Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
19 – 21 October 2019 Daily Human Rights Report
(10/223) Military Operation to North and East Syria…
Within the military operation of Turkish Armed Forces to north and east Syria;
Ministry of National Defence made a declaration on October 20, 2019 and announced that 1 soldier (Sefa Fındık) died in Tel- Abyad city.
Amnesty International made a declaration on October 18, 2019 and according to interviews with health professionals in north Syria, announced that at least 218 civilians including 18 children died between October 9 and 17, 2019; and according to the information given by Turkish officials on October 15, 2019, 18 civilians died and 150 civilians got wounded since the beginning of the operation. It is also stated in the declaration that, Hevrin Xalef, general secretary of Syria Future Party who died in an attack to a civilian convoy in Tel-Abyad city on October 12, 2019, was “dragged out of her car, beaten and shot dead in cold blood by fighters from Ahrar al-Sharqiya”. It is also stated in the declaration that Ahrar al-Sharqiya fighters also captured and then killed at least 9 people, and abducted 2 civilians of whom whereabouts remain unknown. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey made a declaration on October 20, 2019 and said “We totally reject the unfounded allegations in Amnesty International’s report on Operation Peace Spring”.
(10/224) Interventions and Detentions Related to Reactions Against Military Operation to North and East Syria…
3 of 10 people who were detained in house raids in Adana on October 16, 2019, on the grounds of social media posts about Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria, are arrested by the court on the charge of ‘inciting hatred and hostility among public’ on October 18, 2019. The names of arrested people are unknown.
It is learned that Can Çıldır and Ali Düzkün, 2 members of Revolutionary Forces of Youth (Dev-Güç) who were detained after occupying Republican People’s Party (CHP) Şişli district office to protest Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria, and Revolutionary Party deputies Murat Pircan and Gamze Taşçı and party member Nüpelda Çelik who were detained in house raids in Istanbul on October 17, 2019, are referred to the court on October 18, 2019. 3 people (Can Çıldır, Ali Düzkün and Gamze Taşçı) are arrested by the court on the charge of ‘preventing the activities of a political party by the use of force’, and 2 people are released on judicial control conditions.
Socialist Women’s Assemblies central executive board member Satiye Ok, Free Young Women member Helin Yağmur and Socialist Youth Associations Federation member Sedat Türlü and Kurdistan Communist Party member Yaşar Kazıcı who were are detained in house raids in Diyarbakır on October 17, 2019, are released on October 19, 2019. It is learned from the news reports that Satiye Ok was subjected to sexual abuse and threats of sexual assault of the police during detention and the police broke the door, forced her to lay down on the ground, handcuffed her behind the back she was subjected to physical and verbal violence of the police. Helin Yağmur stated the following: “We were tortured for 2 hours. We were threatened by being raped, our faces were hit by clubs. I was abused with a gunstock. They stole my money from my wallet.”
People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Birecik district co-chair Ömer Karadağ who was detained in house raids in Urfa on October 18, 2019, on the grounds of social media posts about Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria, is released on judicial control conditions on the same day.
It is learned that 2 people (Osman Demir and Barış Erişen) are detained in house raids in Diyarbakır on October 18, 2019, on the grounds of social media posts about Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria.
Mücadele Birliği newspaper reporter Özlem Oral who was detained in Istanbul on October 19, 2019, on the grounds of social media posts about Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria, is released with a ban on leaving Istanbul on October 20, 2019.
The press declaration to be held by HDP in Yenişehir district of Diyarbakır to protest Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria is prevented by the police blocking the area and all the ways around.
Istanbul Security Directorate stated on October 20, 2019 that 14 people are detained on the grounds of social media posts about Turkish Armed Forces operation to North and east Syria. The names of detained people are unknown.
(10/225) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from the news coverage of October 19, 2019 that, 1 HPG militant died in a clash between security forces and militants in rural areas of central district of Şırnak on October 17, 2019.
It is learned that 1 soldier died and 2 soldiers got wounded in an attack to a military patrol car in Çaldıran district of Van on October 18, 2019.
It is learned that 1 soldier died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in Şemdinli district of Hakkari on October 20, 2019.
It is learned that 1 soldier died and 5 soldiers got wounded in an attack to a military patrol car in Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı on October 20, 2019.
(10/226) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on October 18, 2019 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s sister and brother and tutelary along with the families of Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysel Aktaş in order to visit, was rejected the same day on the grounds of limitations for prisoners in accordance with the Law on the Execution of Criminal and Security Measures Number 5275.
(10/227) 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 1076 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on October 18, 19, and 20, 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 October 18, 2019, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 2 people (Mahmut Konuk and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on October 19, 2019, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Acun Karadağ) and at 18.00 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Merve Demirel) were detained.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on October 20, 2019, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Alev Şahin) and at 18.00 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Alev Şahin) were detained.
Thus in total 12 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on October 18, 19, and 20, 2019. It is learned detained people were released on the same days they were detained.
(10/228) Prevention of Saturday Mothers’ Protest in Istanbul…
Police obstructed all the streets around Galatasaray Square in Istanbul to prevent Saturday Mothers who rally every Saturday for 23 years in the same place to gather for the 760th time on October 19, 2019. Upon police prevention, the group including representatives of political parties, human rights defenders and artists along with families of disappeared people held a press declaration on the street of Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul office.
(10/229) Prevention of Human Rights Defenders’ Event in Istanbul…
“F sit-in”, which is organized for the 395th time by Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Prison Watch Committee, to demand release of ill prisoners, on October 19, 2019, is prevented by the police. The police obstructed all the streets around Galatasaray Square. Human rights defenders made the press declaration in front of IHD Istanbul office.
(10/230) Police Intervention to a Protest in Adana…
The police intervened the “Democracy Meeting” organized by HDP in Uğur Mumcu Square in Adana on October 18, 2019 and detained 9 people. It is learned that detained people were released on the same day. The names of detained people are: HDP provincial co-chairs Mehmet Mahsun Eriğ and Gülseren Tural, People’s Democratic Congress (HDK) provincial assembly spokesperson Uğur Bayrak, HDP Çukurova district co-chair Hasan Biber, HDP provincial executives Mehmet Zeki Eren, Remzi Celp and Nimet Sezgin, HDP members Hanifi Tabancı and Cemil Kaya.
(10/231) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration organized by HDP in front of Ankara office of the party to protest governorate’s ban on “Democracy Meeting” on October 19, 2019. It is learned that HDP co-chair Sezai Temelli, HDK co-spokesperson Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit and HDP MP’s were encircled by the police. It is learned that 3 people were injured due to intervention.
(10/232) Police Intervention to a Protest in Van…
The police intervened the “Democracy Meeting” organized by HDP in Van on October 19, 2019 and detained 7 people. It is learned that detained people were released on the same day. The names of detained people are: HDP Party Assembly member Yunus Durdu, Kerem Kaçmaz and Neslihan Şendal.
(10/233) Police Raid to Journalist’s House in Diyarbakır…
It is learned that journalist Nurcan Baysal’s house in Diyarbakır was raided by the police on October 19, 2019. It is learned that the reason of raid was social media posts of Nurcan Baysal who is abroad.
(10/234) Detained Co-Mayors in Van, Hakkari and Mardin…
It is learned detention period for Yıldız Çetin and Bayram Çiçek Van’s Erciş district co-mayors who were detained on October 15, 2019 is extended on October 19, 2019. Nusaybin district co-mayors Semire Nergiz and Ferhat Kurt, Hakkari co-mayor Cihan Karaman and Yüksekova district co-mayors Remziye Yaşar and İrfan Sarı who were detained through the same investigation were arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on October 17, 2019.
(10/235) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
Professor Füsun Üstel, who was sentenced by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32 to 1 year and 3 months on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”, appealed to the court after Constitutional Court’s decision on peace academicians and the court decided to acquit Füsun Üstel and to cancel the earlier verdict with its all conclusions and results.
The sentence given by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32 on April 4, 2018 to Professor Füsun Üstel was approved on February 25, 2019. Füsun Üstel was put in prison on May 8, 2019 and was released by decision of Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 33 on July 22, 2019.
447 of 808 cases against academicians for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” are resulted in acquittal as of October 21, 2019.
(10/236) Mazlum Turan Case…
Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 2 has reversed the verdict of Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 1 on April 27, 2019, which sentenced police officer Süleyman Esenboğa to 1 year 10 months and 15 days and then suspended the execution on January 18, 2019. Mazlum Turan (16) died due to the fire opened to his car, by special operations force applying road check in Kızıltepe district of Mardin on August 29, 2015, after an attack against police shuttle. It was claimed that Mazlum Turan disobeyed the stop warning for not having driving licence.
The retrial of Süleyman Esenboğa continued on October 18, 2019. The court rejected the demand for arrest of Süleyman Esenboğa and adjourned the trial to October 21, 2019.
(10/237) Prison Massacre Case…
The case against 196 people who were on duty at Gendarmerie General Command during “Operation Back to Life”, which caused death of 7 people and injury of 50 in Ümraniye Prison, is held on Istanbul Anadolu Heavy Penal Court No 6 on October 18, 2019. The operation which killed 32 people in 20 prisons in total was conducted to enable conversion of the prisons to F Type prisons and to end hunger strikes in prisons on December 19, 2000. It is learned that the prosecutor declared legal opinion on the case and demanded laps of time on the charge of ‘wilful injury and ill-treatment’ and demanded acquittal on the charge of ‘wilful killing’. The court adjourned the trial to December 3, 2019.
(10/238) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On October 18, 2019, 32 people including police officers on active duty are detained in operations covering 23 cities through an Istanbul based investigation and 8 people are detained in Ankara.
It is learned that 1 person named Osman Karaca is detained by an abroad operation of National Intelligence Service on October 19, 2019.
(10/239) Trustees Appointed to Mardin and Van…
It is learned from the news coverage of October 19, 2019 that, Ministry of Interior extended the suspension of co-mayors of Mardin and Van and assignment of Mardin governor Mustafa Yaman and Van governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez as trustees for 2 months.
(10/240) Ban of Event in Ankara…
It is learned that “Democracy Meeting” of HDP in Ankara on October 19, 2019, is banned by Ankara Governorate on October 18, 2019.
(10/241) Ban of Events in Tunceli…
Tunceli Governorate made a declaration on October 18, 2019 and announced that, on the grounds of possible protests related to Turkish Armed Forces military operation to north and east Syria, all open-door events such as demonstrations, press declarations, meetings, sit-ins, opening stands and tents, festivals, concerts, delivering leaflets and so on are banned for 30 days as of October 18, 2019.
[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.