Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
22 May Daily Human Rights Report
(05/255) Suspicious Death in Tunceli…
On May 16, 2019, Sakine Oğuz in Geçimli village of Hozat district, was found dead in the meadow where she went to shepherd her animals. It is learned from the news coverage of May 21, 2019 that, a person named Medet Can Ateş is detained about the death of Sakine Oğuz and was arrested by the court afterwards. It is learned that Medet Can Ateş was on compulsory military service in Çanakkale and came to Tunceli on permit.
(05/256) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Urfa…
Abdullah Öncel, chair of Şanlıurfa Bar Association, made a declaration on May 21, 2019, about allegation of torture and ill-treatment that 54 people who were detained after the clash in Dergili neighbourhood of Halfeti district of Urfa on May 18, 2019, where 1 police officer and 2 militants died, were subjected to at Urfa Police Headquarters Anti-Terror department. It is stated as following in the declaration: “Members of the bar’s executive board have seen some of the detainees and have the impression from marks of battery on their bodies that those people were subjected to torture. As it was covered on social media, it could be seen that in the garden of Bozova Yaylak Gendarmerie Station some of the detainees were faced down on the floor while handcuffed behind their backs and some has shoe prints on their backs, which shows that torture and ill-treatment is beyond an allegation here.”
It is claimed on the news reports that the statements prepared by the police were signed by 11 of the detainees under custody and ill-treatment. It is also stated in the news reports that Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office imposed a restriction on lawyers so that they can meet only one detainee per person and that the detention period for those people is extended to 4 days.
It is reported that a committee from People’s Democratic Party (HDP) demanded to visit Urfa Governorate and Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office about the allegation of torture and ill-treatment, but was rejected by both.
(05/257) Journalist is Attacked in Antalya…
Ergin Çevik, executive editor of Güney Haberci news portal, is attacked by a group of 3 anonymous people in Aksu district of Antalya on May 21, 2019. It is learned from the news coverage the attackers asked Ergin Çevik “Are you the journalist Ergin?” and then punched him.
(05/258) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of May 21, 2019 that, radios that belong to Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel, HDP former co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ and HDP former MP Burcu Çelik Özkan are seized after their wards has been searched in Kandıra Prison.
It is learned from the news coverage of May 21, 2019 that, radios that belong to prisoners kept in Van T Type Prison are seized and their beds were stepped on after their wards has been searched.
(05/259) 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 924 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on May 21, 2019 at 13.30 and 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on May 21, 2019, 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Mahmut Konuk) and at 18.00 2 people (Nazan Bozkurt and Acun Karadağ) were detained.
Thus in total 4 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on May 21, 2019. It is learned that detainees were released the same day.
(05/260) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
Mahir Kılıç, who was having a protest in front of Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul office on May 21, 2019, in order to regain his job at a municipality where he was dismissed from, is detained by the police.
(05/261) Police Prevention to Protests in Kocaeli and İstanbul…
The protest of prisoners’ families and members and executives of political parties (HDP and DBP), about the hunger strike in prisons, which was to be held in front of Gebze M Type Prison on May 21, 2019, is prevented by the police.
The police prevented the sit-in protest for the same reason which was to be held in front of Istanbul Bakırköy Women’s Prison on May 21, 2019.
(05/262) Detained People in Van…
On May 21, 2019, 15 people including Leyla Atsak, who was elected on March 31, 2019 as co-mayor from HDP but who was not given her certification of election on the grounds of being dismissed from public duty by a state of emergency decree, are detained in house raids in Çaldıran district of Van. It is learned that 9 people were released after statement procedures at the police on May 22, 2019; and that detention period for 5 people along with Leyla Atsak is extended. The names of detainees are: Leyla Atsak, Hülya Darak, Hacı Darak, Salih Candeğer, Şeref Temel, Kerem Koç, Zeynel Abidin Keleş, Mehmet Sıddık Moraner, Süleyman Kaya, Fevzi Kaya, Halil Koç, Naci Utaş, Nuri Kızılaslan, Mustafa Kaya, Hakan Taş.
(05/263) Detained Members and Executives of DBP in Batman…
On May 21, 2019, 6 people including DBP Batman co-chair Şükrü Tapkan are detained in house raids in Batman. The reason of detention is unknown. The names of detained people are: Şükrü Tapkan, Rojda Sürücü, Mahmut Sürücü, Süreyye Demirkılıç, Abdulbari Karğaç and Şirin Çelik.
(05/264) Detained HDP Employee in Şırnak…
HDP office employee Mazlum Güzel is detained in Cizre district of Şırnak while he was leaving the party office on May 21, 2019. The reason of detention is unknown.
(05/265) Detained People in Edirne…
On May 21, 2019, 12 students of Trakya University who are members of Students’ Collective are detained in house raids in Edirne. It is learned that the reason of detention is attending May 1 events.
(05/266) The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The separate cases against 3 academicians (Professor Funda Şenol Cantek from Ankara University, Research Assistant Serkan Taşkent from Sakarya University, Professor Şükrü Aslan from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University) for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ are held on May 21, 2019. The court decided to send the case against Funda Şenol Cantek to Ankara Heavy Penal Court on the grounds of lack of venue. The court decided to ask the Ministry of Justice in order to continue judging Serkan Taşkent and Şükrü Aslan according to Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code and to stop proceedings until then.
The case against Professor Ayşe Gül Altınay from Sabancı University for the same reason is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 on May 21, 2019. The court sentenced Ayşe Gül Altınay to 2 years and 1 month for ‘aiding an illegal organisation knowingly and willingly, although not being a member of it’.
The case against PhD Begüm Başdaş from Bilgi University for the same reason is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 36 on May 21, 2019. The court adjourned the trial to September 24, 2019.
(05/267) Özgür Gündem Case…
The final trial of the case against 22 people including Eren Keskin (co-editor in chief) and writers and managers Reyhan Çapan, Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Nuray Özdoğan, Celalettin Can, Ayşe Batumlu, Ayşe Berktay, Filiz Koçali, Hüseyin Aykol of Özgür Gündem newspaper, which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14 on May 21, 2019. The court sentenced 2 people (Ayşe Batumlu and Reyhan Hacıoğlu) to 1 year and 3 months each; 2 people (Hüseyin Güçlü and Tahir Temel) to 1 year and 6 months each; 1 person (Hüseyin Aykol) to 2 years and 1 month and 2 people (Eren Keskin and Reyhan Çapan) to 3 years and 9 months each for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’. The court suspended the sentences given to Reyhan Hacıoğlu and Ayşe Batumlu. The court acquitted Ayşe Berktay, Celalettin Can, Cemal Bozkurt, Çetin Ulu, Nuray Özdoğan, Emrullah Kurcan, Ergin Atabey and Özlem Söyle. The court separated the cases against Filiz Koçali, Enver Baysal, Hasan Başak, İhsan Yorulmaz, Muzaffer Ayata, Serbest Zan and Züleyha Yılmaz.
(05/268) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The case against journalist Ahmet Altan, for a column published on Taraf newspaper in 2010, started to be held on Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2 on May 21, 2019. The indictment demands sentence for Ahmet Altan on the charge of ‘insulting a public officer’. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to September 17, 2019.
(05/269) The Constitutional Court’s Decision About Withholding Newspapers in Prisons…
The Constitutional Court’s decision on an individual application by Recep Bekik et. al. about not being given in prison, newspapers and magazines that they bought and which are not banned, is published on Official Gazette on May 21, 2019. The court decided that not giving prisoners the newspapers and magazines that they bought is violation of freedom of expression which is guaranteed by Article 26 of The Constitution.
The court’s decision states also the following: “It is seen that there is a structural problem in the current system that arises from the practice of accepting periodicals to penal institutions. Unless there is an established order which is effective in order to provide prisoners the periodicals in a uniform, equitable and compatible with the criteria proposed by The Constitutional Court, it is clear that this structural problem will continue which in result would mean violation of freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 26 of The Constitution”.
(05/270) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On May 21, 2019, 5 people are detained for using ByLock, in operations in Ankara; 13 people are detained in operations covering 4 cities through an Izmir based investigation.
On May 21, 2019, a detention warrant is issued for 140 military members including 2 colonels, 4 lieutenant colonels and 7 majors through an Ankara based investigation against Turkish Armed Forces personnel.
On May 21, 2019, a detention warrant is issued for 74 people through an Istanbul based investigation against “informatics structure of the organisation”.
15 of 31 people who were detained on May 15, 2019 through an Istanbul based investigation are arrested by the court on May 21, 2019. 16 people are released 4 of which are on judicial control conditions.
(05/271) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against Mustafa Akarsu, former member of The Supreme Court, is held on Penal Department No 9 of The Supreme Court on May 21, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 10 years for ‘being an illegal organisation’.
[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.