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29 – 30 October 2020 HRFT Documentation Center Daily Human Rights Report

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]

29 – 30 October 2020 Daily Human Rights Report

(10/360) Operations and Attacks in Southeast…

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, 1 militant died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in Şenkaya district of Erzurum on July 12, 2020; and 1 militant died in a clash in Iğdır on September 19, 2020.

(10/361) Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, journalist Aslıhan Gençay who was transferred from Kayseri Prison to Sivas Prison for her probation period on October 22, 2020, was subjected to ill-treatment of the wardens and was forced to strip search. It is also reported that Aslıhan Gençay was prevented from writing a petition to the Ministry of Justice, by prison administration saying “We are the minister of justice, we are the state here”; and that she was penalised with 3 days of solitary cell confinement.

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, prisoners in Elazığ Women Prison were handcuffed during transfers to hospitals.

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, in Bayburt M Type Prison, the water given to prisoners were limited to a certain amount, prisoners were not given Yeni Yaşam newspaper, and goods were sold at high prices at prison commissary.

It is learned from the news coverage of October 29, 2020 that, in Antalya L Type Prison, numerous prisoners who are in risk groups for Covid-19 were being kept together in quarantine wards, and the amount of hot water given to prisoners was limited.

It is learned from the news coverage of October 29, 2020 that in Van T Type Women’s Closed Prison, books of prisoners were taken by prison administration, 16 people were kept in a ward for 10 prisoners, and prisoners were forced to stand up during roll-calls and those who reject to do so were subjected to physical violence.

(10/362) Prevention of Right to Health in Prison…

It is learned from the news coverage of October 29, 2020 that, ill prisoner Ruken Demir who is kept in Van T Type Women’s Closed Prison was not taken to a hospital and her medications were not prescribed to her.

(10/363) Detained Grup Yorum Band Members and Other People Through an Istanbul Based Investigation…

It is learned that 99 people are detained in house raids in 12 cities through an Istanbul based investigation on October 28 and 29, 2020. It is learned that Grup Yorum band members Ali Aracı, Seher Adıgüzel, Barış Yüksel, Eren Erdem and Özgürcan Elbiz; People’s Law Office lawyer Seda Şaraldı; Merve Demirel and Bengisu Demirel from “I Want My Job Back” protests in Yüksel Street of Ankara; Selvi Polat from “I Want My Job Back” protests in Bakırköy district of Istanbul; Türkan Albayrak who had sit-in protests for 2 years to get back her job in Sarıyer district of Istanbul; Ümit Özçelik who were having press declarations in Hatay for her mother Edibe Özçelik who lost her life in a house raid are among the detainees. It is reported that detained people were restricted from seeing their lawyers for 24 hours.

Names of detained people learned so far are: Seda Şaraldı, Metin Kaleli, Yaşar Coşkun Karadağ, Sanem Farsak, Eray Küçükkılavuz, Taylan Cemal Sungur, Mehmet Aras, Orhan Acar, Sinan Okur, Sadık Altunöz, Volkan Baran, Yusuf Gül, Eren Erdem, Özgürcan Elbiz, Adalet Karataştan, İlyas Argun, Volkan Çeşme, Doğan Karataştan, Zeynep Gonca Karakoç, Mahir Kılıç, Yalçın Doğru, Barış Yüksel, Merve Demirel, Bengisu Demirel, Olcay Abalay, İdil Kayıkçı, Yağmur Senem Demirel, İpek Arslan, Erhan Arslan, Ümit Özçelik, Sever Işık, Sevilay Işık, Cenk Turan, Emrah Uludağ, Ferdaniye Artiğ, Ayça Artiğ, Barış Gürses, Selvi Polat, Boran Hurustan, Mehmet Ali Uğurlu, Sercan Toptancı, Özgür Karakoç, Türkan Albayrak, Mayıs Kurt, Beste Yılmaz.

(10/364) Detained District Council Member and Other People in Mardin…

It is learned that 3 people including Samiya Demir, district council member from Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) are detained in house raids in Nusaybin district of Mardin on October 29, 2020. The reason of detention is unknown.

(10/365) Detained HDP Members in Istanbul…

It is learned that 3 members of HDP (Raif Altunhisar, Ercan Yücedağ and Volkan Eren) are detained in house raids in Istanbul on October 28, 2020. The reason of detention is unknown.

(10/366) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…

The final trial of the case against Necla Demir, former grant holder of Gazete Karınca news portal, is held at Bakırköy Penal Court of First Instance No 8 on October 28, 2020.

The indictment demands sentence for Necla Demir on the charges of ‘insulting the President’ and ‘provoking hatred and hostility among people’.

The court acquitted Necla Demir.

(10/367) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, the indictment of Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office against journalist Burhan Ekinci, charging him with ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ in his social media posts, is accepted by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 30; and that the court issued a warrant for Burhan Ekinci who is living in Germany.

(10/368) Co-Mayor on Trial in Urfa…

The trial of the case against Hatice Çevik, HDP co-mayor of Suruç district of Urfa, is geld at Urfa Heavy Penal Court No 2 on October 28, 2020.

The indictment demands sentence for Hatice Çevik on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’.

The court lifted judicial control conditions for Hatice Çevik and adjourned the trial to January 14, 2021.

Hatice Çevik was detained on November 15, 2019 and was arrested on November 20, 2019. She was released with a ban on leaving the country and on judicial control conditions on June 23, 2020. The Ministry of Interior has appointed Suruç sub-governor as a trustee to Suruç Municipality.

(10/369) DTK Co-Chair on Trial…

The trial of the case against Leyla Güven, co-chair of Democratic Society Congress (DTK), for her declarations about Turkish Armed Forces operation to Afrin and her activities within DTK, is held at Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 9 on October 28, 2020.

The court decided to continue judicial control conditions for Leyla Güven and adjourned the trial to November 18, 2020.

(10/370) The Case Against People for Participating in a Protest in Izmir…

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, 12 people who were detained in the police intervention to a protest in Alsancak, Izmir on July 21, 2020 were charged with ‘violation of the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No 2911’ and ‘resisting a public officer to prevent his duty’; and that the first trial of the case will be held on January 20, 2021. These 12 people were subjected to torture and ill-treatment while they were being detained by the police intervening to the protest organized after death of Pınar Gültekin; a woman who was killed by a man named Cemal Metin Avcı, in Muğla.

(10/371) Investigation Against Chairs of Bar Associations and Journalists…

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation against the reporter, executive editor, and grant holder of Mezopotamya News Agency; for the news reports on the declaration of 53 bar associations which was about a judge who insulted Diyarbakır Bar Association chair Cihan Aydın. Bektaş Şarıklı, chair of Antep Bar Association; Polat Balkan, chair of Antalya Bar Association and Hanefi Kandemir, lawyer of Diyarbakır Bar Association are also subjected to the investigation which charges 6 people with ‘making a judge on duty a target for terrorist organisations by revealing his name’. On June 9, 2020, Cihan Aydın was defending his client lawyer Berdan Acun, who was detained through an investigation against DTK, and he was subjected to insults of the judge on duty. 53 Bar Associations has made a declaration demanding administrative and juridical investigation by The Council of Judges and Prosecutor’s against the judge on duty.

(10/372) Ban of Access to Websites…

It is learned that Jinnews News Agency website http://jinnews10.xyz/, Etkin News Agency website http://etha16.com/ and Yeni Demokrasi newspaper’s website http://www.yenidemokrasi9.net/ are banned to access upon demand of Information Technologies and Communications Authority by Van Penal Court of Peace No 3 on October 28, 2020.

(10/373) Ban of Events in Tunceli…

Tunceli Governorate made a declaration on October 28, 2020 and announced that, due to Covid-19 pandemic, all events such as demonstrations and meetings; open-door meetings, sit-in protests, hunger strikes, opening stands, collecting petitions, concerts, festivals, distributing leaflets, hanging banners, carrying torches, conferences and so on are banned for 15 days as of October 29, 2020.

(10/374) Covid-19 Pandemic…

The Ministry of Health declared that 77 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,305 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on October 28, 2020.

The Ministry of Health declared that 72 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 2,319 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on October 29, 2020.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 10,099 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 370,832 as of October 29, 2020.

The Ministry of Health sent a circular to governorate’s offices in 81 cities and announced that, health employees’ demands for resignation and demands of retirement except the due to age limit and disability will not be approved, and annual leaves are banned during Covid-19 pandemic,

4 health workers, Leyla Çiçek a nurse from Diyarbakır, physician Engin Türkmen in Istanbul, physician Hasan Tepeçınar in Sakarya and dentist Burhan Yürütücü lost their lives due to Covid-19 on October 28 and 29, 2020.

It is learned from the news coverage of October 28, 2020 that, according to the report of Human Rights Association (IHD) Prison Committee in Diyarbakır which covers the visit to the prison on October 26, 2020, 12 prisoners have tested positive for Covid-19.

It is learned from the news coverage of October 29, 2020 that, 15 prisoners kept in a quarantine ward in Antalya L Type Closed Prison have been treated for Covid-19 in hospitals.

[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.

[2]To subscribe to the e-mail group: please write ‘daily human rights reports subscription application’ to the title of your e-mail and sent it to dokumantasyon@tihv.org.tr.

[3]https://www.facebook.com/TIHV.HRFT

[4] https://twitter.com/insanhaklari

[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.