Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
26 – 28 June 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(06/267) Asylum Seekers Died by Security Forces’ Fire in Siirt…
On June 27, 2021, security forces opened fire at a car with asylum seekers in, on the grounds of ‘disobeying stop warning’ near Beğendik town of Pervari district of Siirt. It is learned that 2 asylum seekers died and 12 people got wounded.
Siirt Governorate’s Office made the following declaration: “On June 27, 2021; at around 00.22 at night, a call was received by 112 emergency service reporting a suspicious car and its driver travelling towards Beğendik town on Pervari district of Siirt (…) A road security and patrol activity was initiated on Beğendik bridge, and at around 01.27 the suspicious vehicle (a truck) was getting closer to the control point. The driver did not obey stop warning and accelerated the vehicle right onto the security staff; and then a fire was opened from the vehicle which was responded by fire from patrol officers. It was detected that there were 84 Afghan and Pakistani refugees in the vehicle; 2 refugees died and 12 refugees got wounded.”
(06/268) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2021 that, 1 militant died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in rural areas of Bitlis on June 14, 2021.
(06/269) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned that 5 people were subjected to torture and ill-treatment while their houses were raided by the police through an investigation against the Revolutionary Party and the Revolutionary Forces of the Youth (Dev-Güç) members in Istanbul on June 22, 2021.
Yeşim Tükel, one of the detainees states the following on how they were tortured: “Our house in Sarıgazi where I live with 4 friends, is raided by the gendarmerie and the police. (…) The police came right into the house without showing a search warrant, and said ‘We will shoot you at the head, put your hands up’. (…) We were oppressed to say pin codes of our phones. (…) They faced us down on the ground with our hands on the neck. I was the only woman and they kept using sexist curses and rape threats on me. I was verbally harassed for hours by a police officer. (…) They threatened me with the police officer named Y. who was the first to beat me. They said ‘We can call Y. if you like. He does not treat woman like this normally, but he stormed at you’. And they said ‘You should have missed Y., you need to be beaten once again before leaving here’ when I did not answer their questions. (…) We were lying down on the ground but they kept kicking us. They did not allow any cameras apart from the moments they searched the house. Although we were tortured for hours, the police officers came into the examination room in the hospital. They had to leave after the doctor’s warning”.
(06/270) Person Subjected to Physical Violence of Municipal Police in Bursa…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 26, 2021 that a shop keeper in Mudanya district was subjected to physical violence of Bursa Metropolitan municipal police.
(06/271) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 25, 2021 that, 3 prisoners including İsmail Çoban, executive editor of Azadiya Welat newspaper which was closed down by a state of emergency decree, are transferred from Mersin Tarsus T Type Prison No 3 to Maraş Türkoğlu L Type Prison No 2 under coercion.
It is learned from the news coverage of June 25, 2021 that, prisoners kept in the Covid-19 quarantine ward in Konya Seydişehir T Type Prison were not allowed to use their phone call rights for 35 days.
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2021 that, Axin Biro, a prisoner kept in Antalya Alanya L Type Prison is put in a solitary cell for he participated in the hunger strike in prisons to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. It is also stated in the news reports that personal belongings of prisoners were being damaged by the correction officers during ward searches.
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2021 that, Enes Cengiz, co-mayor of Veysel Karani town of Siirt, is kept in a solitary cell for 7 months in Batman T Type Prison; his phone conversations are being interrupted in 30 seconds because he rejects to give a military style oral report before weekly calls; and the letters sent to him were not delivered by prison administration.
(06/272) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan Not Responded…
It is learned that the appeal made on June 25, 2021 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was not responded.
(06/273) Police Intervention to Pride Week Events in Istanbul and Ankara…
Beyoğlu Sub-Governorate’s Office made a declaration on June 26, 2021 and banned the Pride Parade and all related events on Istiklal Street of Beyoğlu district of Istanbul.
The police intervened the groups gathering on Istiklal Street for the Pride Parade. It is learned that several people were subjected to physical violence of the police and 47 people were detained by torture and ill-treatment. It is reported that most of the detainees were injured.
The police used violence against journalists as well. Bülent Kılıç, an AFP reporter was detained by the police kneeling on his throat and handcuffed behind his back. Bülent Kılıç stated the following: “I was attempted to get killed, but the prosecutor permits an investigation on the grounds of damage to property. The police took my camera to get it repaired. I do not care property, I was intended to get killed”. Mehmet Ersoy, deputy Interior Minister, shared a social media post about detention of Bülent Kılıç and said “It is not violence to detain those who resist the police during an unlawful demonstration”.
A person who said “My kid is sleeping” to protest the police using blast bombs in their street, was detained by the police raiding their house without the prosecutor’s warrant.
Detained people are released after statement procedures.
It is learned from the news coverage that, on of the police officers intervening the parade has shared a discriminative social media post which says “We are intervening the unlawful march of LGBT (gender disabled) people. They are such a disgrace to our beautiful country and they claim pride”.
It is learned that the police prevented people from hanging rainbow balloons on the Human Rights Monument on Yüksel Street in Ankara on June 26, 2021.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made a declaration on June 28, 2021 and condemned unnecessary and excessive use of force by police against peaceful LGBTI march participants in Istanbul on June 26, 2021 and called on Turkey to take urgent measures to end discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
(06/274) Police Prevention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police prevented the press declaration of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), to protest isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on June 26, 2021. The police prevention was based on sub-governorate’s ban on events, and the police intervened the groups leaving the press declaration which was held in another place. It is learned that nobody was detained.
(06/275) Detained Revolutionary Party Members in Istanbul…
On June 22, 2021, 16 members of the Revolutionary Party and the Revolutionary Forces of the Youth (Dev-Güç) have been detained by the gendarmerie in house raids in Istanbul. 9 of them (Başak Yeşilot, Murat Pircan Yaratan, Özgür Sazlık, Beyza Çapar, Sedef Özer, Umut Doğan, Mazlum Oruç, Hasan Taş, Bünyamin Tacar) are released by the court on judicial control conditions on June 25, 2021. 7 people have been released on the same day.
(06/276) Detained People in Mardin…
On June 26, 2021, 2 people (Hamdullah Ocan and Mahsum Demir) are detained in house raids in Mardin. It is learned that 2 people were taken to Urfa for investigation.
(06/277) Detained People in Urfa…
On June 25, 021, 2 people (İbrahim Basiyan and Şahin Basiyan) are detained in house raids in Suruç district of Urfa. The number of detainees through this Urfa based investigation raised up to 25.
(06/278) Kobanê Case…
The trial of the case against 108 members and executives of HDP including former co-chairs, is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 22 on June 25, 2021.
The court rejected the objection of the prosecutor’s office to the release of 4 people at the trial held on June 15, 2021 and send the appeal to a superior court. After defence hearings the court decided to release Zeki Çelik, İbrahim Binici, Emine Ayna, Emine Beyza Üstün, to lift judicial control conditions on Sırrı Süreyya Önder and house confinement conditions for Gülser Yıldırım, and adjourned the trial to September 20, 2021.
(06/279) Turkish Medical Association Board Member on Trial…
The trial of the case against Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Honorary Board member doctor Şeyhmus Gökalp is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 10 on June 25, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence from 7 years and 6 months up to 15 years for Şeyhmus Gökalp on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ for participating in Democratic Society Congress (DTK) activities.
After witness and defence hearings the court adjourned the trial.
Şeyhmus Gökalp was arrested on November 23, 2020 and was released from prison at the first trial held on February 10, 2021.
(06/280) HDP MP on Trial…
The trial of the case against HDP MP Musa Farisoğulları, who was stripped of his MP status after the sentence given to him by the court was finalised; is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 10 on June 25, 2021.
The indictment demands jail sentence up to 26 years for Musa Farisoğulları on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, ‘provoking public for illegal demonstrations and assemblies’ and ‘participating in unlawful meetings and demonstrations without arms and not dispersing upon warning.
The court decided to send a writ to the Witness Protection Department for arrangement of audio and video alterations for anonymous witnesses for the next trial which is adjourned.
(06/281) Co-Mayor on Trial in Mardin…
The trial of the case against Mülkiye Esmez, HDP co-mayor of Sur district of Diyarbakır, is held at Mardin Heavy Penal Court No 11 on June 25, 2021.
Mülkiye Esmez joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court decided to release Mülkiye Esmez and adjourned the trial to November 12, 2021.
Mülkiye Esmez was detained on November 16, 2019 and was arrested by the court on November 26, 2019. Ministry of Interior appointed a trustee to Derik district on November 16, 2019.
(06/282) SGDF Members on Trial in Ankara…
The trial of the case against Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) members Okan Danacı, Yücel Yavuz and Devrim Taylan Eryılmaz is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 27 on June 25, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for 3 people on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
The court decided to continue detention of Okan Danacı; and adjourned the trial to September 10, 2021.
Yücel Yavuz and Devrim Taylan Eryılmaz were detained on October 16, 2020, were arrested by the court on October 19, 2020 and they were released by the court at the first trial held on April 8, 2021. Okan Danacı was detained on December 15, 2020 and was arrested on December 16, 2020.
(06/283) The Case Against People Who Were Subjected to Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Urfa…
The final trial of the case against 17 people including 8 arrestees is held at Urfa Heavy Penal Court No 5 on June 25, 2021. 17 people were detained after the clash in Dergili neighbourhood of Halfeti district of Urfa on May 18, 2019, where 1 police officer and 2 militants died, and they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment under custody.
Cindi Zencirkıran stated the following on how they were subjected to torture, in his defence declarations: “They made us wait in handcuffs behind our backs for hours in the yard of police station They were walking on us. They broke my bones, they broke my nose, my ribs. They gave electric current on my genitals. I gave my statement under torture. They were saying ‘We will torment you again if you do not sign’. I have said earlier that I do not accept this statement”.
Celal Yıldırım stated the following: “They tormented us at Anti-Terror Department. They deformed my back by torturing me. They gave electric current, hung me overhead from the ceiling. The report on how I have been tortured is still not sent to me. They made us sign some papers”.
The defence lawyers stated that earlier statements of the defendants cannot be accepted as evidence since they were signed under torture and ill-treatment, and that the torture investigation of Urfa Public Prosecutor’s Office should be evaluated within this case.
The court sentenced 2 people (Celal Ercan and Zeki Alakuş) to 7 years and 6 months each and 1 person to (Mehmet Alakuş) to 5 years on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court sentenced 5 people (Celal Yıldırım, Fahrettin Alakuş, Cindi Zencirkıran, Ömer Gül and Vakkas Kılıç) to 3 years and 6 months each; and 6 people (Gazeley Alakuş, Fatma Alakuş, Mehmet Hayri Çiftçi, Sariye Gümüş, Niyazi Gümüş and Ruken Deniz) to 2 years and 1 month on the charge of ‘aiding an illegal organisation’. The court acquitted 3 people.
(06/284) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that Etkin News Agency’s website https://www.etha18.com is banned to access on the grounds of “protection of national security and public order” by Diyarbakır Penal Court of Peace No 3 on June 25, 2021.
It is learned that the news reports and posts about the visits of the person who attacked to HDP’s Izmir office, to a hotel managed by Izmir Governorate, published on http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com, https://yoltv.com websites and on social media account of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) Istanbul MP Ahmet Şık are banned to access by Izmir Penal Court of Peace No 1 on June 25, 2021.
It is learned that 2 social media posts shared by two different accounts, referring to the expressions used by Segin Baran Korkmaz, a fugitive business person who got arrested in Austria, for former chair of the Investment Agency and general director of Turkish Wealth Fund, are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Penal Court of Peace No 5 on June 25, 2021.
(06/285) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
58 of 113 people who were detained through an Izmir based investigation are arrested by the court on June 25, 2021. 53 people are released provided that 6 of them will be on house confinement and 16 of them will be on judicial control conditions. It is learned that 2 people are still under custody.
2 of 3 people who were detained in Denizli are arrested by the court on June 25, 2021 while 1 person is released on judicial control conditions.
(06/286) Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against 5 people is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 36 on June 25, 2021. The court sentenced 2 people to 22 years and 6 months and to 18 years and 9 months on the charge of ‘leading an illegal organisation’; and 2 people to 12 years 6 months and 5 years on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court separated the case against 1 fugitive defendant.
(06/287) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 56 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 477 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on June 25, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 5,630.
The Ministry of Health declared that 51 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 470 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on June 26, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 5,266.
The Ministry of Health declared that 52 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 390 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on June 27, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 cases is 4,883.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 49,576 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 5,409,027 as of June 27, 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.