Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
20-22 April 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/139) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 21, 2024, that 1 militant died in a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) units and HPG militants in the Zap region of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (IKBY) on March 23, 2024.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 22, 2024, that 2 militants died in clashes between the Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in the Metina region in IKBY in March 2024.
(04/140) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
According to the news coverage of April 20, 2024, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against 15 prisoners (Abdusselam Demir, Selami Çiftçi, Şervan Muhammed, Cuma İbrahim, Muhammed Ayten, Kenan Doğan, Serdar Altaş, Mehmet Haşim Arslan, Ömer Arslan, Fadıl Tokay, Halil İbrahim, Kadri Devir, Abdullah Basyan, Osman Arslan and İsmet Bali) in Urfa T Type Prison No 1 following the 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.
(04/141) Prevention of Right to Access Health Services in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 20, 2024, that prisoners in Adana Kürkçüler F Type Prison who rejected to be subjected to oral searches have not been able to access treatment for 3 years, and that the applications to the prison administration and Adana Governorate to end the practice of oral searches were answered as ‘the practice is in accordance with the procedure and law’.
(04/142) Police Intervention to a Book Stand in Izmir…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 20, 2024, that the police intervened in the stand of the Kurdish book website Pirtukakurdi at the Book Fair in Izmir Kültürpark, seized 3 books, 1 book on the grounds of being banned and 2 books on the grounds of being examined, and detained stand attendant Mehmet Sebih Yoldaş on the grounds of banned books and took him to Anti-Terror Branch Directorate (TEM). It is reported that Mehmet Sebih Yoldaş was released after statement procedures on the same day.
(04/143) Attack on Workers’ Tent in Adıyaman…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 19, 2024, that the tent of Mega Polyethylene workers in Besni district of Adıyaman, who started a resistance in front of the factory in which they work, demanding reinstatement of their dismissed colleagues, payment of unpaid and handed over wages to their bank accounts and an end to unregistered and uninsured work, by using their right to avoid work, was attacked with stones by anonymous people and the workers were threatened by the attackers. It is not known whether anyone was injured in the attack.
(04/144) Person Arrested in Diyarbakır…
On April 20, 2024, U.G., who was detained in a house raid due to allegedly insulting Atatürk and the President during the process of receiving the municipal title deed of Diyarbakır Sur Municipality, was arrested by the Criminal Peace Judgeship on the charges of ‘opposing the law on crimes against Atatürk’ and ‘insulting the President of the Republic’. Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) announced on social media on April 21, 2024 that U.G. was given a 50% mental disability report by İnönü University Health Board.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 21, 2024, that U.G. was previously imprisoned in Diyarbakır D Type Prison for 2 years and 6 months and was released after receiving a disability report.
(04/145) People Detained in Tunceli…
5 people were detained in house raids in central and Nazimiye districts of Tunceli on April 22, 2024, on the allegations of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ and ‘aiding an illegal organization’. Names of detainees are: Makbule Nakış, Emine Sürgeç, Eylem Sürgeç, Torun Dilsiz, Özlem Dilsiz Çakmak.
(04/146) Gendarmerie Staff on Trial in Tokat…
On April 19, 2024, the final hearing of the case against the gendarmerie personnel S.Ö. and S.A. for ‘intentional injury’, in relation to the physical violence inflicted on Osman Kale, a resident of Erbaa district of Tokat, by the gendarmerie personnel who came to his house to take him to the police station on July 3, 2023, was held at Erbaa Penal Court of First Instance No 1. The court sentenced gendarmerie personnel S.Ö. and S.A. to 2,240 liras each for ‘intentional injury’ and Osman Kale to 6 months imprisonment for ‘resisting an officer’.
Gendarmerie personnel prevented a person who was in the house at the time from documenting the torture and ill-treatment Osman Kale had been subjected to, and threw the phone on the floor and broke it. Osman Kale went to Erbaa State Hospital to document the torture and ill-treatment he was subjected to, but was not given the report he requested.
(04/147) Journalist and Party Executive and Members on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 77 people, including executives and members of SOL Party and Birgün reporter Asena Tunca, who were detained on March 1, 2023, during a protest against the February 6 earthquakes on the grounds that there was a ban by the district governorate, started on April 19, 2024, at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 14. The indictment demands jail sentence from 6 months to 3 years for 77 people on the charge of ‘violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’. After defences, the court adjourned the trial to September 27, 2024.
(04/148) Journalist’s Appeal of Unlawful Detention…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 19, 2024, that Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 11 evaluated the application of lawyers of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Fırat Can Arslan, who was detained on October 13, 2022, while covering the funeral of journalist Nagihan Akarsel and was acquitted on October 5, 2023, in the case on Konya Heavy Penal Court No 2 on the charge of ‘targeting people who took part in the fight against terrorism’, and ruled to pay 177 TL 43 kuruş compensation to the journalist. It is reported that the Ministry of Treasury and Finance appealed the compensation and the case was referred to Ankara Regional Court of Appeals.
(04/149) Union Executives on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against 8 executives of Health and Social Service Employees’ Union (SES) of Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions (KESK), including Women’s Secretary Selma Atabey and former co-chair Gönül Erden, continued on April 18, 2024, at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 22. The indictment demands a sentence for union executives on the charges of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’, ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ and ‘leading an illegal organization’. The court lifted the house confinement order against Gönül Erden and decided to impose a judicial control measure of a ban on leaving the province and adjourned the trial to September 19, 2024.
Gönül Erden was detained on May 25, 2021, through an investigation against SES members and executives and was released on June 1, 2021. Upon objection of the prosecutor’s office, Gönül Erden was detained in Ankara on September 21, 2021, and was arrested by the court. Gönül Erden was released at the trial held on March 13, 2023.
(04/150) Person on Trial in Giresun…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 20, 2024, that Görele Penal Court of First Instance accepted the indictment prepared by Görele Public Prosecutor’s Office against Şaban Vatan, the father of Rabia Naz Vatan (11) who was found injured in front of her house in the Eynesil district of Giresun on April 12, 2018, and lost her life in hospital, on the grounds of his social media posts. The indictment demands a sentence for Şaban Vatan on the charge of ‘publicly insulting the President in a chain’. The first hearing of the case will be held on May 22, 2024.
(04/151) Investigation Against Mardin Metropolitan Municipality…
On April 19, 2024, the Ministry of Interior announced on its social media account that a Civil Inspectorate has been assigned to investigate the allegations that the National Anthem was not sung and no minute of silence was held during the opening of the Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Assembly on April 13, 2024.
Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also announced on the same date that an ex officio investigation was initiated into the allegations.
(04/152) Inspector Assigned to Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality…
On April 19, 2024, the Ministry of Interior announced on its social media account that a Civil Inspectorate had been assigned to investigate the allegations that the Turkish flag was removed during the opening of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Assembly.
(04/153) Appointment of an Inspector and Investigation on Diyarbakır Sur Municipality…
On April 20, 2024, the Ministry of Interior announced on its social media account that a Civil Inspectorate was assigned to investigate the allegations that the executives of Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) insulted Atatürk and the President of the Republic of Turkey after the parliamentary mandate ceremony.
Ministry of Justice made a declaration on April 20, 2024 and announced that Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated a judicial investigation on the same allegations.
(04/154) Discriminatory Statements by the Mayor of Afyon…
During the sealing of 5 restaurants owned by refugees on April 20, 2024, on the grounds that they did not have a license to open and operate a business, Afyon Mayor Burcu Köksal stated the following “We promised voters that we would send Syrians out of this country without any buts…Again an illegal workplace, opened by refugees, asylum seekers, with no license, operating illegally. We are sealing this place again. We detected another illegal workplace belonging to asylum seekers and sealed it. We will send the refugees out of here as we promised to the citizens.”
(04/155) Banned Events and Demonstrations…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 22, 2024, that the Istanbul Governorate rejected the application of the April 24 Commemoration Platform for the Armenian Genocide commemoration in front of the Süreyya Opera House in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul on April 24, 2024.
(04/156) Special Security Zone in Mardin…
The Governorate of Mardin announced on April 22, 2024, that Dağiçi, Dibek, Eskihisar, Yelekli, and Üçyol neighborhoods of the Nusaybin district in Mardin province have been declared as temporary special security zones for 15 days between April 22, 2024 and May 6, 2024.
(04/157) Ban of Access to Web Content…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 19, 2024, that Ağrı Criminal Peace Judgeship banned access to 1 news report on https://mezopotamyaajansi35.com and many social media posts about child abuse allegations against Ağrı Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, on the grounds of ‘pending investigation’.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 19, 2024, that Metin Cihan’s posts on child abuse and related news reports were banned from access by the Association of Access Providers (ESB) on April 19, 2024, on the grounds that they contain the same content as the news reports that were banned from access before.
(04/158) People Detained and Arrested in Relation with the Coup Attempt…
18 of 32 people who were detained in Izmir on April 20, 2024, were arrested by the Criminal Peace Judgeship on April 20, 2024. 14 of them were released on judicial control conditions.
[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.