Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
2-4 March 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/022) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 1, 2024, that in Giresun Espiye L Type Prison, prisoners were not given clean water by the prison administration, prisoners got their drinking water from the canteen, prisoners were forced to undergo mouth searches, prisoners who participated in the hunger strike in prisons across Turkey demanding an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue were threatened by the prison director saying ‘I will isolate you all’, It is learned that some Kurdish publications and Yeni Yaşam and Evrensel newspapers were not given to prisoners, prisoners have problems with air and noise pollution due to the construction of a quarry next to the prison, and some prisoners who are far away from their relatives were denied transfer requests.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 1, 2024, that in Samsun Bafra T Type Prison, social activities were restricted after the COVID-19 pandemic period, social activities were not organized except for sports activities once a month and workshops twice a week, notebooks and notes of some prisoners were seized during ward changes and those in Kurdish were still not given to prisoners, some Kurdish publications and Yeni Yaşam and Evrensel newspapers were not given to prisoners, and transfer requests of some prisoners who are far away from their relatives were not accepted.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 2, 2024, that in Izmir Şakran Women’s Prison, wards were searched 3 times in 1 month, male correction officers participated in ward searches, personal belongings and food of prisoners were damaged and some of them were seized, prisoners who reacted to this were subjected to verbal violence, and some of the prisoners were subjected to disciplinary proceedings and were banned from phone calls for 3 months.
(03/023) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 1, 2024, that prisoners in Giresun Espiye L Type Prison were not referred to the hospital because they refused to be subjected to mouth search.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 1, 2024, that prisoners in Samsun Bafra T Type Prison, who are on hunger strike in prisons across Turkey demanding an end to the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, were not subjected to medical check-ups on weekends.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 2, 2024, that, M.S., an ill prisoner in Yozgat E Type Prison, cannot access the medication and food suitable for their diet, although they have an 84% disability report.
(03/024) Human Rights Defenders, Political Party Members and Executives and Others Detained in Istanbul…
Metin Keleş, a member of the Federation of Socialist Assemblies (SMF), Arzu Aksakal, a reader of Partizan magazine, and Sıtkı Güngör, a member of the Party Assembly (PM) of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who were detained in house raids in Istanbul on 27 February 2024, were arrested by the Criminal Peace Judgeship on 1 March 2024 on the allegation of ‘financing an illegal organization’, while Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) PM members Ali Haydar Keleş, Mert Çuhadar, Mesut Çeki, Uğur Ok; Socialist Women’s Assemblies (SKM) Central Executive Committee (MYK) member Ezgi Gürbüz, SKM General Assembly member Hacer Elçin, Ceylan Publishing Concessionaire Hüseyin Gültepe and SMF Term Spokesperson Barış Kayaoğlu were released on judicial control conditions by the criminal peace judgeship to which they were referred on March 1, 2024. Mehmet Acettin, Managing Editor of ETHA and Human Rights Association (IHD) MYK member, was given house arrest as a judicial control measure.
(03/025) Political Party Member Detained in Van…
DEM Party Youth Assembly member Harun Cavğun was detained in a house raid in the İpekyolu district of Van on March 1, 2024. The reason for the detention could not be learned.
(03/026) Person Detained in Istanbul…
A person named Y.S. was detained in Istanbul on March 3, 2024, on the charge of ‘inciting hatred and hostility among the public’ for his remarks in a street interview.
(03/027) MP and Association Executive on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against Adalet Kaya, DEM Party Diyarbakır MP and Chair of Rosa Women’s Association, continued on March 4, 2024, at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 11. The indictment demands a sentence for Adalet Kaya on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’. The court decided to lift judicial control measures against Adalet Kaya and suspend the proceedings due to her gaining legislative immunity by being elected as an MP.
(03/028) The Case of the Eskişehir Pride March…
The final trial of the case against 18 people, who were detained with physical violence during the police intervention against Eskişehir LGBTI+ Pride March on July 9, 2023, on the charge of ‘violating Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’, was held at Eskişehir Penal Court of First Instance No 4 on March 1, 2024. The court acquitted 18 people.
(03/029) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against journalists Barış Terkoğlu, Barış Pehlivan, Can Bursalı, Nevzat Çiçek, Doğan Akın, and Gökmen Karadağ regarding the book ‘Metastaz 2: Cendere’ continued on March 1, 2024, at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2. The indictment demands a sentence for the journalists on the charges of ‘slander’ and ‘insult’. The court decided to add the investigations against Fatih Portakal and Can Özçelik for the news they wrote about the book to the case file and adjourned the hearing to July 4, 2024.
(03/030) Journalist on Trial in Ağrı…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 4, 2024, that the indictment of Ağrı Diyadin Public Prosecutor’s Office against journalist Abdullah Kaya for his news reports on a village guard who wanted to vote with a long-barreled gun during the elections on May 14, 2023, was accepted by Ağrı Diyadin Penal Court of First Instance. The indictment demands a sentence for the journalist on the charge of ‘unlawful acquisition or dissemination of personal data’. The first hearing of the case will be held on September 18, 2024.
(03/031) The Case of Tahir Elçi…
In the case against police officers S.T., F.T., dismissed police officer M. S. and fugitive defendant U.Y. in connection with the killing of Diyarbakır Bar Association President Tahir Elçi on November 28, 2015, in Diyarbakır, D.A. and E.Ö., who were heard as witnesses in the case against police officers S.T., F.T., stated that they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment by prosecutor K.K. and prosecutor U.İ., who was in charge of the murder investigation at the time, and it is learned that the complaint filed by Diyarbakır Bar Association and Tahir Elçi Human Rights Foundation to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) was not taken into consideration by the 1st Chamber of HSK.
E.Ö., one of the witnesses who stated that he was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, made the following statements in the hearing about the treatment he was subjected to “I exercised my right to remain silent because I was under pressure at the police station. How can a person who exercises his right to remain silent in custody speak? I have neither such an identification nor a statement about the shooting of Tahir Elçi. I was not in Diyarbakır when Tahir Elçi was killed. I was not shown a video of the moment Tahir Elçi was shot. I was tortured for 48 days. Will you ask me about this?”
(03/032) The Ankara JİTEM Case…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 4, 2024, that the acquittal of former Interior Minister Mehmet Ağar, İbrahim Şahin, Korkut Eken, Ayhan Çarkın, Ayhan Akça, Ziya Bandırmalıoğlu, Ercan Ersoy, Ahmet Demirel, Ayhan Özkan, Seyfettin Lap, Enver Ulu, Uğur Şahin, Alper Tekdemir, Yusuf Yüksel, Abbas Semih Sueri, Lokman Külünk, Mahmut Yıldırım, Nurettin Güven, Muhsin Korman was upheld by Ankara Regional Court 1st Criminal Chamber.
(03/033) People on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against 18 people who were detained on May 1, Workers’ and Labourers’ Day in Istanbul in 2021, on the charge of “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911”, was held on March 1, 2024. The acquittal verdict given on April 20, 2022, for 18 people at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 56, was reversed by Penal Department No 3 of Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals on July 11, 2023, and 18 people were retried at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 56. The court acquitted 18 people.
(03/034) March 31st Elections…
In the news coverage of March 1, 2024, Mersin Tarsus Mayor and Memleket Party Tarsus Mayoral Candidate Haluk Bozdoğan’s mayoral candidacy was dismissed by the Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) following an appeal filed by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Mersin Provincial Presidency to the Tarsus District Electoral Board. Haluk Bozdogan announced that he will apply to the Constitutional Court (AYM) regarding the decision.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 2, 2024, that the mayoral candidacy of Faruk İşlek, DEM Party’s co-mayor candidate for Bitlis, was disqualified upon the complaint of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) YSK representative on the grounds that Faruk İşlek had not resigned from the party’s MYK.
From the news coverage on March 2, 2024, IYI Party Tokat Mayor Candidate Şeref Menteşe’s mayoral candidacy was dropped by the Tokat Election Board.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 3, 2024, that the election tent of IYI Party’s Istanbul Büyükçekmece office, which was set up in Zeki Pekcan Park, was vandalized by anonymous person(s) and IYI Party filed a criminal complaint about the attack.
(03/035) Constitutional Court Decision on the Case Filed by Life/Environment Defender…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 1, 2024, that the Constitutional Court decided on January 25, 2024, on the individual application of Sedat Cezayirlioğlu, a life/environment defender, who filed an individual application in 2020, upon the rejection of the lawsuit he filed for the cancellation of the “positive decision” of Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) for Çakmaktepe Mine Open Pit Operation Capacity Increase Project planned to be built by a private company in İliç district of Erzincan. The Constitutional Court ruled that Sedat Cezayirlioğlu’s ‘right to respect for private life’ was violated and sent a copy of the decision to the Erzincan Administrative Court for retrial.
(03/036) Ban of Access on Web Content…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 2, 2024, that 1 news article and 2 social media content on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr, about people who received high amount of scholarships given by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) during the AKP era, were banned from access by Istanbul Anadolu Criminal Peace Judgeship No. 9 on February 29, 2024, on the grounds of violation of personal rights.
[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.