Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
22 September 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(09/218) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 21, 2020 that, 6 HPG militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Bitlis on September 6, 2020.
(09/219) Allegation of Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Van…
On September 11, 2020, 2 people (Osman Şiban and Servet Turgut) were detained by soldiers in Çığlıca hamlet of Çatak district of Van, and they were taken away by helicopter. It was found out 2 days later that, they were admitted in intensive care unit of Van Regional Education and Research Hospital. Van Governorate’s Office made a declaration on September 21, 2020 and stated the following: “As a result of the operation performed in rural areas of Sürik hamlet of Andiçen neighbourhood of Çatak district of Van province on September 11, 2020, where a terrorist was neutralized (…) 1 person [S. T] who had suspicious behaviours and were in observation activity was detected, and it was seen that this person who did not obey stop warning and ran away fell off from the cliffs and got wounded, and this person is caught and kept in due form although he resisted. And another person O. Ş. who is considered to aid and abet terror organisation members in the area is also caught and kept in due form although he resisted. These 2 detained people and 1 neutralized terror organisation member are taken with a helicopter and brought to Van Provincial Gendarmerie Command at around 7 p.m. on September 11, 2020. Detained suspects were first taken to the nearest private hospital by ambulance, and then they were referred to Van Regional Education and Research Hospital. One of the detainees (O. Ş.) is discharged from hospital after treatment on September 20, 2020, while the other person (S. T.) is still under treatment.”
Osman Şiban was given a medical report from a hospital he was taken on September 11, 2020 which states blood coming from his digestive canal besides eye bruises, and trauma caused swellings on head, neck and face. Servet Turgut, the other detainee, was admitted to a hospital while he was unconscious, and he was registered as “intubated patient – fell from height”. And his medical report states that subdermal capillary vessels were damaged at both eyes and ears; the epidermis on hands and chest were removed.
It is learned that Osman Şiban’s house was raided by the police on September 22, 2020 and he was taken to a military hospital on Van Prosecutor’s Office order.
(09/220) Asylum Seekers Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Mardin…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 21, 2020 that, 7 asylum seekers (Ahmet El Hasan, with his wife Mari Haci and 5 children) who were detained by soldiers in Ceylanpınar district of Urfa on August 9, 2020 while they were crossing to Turkey from Syria; were taken to a border post in Kızıltepe district of Mardin where they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment. It is stated in the news reports that 7 people were stopped at the border and kept there or 3 hours where they were subjected to physical violence of the soldiers; and at the border post they were taken afterwards, soldiers forcefully took the girls’ clothes and used a sharp object to take off clothes of their mother Mari Haci who was also sexually abused by soldiers. It is also stated that 16,000 dollars which was kept by Mari Haci in her underwear was seized by the soldiers and family members were subjected to physical violence when they reject to it. It is reported that the family was then released at Syrian border, and they made to cross to Turkey on August 19, 2020. It is learned that the family made a criminal report to Mardin Public Prosecutor’s Office after applying to Human Rights Association (IHD) and Mardin Bar Association.
(09/221) Detained People in Batman…
On September 21, 2020, 6 members of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Youth Assembly who gather at a park for “We Defend Ourselves” campaign, are detained by the police. Detained people are released after being fined 395 Turkish Liras each for violating the Law of Misdemeanour. Detained people were: Seher Aksoy, Şehriban Aydın, Zilan Kaya, Kezban Kuday, Gülistan Sönük, Bermal Can.
(09/222) Journalist and Political Party Executives on Trial in Ağrı…
The trial of the case against 5 people, including journalist Aziz Oruç and HDP Doğubayazıt district co-chair Abdullah Ekelek, is held at Ağrı Heavy Penal Court No 2 on September 21, 2020.
After defence hearings the court decided to lift judicial control conditions for Abdullah Ekelek and İkram Müftüoğlu; and to continue detention of Aziz Oruç, and adjourned the trial to December 9, 2020.
Aziz Oruç and Abdullah Ekelek were detained on December 11, 2019, on Ağrı-Doğubayazıt roadway, while İkram Müftüoğlu was detained on the same day in a house raid. Abdullah Ekelek and İkram Müftüoğlu were arrested on December 13, 2019; Aziz Oruç was arrested on December 18, 2019. Abdullah Ekelek and İkram Müftüoğlu were released at the first trial held on July 21, 2020.
(09/223) Journalist on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The final trial of the case against Evrensel newspaper columnist Yusuf Karataş, for his activities within Democratic Society Congress (DTK), is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on September 21, 2020. The court sentenced Yusuf Karataş to 10 years and 6 months on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
(09/224) DBP Executive on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The first trial of the case against Celal Yoldaş, provincial executive of Democratic Regions Party (DBP) is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on September 21, 2020. The court decided to continue detention of Celal Yoldaş and adjourned the trial to December 2, 2020. Celal Yoldaş was detained through the investigation against Rosa Women’s Association on May 22, 2020, and was arrested on May 24, 2020.
(09/225) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
Melek Çetinkaya, mother of an Air Force Academy student who was sentenced to life imprisonment through the case on July 15 coup attempt; was detained in Ankara on the grounds of ‘praising offense and offender’ in a TV programme on Akit TV channel that she participated in and was arrested on July 17, 2020. The first trial of the case against Melek Çetinkaya is held at Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No 9 on September 21, 2020. The court released Melek Çetinkaya and adjourned the trial.
(09/226) October 10 – Ankara Massacre Case…
The trial of the case against Erman Ekinci and 16 fugitive defendants, for October 10 – Ankara Massacre, is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 4 on September 21, 2020.
The court decided to issue a red notice over Interpol for 16 fugitive defendants, send a writ to Ministry of Justice about defendants Mustafa Delibaşlar, Fadile Delibaşlar, Cebrail Kaya and İlhami Balı who were in camps in Syria; to demand communication records of defendant Yunus Durmaz from Gaziantep Heavy Penal Court No 8, to make a criminal complaint to Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office against Ebu Zeynep who is mentioned in communication records of security officers as Turkey leader of ISIS and adjourned the trial to December 15, 2020.
19 defendants have been sentenced to jail sentences on August 3, 2018, at the final trial of the case on October 10 – Ankara Massacre and the case against 16 fugitives was separated.
(09/227) People on Trial for Threat Messages to Hrant Dink Foundation…
The trial of the case against 2 people (Hüseyin Ateş and Ersin Başkan) for threatening e-mails sent to Hrant Dink Foundation and Rakel Dink on May 27, 28 and 31, 2020; is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 56 on September 21, 2020. It is learned that Hüseyin Ateş and Ersin Başkan stated that they “have sent the e-mails as a reaction to press releases of the foundation”. The court decided to send the case to Commission of Mediation, to send a writ to Forensic Medicine Institution for mental health examination of defendants. The court released the defendants and adjourned the trial to February 24, 2021.
(09/228) Investigation Against Association Chair…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 21, 2020 that Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation against Erman Paçalı, chair of Association of Animal Protection, Rescue and Support (HAYKURDER), on the grounds of ‘provoking hatred and hostility among people’ with his social media post addressing parliamentary members about a law draft on animal rights.
(09/229) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that news reports on https://tele1.com.tr/ and https://dokuz8haber.net/ websites about Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Mengücek Gazi Education and Research Hospital where the hospital cafe is being used as infirmary due to the increase in Covid-19 cases, are banned to access by Erzincan Penal Court of Peace on September 17, 2020.
(09/230) Ban of Events in Van…
Van Governorate made a declaration on September 21, 2020 and announced that, all open-door events such as demonstrations and meetings are banned; and press declarations, meetings, sit-ins, opening stands and tents, festivals, concerts, delivering leaflets and so on are subject to permission of local authority for 15 days for 15 days as of September 20, 2020. All events are banned in Van for 1414 days since November 21, 2016.
(09/231) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Ministry of Health declared that 68 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,743 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on September 21, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 7,574 and total number of confirmed cases is 304,610 as of September 21, 2020.
[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.