Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
25 October 2017 Daily Human Rights Report…
(10/310) Trials of Journalists in İstanbul…
The hearings for the trials of 6 journalists including 3 arrested began on October 24, 3017. The case was opened by İstanbul Heavy Penal Court No 29. Ömer Çelik, chief editor of DİHA closed with a Statuary Decree, former editor of news portal Diken Tunca Öğreten and Birgün newspaper employee Mahir Kanaat are arrested defendants. DİHA reporter Metin Yoksu, Yolculuk newspaper chief editor Eray Sargın and ETHA news chief Derya Okatan are on trial without arrest.
Due to publishing e-mails of Minister of Energy Berat Albayrak which were hacked by RedHack the indictment requests punishments for the following crimes: ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’, ‘membership of an illegal organization’, ‘interrupting and disrupting informatics systems, manipulating or destroying data’
All 6 journalists as well as HDP and CHP MP’s and union representatives were present at the hearing. Many people who wanted to follow the trial were allowed in the court toom because the seats for viewvers were given to riot police.
Arrested defendant Ömer Çelik made his defense in Kurdish and revealed he was tortured during detention, the judge interrupted his speech by saying ‘let’s not get away from the subject’. Regarding thetorture Çelik said; ‘police officers that came to my house attacked me as soon as I opened the door and then tortured me for 2 hours. They made me lie in the snow on the balcony in December.’ Çelik also said that the report he issued due to his torture was lost so he couldn’t issue a criminal complaint.
It is learned also during Çelik’s defense, Minister Albayrak’s attorney intervened and said ‘The official language of Turkey is Turkish and Kurdish is an ethnic language. I demand you ask the defendant whether he speaks Turkish or not.’’.
Following the defenses the court ruled for the release of Ömer Çelik and continuity of arrests for 2 arrested defendants. The court adjourned the next hearing to December 6, 2017. The court also overruled the request to lift judiciary control condition on released defendants and accepted the request to include Minister Albayrak to the case as a complainant.
3 of 6 journalists detained on December 25, 2017 were arrested on January 17, 2017.
(10/311) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that specialist corporal attacked in front of his house in Diyarbakır’s Yenişehir district on October 23, 2017 died on October 24, 2017.
It is reported that 1 militant and 1 village guard were injured during clashes between HPG militants and armed forces in rural areas of Mardin’s Kaynakkaya village on October 24, 2017. Governorate of Mardin declared a curfew on Ömerli district and 24 surrounding rural villages on October 24, 2017.
It is learned from news coverage of October 25, 2017 that 4 militants died during clashes between HPG militants and armed forces in rural areas of Şırnak’s Güçlükonak district, on September 8, 2017.
(10/312) Torture and Other Ill-treatment in Prison…
It is claimed on news coverage of October 24, 2017 that a prisoner named Mazlum Demir staying in Diyarbakır Type D Prison were detained once again by police officers coming to prison and he was sent to Diyarbakır Chief Police Station. Mazlum Demir was detained on October 5, 2017 in Diyarbakır’s Hani district and arrested on October 18, 2017 by court.
A prisoner named Berivan Aydın released from Antalya Type L prison, revealed in her statement to press on October 24, 2017 the pressure and right violations she suffered from in prison. Berivan Aydın stated that they were forced to strip searches and anyone who refused were put in cells, their transfer to hospitals were very late and when they did they were handcuffed and restrained from their medical rights. She also revealed that they were forced to stand during roll calls, wear a badge and disciplinary investigations began on prisoners who refused this. 15 of 20 people including former HDP executive Berivan Aydın were detained on March 15, 2017 and arrested on March 30, 2017. 14 people including Berivan Aydın were released on October 19,2017
It is learned from news coverage of October 24, 2017 that 26 prisoners staying in Bolu Type F prison were sent to Kayseri prison against their will.
It is learned from news coverage of October 25, 2017 that all newspaper that included news about PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan were cut and then distributed to prisoners. Also, some articles and news about the President were censored due to ‘insulting government officials’.
(10/313) Police Intervention Towards ‘‘I Want My Job Back’’ demonstrations in Ankara…
Civil servants discharged from their jobs with Statuary Decree’s planned for a press briefings in front of the Human Rights Monument in Ankara Yüksel Street on October 24, 2017. The resistance of the group has been going on for a certain period. Two meetings planned at 13.00 and 18.00 respectively were both intervened and prevented by the police forces.
It is learned that 3 people (Perihan Pulat, Aleyna Sert, İlker Işık) during the intervention towards the 13.30 meeting were beaten and detained. 6 people including Veli Saçılık were beaten and detained during the intervention towards 18.00 meeting.
A total of 9 people were detained on October 24, 2017 during demonstrations on Yüksel Street. It is reported that all detainees were released within the same day.
(10/314) Human Rights Defender Arrested in Antalya…
Human rights defender Meral Geylani who was detained on October 12, 2017 in Antalya, was arrested by court on October 24, 2017 due to ‘membership of an illegal organization’. Meral Geylani moved to Roboski village to be in solidarity with the families following the Roboski massacre.
(10/315) Attorney Detained in Van…
It is learned that member of Free Attorneys Platform member attorney Deniz Yıldız was detained in Van Police Headquarters where he went to testify on October 25, 2017. Yıldız was detained based on ‘operating and acting on behalf of an illegal organization’.
(10/316) Detention and Arrests…
It is learned that 17 people were detained during house raids in Diyarbakır’s Yenşehir district on October 23, 2017. Detentions were in connection with the armed assault and death of specialist corporal in Diyarbakır. Corporal died on October 24, 2017 in the hospital where he was treated.
It is learned that during house raids in Ağrı’s Diyadin district, 3 people were detained on October 24, 2017. It is reported that 3 people were taken to Ağrı Police Headquarters and reasons for their detentions are not known.
It is reported that 2 people named Halim Hillez and Evin Hillez were detained during house raids in Diyarbakır’s Silvan district on October 25, 2017. The reasons for their detention is unknown. It is learned that both are kept in Silvnan District Police Headquarters. It is claimed in news coverage that the couple have been forced to be informants for 2 months.
(10/317) Detentions and Arrests in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
It is learned that Gökçebey District Gendarmerie Commander B.K. were detained on October 24, 2017 in Zonguldak. 5 people through operations in 3 cities, 14 people through a Kayseri based operation in 3 cities were detained. 10 people including judges and prosecutors discharged with Statuary Decrees through a Tokat based investigation, 9 former police officers discharged with Statuary Decree’s through a Malatya based operation in operations in 2 cities were detained.
It is reported that 18 of 38 people detained on October 10, 2017 through an Ankara based investigation were arrested on October 24, 2017, due to allegedly stealing the questions of Police Academy entrance exam. 4 people were released with judiciary control conditions. 16 people remain in detention.
(10/318) Trials of Co-Mayors…
The trial of Diyarbakır’s Eğil district Co-Mayor Petek Elyusa Çapanoğlu continued on October 24, 2017. The case was opened by Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 based on membership of DTK between 2009-2014 and 18 marches and press briefings she attended. The court sentenced Çapanoğlu to 7 years 6 months due to ‘membership of an illegal organization’ and issued an arrest warrant. A trustee was appointed to Eğil municipality on March 8, 2017.
The trial of Van Municipality Co-Mayor Bekir Kaya for insulting prosecutors and judges with the speech he made following arrests of co-chairs Gültan Kışanak an Fırat Anlı, continued on October 24, 2017. Tha case was opened by Van Penal Court of First Instance No 7. Following the defenses the court adjourned the hearing to December 5, 2017. Kaya was detained on November 17, 2017 and arrested on November 18. Van Governor İbrahim Taşyapan was appointed in his place as a trustee.
The trial of 5 people including Şemdinli Co-Mayor Seferi Yılmaz and former DBP district Co-Chair Cabbar Taş regarding the accusations of ‘membership of an illegal organization’ and ‘making propaganda of an illegal organization’ continued on October 24, 2017. The case was opened by Hakkari Heavy Penal Court No 1. Following the defenses the court ruled for the continuity of arrests for arrested defendants and adjourned the hearing to January 18, 2018. Şemdinli Co-Chair Yılmaz was detained on December 3, 2017 and arrested on December 6, 2017.
(10/319) Trials in Connection with the Coup d’État Attempt…
The trial of 29 people including 23 arrested through the ‘‘FETÖ/PYD Media Structure’’ investigation continued on October 24, 2017. The case was opened by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court NO 25. Following the defenses the court ruled for the acquittanced of Atilla Taş and Murat Aksoy and adjourned the hearing to December 4, 2017. Previously on March 31, 2017 the court acquitted 21 people. Following an objection from the prosecution 8 people were arrested again. 13 people were detained outside the prison and arrested on April 14, 2017 for ‘‘attempting to overthrow the constitutional order’’. The court committee that ruled for the release of defendants were suspended.
The trial of 486 people regarding the incidents in Ankara Akıncılar Airbase during July 15 Coup attempt contiued on October 24, 2017. The case was opened by Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 4. Former First Lieutenant İlhami Yıldız made his defense and revealed that he was tortured during detention and his torture was videotaped by police officers.
[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, ETHA, Dihaber, Yurt, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, Ntv, Bianet.org, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Alinteri, Kızılbayrak, Özgür Radyo, Sendika.org, El Cezire,BBC, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar.