Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
28 August 2020 Daily Human Rights Report
(08/200) Lawyer Ebru Timtik Lost Her…
Lawyer Ebru Timtik, who went on a hunger strike to demand a fair trial on February 3, 2020 in Silivri Prison No 9, which was then turned into a death fast, lost her life on 238th day of her fast, on August 27, 2020, in Bakırköy Sadi Konuk Hospital. Lawyer Ebru Timtik was detained in a police raid to People’s Law Office on June 20, 2019, and was arrested on June 25, 2019. The final trial of the case against 20 lawyers from People’s Law Office and Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) was held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37 on March 20, 2019; and Ebru Timtik was sentenced to 13 years and 6 months for ‘being an illegal organisation member’. 18 lawyers were sentenced to jail penalties from 3 years to 18 years, and lawyers on trial were subjected to physical violence and were forced out of the courtroom during this final trial. On July 27, 2020, Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 37 approved the request for lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal who was also on death fast in Burhaniye T Type Prison, and decided to refer them to the Forensic Medicine Institution for examination in order to determine if their medical conditions are proper to be kept in prison. And two lawyers were taken back to Silivri Prison on July 29, 2020 after being examined at Forensic Medicine Institution on June 29, 2020. Despite of Forensic Medicine Institution’s report which states their medical conditions as improper to be kept in prison, the court rejected demand of release for Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal on July 30, 2020. On the same day, Ebru Timtik was taken from prison and admitted to Bakırköy Sadi Konuk Hospital. The Constitutional Court has also rejected demand of release for two lawyers on August 14, 2020.
On August 28, 2020, the police used pepper spray and rubber bullets to intervene the people who were waiting at Forensic Medicine Institution to receive Ebru Timtik’s body. It is reported that 4 people (Ayhan Balık, Emir Karakum, Vedat Doğan and 1 more person) were detained in the police intervention. It is learned that Ebru Timtik’s body was abducted by the police and was taken to Gazi Cemevi by armoured police vehicles. It is reported that the police did not allow anybody else apart from her family and lawyers to attend the funeral at Gazi Cemevi, and prevented journalists as well. It is learned that the police abducted Ebru Timtik’s body once again, after the funeral held at Gazi Cemevi to take her to Gazi Cemetery; and used pepper spray and rubber bullets to intervene people reacting against them.
(08/201) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned that 1 soldier (specialised sergeant Çetin Ak) who got wounded during an operation in Ağrı on August 25, 2020, died in hospital on August 27, 2020.
It is learned from the news coverage of August 27, 2020 that, 1 HPG militant died in an air operation of Turkish Armed Forces to Zap area of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on August 18, 2020.
(08/202) People Abducted and Forced to be Police Informant in Istanbul…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 27, 2020 that 3 members of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) were forced to be police informants by persons claim themselves to be intelligence officers in Istanbul. A press declaration is held at Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul and HDP member Musa Taştan stated there that, he was being stopped from time to time by persons claim themselves to be intelligent officers and was forced to be police informant; and that he was threatened to be detained for he rejects to be informant and was subjected to physical violence of these persons. Another member, Özer Yıldırım, stated that he was abducted by 4 persons with face masks who claim themselves to be intelligence officers, and was taken to a desolate area where he was subjected to physical violence and forced to be police informant; and when finally he was released, his wallet and ID card were not given back to him. HDP Sultangazi district executive Cihan Çitgez stated that three days ago he was abducted by 4 persons in a white car with face masks who claim themselves to be intelligence officers, he was in the car for two hours traveling in the city, and then he was taken out of this car, subjected to verbal and physical violence of these people and was taken into another car. Cihan Çitgez states the following: “They said ‘if you are with us we will always be brothers to you’. When I did not accept it, they threatened me with my family. They were beating me at that time. They also said ‘you can set cars or shops on fire, you are free, but do it so that we would be informed about it’. I said I would never accept this. They said, ‘You have a week. Think harder, don’t say no at first. We will support you in anyway’ and left me at Habipler road at around 10 p.m.”
(08/203) Police Intervention to a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the press declaration on August 27, 2020 in front of President Tayyip Erdoğan’s residence in Istanbul, to support demands of lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal who are on death fast for a fair trial, and detained 12 people. Detained people are: Sevcan Akdoğan, Ali Hasan Akgül, Beyhan Gün, Turgut Onur, Hüseyin Kütük, Eren Yılmaz, Özgür Can, Erbiz Bakican Işık, Emircan Yazı, Baran Katar, Yıldız Turan, Coşkun Öztekin.
(08/204) Detained People in Diyarbakır…
On August 27, 2020, 4 people are detained in house raids in Diyarbakır. Names of detained people and the reason of detention is unknown.
(08/205) Case Against Journalist for ‘Insulting the President’…
It is learned from the news coverage of August 27, 2020 that Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared an indictment against journalist Can Ataklı, demanding jail sentence from 1 year and 2 months to 4 years and 8 months on the grounds of ‘insulting the President’ by his expressions about ‘earthquake taxes’.
(08/206) Lawyer on Trial in Urfa…
The first trial of the case against lawyer Sevda Çelik Özbingöl is held at Urfa Heavy Penal Court No 6 on August 27, 2020. The court decided to continue detention of Sevda Çelik Özbingöl and adjourned the trial to September 25, 2020. Sevda Çelik Özbingöl was detained on March 12, 2020 through an Urfa based investigation and was arrested by the court on March 17, 2020.
(08/207) Administrative Fine for TV Channels…
On August 27, 2020, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) issued TELE1 television channel with administrative fine at the top level, on the grounds of ‘inciting praise for terror, demonstrating terrorist organisations strong and right’ by broadcasting a video for 25th anniversary of Evrensel newspaper.
(08/208) Covid-19 Pandemic…
Ministry of Health declared that 26 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 1,491 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed on August 27, 2020.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 6,209 and total number of confirmed cases is 263,998 as of August 27, 2020.
Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen) made a declaration on August 27, 2020 and announced that, according to data received by union headquarters, Covid-19 cases were seen in 46 more schools in Turkey. The union has made a declaration on August 26, 2020 and announced that Covid-19 cases were seen in 34 schools.
[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.