Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
26 – 29 December 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(12/150) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned that 3 police officers (İlker Pehlivan, Turgut Külünk and Yasin Koçyiğit) and 6 militants died, 8 police officers and 1 watchman were wounded in a clash between the police and ISIS militants in Yalova on December 29, 2025.
(12/151) Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 25, 2025 that, Mert Umay, who was arrested in Istanbul on October 24, 2025, was detained and subjected to torture and ill-treatment and forced to be a police informant while being taken to the Istanbul İl Emniyet Müdürlüğü.
On December 25, 2025, Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul office made a press declaration and read Mert Unay’s letter. In the letter, Mert Unay states the following about torture and ill-treatment he was subjected to “I was beaten by the police and intelligence officers during my detention. My right cheekbone and various parts of my body were hit by more than one police officer. As a result of this beating, my ribs were crushed (…) After I was taken to the Istanbul Security Directorate in Vatan Street, I was detained for four days on the grounds that a new investigation had been opened against me when I was supposed to be taken to court (…) In the cell where I was put alone, ‘interviewing me’ was imposed (…) Not content with this, I faced open death threats (…) Confession was imposed with the words ‘It would be good for you and your relatives if you benefit from active remorse’.”
(12/152) Political Party Executive Abducted in Diyarbakır and Forced to Become a Spy…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 27, 2025 that, Nurgül Deniz, Labour Party (EMEP) Yenişehir district chair and Labour Youth FMC member, was intercepted by people claiming themselves to be police officers, and was forced to get into a vehicle and was forced to be a spy in the vehicle, after giving her official statement at Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate on December 26, 2025, through an investigation on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’. It is reported in the news reports that Nurgül Deniz was released on the same day.
Nurgül Deniz stated the following in her statement to the press “The woman showing ID card used the name ‘Zeynep’. There were three people in the vehicle, including two men called ‘Mete’ and ‘Şef’. They told me that I didn’t have to deal with financial problems, that the state wanted to take me by the hand, that they were looking for a friend within the party to share information with us such as ‘who is who, what they do, what kind of person they are’ (…) At the point where I rejected the offer, threats started (…) Then I was brought back to Seyrantepe (…) Just before I was taken out of the vehicle, two male individuals got out of the vehicle and covered the license plate. During this time, I was tried to be persuaded again by the woman in the vehicle for about 20 minutes.”
(12/153) Prisoners whose Release was Adjourned by the Prison Administration and Observation Board Decision…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 21, 2025 that, although Sevgi Saymaz, a prisoner in Kocaeli Kandıra F Type Prison No 1, has completed the execution of her life sentence, her release was adjourned by Prison Administration and Monitoring Board (CİGK) on the grounds of disciplinary penalties she received before. It is not known for how long Sevgi Saymaz’s release was adjourned.
(12/154) Prisoners on Hunger Strike in Prison…
It is learned that 3 prisoners (Ayberk Demirdöğen, Ulaş İnci and Nazım Şafak Korkmaz) who were on hunger strike in Kırıkkale F Type Prison, demanding an end to right violations and closure of “Well Type” prisons, ended their hunger strike on December 26, 2025.
(12/155) Detained Journalist in Istanbul…
Journalist Barış Terkoğlu, who was detained on the grounds of ‘publicly disseminating misleading information to the public’ through his remarks in a TV program, is released by the criminal court of peace on December 25, 2025 with a ban on leaving the country and a judicial control measure. It is also learned that Barış Terkoğlu’s cell phone was seized for examination.
(12/156) Detained Journalist in Ankara…
Journalist Gökhan Mezarcı, who was following the press declaration on animal rights in front of Ankara Courthouse on December 26, 2025, is detained on the charge of ‘insulting a public officer’ and is released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions on December 27, 2025.
(12/157) Detained People in Antalya…
On December 26, 2025, 10 people are detained through an investigation against Döşemaltı district municipality of Antalya on the grounds of ‘public damage’.
(12/158) Detained People in Istanbul…
As part of an investigation against Bayrampaşa Municipality, on December 27, 2025, 4 people including IBB Fire Department Head Remzi Albayrak and Republican People’s Party (CHP) Bayrampaşa district executive Bekir Önder were detained on the allegations of ‘embezzlement’, ‘extortion’, ‘taking bribe’ and ‘bid rigging’. Bekir Önder and another person are arrested by the criminal court of peace on December 29, 2025. Remzi Albayrak and another person are released on judicial control conditions with a ban on leaving the country.
(12/159) Detained People in Istanbul…
15 of 22 people who were detained in Istanbul on December 23, 2025 through an investigation initiated by Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office against Şile Municipality are arrested by the criminal court of peace on December 26, 2025 on the charges of ‘establishing an illegal organization to commit a crime’, ‘extortion’, ‘bribery’ and ‘bid rigging’.
(12/160) Detained Person in Iğdır on the grounds of Social Media Posts…
It is learned that 1 person is detained in Iğdır on December 28, 2025, on the grounds of making propaganda for an illegal organisation on social media.
(12/161) Person Arrested on the Grounds of a Protest in Istanbul…
Bilge Kağan Şarbat, CHP Kadıköy Youth Branch executive Bilge Kağan Şarbat, who was detained on the grounds of slogans shouted during the protest organized by CHP in Kadıköy district of Istanbul on December 27, 2025, is arrested by the criminal court of peace on the charge of ‘insulting the President’ on December 28, 2025.
(12/162) People Detained After Protest in Izmir…
It is learned that 1 of 27 people (Gökhan Çoban) who were detained on December 23, 2025 through an Izmir based investigation against people who participated in a protest in Izmir for the closure of “well-type” prisons, is arrested by the criminal court of peace on December 26, 2025. 26 people are released provided that at least 2 of them will be on judicial control conditions.
(12/163) Co-Mayor on Trial in Mardin…
It is learned from the news coverage of December 28, 2025 that the indictment of Mardin Public Prosecutor’s Office against Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Devrim Demir, on the grounds of his statements on the trustee appointed to the municipality, is accepted by Mardin Civil Court of First Instance No 10. The indictment demands sentence for Devrim Demir on the charge of ‘insulting a public officer for his duty’.
(12/164) Journalist and Municipality Executive on Trial in Kocaeli…
The trial of the lawsuit filed on the grounds of the news article titled ‘Shock allegations against AKP’s Katırcıoğlu’s advisor and brother’ continued on December 26, 2025 at Kocaeli 12th Criminal Court of First Instance against Kocaeli Newspaper reporter Cihan Polat and Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Zoning Commission Member Lawyer Mehmet Nazım Gençtürk. The indictment demands sentence for 2 people on the charges of ‘violation of residential inviolability’, ‘violation of the Law on Protection of Personal Data’, ‘violation of privacy’ and ‘slander’. The court adjourned the trial to September 22, 2026.
(12/165) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Berfin Azdal through the investigation against Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14 on December 26, 2025. The court sentenced Berfin Azdal to 6 years and 3 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
Berfin Azdal was arrested on February 21, 2025 and was released at the first hearing of the case on June 26, 2025.
(12/166) Person on Trial in Kayseri…
On December 27, 2025, it is learned from the news coverage of December 27, 2025 that, on the grounds of Sultan Kılıç’s social media post regarding the detain of IBB Mayor, the court acquitted her of the charge of ‘publicly provoking to commit crime’ in the case against her.
(12/167) Investigation Against Political Party Executive for Distributing leaflets in Diyarbakır…
It is learned that an investigation was initiated against Nurgül Deniz, Yenişehir district chair of Labour Party and Labour Youth MYK member, on the grounds of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ for distributing leaflets about Erdal Eren, and that Nurgül Demir gave her official statement at Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate on December 26, 2025.
(12/168) Ahmet Yıldız Case…
On December 26, 2025, the trial of the case against Ahmet Yıldız, who was killed on July 15, 2008 by his father because he was gay, continued at Istanbul Anadolu Heavy Penal Court No. 5. The court rejected the demand of the lawyers to hear Ahmet Yıldız’s mother and sister and adjourned the hearing to September 10, 2026.
[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.