27-31 January 2016 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/146) Curfew in Cizre…
The curfew in Cizre district of Şırnak reached its 51st day as of 1 February 2016.
According to the news gathered, paramedic teams were not allowed on 23 January 2016 to reach a house on Caferi Sadık street in Cudi quarter where 23 persons including wounded ones reportedly took shelter.
The persons in the house were not able to access to fresh water and the wounds were dressed with cottons taken out of pillows.
One of the wounded persons in the house Nusret Bayer died on 27 January 2016 of blood loss.
Another wounded person Ferhat Karaduman reportedly lost his conscious on 29 January 2016.
Sultan Irmak (15) also died of blood loss on 30 January 2016.
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Group Deputy Chairperson İdris Baluken, HDP MPs Meral Danış Beştaş and Osman Baydemir visited Ministry of Interior Affairs on 27 January 2016 to discuss the condition of the wounded persons. They started hunger strike at the Ministry of Interior Affairs when their demands were rejected.
ECtHR did not take interlocutory injunction decision upon appeal by the lawyers concerning the condition of the persons in the house, but wanted them to apply to the Constitutional Court.
The Constitutional Court also did not take any decision concerning the demand on 27 January 2016 on the grounds of “missing documents”. The Court also asked the lawyers the names of the persons stuck in the house.
The names and the conditions of the persons in the house on Caferi Sadık street were revealed on 29 January 2016. According to the news gathered, 7 persons died in the house for not being hospitalised. And there were also 16 wounded persons and 9 persons taking care of them.
The names of the wounded persons reportedly were Mahmut Yavuzel, Feride Yıldız, Ferhat Saltıkat, Ali Fırat Kalkan, Mustafa Vartiyak, Tahir Çiçek Rıdvan Ekinci, Dersim Aksay, İslam Balıkesir, Serdar Pişkin, Ferhat Karaduman, Sercan Uğur, Rohat Aktaş, Fehmi Dinç.
The remaining 9 persons were Hacer Aslan, Gülistan Üstün, Sakine Şiray, Berjin Demirkaya, Ramazan İşçi, Mahmut Duymak, Kasım Yana, Osman Gökhan, İzzet Gündüz.
11 women who wanted to go to the house on 31 January 2016 by carrying white flag were detained by the Security Forces on the allegations of “defying the curfew”.
Selim Turay was shot to death by the Security Forces during an armed clash that broke out on 26 January 2016 in Cudi quarter.
The body of Rüzgar Yıldızgörer (25) was found on the street on 24 January 2016. Security Forces prevented his/her family to leave Cizre district when they wanted to go to Şırnak on 26 January 2016 to identify the body. Abdullah Yıldızgörer was also detained.
Body of an unidentified person was found on 26 January 2016 in Cudi quarter. The body was reportedly taken to Şırnak State Hospital for forensic examination.
(01/147) Curfew in Sur…
Blockade and operations in Sur district of Diyarbakır reached its 53rd day as of 1 February 2016.
Sub-Governorate of Sur declared curfew on 27 January 2016 in Abdaldede, Alipaşa, Lalebey, Süleyman Nazif and Ziya Gökalp including Melikahmet Avenue. The number of the quarters in Sur where curfew was imposed reached 11.
A house in Hasırlı quarter was shot by a canon on 31 January 2016 and the attack caused fire in the house. An 80-year-old man was reportedly wounded with shrapnel during the explosion.
It was revealed that the person who was shot to death on 2 December 2015 on Şêx Said (Dağkapı) Square for opening fire against the police officers was not Güler Eroğlu. After the blood samples did not match with the family of Güler Eroğlu, the person was identified as Mizgin Koçyiğit.
(01/148) Operations and Attacks in the Southeast…
The soldiers Captain Yiğitcan Çiğa, Non-commissioned officer Özgür Erdoğan, Specialist Sergeant Osman Ateş, police officers Zekeriya Bilgen and Bora Tayfur died during the armed clashes on 27 January 2016 in Sur district of Diyarbakır. 5 soldierswere also wounded during the clashes.
A non-commissioned officer was killed by a sniper on 29 January 2016 in Sur district of Diyarbakır. 3 soldiers were also wounded during the clash that broke out after the attack.
A soldier was reportedly killed during an armed clash on 29 January 2016 in Cizre district of Şırnak.
Specialist Sergeant Selçuk Paker was killed and 9 soldiers were wounded during the armed clashes on 30 January 2016 in Sur.
Specialist Sergeant Adem Aktaş who was wounded on 21 January 2016 in Sur district died on 30 January 2016 in military hospital GATA in Ankara.
Temporary village guard Murat Sevim (44) was organised an armed attack on 30 January 2016 in front of his house in İsmetpaşa quarter of Şırnak.
Gendarmer non-commissioned officer Ahmet Semerci, police officers Ömer Güney and Taner Cinpolat were killed during armed clashes on 31 January 2016 in Cizre. 3 police officers and 2 soldiers were also wounded during the clashes.
(01/149) Extra-judicial Killing in Mardin…
Sara Xemiş (30) living in El-Eradê village of Dirbêsiyê province in Rojava was shot and wounded when Turkish soldiers opened fire on 27 January 2016 when she was trying to pass the border with her children to Nusaybin district of Mardin.
(01/150) Person Killed by the Police in Diyarbakır…
Sidar Ekinci who was heavily wounded when they were opened fire from a police vehicle was on 25 December 2015 in Diyarbakır died on 29 January 2016 in Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital.
Sidar Ekinci and his cousin Uğur Altan were opened fire when they were walking on sidewalk. Uğur Altan was detained after the incident.
(01/151) Suspicious Private Death in Hakkari…
Enes Tatlı who was serving for the compulsory military service in Şemdinli district of Şırnak allegedly committed suicide on 26 January 2016 with his rifle. He was registered to Erzurum.
(01/152) Bomb Attack in İstanbul…
Birgit B. (63) who was wounded during the suicide bomb attack on 12 January 2016 on Sultanahmet Square in İstanbul died on 27 January 2016 in Germany. The number of casualties reached 11.
(01/153) Rocket Launched from Syria to Kilis…
Gülten Canpolat (12) who was wounded on 18 January 2016 when a rocket was launched by IS/ISIS from Syria to the garden of Eyüp Gökçeimam secondary school in Kilis died on 29 January 2016 in the hospital.
(01/154) Person Shot by the Police in İstanbul…
The police shot a person at leg and wounded on 30 January 2016 in Beşiktaş district of İstanbul on the grounds that the persons was suspicious with the cables dangling from his back pack and did not obey stop warning. It was revealed that the bag was empty when bomb squad exploded it.
(01/155) Attacks against the Curfew Protests…
The police attacked the protest on 30 January 2016 in Barbaros quarter of Adana. The children M.C.Ç. (boy) and G.A. (boy) were wounded when the police opened fire to disperse the crowd.
The police also intervened the protest on 31 January 2016 in Gazi quarter of Sultangazi district in İstanbul. Cem Mehmet Solhan was shot at leg and wounded during the police intervention.
(01/156) Zirve Publishing Massacre Case…
Malatya Administrative Court concluded on 26 January 2016 to hear the compensation case launched in connection with the killings of Tilman Ekkehart Geske, Necati Aydın and Uğur Yüksel on 18 April 2007 in Zirve Publishing in Malatya. The court sentenced Ministry of Interior Affairs and Governorate of Malatya to pay compensation.
The court ruled compensation of between TL 800,000 and 1 million to be paid to the families of the victims.
(01/157) Hrant Dink Investigation…
2nd Penal Chamber at the Court of Cassation ruled on 26 January 2016 the case against 26 public officers launched in connection with the killing of Hrant Dink to be combined with the main case. Çağlayan (İstanbul) Heavy Penal Court No 14 will continue to hear the case.
(01/158) Torture and Ill-treatment in Custody in Hatay…
Grup Yorum Choir members Kübra Sünnetçi and Derin Deniz Karataş who were detained on 28 January 2016 while distributing leaflets in Hatay were reportedy subjected to torture in custody. Arm of Kübra Sünnetçi was encased in plaster and Derin Deniz Karataş was suffering from oedema in head due to beatings.
(01/159) Death in Prison…
Yunus Emre Yılmazlar (23) who was wounded at head and hospitalised while escaping from the police in Kırıkhan district of Hatay for being wanted died on 27 January 2016 in İskenderun M-type Prison after being discharged from the hospital.
(01/160) Pressures in Prisons…
According to the news appeared in the press on 31 January 2016, 13 prisoners incarcerated in Muş E-type Prison were transferred to prisons in different cities without their demands.
(01/161) Freedom of Expression…
According to the news appeared in the press on 28 January 2016, Anadolu (İstanbul) Penal Court of First Instance No 63 concluded to hear the case against A.K. launched on charges of “insulting public officer” with the posts on facebook in 2013 targeting Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The court sentenced the defendant to a fine of TL 10,620 under the Article 125 TPC for “insulting a public officer”.
(01/162) Freedom of Expression…
Çağlayan (İstanbul) Penal Court of First Instance No 29 continued on 28 January to hear the case against Merve Büyüksaraç launched for the expressions she used on her instagram account targeting Recep Tayyip Erdoğan when he was Prime Minister.
The indictment wants Merve Büyüksaraç to be sentenced for “insulting public officer” according to the Article 125 TPC.
After the testimony of the defendant, the court adjourned the hearing to a later date.
(01/163) journalist on Trial…
According to the news appeared in the press on 28 January 2016, a court case was launched against Etkin News Agency (ETHA) correspondent Arzu Demir in connection with the interview with Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ in 2014. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for “making propaganda of an illegal organisation”.
Çağlayan (İstanbul) Penal Court of First Instance No 13 will start to hear the case.
(01/164) Lawyers on Trial in Adana…
Adana Heavy Penal Court No 4 started on 28 January 2016 to hear the case against Tugay Bek lawyer of the case ofKadri Bağdu (46), distributor of daily newspapers Azadiya Welat and Özgür Gündem in Adana, who was shot to death on 14 October 2014 by 2 unidentified and masked persons. The case was launched in connection with the expressions of Tugay Bek concerning the case and the indictment wants the defendant according to the Article 301 TPC.
After the defence of the Tugay Bek, the court acquitted the defendant.
(01/165) Operations after Academics for Peace Petition…
Academics at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University Bahadır Aydın, Mete Çetik, Cengiz Ekiz, Cesim Çelik and Orhan Kaya who were signatories of the Academics for Peace Petition were detained on 29 January 2016.
(01/166) Web Site Banned…
On 27 January 2016, Telecommunication Communication Directorate (TİB) banned access to the new domain “sendika8.org of the web portal sendika.org. The number of the banned domains of sendika.org reached 9.
(01/167) Football Supporters Group Detained in İstanbul…
After the Turkish Cup match between Başakşehirspor (İstanbul) and Amedspor (Diyarbakır) football teams on 28 January 2016 in İstanbul, 30 supporters of Amedspor including 6 children were detained under beatings for the slogans they shouted to protest in the curfews and operations.
(01/168) Concert Intervened in İzmir…
After the ban decision against the concert of the music band Grup Yorum to be held on 30 January 2016 in İzmir, the police intervened the group who gathered in the concert area and detained 45 persons. The ban decision was taken on the allegations that propaganda of an illegal organisation was made during the concerts of the band.
(01/169) Kobanê Trials…
Ankara Penal Court of First Instance No 17 continued on 26 January 2016 to hear the case against 20 persons launched in connection with the Kobanê demonstrations on 8 October 2014 in Ankara. The indictment wants the defendants to be sentenced for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations”.
The court adjourned the hearing to 25 April 2016 upon request of the defence lawyers.
(01/170) Closure Case against Association…
According to the news appeared in the press on 26 January 2016, Directorate of Association in Mardin launched a closure case against the association Şemikan Birliği Derneği on the grounds that the association was working in the fields of health, international relations, fraud, environment, migration and poverty in contradiction to its statute; having Co-Chairs in contradiction the the Law on Associations, and using word “union” in addition to association. Mardin Civil Court of First Instance No 1 will start to hear the case.
(01/171) Raids in Diyarbakır…
The police raided on 26 January 2016 Democratic Regions Party (DBP) premises and premises of Fiskaya People’s Houses. After searching the premises, the police detained the cleaning lady of DBP premises.
(01/172) Operations throughout Turkey…
The police conducted operations on 27 January 2016 in Karakoçan district of Elazığ and detained 11 persons including Karakoçan Co-Mayor Burhan Kocaman.
Cizre Deputy Mayor Selahattin Ecevit and his sister Nazdar Ecevit who were wounded when Security Forces opened fire against a group of persons on 20 January 2016 in Cudi quarter of Cizre for attempting to take wounded persons were detained on 26 January 2016 in Batman on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
Fatma Cigredaş and Ali Çakan who were among 4 persons detained during operations on 27 January 2016 in Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı were arrested on the same day on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
İlhan Özdemir, Bülent Güven, Mehmet Demirhan and Mehmet Salih Oğuz who were also detained during the operations were also arrested on 28 January 2016.
Former executive of Democratic Regions Party (DBP) in Hakkari province Faruk Aksaç who was detained on 27 January 2016 while shopping in market in Biçer quarter and his big brother and former DBP Chair for the province Yavuz Aksaç were arrested on the same day on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
DBP Party Assembly member Taner Şirp who was detained in Van was arrested on 27 January 2016 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
The police conducted house raids on 28 January 2016 in Kars and detained Dicle News Agency (DİHA) correspondent Bilal Seçkin, HDP and DBP executives Mustafa Kaya, Barış Taş, Murat Alişan, İsmail Kaya, Mehmet Yıldız and Ayhan Tanrıverdi were detained.
Securty Forces conducted house raids on 27 January 2016 in Toptepe village of Şırnak and detained 8 persons including MEYA-DER (solidarity association for people who lost their relatives in Mesopotamia) Şırnak branch Chair Halit Güngen.
Special Forces detained 6 persons on 29 January 2016 in Cizre district of Şırnak. The detainees Mehmet Çağlı and Enes Aydoğan were arrested on 31 January 2016 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
Hafis Aslan who was detained during house raids conducted in Karayazı district of Erzurum was arrested on 28 January 2016 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
Baki Erdal, İpekyolu Municipality Assembly Member, was detained during a house raid on 28 January 2016 in Tuşba district of Van.
Special Forces conducted operations on 31 January 2016 in Şemdinli district of Hakkari and detained 5 persons.
HDP Co-Chair for Adaklı district Sait Güvenç, DBP Co-Chair for Adaklı district Yılmaz Direk, HDP executive Tuncay Direk and Mesut Kaya were detained during house raids conducted in Bingöl.
Seyithan Tekbaş, Abdulbari Akbaş, Muhtilah Dağ, Mehmet Şirin Sakur who were among 5 persons detained during house raids in Erciş district of Van were arrested on 31 January 2016 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.
S.K. and C.T. who were travelling from Adana to İstanbul by coach on 30 January 2016 were detained when they arrived to Harem terminal in İstanbul. They were reportedly detained upon denunciation of the host of the bus alleging that there was the emblem of a terrorist organisation on the cell phone of the detainees. S.K. and C.T. were released after testifying at Üsküdar Security Directorate.
Jülide Yazıcı, Heja Türk, Çağrı Kurt and Mehtap Demirci who were among 6 persons detained during house raids conducted on 28 January 2016 in 8 districts of İstanbul were arrested on 29 January 2016 on the allegations of “being member of an illegal organisation”.