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19 April 2022 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

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

19 April 2022 Daily Human Rights Report

(04/221) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Van…

It is learned from the news coverage of April 18, 2022 that, 2 people (Gani Kaya and Celalettin Yalçın) who were detained in Saray district of Van on April 15, 2022 on the grounds of attempting to illegally cross to Iran, were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

2 people are released by the court on judicial control conditions on April 18, 2022.

Gani Kaya stated the following to the press: “The soldiers caught us at the border. We were subjected to torture of infantry soldiers (A. U. N., N. G. and B. K.) that we have learned their names later. These people hit me over the head with their gun butts and boots. At that time, I had bleeding in my head and swelling on my back. The infantry soldiers, whose name I have mentioned, damaged my ribs by using gun stocks and kicking them. After beating me, they also beat my friend Yalçın. While the infantry soldiers were laying me on my face, an infantry soldier, whom I could not see, lifted a stone of about 5 or 6 kilograms that he had found on the ground and hit me hard on my back. My back still hurts from this. Then they picked me up from the ground and started punching me in the face and on my lips. As a result, my lip and face started to bleed (…) These soldiers stripped us so that only our underwear were on, and they harshly said that we should enter the creek bed in front of us and wipe the blood on our faces. They said to us, “If you don’t wipe it, we won’t get you out of this cold water”. Yalçın and I went into the creek and cleaned the blood on our face and head. Afterwards, we started walking towards a tower where the personnel who beat us were staying. While walking on the road, we were subjected to beating and torture. When we came to the tower, the soldiers who used violence against said, ‘When the gendarmerie squads came, you will say you fell from the mountain, you slipped and fell into the creek’ and threatened us.”

(04/222) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Izmir Repatriation Center…

It is learned from the news coverage of April 18, 2022 that, approximately 100 Afghan immigrants and asylum seekers were subjected to torture and ill-treatment in Izmir Repatriation Center, and they were forced to sign or put their thumbprint on the “voluntary return documents”.

Izmir Bar Association announced that some of those held in Izmir Removal Center were interviewed by an executive board member of the association on April 18, 2022 and stated the following: It was reported that the Repatriation Center was visited by Afghanistan Consulate officials and foreigners who do not have a passport were asked to sign the documents to be issued in order to deport them to Afghanistan. Some of the immigrants and asylum seekers told that they were forced to print their fingers even though they did not want to sign these documents, that they were not allowed to use right to phone and that they were isolated; and that the gendarmerie officials who are assigned to protect the center from outer threats were in the center during that time.”

(04/223) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…

It is learned from the news coverage of April 18, 2022 that, Hasan Aşa, an ill prisoner in Diyarbakır, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment of the correction officers with whom he had an argument for not being given his treatment, and his both arms were broken by torture.

(04/224) Interventions and Preventions Against 1 May Events…

The police intervened the press declaration about 1 May International Labour Day, in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on April 18, 2022, organized by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK); and detained 26 people including HDP provincial co-chair and HDK’s co-spokespersons, by using physical violence and handcuffing them behind their backs. It is learned that the police used physical violence to force the journalists away the area. Detained people are released after statement procedures on the same day.

Detained people are: HDK co-spokespersons Esengül Demir and Cengiz Çiçek, HDP provincial co-chair Ferhat Encü, Tarık Oruç, Atilla Özdoğan, Nuri Cemal Çilingir, Mehmet Karadağ, Sinan Gökçe, Besra İşsever, Nezir Demirci, Mehmet Sait Bor, Yavuz Okçuoğlu, Hüseyin Şengül, Mahmut Halis, Adnan Alin, Hakan Dilmeç, Sakine Güneş, Ramazan Yurttapan, Hasan Ergül, Erkan Tepeli, Hüseyin Mesut Çelebioğlu, Roni Gören, Aynur Tokmaktepe, Gurbet Aydoğan, Sedat Şenoğlu, Fatma İnce.

(04/225) Investigation for Justice Watch in Urfa…

It is learned that, Urfa Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against Emine Şenyaşar for her justice watch in front of Urfa Courthouse, and that she was taken to the Provincial Security Directorate as she was continuing her justice watch on April 18, 2022. On June 14, 2018, Justice and Development Party Urfa MP candidate İbrahim Halil Yıldız and his personal guards had a quarrel with shopkeepers in Suruç district of Urfa which resulted in death of Emine Şenyaşar’s husband Hacı Esved Şenyaşar and her sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar. It is reported that this has been the fifteenth investigation Emine Şenyaşar for her justice watch so far.

(04/226) Detentions Related to Newroz Celebrations…

On April 15, 2022 for 66 people were detained through the investigation of Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office on Newroz celebration in the city. 25 people are released after statement procedures at the police on April 18, 2022. 2 people (Recep Atan and Enver Güler) are arrested.  The number of arrestees through this investigation raised to 4, while 62 people are released provided that 5 of them will be on judicial control conditions.

(04/227) İHD Co-Chair on Trial…

The final trial of the case against Öztürk Türkdoğan, co-chair of the Human Rights Association (IHD), on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation’ is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19 on April 19, 2022. The court acquitted Öztürk Türkdoğan due to lack of evidence.

(04/228) İHD Ankara Branch Co-Chair on Trial…

The trial of the case against Fatin Kanat, Human Rights Association (İHD) Ankara branch co-chair, on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held at Ankara Heavy penal Court No 25 on April 19, 2022. The court adjourned the trial to September 6, 2022.

(04/229) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…

The trial of the case against Hatice Şahin, reporter of Yeni Yaşam newspaper, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on January 26, 2022. The indictment demands sentence for Hatice Şahin on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court adjourned the trial to May 11, 2022.

(04/230) Decision of Non-Prosecution Regarding the Death of a Syrian Citizen…

It is learned that Kızıltepe Public Prosecutor’s Office stated non-prosecution on April 18, 2022 in the investigation about the death of Ridwan Îd Numan El Ehmed, who was allegedly caught by the soldiers while he was trying to cross to Turkey and was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and was then thrown back to the Syrian side. Mardin Public Prosecutor’s Office has sent the file to Kızıltepe Public Prosecutor’s Office on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction.

(04/231) Ban of Access to Web Contents…

It is learned that two contents about journalist Serpil Yılmaz’s article, published on https://www.sozcu.com.tr and https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr websites are banned to access by Istanbul Beykoz Penal Court of Peace on April 18, 2022.

(04/232) Covid-19 Pandemic…

The Ministry of Health declared that 19 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 4,542 as of April 18, 2022.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 98,587 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 14,999,479 as of April 18, 2022.

[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, 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.