Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
24 March 2023 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/215) Earthquake Survivor Child Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 23, 2023, that an earthquake survivor child named A. Ç (17, e) who was referred to Ağaçlı Child and Youth Center in Kemerburgaz, Istanbul because the dormitory building in Antakya was severely damaged, was subjected to physical violence by the officials in the dormitory.
- Ç. stated the following to the press: “(…) I did not stay at the dormitory for a while. When I came back, a dormitory attendant insisted that I take a shower. Then I said that I will turn 18 in 3 months and that I am not a child and that I can decide for myself when to take a shower or not. Not long after, the head of the dormitory called me to their room and asked why I was not taking a shower, and I repeated my answer. They then said, ‘OK, you can go to your room’ and as I was walking down the hall to my room, another dormitory attendant pushed me. I reacted to this. The dormitory staff rushed at me, took me to a room without a camera, and beat me. (…) I called the gendarmerie and when they came to the dormitory they said, ‘Nothing will come of it’ because there was no camera recording. However, when I insisted on making a complaint and getting a report of assault, they took me to the hospital, I filed a complaint and received a report of assault. Currently, they do not allow us to leave the dormitory (…) I am threatened by the dormitory officials because I have filed a complaint and received a report of assault.”
(03/216) Earthquakes in Malatya, Antep and Maraş…
The Minister of Family and Social Services made a statement March 23, 2023 and declared that a total of 1,915 unaccompanied children were registered in the system, 1,745 of them were identified and given to their families, 83 children were in the hospital, 84 children were in the institutions of the ministry, and 40 children could not be identified.
(03/217) Detained HDP Executive and Other People in Izmir…
6 of 7 people (the Peoples’ Democratic Party [HDP] central executive board member İdil Uğurlu, Behiye Yalçın, Selma Demir, Berfin Çiçek, Hayat İzgi and Newroz Çelik) who were detained in Izmir on March 22, 2023, are arrested by the court on March 23 and 24, 2023. 1 person (Barış Kırmızıtaş) was released on judicial control conditions on March 22, 2023.
(03/218) Rights Defender on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Saturday Mother Hanife Yıldız, on the grounds of her speech about the Interior Minister at the press declaration in front of Çağlayan Courthouse in Istanbul on May 17, 2022, as a part of the Week of Disappearances; is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 48 on March 23, 2023. Hanife Yıldız was detained by the police after the press statement. The indictment demands sentence for Hanife Yıldız on the charge of ‘insulting a public official due to their duty’. The court released Hanife Yıldız.
(03/219) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 6 employees of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 23 on March 23, 2023. The court rejected to lift judicial control conditions and adjourned the trial to June 12, 2023.
(03/220) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The indictment of Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office against journalist Bülent Kılıç, who was handcuffed behind his back and was detained by the police using physical violence, as he was reporting on the Pride March in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on June 26, 2021, is accepted by Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 19 on March 23, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for Bülent Kılıç on the charges of ‘resisting to prevent public duty’ and ‘insulting a public official due to their duty’.
(03/221) Former Co-Mayor on Trial in Van…
The trial of the case against HDP Democratic Local Authorities Board member and former Edremit district co-mayor Sevil Rojbin Çetin is held at Van Heavy Penal Court No. 2 on March 23, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for Sevil Rojbin Çetin on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. Sevil Rojbin Çetin joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court decided to continue detention of Sevil Rojbin Çetin and adjourned the trial to May 26, 2023.
Sevil Rojbin Çetin was detained on June 26, 2020 in Diyarbakır and was arrested on July 7, 2020.
(03/222) Boğaziçi University Students on Trial…
The trial of the case against 52 people, on the grounds of ‘deprivation of liberty’ and ‘violation of the law on meetings and demonstrations’ for they have participated in the protests against the new rector appointed to Boğaziçi University by the President, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No. 49 on March 23, 2023. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to June 7, 2023.
(03/223) Lawyers on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan (Rezan Sarıca, Ali Maden, Baran Doğan, Cengiz Yürekli, İnan Akmeşe, Mahmut Taşçı and Mehmet Selim Okçuoğlu) is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 33 on March 23, 2023. The indictment demands sentence for 7 lawyers on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court adjourned the trial to July 4, 2023.
(03/224) Person on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against Veli Saçılık, on the grounds of social media posts about the Interior Minister and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chair, is held at Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No. 30 on March 23, 2023. Veli Saçılık and his lawyer did not attend the trial on excuse. The court adjourned the trial to March 29, 2023.
(03/225) October 10 – Ankara Massacre Case…
The trial of the case against Erman Ekici and 16 fugitive defendants, for October 10 – Ankara Massacre, is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No. 4 on March 23, 2023. The court decided to continue detention of Erman Ekici and adjourned the trial to June 15, 2023.
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.
(03/226) Non-Prosecution of Police Officers in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 23, 2023 that, Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office decided non-prosecution of 2 police officers, against whom journalist Bülent Kılıç has filed a complaint after he was handcuffed behind his back and was detained by the police using physical violence, as he was reporting on the Pride March in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on June 26, 2021.
[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.