Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
28 May 2025 Daily Human Rights Report
(05/196) Journalist detained in Istanbul…
Ömer Akgün, a reporter for Etkin Haber Ajansı (ETHA), was detained on May 27, 2025, in front of the ETHA office in the Fatih district of Istanbul on the grounds that there was an arrest warrant against him. Ömer Akgün was released on May 28, 2025, after giving a statement to the prosecutor’s office.
(05/197) Trial of Journalists and Others in Istanbul…
10 journalists (Gülistan Dursun, Hayri Tunç, Enes Sezgin, Osman Akın, Mahsum Sağlam, Can Papila, Pınar Gayıp, Serpil Ünal, Yadigar Aygün, Zeynep Kuray) and 4 other individuals are facing charges related to a press statement made on December 21, 2024, in Istanbul regarding journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who lost their lives in Northern and Eastern Syria. The trial began on May 27, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 24. The indictment seeks the punishment of 14 people for “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911” and “making organization propaganda.” The court ajournered the hearing to July 10, 2025.
(05/198) Trial of a Journalist in Istanbul…
The trial of journalist Furkan Karabay, who was charged based on social media posts he made regarding the investigation into Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, began on May 27, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22. The indictment seeks the journalist’s punishment for “targeting individuals who have served in the fight against terrorism,” “insult,” and “publicly disseminating misleading information.” The court ajournered the hearing to October 2, 2025.
(05/199) Trial of former SP chairman…
The final hearing of the case against former Saadet Party Chairman Temel Karamollaoğlu, who was charged for remarks he made about the President during a television program, was held on May 27, 2025, at the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance No. 27. The court sentenced Temel Karamollaoğlu to pay 70,000 TL in moral damages.
(05/200) Trial of a Party Official in Istanbul…
The trial of Sema Barbaros, the Istanbul Provincial Chair of the EMEP, which was initiated at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22 as part of an investigation by the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), began on May 28, 2025. The indictment seeks the punishment of Sema Barbaros for the crime of “being a member of an organization.” The court decided to release Sema Barbaros and ajournered the hearing to October 23, 2025.
Sema Barbaros was arrested on February 18, 2025.
(05/201) Trial of Lawyers in Istanbul…
The trial of Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Honorary President of the Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD), and lawyers Barkın Timtik, Oya Aslan, Özgür Yılmaz, Güçlü Sevimli, and Gülvin Aydın, which was opened at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 18, continued on May 27, 2025. The indictment seeks the punishment of the six lawyers for “making organization propaganda.” The court ajournered the hearing to October 21, 2025.
(05/202) Trial of a Writer in Istanbul…
The trial of Hasan Polat, author and editor of Ceylan Publications, began on May 28, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 24. The indictment seeks the punishment of Hasan Polat for “being a member of an organization.” The court decided to release Hasan Polat and ajournered the hearing to July 3, 2025.
Hasan Polat was arrested on March 10, 2025.
(05/203) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of Ece Yıldız Karabacak and Yakup Kadri Karabacak, who were charged under the HDK investigation, began on May 28, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22. The indictment seeks the punishment of Yakup Kadri Karabacak and Ece Yıldız Karabacak for “being a member of an organization.” The court decided to release Yakup Kadri Karabacak and Ece Yıldız Karabacak and ajournered the hearing to October 14, 2025.
Yakup Kadri Karabacak and Ece Yıldız Karabacak were arrested on February 18, 2025.
(05/204) Person on Trial in Istanbul…
The trial of Aynur Cengiz, who is being prosecuted as part of an investigation by the HDK, began on May 28, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 22. The indictment seeks the punishment of Aynur Cengiz for “membership in an organization.” The court decided to release Aynur Cengiz and ajournered the hearing to October 22, 2025.
Aynur Cengiz was arrested on February 18, 2025.
(05/205) Trial of SKM Spokesperson…
The trial of Tanya Kara, spokesperson for the Socialist Women’s Assembly (SKM), continued on May 27, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 26. The indictment seeks punishment for Tanya Kara on charges of “membership in an organization.” The court decided to release Tanya Kara on judicial control and postponed the hearing to September 16, 2025.
Tanya Kara was arrested on January 24, 2025.
(05/206) Trial of the Co-Chair of SGDF…
The trial of Berfin Polat, a member of the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF), began on May 27, 2025, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 25. The indictment seeks the punishment of Berfin Polat for “membership in an organization.” The court decided to release Berfin Polat and postponed the hearing to September 30, 2025.
Berfin Polat was arrested on January 24, 2025.
(05/207) Trial of a Publishing House Employee in Diyarbakır…
Sevinç Aldar, an employee of Aram Publishing House, was charged with “membership in an illegal organization” and “propaganda for an illegal organization” based on Nelson Mandela’s book “The Long Walk to Freedom” and a collection of letters by Mehmet Hayri Durmuş, which were confiscated by the police at the publishing house’s stand during the 8th Book Fair held in Diyarbakır in 2024. The trial began on May 27, 2025. The indictment sought to punish Sevinç Aldar for “making propaganda for an organization.” The court announced its decision at the first hearing and acquitted Sevinç Aldar.
(05/208) Phobic Graffiti at METU…
On May 27, 2025, prior to the Pride March scheduled to take place at the Middle East Technical University campus in Ankara, it was reported that an unknown individual had written discriminatory and phobic graffiti on the rainbow stairs.
[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.