Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
23 – 25 April 2022 Daily Human Rights Report
(04/284) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned that, a soldier who is on duty in Tunceli province, was found with a gunshot to the head in a vehicle parked on the side of the road in Malatya-Kayseri highway Aşağıulupınar neighborhood on April 22, 2022. It is reported that the soldier who was taken to Malatya Training and Research Hospital is in life-critical condition.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 22, 2022 that, 2 militants died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces and HPG militants in Qandil area of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on April 18, 2022.
The Ministry of National Defence declared that 3 soldiers (Furkan Gök, Kubilay Çon, Bekir Can Kerek) died in attacks during the “Claw-Lock” military operation to the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on April 23, 2022.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 23, 2022 that, 2 militants died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces and HPG militants in Zap area of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on April 18, 2022.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 24, 2022 that, 2 militants died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces and HPG militants in Avaşin area of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on April 18, 2022.
(04/285) People Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment of Police in Istanbul…
It is learned that 2 people including 1 child (E. A. and Ö. A.) were subjected to torture and ill-treatment of the police during an identity card check in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on April 24, 2022.
Their father R. A. stated the following to the press: “The undercover police stop my children in Taksim and ask for identity cards. My eldest son did not have his ID with him at the time. The police were persistently trying to get my child’s phone and my little son was punched for saying ‘don’t take the phone’. When my eldest son intervenes, the police take both of them and beat them, kicking and slapping them in the alleys. A tourist filmed the events and asked for the children to be released. Later, the police took the children to the police station.”
(04/286) Threat to Journalist in Çanakkale…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 24, 2022 that, journalist Muhammed Yavaş was threatened by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) district chair saying “I will not let you wander in Çan, you cannot breathe here”, in Çan district of Çanakkale.
Muhammed Yavaş stated the following to the press: “I continue to work in a private company outside of Çan district and I will go to Çan for the holidays. A message was sent to me, saying ‘Don’t come to Çan’. (…) I would control my back even while walking, I would take care of myself wherever I went.”
(04/287) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of April 24, 2022 that, prisoners in Istanbul Silivri L Type Prison No 2 were subjected to verbal violence of the chief correction officer.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 25, 2022 that, 70 prisoners are kept in the quarantine ward for 20 people.
(04/288) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on April 22, 2022 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by families and tutelary of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, and Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in Imralı Prison, in order to visit them was not responded.
(04/289) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the press declaration in front of Çağlayan Courthouse in Istanbul on April 22, 2022; which was held to draw attention to Sibel Balaç and Gökhan Yıldırım, the prisoners on hunger strike. The police detained 4 people (Erkan Yıldırım, Nergis Doğru, Urhan Şahin, Fikriye Yıldırım) by using physical violence, and they were released on the same day.
The police intervened 2 people (Feridun Osmanağaoğlu and Erkan Yıldırım) who were marching from Istanbul to Ankara for the same cause, and detained them in Kartal district of Istanbul on April 25, 2022.
(04/290) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of Yasin Keskin, who demands to be reinstated to his job at Çankaya Municipality, outside of municipality building on April 22, 2022 and forced him away from the building by using physical violence.
(02/291) Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration which were made within the scope of “I Want My Job Back Protest” in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on April 22, 2022 and forced people away from the monument by using physical violence.
(04/292) Detained People Through Ankara Based Investigation…
On April 12, 2022, 48 people have been detained in operations covering 13 cities through an Ankara based investigation under the name of “Kobanê Investigation”. 18 of them are arrested by the court, while 30 of them are released on judicial control conditions on April 22, 2022.
Arrested people are: Abdullah Bozkoyun, Eyüpcan Öcal, Erdal Avcı, Gülşen Duran, Berat Anlı, Fecri Tayfun, Ümit Güneş, Zana Döner, Nizamettin Onar, Burhanettin Büdüş, Hasan Uğur Çat, Mehmet Koyuncu, Hüseyin Daş, Atalay Bayrak, Nihat Gezici, İlyas Tekin, Navaf Ok and Halil Aslanlı.
3 people (Halis Bilen, Sevim Soylu and Rasim Çelik) are detained once again upon the prosecutor’s objection on April 23, 2022. It is learned that Halis Bilen was arrested by the court but other detainees were not referred to the court yet.
(04/293) Detained Association Executive in Adana…
Suphiye Bakav, Mediterranean Association for Solidarity with Families of Deceased (AYKAY-DER) co-chair, who was detained in Adana on April 21, 2022, is released after statement procedures on April 23, 2022.
(04/294) Arrested Asylum Seekers in Mardin…
It is learned that 4 Syrian asylum seekers (İbrahim el İsa, Ömer Halef Terbuş, Ziya El Yusuf Saud and Abdulmuti El Terbuş) who were detained in Mardin on April 16, 2022, were arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on April 22, 2022.
(04/295) Former HDP Co-Chair on Trial…
It is learned that the Penal Department No 21 of Ankara Regional Court reversed the local court’s verdict in the case against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, for his expressions about the chief public prosecutor of Ankara back then; and send the case back for retrial. Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 25 has sentenced Selahattin Demirtaş to 2 years and 6 months on the charge of ‘targeting public officials involved in the fight against terrorism’ and acquitted him on the charge of ‘threat by taking advantage of the frightening power created by criminal organizations’.
(04/296) Former HDP MP’s on Trial…
The trial of the case against former HDP deputies İdris Baluken and Çağlar Demirel, on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ in a speech, is held at Diyarbakır Penal Court of First Instance No 12 on April 22, 2022.
The court adjourned the trial to November 25, 2022.
(04/297) Mayor on Trial in Rize…
The final trial of the case against the Republican People’s Party (CHP) mayor Ercüment Çervatoğlu of Fındıklı district of Rize, for the events that took place during the festival held in the district in 2019, is held at Rize Pazar Penal Court of First Instance on April 25, 2022. The court acquitted Ercüment Çervatoğlu.
(04/298) Former DBP Co-Chair on Trial…
The trial of the case against Mehmet Arslan, former co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), through the investigation against Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 11 on April 22, 2022.
The court refused to lift the judicial control conditions and adjourned the trial to September 26, 2022.
Mehmet Arslan was detained on May 22, 2021 and was arrested by the court on May 24, 2021; and was released by the court at the trial held on September 30, 2021.
(04/299 Journalists and HDP Executives on Trial in Manisa…
The first trial of the case against 10 people including HDP Party Assembly member, and provincial and Turgutlu district executives of HDP and journalist İbrahim Coşkun, who were detained while distributing leaflets regarding the budget negotiations in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, is held at Turgutlu Penal Court of First Instance No 4 on April 22, 2022.
The indictment demands sentence for 10 people on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to June 14, 2022.
(04/300) Boğaziçi University Students on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against 45 students of Boğaziçi University is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 27 on April 22, 2022.
The indictment demands sentence for the students on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations’.
It is learned that nobody was allowed into the courtroom, and upon objections, only one journalist was allowed to watch the trial. After defence hearings, the court adjourned the trial to October 21, 2022.
45 people in question were detained by the police intervening the tent of students in the campus on October 22, 2021, to protest the new rector appointed by the President.
(04/301) Ankara JİTEM Case…
Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 1 has acquitted former Interior Minister Mehmet Ağar, İbrahim Şahin, Korkut Eken, Ayhan Çarkın, Ayhan Akça, Ziya Bandırmalıoğlu, Ercan Ersoy, Ahmet Demirel, Ayhan Özkan, Seyfettin Lap, Enver Ulu, Uğur Şahin, Alper Tekdemir, Yusuf Yüksel, Abbas Semih Sueri, Lokman Külünk, Mahmut Yıldırım, Nurettin Güven, Muhsin Korman, on the case known as “Ankara JİTEM case”, regarding the unidentified murders committed in and around Ankara between 1993 and 1996. Ankara Regional Court Penal Department No 1 has reversed the local court’s verdict and ruled a retrial. The retrial is held on April 22, 2022.
The court ruled that there were contradictions in the contents of the warrant sent by the General Directorate of Security in 2022, 2011 and 1997, and decided to rewrite the writ to the General Directorate of Security and adjourned the trial to June 24, 2022.
(04/302) Lawyer on Trial in Mersin…
The first trial of the case against lawyer Mehmet Altuntaş is held at Mersin Heavy Penal Court No 2 on April 22, 2022.
The indictment demands sentence for Mehmet Altuntaş on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial.
(04/303) Investigation Against CHP MP…
It is learned that Ankara Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation on April 25, 2022, against CHP Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, for his social media post about the Armenian Genocide. The investigation is based on Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code which covers the offence of “publicly degrading the Turkish Nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the judicial bodies of the State”.
(04/304) Preventions and Bans for 1 May Events…
It is learned that the application of Gebze Unions Collective for having a march and meeting on 1 May the International Workers’ Day in Kocaeli, was rejected by Gebze Sub-Governorate’s Office on 22 April 2022.
It is learned from the news coverage of April 24, 2022, that the panel talk about 1 May which was to be held by the Damal Associations Federation in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul was banned by the Esenyurt Sub-Governorate’s Office.
(04/306) Ban of Commemoration in Istanbul…
It is learned that the application for the event to be held in Barbaros Square in Beşiktaş district of Istanbul on April 24, 2022 to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Armenian Genocide was rejected by Istanbul Governorate’s Office.
(04/307) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that the news reports about the President of the Directorate of Administrative Affairs, published on https://www.diken.com.tr, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr, https://www.bbc.com/turkce, https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr, https://www.evrensel.net, https://www.krttv.com.tr websites are banned to access on the grounds of ‘violation of personal rights’’ by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 3 on April 19, 2022.
It is learned that the news reports about the former chief physician of Uşak Training and Research Hospital, published on https://www.sozcu.com.tr (2 news reports) and https://halktv.com.tr websites are banned to access by Uşak Penal Court of Peace No 2 on April 20, 2022.
(04/308) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 15 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 2,898 as of April 22, 2022.
The Ministry of Health declared that 16 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 2,654 as of April 23, 2022.
The Ministry of Health declared that 15 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 2,277 as of April 24, 2022.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 98,691 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 15,018,547 as of April 24, 2022.
[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.