Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
26 February 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(02/348) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 25, 2021 that, 1 militant died in the air operation of Turkish Armed Forces to Qandil area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on January 22, 2021.
(02/349) Person Subjected to Physical Violence of Watchmen in Ankara…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 25, 2021 that, a 70-year-old woman, Zehra Canan, a street seller in Çankaya district of Ankara was subjected to physical violence of the watchmen. Zehra Cana stated the following: “I was making sale in front of a store in Meşrutiyet Street as I do every evening. The watchmen came and said ‘get out of here’, and I did not resist. I said, ‘Okay, I will pack my stuff and go home’. Then one of the watchmen said ‘No’, and pushed me. (…) They forced me to go to the police station, they dragged me on the ground.”
(02/350) Rejection to Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan…
It is learned that the appeal made on February 25, 2021 to chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers in order to visit their client was rejected the same day on the grounds of the ban for Abdullah Öcalan which prevents lawyer visits for 6 months.
(02/351) Detained Person in Diyarbakır…
Nasır Doğru, who was detained in Bismil district of Diyarbakır on February 23, 2021, is arrested by the court on the grounds of ‘possessing explosive material’ on February 25, 2021.
(02/352) Cartoonist on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against cartoonist Öznur Kalender, for a cartoon of Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü, leader of the religious sect Ismailiaga, is held at Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of First Instance No 14 on February 25, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for Öznur Kalender on the charge of ‘degrading religious beliefs of the public by insulting religious leaders’.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to July 8, 2021.
(02/353) Children on Trial in Van…
The first trial of the case against 3 children (Ö. S. [14, m], Ş. Y. [16, m] and O. D. [17, m]) is held at Van Heavy Penal Court No 6 on February 25, 2021.
The indictment demands jail sentence from 10 years to 26 years for 3 children, on the charges of ‘being an illegal organisation member’, ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, ‘resisting a public officer to prevent his duty’, ‘possession or exchange of hazardous substances without permission’ and ‘insult’. 3 children were detained in İpekyolu district of Van on February 15, 2019 and they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment under custody.
After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to June 29, 2021.
It is learned that the investigation which started upon the criminal complaint of Van Bar Association in relation to torture and ill-treatment to these 3 children, is still in process.
(02/354) Ipek Er Case…
The trial of the case against specialised sergeant Musa Orhan, for sexually assaulting a child (Ipek Er) and driving her suicide, is held at Siirt Heavy Penal Court No 1 on February 25, 2021.
The indictment demands jail sentence for Musa Orhan on the charge of ‘sexual assault’.
It is learned that numerous people who wants to follow the trials were not allowed in the courtroom upon Siirt Public Prosecutor’s instruction. Musa Orhan joined the trial from Ankara via sound and vision system. It is learned that Musa Orhan did not make his defence on his right to remain silent as he did before. The court rejected to arrest İpek Er and adjourned the trial to June 1, 2021.
Ipek Er committed suicide after she was subjected to sexual assault by specialised sergeant Musa Orhan, and lost her life in hospital on August 18, 2020. Musa Orhan was arrested on the same day, but he was released upon his lawyer’s appeal on August 25, 2020.
(02/355) Ban of Events in Tunceli…
Tunceli Governorate made a declaration on February 25, 2021 and announced that, all events such as demonstrations and meetings; open-door meetings, sit-in protests, hunger strikes, opening stands, collecting petitions, concerts, festivals, distributing leaflets, hanging banners, carrying torches, conferences and so on are banned for 30 days as of February 26, 2021.
(02/356) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned from the news coverage of February 25, 2021 that, 120 news reports on several websites on a business person who killed their neighbour’s dog, are banned to access by Access Providers Association (ESB) on February 19, 2021. It is learned that the reason of ban of access is “having similar content” with the news reports which were banned to access four times, earlier by Beykoz and Ankara courts.
(02/357) Detentions and Arrests in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
On February 25, 2021, 31 people are detained in operations covering 22 cities through an investigation on police chief exam of 2012; and 5 people are detained in Edirne in an alleged attempt to illegally flee abroad.
(02/358) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 73 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 658 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on February 25, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 9,572.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 28,358 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,674,766 as of February 25, 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.
[2]To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.
[3]https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT
[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari
[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.