Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
23 – 25 July 2022 Daily Human Rights Report
(07/148) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 24, 2022 that, 6 militants died in a clash between Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in the rural areas of Van, between April 21 and 28, 2022.
(07/149) Person Died in Prison…
It is learned that Mehmet Sait Demiröz, former member of the Court of Cassation and ill prisoner kept in Izmir Ödemiş Prison who have been taken to hospital as he deteriorated, lost his life in the intensive care unit of the hospital on July 22, 2022.
(07/150) Suspicious Death in Prison…
It is learned that Kadri Ekici, a prisoner in Diyarbakır Prison No 2, died in a solitary cell on July 23, 2022. It is stated in the news reports that the prison administration told his family that Kadri Ekici killed himself.
Netice Ekici, his mother, stated the following to the press on July 24, 2022: “He was kept in a solitary cell for almost a year (…) They were not giving my son his medications, they were not treating him (…) He called me one day before he died and asked for money. Why would a person planning to suicide want money? The next day they said ‘Your son killed himself’. My son did not kill himself, even if so, he was driven by the correction officers. They did not intervene in my son so that he would die. When I said ‘Take my son out of the solitary cell’, they said ‘there is no cutting tool, rope, quilt, blanket, so that he would not attempt suicide’.”
(07/151) Statement by the Minister of Justice on Allegations of Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prisons…
The Minister of Justice made the following statement regarding the allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in prisons, on July 22, 2022: “In many places, news about torture and ill-treatment are published from time to time. I would like to make it clear that; There is no torture in Turkish prisons or in Turkey. No one can show a single concrete example (…) When such a case occurs, both from a judicial and administrative point of view, we are resolutely going against it, and we are determined to do so.”
(07/152) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 22, 2022 that, 2 political prisoners who were transferred from Edirne to Izmir Şakran Prison were forced to be put in a ward where no political prisoners kept.
It is learned from the news coverage of July 22, 2022 that, prisoners who were transferred to Isparta E Type Prison were subjected to torture and ill-treatment at the entrance of prison by a team of correction officers known as “demolition team”.
It is learned from the news coverage of July 24, 2022 that, the letter of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair Leyla Güven in Elazığ Women’s Prison to ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan, was not delivered on the grounds that “it would give morale to the prisoner”.
(07/153) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 22, 2022 that, Ahmet Zeki Özkan, an ill prisoner with cancer in Antalya L Type Prison was not treated and could not have the CT scan although the doctors asked for it a month ago.
(07/154) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Hatay…
It is learned that 24 people who have been detained by the police using physical violence to intervene a stand for having a poster of İbrahim Kaypakkaya, during the First of July Festival in Samandağ district of Hatay on July 13, 2022; were subjected to verbal violence and threats of the police at Samandağ District Security Directorate.
(07/155) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Hatay…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 23, 2022 that K. Ç., who was trying to intervene in a fight in Iskenderun district of Hatay on July 15, 2022 and was handcuffed behind his back and put in the police vehicle by the police coming to the scene, was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in the police vehicle and was injured in various parts of his body as a result.
The lawyer of K. Ç. stated the following to the press: “The client was insulted and battered by the law enforcement. Later, the client, who was handcuffed behind the back, was taken to the vehicle and during this time, pepper gas was sprayed into the vehicle and he was subjected to acts incompatible with human dignity.”
(07/156) Phobic Attacks in Eskişehir, Istanbul, Malatya…
It is learned that on July 21, 2022, 4 LGBTI+ people were physically attacked in Kadıköy district of Istanbul. The following is stated in the press release on the subject: “On July 21, at 9 pm in Kadıköy’s Yeldeğirmeni neighbourhood, we saw a man we do not know staring at us, while four queers were walking towards our homes. After a short while, the person crossed the pavement where we were walking together and made a move towards us. When a friend of ours asked him what he was looking at, the aggressor marched on us and declared the war against our existence; he showed it openly with the curses he uttered and the threats he announced to the whole neighbourhood (…) The so-called neighbourhood friends who came from around became superior in numbers and started attacking, punching and kicking us from all sides.”
It is learned that on July 23, 2022, 1 LGBTI+ person in Eskişehir was physically attacked by a phobic and racist group of 3 people.
During a concert within the scope of Malatya Apricot Festival on July 24, 2022, it is learned that 6 LGBTI+ people carrying the rainbow flag were verbally and physically attacked and 2 people were injured as a result of the attack.
(07/157) Deportation Decision for Somali Citizen…
It is learned from the news coverage of July 23, 2022 that a deportation decision was made for Mohamed Abdullah, a Somali citizen, the manager of the restaurant named Saab, which had been subjected to discriminatory practices by the police before.
(07/158) Gendarmerie Prevention to a Protest in Manisa…
The workers, who started a march to Ankara on July 22, 2022, against the transfer of a part of a quarry within the Soma Aegean Lignite Enterprise (ELİ) of the Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKİ) in the Soma district of Manisa to a private company, were stopped by the gendarmerie in the Kırkağaç region. It is learned that the workers started a watch in the region after prevention.
(07/159) Police Intervention to a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of Şişli Municipality workers in front of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Ankara on July 22, 2022 and forced people away from the building by using physical violence.
(07/160) 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 July 22, 2022 and forced people away from the monument by using physical violence.
(07/161) Police Intervention in Football Tournament in Istanbul…
The police intervened in the football match of the Kemal Kurkut Football Tournament, organized by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Youth Assembly, played on July 23, 2022, on the grounds that a team was showing up with a banner about Zaho and Roboski. It is learned that 11 people who were detained using physical violence are released on July 24, 2022.
(07/162) Detained Revolutionary Party Member in Istanbul…
It is learned that Erkin Barın, a member of the Revolutionary Party, is detained by the police after the press declaration in front of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) district building in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on July 23, 2022, to protest the incident in which 9 civilians, including children, were killed and 23 people were injured, as a result of the artillery fire allegedly carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces against the rural area of the city of Zaho within the borders of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government. Erkin Barın is released by the court on judicial control conditions on the same day.
(07/163) Detained HDP Member in Van…
HDP Youth Assembly member Arjin Tuncer is detained in front of Van provincial Office of the HDP on July 22, 2022. The reason for detention is unknown.
(07/164) Former HDP Co-Chair on Trial…
Former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months on the charge of ‘targeting public officials involved in the fight against terrorism’ and was acquitted on the charge of ‘threat by taking advantage of the power to invoke fear derived from a criminal organisation’ in the case at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 25, for his expressions about Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor of the time. The local court’s verdict was overturned by the Penal Chamber No. 21 of Ankara Regional Court of Justice. The retrial of the case is held on July 22, 2022. The prosecutor declared legal opinion on the case and demanded sentence for Selahattin Demirtaş on the charges of ‘threat by taking advantage of the power to invoke fear derived from a criminal organisation’ and ‘targeting public officials involved in the fight against terrorism’. The court adjourned the trial to September 16, 2022.
The case was opened with the allegation that Selahattin Demirtaş threatened and targeted Yüksel Kocaman, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor back then, by of his words in his defence at the trial of the case at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 19 on January 7, 2020.
(07/165) Sealed Association Building…
The building of the Religious Scholars Assistance and Solidarity Association (DIAYDER), located in Bahçelievler, Istanbul, was sealed by the police on July 22, 2022, following the court’s verdict to “suspend the activities” in the closure case held at Istanbul Bakırköy Civil Court of First Instance No 1. on June 28, 2022.
(07/166) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that one social media post of journalist Metin Cihan is banned to Access on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No. 2 on July 13, 2022.
It is learned that one social media post of journalist Metin Cihan is banned to Access on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No. 1 on July 18, 2022.
It is learned that the news reports about a prisoner named Yılmaz Ekici who lost his life in Aydın E Type Prison, published on https://www.evrensel.net website is banned to access on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” by Aydın Penal Court of Peace No. 1 on July 18, 2022.
It is learned that 3 contents about an interview with actor Selçuk Ural, published on https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr, https://www.yeniakit.com.tr websites and on a social media platform, are banned to Access on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No. 6 on July 1821 2022.
It is learned that the news reports about Yılmaz Şimşek, the governor of Sivas city who was informed to the Minister of Interior in several complaints, published on https://www.diken.com.tr website, will be removed by the decision of Sivas Penal Court of Peace No. 2 on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” on July 22, 2022.
It is learned that the news reports about the court’s decision for removal of the news report about Yılmaz Şimşek, the governor of Sivas city who was informed to the Minister of Interior in several complaints, published on https://www.diken.com.tr website, will also be removed by the decision of Sivas Penal Court of Peace No. 2 on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” on July 22, 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.