Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
22 May 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/133) Individuals Detained in Istanbul…
On May 18, 2026, 57 people were detained as part of an investigation targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Of these, 25 were arrested on May 21, 2026, by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred, on charges of “bid-rigging,” while 32 were released on judicial supervision.
(05/134) Individuals Detained in Istanbul…
On May 20, 2026, as part of an investigation into the Istanbul Beşiktaş Municipality, 5 individuals were detained; 2 of them (Nazire Oylum Işık and Özlem Demir Karakaş) were arrested on May 20, 2026, and the other three (Cevdet Çalı, Bülent Karakaş, and İlker Uluer) were arrested on May 22, 2026, by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred, on charges of “bribery” and “money laundering.”
(05/135) Lawsuit to Annul the CHP Congress…
In the case filed at the Ankara Civil Court of First Instance No. 42 seeking the annulment of the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) 38th Ordinary Congress held on November 4–5, 2023, and the Istanbul Provincial Congress held on October 8, 2023, the Ankara Regional Court of Appeal, Civil Chamber No. 36, ruled on the appeal filed regarding the decision rendered in the case. Ankara Regional Court of Appeal’s Civil Chamber 36 ruled that the Ordinary Congress and the Provincial Congress were “vitiated by absolute nullity” and ordered the annulment of all ordinary and extraordinary congresses held since that date, as well as the decisions adopted therein. The Civil Chamber No 36 also ruled that General Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and party organs prior to the 38th Ordinary Congress, as well as the provincial chairman and provincial organs prior to the Provincial Congress, may continue in their positions.
(05/136) The Trial of Journalists in Mardin…
The trial of journalists Öznur Değer and Osman Akın, which was initiated at the Mardin Heavy Penal Court No. 2 based on a news report they published regarding torture allegations against Kamil Aksoy, the Commander of the Kızıltepe Gendarmerie Commando Battalion, continued on May 21, 2026. The indictment seeks to punish the journalists for the crime of “targeting individuals who have served in the fight against terrorism.” The court adjourned the hearing until June 16, 2026.
(05/137) Trial of a Journalist in Ankara…
The trial of journalist Alican Uludağ, initiated at the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance No. 57 based on a news report and social media posts he made, began on May 21, 2026. The indictment seeks the journalist’s conviction on charges of “insulting the President,” “publicly disseminating misleading information,” and “publicly defaming the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the state’s judicial organs.” Following the defense arguments, the court ordered the journalist’s release and postponed the hearing to September 18, 2026.
Alican Uludağ was taken into custody on February 19, 2026, and was arrested on February 20, 2026.
(05/138) Union Leader on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of Hakkı Demiral, former General Secretary of DİSK/LİMTER-İş, began on May 21, 2026, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22. The court ordered Hakkı Demiral’s release on the condition of judicial supervision requiring him to sign in regularly and postponed the hearing to a later date.
Hakkı Demiral had been arrested on February 3, 2026.
(05/139) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of Dilara Su Kalpak, a member of the General Assembly of the Socialist Women’s Council (SKM), began on March 21, 2026, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 26. The court ordered Dilara Su Kalpak’s release and postponed the hearing to a later date.
Dilara Su Kalpak had been arrested on February 3, 2026.
(05/140) Individuals on Trial in Izmir…
The arrest of Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, former President of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council and member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TİHV), along with nine journalists, and the police intervention during a press conference held by youth organizations on October 31, 2022, in front of the Türkan Saylan Cultural Center in Izmir , 23 people were detained during a police intervention at a press conference organized by youth organizations in front of the Türkan Saylan Cultural Center. The final hearing of the case filed against them at the Izmir Criminal Court of First Instance No. 44 took place on May 21, 2026. The indictment sought the conviction of the 23 individuals on charges of “Violation of the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (No. 2911).” The court ruled to acquit all 23 defendants on the grounds that it had not been established that the alleged offense had been committed by them.
(05/141) Restrictions on Journalists in Ankara…
On May 21, 2026, regarding the lawsuit filed to annul the 38th Ordinary Congress of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Ankara Regional Court of Appeal, Civil Chamber No. 36, It was reported that participants in the protest held in front of the CHP Headquarters in response to the “absolute nullity” ruling issued by the Civil Chamber No. 36 intervened against a TGRT reporter and cameraman covering the protest and forced the journalists away from the front of the Headquarters. Additionally, it was noted that A Haber reporters covering the protest were not permitted to enter the CHP Headquarters building.
(05/142) Social Media Accounts Subject to Access Restrictions…
According to news reports published on May 21, 2026, it was learned that access restrictions were imposed on the Turkish and Kurdish X social media accounts belonging to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA), as well as the Turkish and English X and TikTok social media accounts belonging to Jinnews, pursuant to a decision by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority.
[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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[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari
[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.