Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
24-26 August 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(08/181) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 23, 2024, that, 2 civilians (Gülistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn), reported to be journalists, lost their lives due to a fire opened by an armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Turkish Armed Forces in Seyidsadık district of Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that 2 militants died in a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces units and HPG militants in the Hakurk region of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in April 2024.
(08/182) City Councillor Lost His Life in Tekirdağ…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that Mustafa Can Ekinciler, elected city council member of Tekirdağ Süleymanpaşa Municipality from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was subjected to an armed attack on August 20, 2024, and lost his life in Namık Kemal University Research and Application Hospital.
(08/183) People Who Lost Their Lives in the Floods in Kırşehir and Kayseri…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that floods and landslides occurred in Kayseri, Kırşehir, Maraş, Sivas, Konya and Nevşehir after heavy rains on August 24, 2024, and 2 people, 1 person in Kayseri and 1 person in Kırşehir, lost their lives due to floods.
(08/184) Racist Attack in Nevşehir…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that some workers at an energy plant in Ürgüp district of Nevşehir were subjected to threats and armed assault of anonymous people for wearing Amedspor shirts. It is reported that at least 3 workers were wounded and 13 of them were detained. It is learned that 12 of detained workers were released after statement procedures at the police and 1 worker named Edip Bozkurt, who was also wounded, was arrested by the criminal peace judgeship on the charge of wounding 3 people with a knife.
(08/185) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Balıkesir…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 26, 2024, that 3 workers (M. A., C. G. and Ö. İ.) who were sitting in a park in the Altıeylül district of Balıkesir on August 21, 2024, and listening to a Kurdish song, were first verbally harassed by neighborhood watchers, then subjected to physical violence by neighborhood watchers, police officers and people around them and were detained by being handcuffed behind their backs. It is also reported in the news that the workers who were injured due to physical violence were not examined by the doctor on duty at the Balıkesir State Hospital emergency room and were not given a medical report documenting torture and ill-treatment, their families were not informed about their detention and they were not given access to a lawyer. It is learned that C. G., one of the 3 detainees, was arrested by the Criminal Peace Judgeship on the charges of ‘insulting the President’ and ‘resisting to prevent duty’.
(08/186) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
On August 23, 2024, lawyers from Şırnak Bar Association Human Rights and Prison Monitoring Committee, Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Şırnak Representative Office and IHD Şırnak Branch released a report stating that in Şırnak T Type Prison, some prisoners had to sleep on the floor because the wards were over capacity and that the prison director forced prisoners to petition to speak Kurdish in phone calls, prisoners were informed that if they made a phone call to someone other than the legal owner of the phone number they called, the penalty of deprivation of phone call would be applied, prisoners were prevented from having physical contact with their relatives during open visits, prisoners’ rights to privacy were violated because they were seated at a very close distance with other prisoners and their relatives during open visits, The food given to prisoners is of poor quality and inadequate, hot water is provided to some wards only 1 day a week and to others 2 days a week, prisoners are forced to buy water from the canteen with their own means due to the high lime content of the tap water in the prison, prisoners’ requests to change wards are rejected without justification, prisoners who want to move from wards for independent prisoners to wards for political prisoners are subjected to pressure. It is learned that there are problems in the delivery of letters to addresses, the items and materials in the canteen are inadequate and prisoners can only give an order list once a week, prisoners have to buy cleaning supplies from the canteen by their own means since the prison administration does not provide cleaning supplies, sheets, duvet covers, blankets and pillows that should be given to each prisoner by the administration are not given, prisoners have to use unhygienic materials that were used by others before or buy them from the canteen.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that Abdulkadir Bozkurt, a prisoner in Tekirdağ F Type Prison No 2 was threatened with death by prison director, chief correction officer and prison psychologist, was prevented by correction officers from using his right to phone on August 22, 2024, and was subjected to physical violence of correction officers on the same date, for refusing to make a false statement about torture and ill-treatment he witnessed. Abdulkadir Bozkurt’s lawyer stated the following to the press: “Bozkurt stated that he was assaulted by 10 correction officers twice yesterday: There were indications that Bozkurt was beaten. There were bruises and marks in various places. He also stated that he had bruises on his shoulders and thighs”. According to the news reports, Abdulkadir Bozkurt also told his lawyer: “Two years ago, a friend of mine in the same cell was subjected to similar attacks. I witnessed him being tortured. The prison administration asked me to make a false statement, but I didn’t. I told them what happened. I helped him to file a criminal complaint. After this incident, the administration’s attitude towards me changed. It has been going on for two years.”
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that Ferhat Önkol, a prisoner in Adana Kürkçüler F Type Prison was transferred to Konya Ereğli High Security Prison against his will on August 19, 2024, and is being kept in a single room.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that Necat Öztekin, a prisoner in Adana Kürkçüler F Type Prison was transferred to Adana Suluca Y Type Prison against his will on August 19, 2024, and his family was not informed about the transfer.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that Adem Dinç, a prisoner in Kocaeli F Type Prison No 2 was subjected to physical violence by correction officers and supervisors, and that the doctor in charge of the prison infirmary refused to write a medical report documenting physical violence, and gave the report after Adem Dinç demanded to be referred to a hospital. It is also reported in the news that an investigation is initiated against the superior of the correction officers who committed violence. Lawyer Hande Baytürk, a member of Lawyers’ Association for Freedom (ÖHD), stated the following about torture and ill-treatment to which Adem Dinç was subjected: “Dinç and 2 people staying with him were taken to another empty room instead of their room. Then Adem Dinç was taken back to his own room, saying ‘We are taking him to collect his belongings’. Here, the chief correctional officer and the guards with him torture Dinç. First the chief correction officer tried to slap Dinç. When Dinç raised his arms to protect himself, the slap hit his arm. Because he raised his arms, two of the other officers squeezed his arms and another officer squeezed his throat from behind. The chief officer starts to slap him. After that, Dinç was taken to another empty room alone (…) There is already a swelling around his eye and blood collecting in it. When we went to visit him, we witnessed that blood was still collecting in his eye. In other words, we witnessed the torture. The doctor in the infirmary does not want to write the report. Dinç asked for a referral to a hospital if he would not be given a report. Thereupon the infirmary doctor writes the report”.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that in Kocaeli F Type Prison No 2, correction officers scattered prisoners’ belongings during ward searches, books and notebooks of prisoners were seized and these items were not returned to prisoners after examinations, prisoners had difficulties in hospital transfers, food was of poor quality and sick prisoners were not given food suitable for their needs, social and cultural activities were limited and prisoners’ requests for workshops were rejected on various grounds.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that Bakır Öztürk, a prisoner in Tekirdağ F Type Prison No 2, was interrupted during a phone call with his family on August 24, 2024, when he was talking about rights violations in prison.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that 7 prisoners (Ahmet Sürme, Neşet Güven, Ali Gül, Erdal Özdoğan, Tahir Aktan, Mehmet Ali Beldek and Halil Göktürk) in Tekirdağ F Type Prison No 2 were kept in solitary rooms and were not given Yeni Yaşam and Evrensel newspapers by the prison administration.
(08/187) Prevention of Right to Access Health in Prison…
On 23 August 2024, lawyers from Şırnak Bar Association Human Rights and Prison Monitoring Committee, Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Şırnak Representative Office and IHD Şırnak Branch released a report and stated that dental treatment of prisoners in Şırnak T Type Prison was delayed, some prisoners were examined in handcuffs during hospital transfers and patient confidentiality was not ensured, and medicines which should be supplied to prisoners urgently were delivered late.
(08/188) Prisoner Whose Release is Postponed by the Prison Administration and Observation Board…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that the release of Cengiz Eker, a critically ill prisoner in Izmir High-Security Prison No 3, who completed the execution of his life sentence of 30 years on September 22, 2023, was postponed for the second time by Prison Administration and Observation Board (İGK) on the grounds of ‘not being in good behavior’, and was extended for 6 more months. It is also reported in the news that Cengiz Eker’s release was postponed for 6 months for the same reason before.
(08/189) Gendarmerie Intervention Against a Protest in Mardin…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 23, 2024, that gendarmerie intervened with tear gas and water cannons against people protesting Dicle Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş. (DEDAŞ) teams who went to the Sürgücü neighborhood of the Savur district of Mardin, accompanied by gendarmerie and armored vehicles. It is reported that no one was detained during the intervention.
(08/190) Gendarmerie Intervention Against a Protest in Urfa…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that gendarmerie used tear gas and water cannons to intervene against the people protesting against DEDAŞ teams who went to the Gürpınar neighborhood of Haliliye district of Urfa, some people were subjected to physical violence of gendarmerie and at least 2 people were detained during the intervention. These 2 people were arrested by the criminal peace judgeship. It is also reported that the gendarmerie blockaded the neighborhood the next day and people who wanted to leave the neighborhood were issued traffic tickets by the gendarmerie. The exact number of detainees and names of arrested people could not be learned.
Hüseyin Karalı, the mukhtar of the Gürpınar neighborhood, stated the following to the press: “DEDAŞ came with the gendarmerie to seize two transformers in our neighborhood due to debt. After dismantling the first transformer, they went to the upper part of the neighborhood for the second transformer. When they wanted to dismantle the transformer, a quarrel broke out and everyone was beaten. Some neighborhood residents reacted to the beatings and fought back, and then a chaos broke out. Soldiers intervened with pepper spray and TOMA. Whoever was there at that moment was beaten. They detained some of them, two people were arrested (…) The day after the incident, the gendarmerie surrounded the whole neighborhood and those who left the neighborhood were fined. As soon as I heard about this, I went there as the mukhtar to ask what had happened, and they fined me too, saying ‘You weren’t wearing your seat belt’. However, I went there to ask what they were doing. Some were fined 15 thousand TL, some 20 thousand TL. Drones fly over the neighborhood. They write traffic fines for vehicles leaving the neighborhood’.
(08/191) Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that the police intervened against the protest of the Cebeci neighborhood locals in the Sultangazi district of Istanbul against the stone mines in the area, and detained 5 people. The names of detained people could not be learned.
(08/192) Press Statement Prevented by the Police in Antep…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 25, 2024, that members of the United Textile, Weaving and Leather Workers Union (BİRTEK-SEN) who wanted to hold a press statement in front of a hotel in the Şehitkamil district of Antep, were prevented and blockaded by the police. It is reported that no one was detained due to police prevention.
(08/193) People Detained in Şırnak…
On 25 August 2024, 2 people (İ. D. and Y. D.) were detained in house raids in the İdil district of Şırnak. The reason for the detention could not be learned.
(08/194) People Under Investigation…
On August 24, 2024, the Ministry of Justice announced that Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an ex officio investigation against the people who raised the allegation that Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek had resigned, on the grounds of ‘publicly disseminating misleading information’. It could not be learned how many people were investigated in total.
(08/195) Investigation Launched Against an MP…
The Ministry of Justice announced on August 25, 2024, that an investigation was initiated by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against CHP Izmir MP Tuncay Özkan for his remarks on the President. It is also reported that Justice and Development Party (AKP) Elazığ MP Mahmut Rıdvan Nazırlı insulted Tuncay Özkan on his social media account.
(08/196) Discriminatory and Phobic Writings in Eskişehir…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that ‘LGBT is a crime’ was written by anonymous people on electricity panels in different parts of Eskişehir.
(08/197) Ban of Access to Web Content…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 23, 2024, that a total of 3 news reports on https://halktv.com.tr, https://www.kocaeligazetesi.com.tr and https://gazetememur.com, about allegations against a public prosecutor, were banned from access by Kocaeli Criminal Peace Judgeship No 3 on the grounds of violation of personal rights.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 24, 2024, that 1 social media post about an access ban decision taken in 2022 upon the demand of Serhat Albayrak, was banned from access by the decision of the Association of Access Providers (ESB) on August 14, 2024, on the grounds that it contains the same content as the previously banned news.
(08/198) Detained People…
The Ministry of National Defence announced on August 25, 2024, that 8 people who were allegedly trying to illegally cross to Greece were detained on the grounds of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’.
[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.