaper they delivered.

(06/116) Co-Mayor on Trial…

The case against 22 people 5 of which are arrested including Derik district co-mayor Abdülkerim Erdem, on Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 4 is held on June 17, 2019. After defence hearings the court released Abdülkerim Erdem and decided to continue detention of 4 people, and adjourned the trial to September 9, 2019.

Derik district co-mayor Abdülkerim Erdem was arrested on February 26, 2016. A trustee was appointed to Derik Municipality by the Ministry of Interior on September 11, 2016.

(06/117) Lawyer on Trial in Tekirdağ…

The final trial of the case against lawyer Engin Gökoğlu, a member of Progressive Lawyers’ Association and of People’s Law Office, on the grounds of insulting wardens in Tekirdağ T Type Prison No 2, is held on Tekirdağ Penal Court of First Instance No 1 on June 17, 2019. The court acquitted Engin Gökoğlu.

Engin Gökoğlu was subjected to physical violence of the wardens in Tekirdağ T Type Prison No 2 for several times and an arm of his was broken. After being subjected to physical violence once again on November 7, 2017, right before a lawyer visit, he said “Torturing is ingloriousness. You will pay for the torture some day. The uniforms you wear do not allow you to act illegally”, addressing the security cameras around. Tekirdağ Public Prosecutor’s Office has prepared an indictment on the charge of “insulting public officers” for these words.

(06/118) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

On June 17, 2019, a detention warrant is issued for 65 people including 48 military members on duty (which involves 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant colonel and 1 major) through an investigation on Turkish Armed Forces personnel. It is learned that operations are initiated in 30 cities.

On June 17, 2019, a detention warrant is issued for 63 people on the grounds of being “confidential imams” through a Konya based investigations. 15 people are detained in operations covering 30 cities.

(06/119) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…

The final trial of the case against former lieutenant colonel Mehmet Alkan on Ankara Heavy penal Court No 27 is held on June 17, 2019. The court acquitted Mehmet Alkan.

(06/120) Ban on Events in Hakkari…

Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on June 17, 2019 and announced that all events such as demonstrations, press declarations, meetings, sit-ins and opening stands and so on are banned as of June 17, 2019 until July 17, 2019.

(06/121) Discriminative Expressions of Minister of Interior…

Süleyman Soylu, Minister of Interior, made a speech at an event of Siirt Foundation and İkizbağlar Village Association in Sultangazi district of Istanbul on June 17, 2019 and stated the following discriminative words against LGBTI+ people: “Did Ekrem İmamoğlu served as mayor in Beylikdüzü district? Did you hear anything about it? What did he do? Yes, he did, he made the emblem of the mayorship as LGBT logo. He put a monument of Makarios. This is what he did. He has gone to Nilüfer Municipality in Bursa and looked ways for having better relations with those LGBT supporters. There is a conspiracy, a trick planned over Istanbul. Do you know what was the first thing İmamoğlu did when he was elected as Beylikdüzü district mayor? He has changed the emblem of the mayorship with that of LGBT. I am telling these so that I can show who we are against, and what they want to direct our country towards”.

(06/122) Penalty to a TV Channel…

It is learned from the news coverage of June 14, 2019 that Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) decided to cease the broadcasting of Fox Life channel, and penalised the channel to a fine, on the grounds of “disregarding national and moral values, negatively effecting physical and psychological development of children and youth”, by broadcasting the show ‘Jane the Virgin’ which involves homosexual relations.

[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.

[2]To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.

[3]https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT

[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari

[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, YeniYaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, T724, 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.