Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
28 March 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/201) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Custody in Istanbul…
It is learned from news coverage of March 27, 2025 that, 1 woman who was detained for participating in the protest in Istanbul against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment at the police station.
The statement of the person who was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, which was also covered by the press, is as follows “I did not resist against any public property or police forces on duty. I was pulled by my hair, dragged on the ground, while I was being taken to be handcuffed he said ‘I will not beat you’ and took me to the back of the ambulance. A male policeman with a beard, mustache, colored eyes and tall (1.85 – 1.90) stature touched my breasts saying “Do you have breasts?”.”
(03/202) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from news coverage of March 27, 2025 that, 10 people who were arrested for participating in protests in Izmir to protest arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, were subjected to physical violence of wardens in Izmir Menemen T Type Prison for rejecting to stand up for roll-calls. It is also stated in the news reports that these people were put in separate wards for judicial prisoners.
(03/203) Interventions and Detentions Against Protests Against the Detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor…
The police used tear gas and water cannons to intervene the protest at METU campus in Ankara on March 27, 2025, to protest the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. It is learned that 30 people were detained during the intervention. The names of detainees are unknown.
52 people who were detained in Ankara on March 23, 2025 are referred to the court on March 27, 2025. 35 people are released after procedures at the prosecutor’s office. 17 people (10 people are arrested and 7 people are released on judicial control conditions) are released by the criminal court of peace.
3 of 22 people [Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Çankaya district executive Mert Orhan Ömerbeyoğlu, Democratic People’s Association (Halk-Der) member Devin Asya Açıkelli and Sibel Göktaş] who were detained in Ankara on March 27, 2025 were arrested. 19 people were released on judiciary control conditions, including at least 1 under house arrest.
It is learned from the news coverage of March 27, 2025 that subway stations in Taksim and Şişhane and Kabataş-Taksim Funicular Line are closed down by the decision of Istanbul Governorate.
On March 27, 2025, the police intervened the protest in Şişli district of Istanbul and detained at least 78 people including 3 lawyers. It is learned that lawyers who came to meet detainees were not allowed into Istanbul Security Directorate.
Levent Dölek, head representative of Eğitim-Sen Istanbul University, who was detained in Istanbul on March 26, 2025, is arrested by the criminal court of peace on March 27, 2025.
Halil Kara, a member of United Textile, Weaving and Leather Workers Union (BİRTEK-SEN) who was detained in Istanbul on March 27, 2025, is arrested by the criminal court of peace on the same day.
37 people who were detained on March 23, 2025 and following days in Izmir were released by the criminal judgeship of peace on March 27, 2025, 1 of them on house arrest (Mehmet Duman) and 36 of them on judicial control conditions.
The police used tear gas and water cannons against the protest organized for the same cause in Konak district of Izmir on March 27, 2025. It is not known whether anyone was detained during the intervention.
5 people (Labour Party Eskişehir Provincial Chair Ceren Kökoğlu and Berivan Özkara, Gizem Köksal, Aybora Sağlam, Bensu Özkan and Alper Burak Tayhan) who were detained in Eskişehir on March 25, 2025 are released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions on March 27, 2025.
On March 27, 2025, 7 people are detained in house raids in Ayvalık district of Balıkesir on the allegations of insulting the President with the slogans they chanted during a protest. The names of detainees could not be learned. 7 people were released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions on March 28, 2025.
4 of 25 people who were detained in Bursa on March 23, 2025 and following dates are arrested by the criminal court of peace on March 27, 2025. 21 people were released, 6 of them on house confinement and 15 of them on judicial control conditions.
On March 28, 2025, the police intervened the students gathering at METU campus in Ankara and detained 9 people. The names of the people could not be obtained.
(03/204) Detained and Deported British Journalist…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 27, 2025 that BBC reporter Mark Lowen, who was covering the protests against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, was detained and then deported on the grounds of ‘posing a threat to public order’.
(03/205) Journalists Detained in Istanbul…
On March 28, 2025, 2 journalists [Etkin News Agency (ETHA) reporter Elif Bayburt and Evrensel newspaper reporter Nisa Sude Demirel] are detained in house raids in Istanbul.
(03/206) Detained Journalists in Izmir…
On March 27, 2025, BirGün newspaper writer Barış İnce and photojournalist Murat Kocabaş, who were detained in Izmir on March 24, 2025, are released by the criminal court of peace on judicial control conditions.
(03/207) Journalist Detained in Balıkesir…
Journalist Çiğdem Öztürk was detained on March 27, 2025 in Ayvalık district of Balıkesir on the allegations of “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911” and “insulting the President” during the protests against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Çiğdem Öztürk was released by the criminal court of peace on March 28, 2025 on judicial control conditions.
(03/208) Journalist Detained in Bodrum…
It is learned from news coverage of March 27, 2028 that journalist İrem Afşin was detained at Bodrum Airport on the grounds of a denunciation against her. It is reported that İrem Afşin was released on condition of giving her statement to the criminal court of peace within 24 hours.
(03/209) Investigation Against Journalist…
It is learned that Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation against journalist Emre Orman, who was following the protests against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, and Emre Orman was released after statement procedures at the police on May 27, 2025.
(03/210) Journalists with Restricted Passports…
It is learned from news coverage of March 27, 2025 that journalists Şaban Sevinç and Hakan Aygün’s passports were banned through a travel investigation.
(03/211) Prevention of Journalists in Eskişehir…
It is learned from the news coverage of March 27, 2025 that journalists who wanted to follow the class boycott at Eskişehir Anadolu University to protest arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, were prevented from entering the campus by the university administration.
(03/212) Detained People in Istanbul for Social Media Posts…
On March 27, 2025, 30 people are detained in house raids in Istanbul, on the grounds of social media posts about protests against arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
(03/213) Journalist on Trial in Bitlis…
The trial of the case against journalist Sinan Aygül, who is also the chair of Bitlis Journalists’ Association, on the allegations of threatening the bodyguards of the mayor who attacked him, continued on March 27, 2025 at Bitlis Tatvan Penal Court of First Instance No 3. The court adjourned the hearing to April 17, 2025.
Sinan Aygül had been subjected to physical violence by two bodyguards of Tatvan Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani, one of whom was a police officer, on June 17, 2023 after his news reports on corruption and irregularities in Bitlis Tatvan Municipality.
(03/214) Access Restricted Internet Content…
It is learned that 3 websites(https://boykotyap.com, https://yandaşlarboykot.com, https://boykot.web.tr) which published the boycott list announced by Republican People’s Party (CHP) are banned to access by Ankara Penal Court of Peace No 4 on March 27, 2025.
(03/215) Television Channels Penalized by RTÜK…
It is learned from news coverage of March 27, 2025 that Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) issued Sözcü TV with a 10-day broadcast suspension for its broadcasts on the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. It is also reported that RTÜK imposed 5 administrative fines and 5 program suspensions on Halk TV, 3 administrative fines on Sözcü TV, 3 administrative fines on Tele1 channel and 2 administrative fines on Now TV.
[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.