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19 February 2021 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

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

19 February 2021 Daily Human Rights Report

(02/264) Abducted Persons in Ankara…

It is learned that Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) provincial executive Ali Ayduğan, Students Collective members Uğurcan Baynal and S. B. were abducted by persons reported to be police officers stopping them for general information check in 3 different points in Ankara on February 18, 2021.

It is learned that the lawyers calling Security Directorate for allegation of abduction were responded as “their names are not in detention or hospital lists”.

Ali Ayduğan who was subjected to physical violence is released in Gölbaşı district, Uğurcan Baynal who was threatened is released in Pursaklar district and S. B. who was also threatened is released in Sincan district on the same day.

Ali Ayduğan stated the following at the press declaration held at Human Rights Association (IHD) Ankara office: “They took me away from my friends, saying that they would ask some questions. Then they dragged me into the car. They kept me in the travelling car and threatened and committed physical violence for two hours. At one point we got out of Ankara city borders. They slowed down the car in a street in Gölbaşı, and saying ‘get off’ and threw me out of the moving car. They said ‘Tell your friends that we will take them too. You will not walk around the streets or we will kill you’ to threaten us.

(02/265) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Aydın…

It is learned from the news coverage of February 18, 2021 that, Sadegül Akalın, Söke district co-chair of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP); Caize Yörücü, provincial executive of HDP and 2 other members of HDP who were detained in Söke and Didim districts of Aydın on February 14, 2021 were subjected to strip search under custody.

Sadegül Akalın stated the following: “They took us to a room before the detention room and exercised strip search on us. There was a female police officer in the search room and she asked us to take off our clothes. I rejected, and said that strip search is illegal and inhuman. Our lawyers were not present there. We were 2 women, subjected to strip search at district police station”.

Caize Yörücü stated the following: “We were 2 women detained in this district. They took us into a room leaving the door half-open. There were 3 or 4 male police officers at the door. They stripped us and searched us there. And then we were taken into detention room”.

(02/266) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…

It is learned that the appeal made on February 18, 2021 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of the ban for Abdullah Öcalan which prevents lawyer visits for 6 months.

(02/267) Detained HDP Members and Executives in Aydın…

7 of 13 people who were detained in several districts of Aydın on February 14, 2021 are released after statement procedures at the police on February 18, 2021. 6 people are released on judicial control conditions by the court.

Detained and released people are: HDP Party Assembly member Ayfer Demirer, HDP provincial co-chair Aysel Bahtiyar Ünsel, Didim district co-chair Mehtap Bozkurt, Söke district co-chair Sadegül Akalın, provincial executive Neslihan Arviş, Saadet Açık, Azize Ergün, Nazlı Boza and Söylemez Akalın.

(02/268) Detained HDP Executive and Other People in Mardin…

Mehmet Selim Kılıç, former Dargeçit district co-chair of HDP who was detained in Mardin is arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on February 18, 2021. 27 people who were detained through the same investigation are released.

(02/269) Detained Person in Urfa…

Müslüm Abbas, who was detained on the grounds of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ in Birecik district of Urfa on February 12, 2021 is arrested by the court on February 18, 2021.

(02/270) Journalists, Lawyers and ESP Members on Trial in Istanbul…

The trial of the case against 23 people including lawyers Sezin Uçar, Özlem Gümüştaş and Gülhan Kaya from Law Office of the Oppressed; Etkin News Agency news editor İsminaz Temel and reporter Havva Cuştan, and members and executives of Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 27 on February 18, 2021. The court rejected to lift judicial control conditions and adjourned the trial to May 25, 2021.

(02/271) Director on Trial in Batman…

The retrial of the case against director Veysi Altay and Dicle Anter, director of Yılmaz Güney Movie Theatre, for screening of the documentary “Nû Jîn” on October 14, 2015 in Batman, is held at Batman Heavy Penal Court No 2 on February 18, 2021. Veysi Altay was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months and Dicle Anter was sentenced to 2 years and 1 month for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, and the supreme court has reversed the local court’s verdict. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to June 3, 2021.

(02/272) Constitutional Court Decision on Journalist’s Appeal…

The Constitutional Court decision made on January 12, 2021 on the individual appeal of journalist Beyza Kural is published on the Official Gazette on February 18, 2021.

Beyza Kural was reporting on a protest in front of Beyazıt campus of Istanbul University on November 6, 2015 and she was tried to be detained and was handcuffed behind her back. She was responded as “Nothing will be same, we will make you learn this” by a police officer, after she declares that she is a journalist. Beyza Kural was then released upon intervention of other journalists.

The Constitutional Court stated that freedom of expression (Article 26) and freedom of press (Article 28) were violated as well as prohibition on treatment against human dignity, and ruled a compensation of 15,000 Turkish Liras to be paid to Beyza Kural for immaterial damages. The court also ruled to send the verdict to Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office for a retrial.

(02/273) Ali El Hemdan Case…

The trial of the case against police officer F. K. for death of Syrian citizen Ali El Hemdan (19) is held at Adana Heavy Penal Court No 9 on February 18, 2021. Ali El Hemdan was killed by police gunshot in Seyhan district of Adana on April 27, 2020.

The indictment demands sentence for police officer F. K. on the charge of ‘intentional killing’.

It is learned that Ali el Hemdan’s family was not present at the trial where a witness was heard. The court accepted the objection of lawyers of police officer F. K. and did not allow the lawyers from Adana Bar Association, Human Rights Association and the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) to question the witness. The court decided to continue detention of F. K. and adjourned the trial to May 27, 2021.

(02/274) Ban of Events in Hatay…

Hatay Governorate made a declaration on February 18, 2021 and announced that demonstrations and meetings, press declarations open door and indoor meetings, protests, concerts, festivals, opening tents and stands, sit-in protests, hunger strikes, commemorations, hanging posters and banners, distributing leaflets and so on are banned for 15 days as of February 19, 2021.

(02/275) Ban of Access to Web Contents…

It is learned that the news reports on Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu who was threatened by an academician, published on https://www.sozcu.com.tr, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr, http://www.diken.com.tr websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 1 on February 17, 2021.

It is learned that the news reports on the closed case against a prosecutor charged with taking money from a business person, published on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr, https://t24.com.tr, https://tele1.com.tr websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Bakırköy Penal Court of peace No 1 on February 18, 2021.

(02/276) Covid-19 Pandemic…

The Ministry of Health declared that 83 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 640 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on February 18, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 7,241.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 27,821 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,616,600 as of February 18, 2021.

It is learned that doctor Rıza Uğur Keçecioğlu lost his life from Covid-19 in Antalya on February 18, 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.

[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.