Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
27 June 2024 Daily Human Rights Report
(06/195) Operations and Attacks…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2024, that 1 militant died in a clash between the security forces and HPG militants in the rural areas of Şırnak on June 21, 2024.
(06/196) Prisoner Who Lost His Life in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2024, that Şefik Esen, a prisoner in Afyon Bolvadin T Type Prison lost his life in hospital.
(06/197) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2024, that the release of Adem Er, a prisoner in Ağrı Patnos L Type Prison, who completed his sentence on November 10, 2023, was postponed by the Prison Administration and Observation Board for 3 months for the 3rd time for ‘not being in good behavior’. It is also stated in the news reports that the Prison Administration and Observation Board demanded Adem Er to repent.
(06/198) Meeting Request with Abdullah Öcalan not Responded to…
It is learned that the appeal made on June 27, 2024, to the chief public prosecutor’s office in Bursa by lawyers to visit their clients PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş in İmralı Prison was not responded.
(06/199) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment against People Under Custody and Their Lawyers…
It is learned from the news coverage of June 27, 2024, that 2 unnamed people kept in the Istanbul Security Directorate Organized Crime Branch were subjected to torture and ill-treatment by the police.
It is also stated in the news reports that lawyers Şehnaz Altunkaya and Bahtiyar Kandeğer, who went to Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Security Organized Crime Branch to meet their clients, were subjected to physical violence by the police and Bahtiyar Kandeğer was wounded in various parts of his body.
Bahtiyar Kandeğer made the following statement on the subject: “We went to the police station with lawyer Şehnaz Altunkaya for two of our clients who were said to have been taken from Bağcılar Kirazlı neighborhood. They told us to wait for 15 minutes and that they would bring them together. But they did not let us meet them. After about 30 minutes, one of our clients, who was said to have been detained and who the police declared to be there, called and said that 5 people had beaten him for about 3-4 hours and that they had just let him go when they received news that his lawyer had just arrived. We met this person outside and he said that he was beaten and brought to the police station arbitrarily. He said that our other client inside was beaten to near death by about 5-10 people. Upon this statement of the person, we entered the police station again to meet with our other client. We waited for a while at the entrance and then the officer inside wanted to send us back. He stated that our clients, who he had said were inside before, were not there now. We had an argument with this officer for a while and then another officer told us to wait for a while, that the officers were not available and that they would bring us in when the officer arrived. After it was accepted that the person was there, we requested information about the detention order. They wanted us to wait there in a completely arbitrary manner. During these conversations and discussions, our colleague lawyer Şehnaz Altunkaya was taking video footage to record the situation. Suddenly a group of 6-7 people entered the room and tried to beat us and force us out without speaking. These acts of violence were first directed against our woman lawyer colleague Şehnaz Altunkaya. They threw her to the ground and kicked and beat her in front of the cameras inside. In the meantime, the police also beat me and tried to take me out. In an area not seen by the cameras, 4 policemen beat me and took me downstairs. Meanwhile, the shouts of our female colleague were coming from above. After about 10-15 minutes, I saw them dragging our colleague down the stairs. And it was male police officers who did this. When Av. Şehnaz Altunkaya was taken downstairs, male police officers beat her and handcuffed her behind her back. When a policeman kicked her while she was handcuffed behind her back on the ground, I intervened. Afterwards, about 10-15 policemen threw me to the ground and kicked me many times. During this time, they put my head on the ground and repeatedly kicked me in the head. The bruises on the right side of my face and the tear in my ear occurred after these kicks.
(06/200) Police Intervention Against a Press Statement in Istanbul…
The police intervened against the press statement for the demands of Nurettin Kaya, who is on a death fast in Bolu F Type Prison, in front of Istanbul Çağlayan Courthouse on June 26, 2024, and detained 3 people (Hasan Toğan, Hasan Basri Yıldız, Feridun Osmanoğlu) by using physical violence.
(06/201) Person Detained in Erzurum…
On June 27, 2024, 1 person (Servet Kamış) was detained in a house raid in the Karayazı district of Erzurum. The reason for the detention could not be learned. It is also reported in the news that the door of Servet Kamış’s house was broken during the house raid.
(06/202) Former MP on Trial…
The final trial of the case against İdris Baluken, former Diyarbakır MP of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), for 3 separate speeches he made, was held at Siirt Heavy Penal Court No 2 on June 25, 2024. The court sentenced İdris Baluken to 1 year and 3 months each for 3 times (3 years and 9 months in total) on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’ and acquitted him on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’.
(06/203) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against journalist Elif Akgül, on the grounds of her social media posts, was held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 13 on June 27, 2024. The court acquitted the journalist on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’.
(06/204) Journalists on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Ramazan Yurttapan, Managing Editor of Demokratik Modernite Magazine, Haydar Ergül, editor of the magazine, and 3 writers continued on June 27, 2024, at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2. The indictment demands a sentence for 5 people on the charge of ‘publicly degrading the Turkish nation’. The court adjourned the hearing to January 16, 2025.
(06/205) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against Die Welt newspaper writer Deniz Yücel, on the charges of ‘insulting the President’ and ‘publicly degrading the state and judicial organs’ due to his writings, continued on June 27, 2024, at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 2. The court rejected to lift the warrant for Deniz Yücel and adjourned the trial to January 16, 2025.
(06/206) Journalists on Trial in Diyarbakır…
The trial of the case against United States of America (USA) Vice News reporter Jacob Philip John Gingell Hanrahan, cameraman Philip John Pendlebury, interpreter Mohamed İsmael Rasool and driver Abdurrahman Direkçi continued on June 26, 2024, at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 8. The court adjourned the hearing to November 2024.
Vice News reporter Jacop Philip John Gıngell Hanrahan, cameraman Philip John Pendlebury, interpreter Mohamed İsmael Rasool and driver Abdurrahman Direkçi were detained on 28 August 2015 when the hotel they were staying in was raided. The British journalists and the translator were arrested on the allegations of “aiding an illegal organization” while the driver was released pending trial. The British journalists were released on September 3, 2015 and subsequently deported. The Iraqi interpreter was released on January 4, 2016.
(06/207) Journalist and Others on Trial in Şırnak…
The trial against 18 women(Asiye Akın, Asuman Külter, The final trial of the case against Ayşe Külter, Ayşete Atabey, Bedriye Katar, Elfesya Nas, Emine Özek, Evin Erden, Güler Yerbasan Tunç, Hatice Durmuş, Hatice Uyar, Kadriye Katar, Kıymet Acar, Meryem Eşkara, Songül Erden, Songül Küçük and Zilan Yaman), including journalist Zeynep Durgut, who were detained during the police intervention against the press statement held at Ömer Kabak Square in Şırnak on November 25, 2023, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, 2023, was held on June 27, 2024. The court acquitted 18 people on the charge of ‘violating Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations’.
(06/208) Lawyer on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against lawyer Didem Baydar Ünsal started on June 25, 2024, at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 32. The indictment demands a sentence for Didem Baydar Ünsal on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’. The court released Didem Baydar Ünsal and adjourned the trial to a later date.
Didem Baydar Ünsal was arrested on February 6, 2024.
(06/209) Party Member on Trial in Ağrı…
On June 27, 2024, the trial of the case against Birindar Gezici, a member of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Youth Assembly, who was detained in Ağrı on March 9, 2024, and was subjected to torture and ill-treatment by soldiers and village guards in custody, continued at Ağrı Heavy Penal Court No 2. The indictment demands a sentence for Birindar Gezici on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’. The court rejected the demand for Birindar Gezici’s release and adjourned the trial to August 6, 2024.
Birindar Gezici was arrested on March 9, 2024.
(06/210) Party Members on Trial in Ankara…
The indictment prepared against 9 members of DEM Party Youth Assembly who were arrested on March 8, 2024, after being detained in Ankara on March 5, 2024, was accepted by Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 19. The indictment demands a sentence for 9 people on the charge of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’. After the indictment was accepted, 9 people were released on June 26, 2024.
(06/211) Boğaziçi University Students on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of the case against 71 people who were detained by the police intervening to the tent on the campus to protest the President’s appointment of rector to Boğaziçi University on October 22, 2021, was held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 27 on June 27, 2024. The indictment demands a sentence for students on the charge of ‘violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’. The court heard 2 police officers as witnesses. The court issued a compulsory appearance warrant for the defendant A. A. and adjourned the trial to December 24, 2024.
(06/212) The Train Station Massacre Case…
On June 26, 2024, Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 4 continued to hear the case against 26 people including 10 arrestees in connection with the suicide bomb attack of ISIS against the Peace Rally in Ankara on October 10, 2015, in which 103 people lost their lives. The court adjourned the hearing to July 1, 2024.
(06/213) The DİAYDER Case…
The trial of the case against 23 members and executives of the Religious Scholars Assistance and Solidarity Association (DİAYDER) continued on June 27, 2024, at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 14. The indictment demands sentences for 23 people on the charges of ‘being a member of an illegal organization’ and ‘making propaganda for an illegal organization’. The court adjourned the trial to October 3-4, 2024, stating that the file of a new investigation against 4 of the 23 people has been added to the current case file.
(06/214) Person on Trial in Urfa…
On June 14, 2018, Urfa Penal Court of First Instance No 5 accepted the indictment against Emine Şenyaşar, whose husband Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar and sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar were killed after a quarrel between Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary candidate İbrahim Halil Yıldız and his bodyguards and shopkeepers in Suruç district of Urfa on the charges of ‘insult’ and ‘resisting to prevent duty’ in relation to the police intervention against the peaceful vigil on October 7, 2022. The first hearing of the case will be held on November 5, 2024.
[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.