Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
21 September 2017 Daily Human Rights Report
(09/131) Suspicious Death in Diyarbakır Prison…
Abdullah Derin (34), detained on August 31, 2017, arrested 11 days later and sent to Diyarbakır Type D Prison, was found dead. Derin allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with bed sheets.
News coverage on September 21, 2017 reported that Derin’s autopsy report indicated death by suffocation but no bruises were found around his neck.
Derin’s father Sabri Derin spoke about the suicide allegation and said: ‘‘My son was in prison for a month, 3 months ago. He was in solitary confinement. He would have committed suicide back then, if he had the intention to. I do not believe he committed suicide in the ward. Even if he did, it might because of what he went through under detainment.’’
It is claimed that both the hospital and trustee appointed municipality did not send an ambulance for the transfer of Derin’s funeral and the family buried him to Yeniköy cemetery with their own efforts.
News coverage also reported that Abdullah Derin was tortured under detainment and both him and his family were forced to be confitents.
(09/132) Attorneys of People’s Law Office Arrested…
16 attorneys detained following September 12, 2017 were brought to Çağlayan Court House on September 20, 2017.
14 attorneys were arrested and 2 were released. It is learned from news coverage that defending Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, being attorney in the cases of Dilek Doğan and Berkin Elvan who were both killed by police forces and of Hasan Ferit Gedik who was killed by criminal organization in Maltepe, forming committees to visit Sur, Cizre, Silvan, Reyhanlı, Soma and Ermenek were all accusations.
One of the detained attorneys Ebru Timtik stated in her testimony that on September 18, 2017 they were subject to torture in detainment after the medical examination. Following the examination, they were abused physically when they refused a body check and one of the attorneys named Didem Ünsal’s head was hit to a wall. Following the testimony, they were requested to submit fingerprints and when they effused this on the basis that their fingerprints are available in police records they were abused and tortured once again.
Names of arrested attorneys: Didem Baydar, Şükriye Erden, Ayşegül Çağatay, Ebru Timtik, Aytaç Ünsal, Zehra Özdemir, Yağmur Ereren, Engin Gökoğlu, Süleyman Gökten, Aycan Çiçek, Naciye Demir, Behiç Aşçı, Barkın Timtik and Özgür Yılmaz.
(09/133) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from news coverage that forest fire believed to start from gun fire of armed forces in Tunceli continues and as of September 20, it destroyed about 400 hectares of land.
(09/134) Detentions and Arrests…
It is learned that 10 people were detained on September 21, 2017 due to accusation of ‘helping treatments of wounded PKK militants’.
(09/135) Detentions and Arrests in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
It is learned that through a Konya based “Classified imam investigation” detention decisions were made for 125 people working at Konya Military Air Base. Operations reportedly started in 32 cities and 30 people have been detained.
It is learned that on September 21, 2017 in Acıpayan district of Denizli, 22 people were detained due to accusation of ByLock usage. 8 of these people were arrested. 14 were released, 10 of which with judiciary control condition.
(09/136) Polis Intervention to Commemoration of Suruç in Ankara…
It is learned that on September 20, 2017 members of Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF) and ESP planned a commemoration event for the 26th month of Suruç Massacre. Police intervened to the protest and dispersed attendees by physically abusing them.
(09/137) Person Detained for Wearing ‘Hero’ T-shirt…
It is learned that on September 20, 2017 a high school student named T.T. (17, m) was detained due to wearing a t-shirt that had “Hero” writing on. The student was later released.
(09/138) Uğur Kurt Trial…
It is learned that Ministry of Interior has been pled fully guilty for the death of Uğur Kurt who was shot at the garden of a Djemevi in Istanbul, Okmeydanı. On May 2014, Kurt was present at the Djemevi for the funeral of a relative and he was shot by a police officer intervening to a group of protestors in Okmeydanı.
Ministry of Interior has been sentenced to pay 734,162 TL to Kurt’s family. Previously, police officer Sezgin K who shot Kurt was charged with a 12.000 TL recompense.
(09/139) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır …
The trial for journalist Hayati Yıldız continued September 20, 2017 at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9. Yıldız was accused of ‘‘membership of an illegal organization’’ and ‘‘objection against firearms law’’. Following his testimonial, Yıldız was released with judiciary control condition and the trial was adjourned to November 2017.
Hayati Yıldız was a journalist at now closed Azadiya Welat newspaper and he was detained on February 17, 2017. He was later arrested at March 1, 2017. Yıldız was tortured under detention therefor suffered a fracture on his right cheekbone and bruises on his right eye.
(09/140) Trials in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
The trial of 17 detainees including journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak took place in Istanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court on September 19, 2017. 6 of 17 were already arrested. In the indictment which was prepared by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak are all accused of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order”, “attempting to overthrow the Turkish government”, “attempting to overthrow Turkish National Assembly”. The Prosecutor’s Office demands heavy life sentences for these crimes plus demands 15 years of sentence for all three due to the accusation of ‘‘membership of an illegal organization and committing crime in the name of the organization’’.
Other defendants are accused of ‘‘membership of an illegal organization’’ and ‘‘leadership of an illegal organization’’. Defendant Mehmet Altan stated that books and documents necessary for his testimony were withheld in prison. Following the testimonies of defendants, the court ruled fort he continuity of their arrests and adjourned the trial to November 13, 2017.
The trial of Metin Seyfi Sazak, former Chief of Police for Zonguldak between 2010-2014, continued on September 20, 2017 at Zonguldak Heavy Penal Court No 2. Indictment demanded heavy life sentence for Sazak due to accusations of ‘‘membership of an illegal organization’’, “attempting to overthrow Turkish Government and preventing the government from functioning” and “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order”. Following the defense and testimony of defendant and witnesses, the court ruled for the release of Sazak with a judiciary control condition. The court adjourned the trial to a further date. It is reported that the Chief Prosecutor’s Office objected the release of Sazak.
The trial for 11 people including 9 arrested continued on September 20, 2017 at Kayseri 2nd Heavy Penal Court. Aliye Boydak, wife of Şükrü Boydak, Boydak Holding’s Chairman of Executive Board, was among arrested. The court ruled for the continuity of defendants arrests and adjourned the trial to December 14, 2017.
(09/141) Curfew in Baykan …
Governorate of Siirt declared on September 20, 2017 an open ended curfew in 2 villages and 1 hamlet of Baykan district. The curfew started at 10.30 am.
Villages and hamlet with a curfew were: Dedebakır and Tütenocak villages, Aşağıtütenocak hamlet.
With two separate announcements on September 20 and 21, the Governorate of Siirt stated that curfews are lifted in Tüteoncak Village and Aşağıtütenocak hamlet as of 19.00 and 13.30 respectively.
(09/142) Curfew in Lice…
Governorate of Diyarbakır declared on September 21, 2017 an open ended curfew in 12 villages and 11 hamlets of Lice district. The curfew started at 05.00 am.
Villages and hamlets with curfew are: Budak, Dallıca, Tepe, Türeli, Kabakaya, Kutlu, Yalaza, Ortaç, Bağlan, Oyuklu, Çavundur, Dolunay villages; Hevselbey, Kolbağı, Alataş, Kalkanlı, Bakanlar, Hacıcemil, Esenli, Çaylarbaşı, Göçer, Kerpiçören, Çanak hamlets.
(09/143) Curfew in Hazro …
Governorate of Diyarbakır declared on September 21, 2017 an open ended curfew in 2 villages and 2 hamlets of Hazro district. The curfew started at 05.00 am.
Villages and hamlets with curfew are: Çitlibahçe, Ormankaya villages; Güzdamı and Şahgeldi hamlets.
(09/144) Curfew in Silvan …
Governorate of Diyarbakır declared on September 21, 2017 an open ended curfew in 4 villages and 4 hamlets of Silvan district. The curfew started at 05.00 am.
Villages and hamlets with curfew are: Mutluca, Çaldere, Dolaplıdere, Dağçılar villages; Üçdirek, Ergeçiti, Kayabağı and Erkenciler hamlets.
(09/145) Curfew in Kulp…
Governorate of Diyarbakır declared on September 21, 2017 an open ended curfew in 5 villages and 6 hamlets of Kulp district. The curfew started at 05.00 am.
Villages and hamlets with curfew are: Çukurca, Demirli, Düzce, Bayıkköy, Taşköprü villages; Zümrütlü, Keçiveren, Yukarıpolat, Aşağıpolat, Mevik and Taşköprü hamlets.
(09/146) Special Security Zone in Doğubayazıt …
Governorate of Doğubayazıt declared on September 19, 2017 that entrance is blocked to 7 neighborhoods within 3 villages for 45 days.
Areas with blocked entrance are: Güngören Village’s Kalhasan, Yenigün, Gir and Yakacık neighborhoods; Yaygınyurt Village’s Sütçü neighborhood; Gölyözü Village’s Eliköy and Mirağıl neighborhoods.
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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, ETHA, Dihaber, Yurt, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, Ntv, Bianet.org, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Özgür Radyo, Sendika.org, El Cezire,BBC, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar.