Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
21 January 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/188) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 20, 2021 that, in Kocaeli Kandıra T Type Prison, 28 people are kept in a ward for 16 people.
(01/189) Police Raid to HDP Offices in Istanbul and Detained HDP Executives…
On January 20, 2021, the banners held outside of district offices of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Istanbul, to draw attention to the hunger strike started on November 27, 2020 in prisons in Turkey to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, are removes by the police raiding district offices.
It is learned that the offices were searched and banners and leaflets about hunger strike were seized by the police.
HDP offices raided by the police are in following districts: Bağcılar, Ümraniye, Sancaktepe, Esenyurt, Beylikdüzü, Sultangazi, Beyoğlu, Kağıthane, Gaziosmanpaşa, Esenler, Üsküdar, Kartal, Maltepe, Güngören, Şişli.
It is learned that some of district co-chairs of HDP were seized however the number of detained people and their names are unknown.
(01/190) People Distributing Leaflets Detained in Ankara…
On January 20, 2021, 2 people who were distributing leaflets in Ankara to support the protests against the new rector appointed to Boğaziçi University are detained. The names of detained people are unknown.
(01/191) Detained People in Antalya for Social Media Posts…
On January 20, 2021, 4 people are detained for social media posts, in house raids in Alanya district of Antalya. Detained people are: Abdulhakim Aktaş, Hasan Perioğlu, Berrak Dalgıç and Cemal Dalgıç.
(01/192) 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 20, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for Hatice Şahin on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The court decided to hear 2 anonymous witnesses between trials and adjourned the trial to March 24, 2021.
(01/193) The Case Against People for Participating in a Protest in Izmir…
The first trial of the case against 12 people who were detained in the police intervention to a protest in Alsancak, Izmir on July 21, 2020 is held at Izmir Penal Court of First Instance No 47 on January 20, 2021. These 12 people were subjected to torture and ill-treatment while they were being detained by the police intervening to the protest organized after death of Pınar Gültekin; a woman who was killed by a man named Cemal Metin Avcı, in Muğla.
The indictment demands sentence for 12 people on the charges of ‘resisting a public officer to prevent his duty’ and ‘damage to public property’.
Arzu Sert, one of the defendants, stated the following in her defence statement: “We were tortured, subjected to insults, we were dragged on the ground. The violence kept going in the detention car.”
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to April 28, 2021.
(01/194) Co-Mayor on Trial…
The trial of the case against Mehmet Demir, co-mayor of Batman who was suspended and replaced by a trustee, is held at Batman Heavy Penal Court No 2 on January 20, 2021.
It is learned that journalists and representatives of political parties and associations were not allowed into the court room.
Mehmet Demir joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. The court decided to continue detention of Mehmet Demir and adjourned the trial to February 12, 2021.
Mehmet Demir was detained on July 21, 2020 and was arrested by the court on July 22, 2020.
(01/195) Former HDP MP on Trial…
The trial of the case against Hatice Kocaman, former Siirt MP of HDP is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on January 20, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for Hatice Kocaman on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ for participating in activities of Democratic Society Congress (DTK).
After defence hearings the court ruled to arrest Hatice Kocaman and adjourned the trial.
(01/196) Diyarbakır JITEM / Musa Anter Case…
The consolidated case on Musa Anter’s killing in Diyarbakır in 1992 and activities of JITEM (Gendarmerie Intelligence and Anti-Terror Unit) in Diyarbakır is held on January 20, 2021 at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 6. The case known as “JITEM Main Case” on Diyarbakır Penal Court No 1 and the case of Musa Anter’s killing has been consolidated by the Supreme Court’s decision on January 29, 2016.
After witness hearings the court adjourned the trial to April 7, 2021.
(01/197) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On January 20, 2021, 9 people are detained in operations covering 2 cities through an Istanbul based investigation and 3 people are detained in Ankara.
(01/198) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 159 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 752 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on January 20, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 6,435.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 24,487 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,406,216 as of January 20, 2021.
It is learned that doctor Sezgin Can in Bursa lost his life from Covid-19 on January 20, 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.
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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.