Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
22 January 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/178) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 21, 2020 that, prisoners in Afyon T Type Prison No 1 were forced to strip search and to stand in military order during roll-calls, and they were not given radio, newspaper, televisions and clocks. It is also stated in the news reports that prisoners were not taken to infirmary in need, and those who reject to this were subjected to physical violence of the wardens raiding their wards. It is reported that due to physical violence, fingers of a prisoner, Mehmet Ali Dayan, were broken; and some other prisoners have broken legs, and some have bruises at feet due to birch. People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Van MP Murat Sarısaç submitted a parliamentary question addressing Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül, about torture and ill-treatment in Afyon T Type Prison No 1.
(01/179) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 1169 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on January 21, 2020 at 13.30, and at 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on January 21, 2020, 2 people (Mahmut Konuk and Mehmet Dersulu) and at 18.00 2 people (Merve Demirel and Mehmet Dersulu) were detained.
Thus in total 4 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on January 21, 2020. It is learned detained people were released on the same days they were detained.
(01/180) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the press declaration about Grup Yorum band members Helin Bölek and İbrahim Gökçek, who are on hunger strike in prison, on January 21, 2020 at Özgürlük Square in Bakırköy district of Istanbul; and detained 2 people (Helin Bölek’s mother Aygül Bilgi and Bakican Işık).
(01/181) Detained Members and Executives of HDP in Izmir…
21 people including HDP executives are detained in house raids in Izmir, Eskişehir, Konya and Mardin through an Izmir based investigation on January 21, 2020. Detained people known so far are: HDP central executive board former member Pervin Oduncu, Izmir provincial executive Ramazan Efendioğulları, Izmir provincial executive Mustafa Koyuncu, Yahya Kezer, Konak district co-chair Hayat İzgi, Kemal Aslan, Nezir Aras, Hamit Sarı, Gülsever Turgal, Salih Hüldür, Sultan Demiroğlu, Yaşar Sizici, Mehmet Değirmen, Kazım Gönültaş, Abdurrahman Koçak, Zeynel Halisdemir, Ali Haydar Aktaş.
(01/182) Detained Members and Executives of HDP in Diyarbakır…
It is learned that detention period for 16 people including Diyarbakır City Council member Rıdvan Ezer and HDP Party Assembly member Mesut Bağcık, who were detained on January 13, 2020, is extended for the third time on January 21, 2020.
(01/183) Detained HDP Members in Diyarbakır…
It is learned from the news coverage of January 21, 2020 that, HDP Youth Assembly members Mesut Ağırtaş and Yılmaz Uzun are detained in Diyarbakır on January 19, 2020.
(01/184) Detained Person in Ankara…
It is learned that Melek Çetinkaya is detained by the police stopping her car in front of her house in Ankara on January 21, 2020; and was taken to Anti-Terror Department of Ankara Police Headquarters. Melek Çetinkaya is mother of a military school student who was sentenced to life imprisonment in “Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation/ Parallel State Structure” cases. It is stated in the news reports that Melek Çetinkaya’s car was searched by the police without a warrant. It is learned that Melek Çetinkaya was not allowed to sit, and forced to wait faced to the wall for one and a half an hour at Anti-Terror Department and was subjected to verbal violence of the police saying “what are you getting into out of your depth”, “who taught you to use social media”.
(01/185) Journalist on Trial in Adıyaman…
The first trial of the case against Hacı Yusuf Topaoğlu, reporter of Dicle News Agency which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held at Adıyaman Heavy Penal Court No 2 on January 21, 2020. After defence hearings the court released Hacı Yusuf Topaloğlu and adjourned the trial.
Hacı Yusuf Topaloğlu was detained in Adıyaman on November 27, 2019 and was arrested on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on December 5, 2019.
(01/186) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against Rohat Emekçi from TV10 channel which was closed down by a state of emergence decree, for news programmes he produced, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 26 on January 21, 2020
The indictment demands sentence for Rohat Emekçi on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to April 9, 2020.
(01/187) City Council Member on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against Tarık Balyalı, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Council member from Republican People’s Party (CHP), is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 15 on January 21, 2020. The case is opened upon Turkish Technology Team Foundation’s complaint for his declaration on donations of former administration of the municipality to foundations. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to April 16, 2020.
(01/188) Police Officers on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against police chief Gökhan Kızıltepe and police officers Emre Andaç and İ. C. from Bayrampaşa District Security, on the grounds of physical and verbal violence against lawyer Gül Simge Yılmaz, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 37 on January 21, 2020. The court sentenced Gökhan Kızıltepe to 2 years and 1 month and to a fine of 8.750 Turkish Liras. The court sentenced Emre Andaç to a fine of 3.125 Turkish Liras and acquitted İ. C.
Gül Simge Yılmaz came to Istanbul Bayrampaşa District Security Headquarters to join a suspect’s statement procedures, on June 4, 2018, and she was subjected to physical and verbal violence of police chief Gökhan Kızıltepe. In the security video footage it could be seen that the police chief had a conversation with the lawyer and tells her “We have beaten many lawyers here, should we beat you too”, and asked other police officers to bring a club; then checks two clubs brought to him and hits the lawyer at the hand with one of them; and asks other police officers bring a gun then, which he later fired up in the air; and then he left the gun in the backyard where a janitor takes the gun and points it to the lawyer while laughing. Gökhan Kızıltepe was suspended afterwards, and numerous clubs and criminal tools were found in his room at the station.
(01/189) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On January 21, 2020, 7 people are detained in operations covering 7 cities through an Ankara based investigation against Ministry of National Education personnel; and 13 people are detained in Ankara on the grounds of using ByLock.
It is learned that a warrant is issued for 22 people through an Adana based investigation on January 21, 2020 and operations are initiated in 5 cities.
It is learned that a warrant is issued for 10 people through a Balıkesir based investigation against courthouse and department of corrections personnel on January 21, 2020 and operations are initiated in 8 cities.
(01/190) Take-Over of a Foundation…
On January 21, 2020, General Directorate of Foundations appointed 3 officials to manage the Foundation for Sciences and Arts which former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu co-founded, until a court will appoint trustee to the foundation.
[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.