22-25 August 2015 Daily Human Rights Report
(08/128) Extra-judicial Killing in Kilis…
Mihemed El-Salim (70) died and Mihemed Xalid Bilal (32) was wounded when military troops opened fire when a group of persons wanted to pass the border from Afrin canton of Rojava to Kilis province in Turkey on 21 August 2015.
(08/129) Operations and Attacks in the Southeast…
5 militants reportedly died during the armed clash that broke out on 20 August 2015 in the rural areas of Yüksekova district of Hakkari.
The gendarmerie station at Silvan Dam was attacked on 22 August 2015 in Diyarbakır. One soldier was wounded during the attack.
Governorate of Hakkari made a public statement on 22 August 2015 and announced military security zone in the region including several districts and villages for 15 days until 5 September 2015. Entrance of civilians to the military security zones was also banned.
A bomb vehicle attacked the gendarmerie control point on 21 August 2015 in Gevaş district of Van. 2 soldiers and 4 civilians were wounded during the attack.
PKK militants organised an armed attack on 21 August 2015 against the gendarmerie station in Ayvalık village of Beytüşşebap district in Şırnak. 3 soldiers were abounded during the attack, heavily wounded Captain Ali Alkan died in the hospital.
The police officer Yakup Mete (20) was shot to death by unidentified persons when he left his house on 23 August 2015in Nusaybin district of Mardin.
2 soldiers died and 3 soldiers were wounded when a bomb exploded during the passage of an armoured vehicle on 24 August 2015 nearby Tekeli village of Şemdinli district in Hakkari.
A military troop providing security for a dam in Kulp district of Diyarbakır was attacked on 23 August 2015. One soldier died and 3 soldiers were wounded during the armed clash that broke out after the attack.
According to the news appeared in the press, a militant died during the armed clash on 20 August 2015 in Hizan district of Diyarbakır.
A police officer was wounded when an armoured vehicle was attacked on 20 August 2015 in Diyarbakır.
One villager was wounded during the armed clash that broke out on 21 August 2015 after the attack against Özekli Gendarmerie Station in Sur district of Diyarbakır.
An anti-riot water cannon vehicle TOMA was attacked on 21 August 2015 in front of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) premises in Diyarbakır. The vehicle was damaged and one police officer was wounded during the attack.
One soldier was wounded when a bomb exploded during the passage of an armoured vehicle on 23 August 2015 Uludere district in Şırnak.
(08/130) Child Shot by the Police…
İ.D. (3) was shot at head and wounded with a bullet when s/he was on the balcony of an apartment during the police intervention against a demonstration on 18 August 2015 in Nusaybin district of Mardin.
(08/131) Civilian Opened Fire by the Soldiers in Diyarbakır…
Sidar Berksoy (23) was heavily wounded when soldiers and temporary village guards opned fire against his vehicle on 21 August 2015 nearby Küçükakviran village of Sur district in Diyarbakır on the grounds that he did not obey the stop warning. Sidar Berksoy was hospitalised and had an operation. He reportedly lost one of his kidneys; his lungs and liver were damaged.
(08/132) Ümit Kurt Investigation…
According to the news appeared in the press on 22 August 2015, Public Prosecutor in Cizre concluded the investigation concerning the death of Ümit Kurt.
The police opened fire against the group gathered to protest the operations and shot Ümit Kurt (14) to death with a single bullet at his heart. Ümit Kurt was working for the restoration of a house in the neighbourhood. 4 persons were also wounded during the police attack.
2 police officers who were suspects in the killing of the killing of Ümit Kurt were released on 25 February 2015 after testifying to the Public Prosecutor.
Public Prosecutor prepared the indictment against the police officer M.Ş. and wanted him not to be sentenced on the grounds that the police officer acted within limits of the Law on Duties and Powers of Police.
Cizre Heavy Penal Court will start to hear the case on 28 December 2015.
(08/133) Persons Abducted in Van..
According to the news appeared in the press, 2 persons who were among 12 customs officers working at Kapıköy Border Gate in Saray district of Van and missing since 21 August 2015 were released on 22 August 2015. According to the statement by officials, officers were allegedly abducted by PKK.
(08/134) Torture and Ill-treatment in Custody…
3 persons who came to the hospital in their local dresses on 23 August 2015 in Hizan district of Bitlis were detained during an operation conducted by Special Forces against the hospital.
Aydın Eşlik (16), Mehmet Eşlik (45) and Abdulhekim Çakar (40) were reportedly beaten in police custody.
(08/135) Pressures in Prisons…
7 prisoners incarcerated in Şanlıurfa E-type Prison were transferred to Osmaniye T-type Prison No 2 on 19 August 2015without their demand. The prisoners were reportedly beaten at the entrance of Osmaniye T-type Prison No 2 when they objected naked body search.
(08/136) Pressures in Prisons…
28 prisoners incarcerated in Kürkçüler (Adana) F-type Prison were reportedly transferred to Hacılar (Kırıkkale) F-type Prison on 20 August 2015 without their demand.
(08/137) Protest Prevented in Muş…
The police intervened the demonstrations staged on 21 August 2015 in Malazgirt district of Muş staged to protest in the torturing of the dead body of PKK militant Ekin Wan (Kevser Eltürk). The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and Kenan Keklik was heavily wounded for being shot at head with a tear gas canister.
(08/138) Operations against the Ditches…
On 22 August 2015 in Sur district of Diyarbakır, the police conducted operations against the groups who dug ditches on the roads to protest in the recent operations and pressures. The police opened fire with real bullets during the intervention and shot an alleged Syrian to death. 5 persons including one child were also wounded with real bullets.
(08/139) Protest Intervened in Adana…
The police intervened the demonstrations staged on 23 August 2015 in Adana staged to protest in the recent military operations and detentions. The police used real bullets to disperse the crowd and detained 15 persons. 5 of the detainees were reportedly wounded during the intervention.
(08/140) Protest Intervened in Diyarbakır…
The police intervened the demonstrations staged on 23 August 2015 in Diyarbakır staged to protest in the recent human rights violations. The police used real bullets to disperse the crowd and Veysel Acar was reportedly wounded for being shot with 3 bullets during the intervention.
(08/141) Protest Intervened in İstanbul….
On 23 August 2015, the police prevented a march organised by Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Gazi quarter of Sultanbeyli district in İstanbul staged to protest in the recent policies of Justice and Development Party (AKP). A child was wounded for being hit with a tear gas canister and a journalist was wounded with a rubber bullet.
(08/142) Protest Intervened in Elazığ…
On 21 August 2015, the police prevented a demonstration organised by Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Elazığ staged to protest in the recent operations. The police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd and detained 10 persons.
(08/143) Raids in İstanbul and Mersin…
10 members of People’s Front (Halk Cephesi) who were among persons detained operations conducted in Mersin in connection with a “DHKP-C (Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party – Front) Investigation” were arrested on 23 August 2015 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”. The police raided a summer camp on 20 August 2015 in Kazanlı quarter of Akdeniz district in Mersin.
(08/144) Operations throughout Turkey…
Operations against the members and executives of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), and Democratic Society Congress (DTK) in connection with so-called PKK Investigations and operations against Co-Mayor in the Southeast in connection with the self-governance declarations continued on 21-24 August 2015.
7 persons including one child in Adana, 8 persons in Ergani district of Diyarbakır, 4 persons in Lice district of Diyarbakır, and City Assembly Co-chair Mustafa Doğan in Varto district of Muş were detained on 21 August 2015.
3 persons who were among 4 persons detained in Lice were arrested on 22 August 2015 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”. 4 detainees in Ergani were also arrested for the same reason on 23 August 2015.
Co-Mayors in Sur district of Diyarbakır province Seyid Narin and Fatma Şık Barut, Co-Mayor in Silvan district of Diyarbakır province Yüksel Bodakçı, DBP Co-Chair for Sur district Ali Rıza Çiçek, and worker with the Women’s Academy Güneş Ölmez were arrested on 23 August 2015 on the allegations of “disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state”.
Co-Mayors in Hakkari province Nurullah Çiftçi and Dilek Hatipoğlu, HDP Co-Chair for Central district in Hakkari province İsmail Sihat Kaya were also arrested on the allegations of disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state”.
2 persons in Mardin and 4 persons in Batman were reportedly detained on 22 August 2015.
(08/145) Political Party Premises Attacked…
Peoples’ Democratic Party premises in Osmaniye, Kocaeli, Alanya district of Antalya were attacked on 22 August 2015for the recent deaths of soldiers.
The ultranationalist group who attacked the premises in Osmaniye unfurled Turkish flag on the building.
The police did not intervene and disperse the attack in Alanya. The police allegedly removed the sign of the HDP from the premises and gave it to the attackers.
After the funeral of a soldier on 24 August 2015, HDP premises in Kırşehir was stoned.
(08/146) Operations and Attacks in the Southeast…
Governorate of Diyarbakır declared curfew on 24 August 2015 in 3 quarters of Silvan district. According to the news gathered, security forces conducted operations in the district against the quarters where ditches were dug on the roads to protest in the recent operations and pressures. Internet and cell phone lines were reportedly cut in the district. Entrance to the quarters in question was also banned.
Governorate of Hakkari made a public statement on 24 August 2015 and announced military security zones in 53 regions in Şemdinli and Çukurca districts for 15 days until 8 September 2015. Entrance of civilians to the military security zones was also banned. The number of current military security zones reached 180 in 15 provinces.
(08/147) Racist Attacks in Şırnak and Mersin…
A coach was attacked with stones by a group of ultra-nationalists on 24 August 2015 in Aydıncık location of Silifke district of Mersin. The company of the coach was Özlem Cizre Nuh from Cizre district of Şırnak. The windows of the bus were broken during the attack, the driver and 4 passengers were wounded.
3 seasonal workers who came from Viranşehir district of Şanlıurfa to Sarıcakaya district of Eskişehir were attacked by a group of ultra-nationalists on 24 August 2015. The group tried to lynch the Kurdish workers. The workers were beaten with sticks and stones; Sabri Bağ was heavily wounded during the attack.
(08/148) Ahmet Sülüşoğlu Investigation…
Celal Yılmaz, Deputy Security Director in İstanbul, who was arrested after shooting motor bike driver Ahmet Sülüşoğlu to death on 7 August 2015 after having a dispute in front of public houses in Halkalı quarter of İstanbul. Celal Yılmaz was released after 8 days on 24 August 2015 upon objection of his lawyer. The decision was taken on the grounds of “lack of probability of escape”.
(08/149) Tortre and Ill-treatment Allegation in Adana…
Erkan Aydın (21) who was shot at his both legs and detained wounded on 23 August 2015 during a police intervention against a demonstration in Adana was allegedly subjected to torture in police custody.
Another detainee Figen Şahin (25) was also subjected torture both in police vehicle and in the Security Directorate. Her lawyers announced that police officers kicked and hit with the butt of the weapons Figen Şahin’s genitalia and breasts. The lawyers stressed that Figen Şahin is not able to walk and they are going to make official complaint against the police officers for sexual abuse. She was hospitalised due to torture.
(08/150) Pressures in Prisons…
26 prisoners incarcerated in Şanlıurfa E-type Prison were reportedly transferred to Antalya L-type Prison on 23 August2015.
(08/151) Operations throughout Turkey…
Operations against the members and executives of Democratic Regions Party (DBP) in connection with so-called PKK Investigations and operations against Co-Mayors in the Southeast in connection with the self-governance declarations continued on 24 August 2015
On 24 August 2015, Co-Mayors of Edremit district in Van province Sevil Rojbin Çetin and Abdülkerim Sayan, Edremit Municipality Press Adviser Salih Sertkal; Co-Mayor of Çaldıran district in Van Faruk Demir; HDP Chair for Nusaybin district in Mardin province Sabiha Gündüz, MEYA-DER representative Salih Cebe and DBP executive for Nusaybin district Erhan Dinç were detained in connection with recent declarations of self-governance. Sevil Rojbin Çetin was arrested the same day.
The police detained 7 persons including 6 children on 24 August 2015 in Gaziantep on the allegations of “being in preparation of an action”.
Co-Chair of City Assembly in Varto district of Muş province Mustafa Doğan who was detained recently was arrested on 24 August 2015 on the allegations of “aiding an illegal organisation”.
Serhat Altunç, Serhat Yıldız and Emrah Yağız who were among 7 persons including one child detained in Adana were arrested on 24 August 2015 on the allegations of “making propaganda of an illegal organisation”.