Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
19 March 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/122) Prisoner Prevented from Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 19, 2025 that Uğur Ok, a prisoner in Ankara Sincan High Security Prison No 1, was not given his medication
(03/123) Police Intervention to Protest in Istanbul…
On March 19, 2025, the police used pepper spray and batons against the people who wanted to march from Beyazıt Campus of Istanbul University to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building to protest the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. It is not known whether anyone was detained during the intervention. It is learned that the march took place despite the police intervention.
(03/124) Mayors, Municipal Administrators and Other People Detained in Istanbul…
On March 19, 2025, 84 people including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan, Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık were detained in house raids in Istanbul through 2 separate investigations. It is learned that detention warrants are issued for 100 people including Ekrem İmamoğlu and Murat Çalık, on the charges of ‘leading a criminal organization’, ‘being a member of a criminal organization’, ‘bribery’, ‘qualified fraud’, ‘bid rigging’; and detention warrants are issued for 7 people including Ekrem İmamoğlu and Resul Emrah Şahan, on the charge of ‘aiding an illegal organization’. It is reported that there is a 24-hour restriction on lawyer visitation for the investigations.
It is learned that a detention warrant is issued for Azad Barış, executive director of Spectrum House Thought and Research Center, through the investigation on the grounds of ‘aiding an illegal organization’ and his house and office were raided and searched by the police on March 18, 2025. It is reported that Azad Barış, who is abroad, was not detained.
(03/125) Detained Journalist in Istanbul…
Journalist İsmail Saymaz was detained in Istanbul on March 19, 21025 on charges of ‘aiding the attempt to overthrow the Government of the Republic of Turkey’ as part of an investigation into the 2013 Gezi Protests.
(03/126) Detained Journalist in Istanbul…
Journalist and presenter Ece Üner was taken to Istanbul Çağlayan Courthouse by the police officers who came to Halk TV building where she works through the investigation against her on March 18, 2025, on the grounds of ‘attempting to influence a fair trial’ and was released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions and with a ban on leaving the country.
(03/127) Journalist Detained in Antalya…
İlave TV reporter Arif Kocabıyık was detained on March 19, 2025 in Antalya. The reason of detention could not be learned.
(03/128) Detained Association Executive in Izmir…
Binali Sağlam, Vice President of the Confederation of European Alevi Unions, was detained at Izmir Airport on March 18, 2025. The reason for the detention was not known.
(03/129) Co-Mayor on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against Besile Narin, co-mayor of Hani district of Diyarbakır, continued on March 18, 2025 at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4. The indictment demands sentence for Besile Narin on the charge of ‘being an illegal organization member’. The court adjourned the trial to April 8, 2025.
(03/130) Co-Mayor on Trial in Tunceli…
The trial of the case against Cevdet Konak, co-mayor of Tunceli Municipality who was replaced by a trustee, for his speeches during election period, is held at Tunceli Heavy Penal Court No 2 on March 18, 2025. The indictment demands sentence for Cevdet Konak on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court adjourned the trial to May 13, 2025.
(03/131) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalist Eylem Babayiğit started on March 19, 2024 at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 22. After defenses, the court sentenced Eylem Babayiğit to 1 year 6 months and 22 days for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court deferred the announcement of the verdict and released Eylem Babayiğit.
Journalist Eylem Babayiğit, who was detained on January 22, 2025 in Istanbul, was arrested by the criminal court of peace on January 24, 2025 on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(03/132) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the lawsuit filed against journalist Onur Öncü due to his comment on another journalist’s social media post stating that “Dersimli actress Nihal Yalçın, who was trying to provoke the award ceremony when Tamer Karadağlı gently reminded her of the deadline, answered ‘freedom for Selahattin Demirtaş’ to the question ‘what would be your last tweet’”, was held on March 18, 2025 at Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No 29.The court sentenced Onur Öncü to 1,740 TL fine for “insult”.
(03/133) Access Restrictions on Social Media Platforms and Messaging Applications…
It is learned that 8 social media platforms and messaging apps (X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp) were restricted in bandwidth as of March 19, 2025.
(03/134) Parliament Members with Proceedings Against Them…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 18, 2025 that, proceedings against 3 parliamentary members demanding lifting of their parliamentary immunity are sent to Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
Members of parliament against whom proceedings have been prepared:
- Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Mardin MP George Aslan,
- DEM Party Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu,
- DEM Party Van MP Gülcan Kaçmaz.
(03/135) Provinces where Actions and Events are Banned…
Following the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Istanbul Governorate made a statement and announced that all kinds of meetings, demonstrations and press statements are banned for 4 days between March 19 and March 23, 2025. In the same statement, Istanbul Governorate also announced that Emniyet/Fatih and Taksim subway stations were closed; Adnan Menderes Boulevard and all roads and side roads leading to the boulevard, Akşemsettin Street and all roads leading to this street, Kocasinan Street and all roads leading to this street, Mütercim Asım Street and all roads leading to this street, Oğuzhan Street and all roads leading to this street, Akdeniz Street and all roads leading to this street; Şair Cem Street, Safran Street, Sarı Nasuh Street, Hüsrev Paşa Street, Hoca Efendi Street, Korkut Ata Street, Neyzen İhsan Street, Colonel Cemil Sakarya Street, Tuti Abdülatif Street, Zembilci Street, Yamak Street, Aktar Street, Yeni Bahçe Street, Keçeci Çeşmesi Street, Arpa Emini Bridge Street, Öztan Street, Keçeci Square Street, Keçeciler Bakery Street, Kasideci Street, Mevlütçü Street were closed to vehicle traffic as of 06.00 on March 19, 2025.
[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.