Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 October 2017 Daily Human Rights Report
(10/217) State of Emergency Extended for the 5th Time…
The proposal to extend the State of Emergency (OHAL) for 3 more months effective as October 19, 2017 has been accepted by the Parliament on October 17, 2017. This is the 5th extension of OHAL which was declared on July 20, 2017 following the coup attempt on July 15, 2017.
(10/218) Bomb Attack in Mersin…
Government Spokesperson Bekir Bozdağ declared that 18 people including 17 police officers were injured during the bomb attack in Mersin’s Yenişehir district on October 17, 2017. A bomb attack occurred during the vehicle carrying police officers was passing. It is learned that injuries of the wounded are not critical. Mersin Penal Court of Peace No 1 implemented a broadcast ban on the issue following the request of Mersin Public Prosecution.
(10/219) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
On October 18, 2017 a prisoner named Welat Duman from Osmaniye Type T prison declared on his letter to press that 30 prisoners were given solitary confinement punishment for 30 days because they protested cameras placed in the wards. The letter also revealed that prisoners transferred from Muş Type T prison were physically abused at prison entrance and prisoners were restrained from their social and cultural rights.
(10/220) Trials of Human Rights Defenders…
The indictment of 11 human rights defenders prepared by Istanbul Public Prosecution Office has been accepted by the İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No 35. The case was opened regarding the human rights organizations meeting on July 5, 2017 in İstanbul Büyükada. 9 of 11 human rights activists are already arrested. The first trial will take place in Istanbul Çağlayan Court on October 25, 2017.
The indictment requests up to 15 years sentences for 11 human rights defenders for ‘membership of an illegal organization’ and ‘committing crimes on behalf of an illegal organization despite not being a member’.
It is learned that Amnesty International Turkey Chair Taner Kılıç’s case has been also added to this case. Kılıç has been arrested since June 2017.
On July 5, 2017 10 human rights defenders were detained in İstanbul Büyükada during a meeting. Their detention periods were extended to 14 days and they were sent to court on July 12, 2017. The court ruled for the arrests of Amnesty International Turkey Director İdil Eser, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly member Özlem Dalkıran, Günal Kurşun and Veli Acu from Human Rights Agenda Association, Swedish citizen Ali Garawi and German citizen Peter Steudner. The court ruled for the releases of Nalan Erkem from Helsinki Citizens Assembly, Nejat Taştan from Equal Rights Watch Association, and Şeyhmus Özbekli from Rights Initiative, with judiciary control conditions.
On July 21, 2017 prosecution objected the release of four human rights defenders and warrant of arrests were issued for these four people. İlknur Üstün and Nalan Erkem were arrested on July 23, 2017 and Nejat Taştan and Şeyhmus Özbekli were released with judiciary control conditions.
(10/221) Prosecution Office Declaration for torture Allegations in Tarsus Type T Prison…
It is learned from news coverage of October 18, 2017 that Tarsus Public Prosecution Office answered the petition submitted by Human Rights Association regarding allegations of torture and other ill-treatment towards female prisoners in Tarsus Women’s Prison. Prosecution declared that allegations of torture, ill-treatment and physical abuse did not reflect the truth and claimed that these allegations are rootless speculation aiming to damage penal institutions.
(10/222) 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 17, 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 blocked entrance to the street by barriers.
During the intervention towards the meeting at 13.30, 4 people (lker Işık, Mehmet Dersulu, Perihan Pulat ve Mustafa Elmapınar) and during the 18.00 meeting, 4 people (Veli Saçılık, Turgut Türksoy, Perihan Pulat, İlker Işık) were physically abused and detained.
In total 8 people have been detained during 17 October, 2017 attempted press briefings.
(10/223) Police Intervention Towards Demonstrations Against Bill Enabling Muftis Performing Civil Marriage…
It is learned that on October 18, 2017 police officers dispersed women gathered in Sakarya Street in Ankara to protest the suggested bill in Parliament enabling Muftis performing civil marriage. It is learned that officers used tear gas and rubber bullets, physically abused women and intervened the planned press briefing. It is also reported that police officers prevented press member from reporting the incident and deleted all footage.
Previously on October 17, 2017 11 women were physically abused and detained during a protest in front of the Parliament.
(10/224) Detention and Arrests…
It is learned that 5 formers district executives of DBP were detained during house raids on October 17, 2017 in Van.
It is learned that due to a denunciation a person named Davut Ruvanas was called to Siirt Public Prosecution office and was arrested by the court he was later sent to based on ‘aiding and abeting an illegal organization’.
2 district executives of HDP detained on October 16, 2017 in Muğla’s Marmaris district were arrested on October 17, 2017. Names of the arrested executives are: Arafat Aydoğan and Destan Ecer.
It is reported that 10 people were detained during house raids in Istanbul on October 18, 2017.
(10/225) Detentions and Arrests in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
It is learned that on October 17, 2017 through an Istanbul based investigation 14 people were detained during operations in 6 cities. Through a Muğla based investigation 12 people were detained during operations in 5 cities. Through an İzmir based investigation 35 people, through a Diyarbakır based investigation on Kimse Yok Mu Association 31 people, through a Konya based investigation 10 soldiers during operations in 3 cities were detained.
It is learned from news coverage of October 17, 2017 that principal of Pak Turkish school in Pakistan Mesut Kaçmaz was exiled and sent to Turkey along with his wife and two children on October 14, 2017. It is learned that Mesut Kaçmaz and his family were detained with sacks over their heads and the family was kept in a single room for 17 days. It is learned that Kaçmaz and his family was brought to Turkey with a private plane sent by the Turkish government. Attorney of the family declared that despite having asylum certificates issued by UNHCR, the family was still exiled.
It is learned that 10 regular soldiers detained on October3, 2017 through a Giresun based investigation, were arrested on October 17, 2017.
A candidate judge named Mithat Güneş was detained in Ankara for attempting to flee abroad through illegal ways, Güneş was later arrested on October 17, 2017
It is learned that E.K., R.B., and V.Y. were detained while attempting the flee abroad through illegal ways and E.K. and V.Y. were arrested by court on October 17, 2017. R.E. reportedly remain in detention.
(10/226) Trial of Police Officers Regarding the Death of 2 Children in Silopi…
Muharrem Yıldırım (7) and Furkan Yıldırım (6) were killed on May 3, 2017 in Şırnak’s Silopi district when a panzer demolished the wall of their house. The trial of police officer driving the vehicle Ömer Yeğit and his superior Murat Maden, continued October 17, 2017. The case was opened by Cizre Heavy Penal Court No 2. Both Murat Maden and arrested defendant Ömer Yeğit attended the trial and defendants made their defenses.
Ömer Yiğit revealed in this testimony that although he was not authorized to use such a vehicle he was assigned to the duty. Yiğit said that his superior must be held accountable for the accident. Murat Maden said District Chief of Police Selçuk Erdoğan must be held accountable for verbally ordering this mission to him.
Following the defenses prosecution asked for the release of Ömer Yeğit. Attorneys of complainant requested arrests of the both officers and addition of other police officers involved in the incident.
The court ruled for the release of Ömer Yeğit and adjourned the trial date to January 11, 2017.
(10/227) Trials of HDP MP’s…
The trial of HDP Şırnak MP started on October 17, 2017. The case was opened by İdil Penal Court of First Instance due to social media posts Encü shared during curfews in Idil between February 16, March 31 2016. Encü was accused with ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’ due to these posts. Encü attended the trial through SEGBİD from Kandıra Type F prison. Following the defenses the court adjourned the trial date to January 26, 2017.
(10/228) Trial of Peace Mother in Diyarbakır …
The trial of Peace Mother Havva Kıran (62), Mehmet Onat and Mehmet Necat Şamar started on October 17, 2017. Following the defenses the court adjourned the trial date to January 2018.
The indictment requests sentence up to 30 years 6 months for all three defendants due to ‘membership of an illegal organization’, ‘violating the law on meetings and demonstrations’, ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’.
(10/229) Journalist on Trial for ‘Insulting the President’…
The final hearing of Evrensel Newspaper Chief Editor Çağrı Sarı’s trial took plave on October 18, 2017. Sarı was on trial for his remarks in the letter titled ‘Say ‘no’ to live in peace, freely and fraternally’ he wrote in Evrensel on January 30, 2017 regarding the upcoming referendum. The case was opened by Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No 2. Following the defenses, the court sentenced Çağrı to 11 months 20 days for ‘insulting the President’ and postponed the penalty.
Çağrı Sarı was sentenced to 5 months on June 6, 2017 from another case he is on trial with Evrensel Newspaper former grant holder Arif Koşar. The court postponed that penalty as well.
(10/230) Trials in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
The final trial of Prof. Dr. Halil İbrahim Tanç took place on October 17, 2017. The case was opened by Erzurum Heavy Penal Court No 2 based on the allegation that Tanç is a ‘cleric of Ataturk University Faculty of Religious Studies’. The court sentenced Halil İbrahim Tanç to 6 years 3 months due to ‘membership of an illegal organization’.
The final trial of 5 discharged police officers and educators took place on October 17, 2017. The case was opened by Malatya Heavy Penal Court No 2. 5 people were discharged from their jobs with Statuary Decree’s. Following the defenses the court sentenced former police chiefs Hidayet Vural, Fatih Cam and police officer Talip Dartay to 6 years 3 months due to ‘membership of an illegal organization’ and ordered the release of other 2 defendants. The court took in considerations that discharged police officer E.C. and Inonu University lecturer V.A.O. benefited from effective repentance law and sentenced them to 1 years 6 months 22 days and postponed the penalty.
The final trial of a person named Ramazan Topal took place on October 17, 2017. The case was opened by Kahramanmaraş Heavy Penal Court No 2. Following the defenses the court sentenced Topal to 9 years for ‘being a member of an illegal organization’.
The trial of Çankırı District Parliamanet Chair Ruhi Şeker continued on October 17, 2017. Defendant Ruhi Şeker attended the trial. Following the defenses the court ordered the arrest of Şeker and adjourned the trial to a further date.
(10/231) Human Rights Watch Report…
HRW released a report on allegations of abduction and torture titled: In Custody Police Torture and Abductions in Turkey
The report reveals 11 torture under detention cases based on interviews with attorneys, families of prisoners and court archives. The report also reveals 5 abduction cases in Ankara and İzmir with possibility of forced disappearance.
[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.