Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
22 January 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/199) Abducted Person in Istanbul…
It is learned that a person named Gökhan Güneş was abducted by 5 people forcing him into a car in front of his workplace in Başakşehir district of Istanbul on January 20, 2021. It is reported that the application of his family and lawyers to Istanbul Provincial Security of Directorate was responded as “Gökhan Güneş is not here”. It is claimed in the news reports that the persons abducted Gökhan Güneş was undercover police officer.
Gökhan Güneş’s sister states the following in her declaration to press: “A tracking device was placed in our car earlier. A surveillance camera was placed in the power pole in front of our house. My brother was tried to be abducted previously. (…) [On that day] he was on the bus talking on the phone with his fiancé. After this 3 minutes’ conversation, we could not receive any news from him. (…) After he was abducted we went to police stations but we were not given any information. Then we demanded the city surveillance cameras should be examined. They said ‘The officer in charge is not here not. S/he will be at work by 8 p.m.’. Then we went there again at 8 p.m. and this time they said that the officer will be there at 8 a.m. next morning. But at 8 a.m. next morning we were not paid attention again. (…) We found on our own the video recording of the minutes he was abducted. We learned that an investigation was initiated against the person from whom we got the recordings.”
(01/200) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on January 21, 2021 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of the ban for Abdullah Öcalan which prevents lawyer visits for 6 months.
(01/201) Police Intervention to Health Workers’ Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the health workers’ protest demanding improvement of employee personal rights at Ankara City Hospital, on January 22, 2021; and detained 8 people including Ankara Chamber of Medicine (ATO) chair Ali Karakoç, by using physical violence. Detained people are released after statement procedures at the police on the same day.
Detained people were: Ali Karakoç, ATO executive board member doctor Ayşe Uğurlu, Health and Social Service Employees’ Union (SES) Ankara co-chairs Nazan Karacabey and Kubilay Yalçınkaya, SES Ankara branch secretary Yüksel Delice, SES member Mahmut Konuk, former chair of SES İbrahim Kara and Revolutionary Health Workers’ Union (Dev Sağlık–İş) member Osman Çokaman.
(01/202) Police Interventions to Protests About Hunger Strikes in Prison…
The police intervened the press declaration of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Kadıköy district of January 21, 2021; which was held to draw attention to indefinite hunger strikes that started on November 27, 2020 in prisons to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. The police detained 8 people who were released after statement procedures on the same day.
The police intervened the press declaration held in Tunceli, on the grounds of expressions “İmralı, isolation, hunger strike” in the declaration. It is learned that nobody was detained.
(01/203) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The first trial of the case against journalist Zeynel Abidin Bulut, for attending the funeral of Mazlum Erenci, a journalist who lost his life in Tunceli on 2011; is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 4 on January 21, 2021.
After defence hearings the court sentenced Abidin Bulut to 10 months on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
(01/204) Cartoonist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against cartoonist Sefer Selvi, on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in a cartoon published on Evrensel newspaper, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No 18 on January 21, 2021. The court acquitted Sefer Selvi.
(01/205) The Case on Sürmi İnce’s Death in Hakkari…
The retrial of the case against specialised sergeant Ali Dağkıran, for Sürmi İnce’s (55) death due to gunfire of military members in Yüksekova district of Hakkari, is held at Yüksekova Heavy Penal Court on January 21, 2020. On March 6, 2020, Erzurum Regional Court has reversed the 3 years and 4 months’ sentence given by Yüksekova Heavy Penal Court.
The court rejected to arrest specialised sergeant Ali Dağkıran and adjourned the trial to April 6, 2021.
On July 18, 2017, Sürmi İnce died due to gunfire shot by military members, while she was carrying food for her children in Büyükçiftlik town of Yüksekova.
(11/206) Security Staff on Trial on the Charge of Sexual Assault in Van…
The trial of the case against 2 security staff (İ. H. K. and Y. V.) of Kurubaş Repatriation Center of Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in Van, on the charge of sexual assault to an Iranian woman Z. M., is held at Van Heavy Penal Court No 1 on January 21, 2021.
After defence and witness hearings the court adjourned the trial to April 13, 2021.
(01/207) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news report on declarations of Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Ali Mahir Başarır about the President’s lawyer, published on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/, https://t24.com.tr/, http://www.krttv.com.tr/ websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 4 on January 21, 2021.
It is learned that a content published on https://ifade.org.tr/ website is banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 4 on January 21, 2021.
(01/208) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On January 21, 2021, 13 people are detained in operations covering 9 cities through an Ordu based investigation.
25 of 198 people who were detained through an Izmir based investigation on January 19, 2021 are arrested by the court on January 21, 2021. 17 people are released on judicial control conditions while 156 people are still under custody.
(01/209) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against Sümeyye Ş. is held at Antep Heavy Penal Court No 9 on January 21, 2021. The court sentenced the defendant to 6 years and 3 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(01/210) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 153 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 743 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on January 21, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 6,289.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 24,640 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,412,505 as of January 21, 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.