Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
29 January 2026 Daily Human Rights Report
(01/176) Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Prison…
According to news reports on January 28, 2026, it was learned that the social, cultural, and sporting rights of prisoners in Adana F Type Prison were being restricted.
(01/177) Prisoners Whose Release Was Postponed by the Prison Administration and Observation Board Decision…
According to news reports on January 29, 2026, it was learned that Kadri Alkoç, a prisoner held in Karabük T-Type Prison who had completed his life sentence on November 25, 2023, was postponed for the fifth time for a period of one year by the Prison Administration and Observation Board (CİGK) on the grounds that he was “not well-behaved.”
(01/178) Police Intervention in Protests in Ağrı and Mersin…
On January 29, 2026, police intervened in a protest held in the Taşlıçay district of Ağrı against attacks on Kurds in Syria and physically detained three people. The names of those detained are unknown.
Three individuals (Sinan Budak, Çiya Tekin, and Muhammed Yılmaz) who were detained on January 26, 2026, for participating in protests held for the same reason in the Akdeniz district of Mersin were released on January 29, 2026, by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred, with the judicial control measure of house arrest.
(01/179) Co-Mayors Detained in Muş…
The co-mayors of the Malazgirt district of Muş, Ahmet Kenan Türker and Gülistan Özel, were detained on January 28, 2026, on the grounds that a banner reading “Jin Jiyan Azadi” was hung on the town hall to protest the attacks against Kurds in Syria. The co-mayors were released the same day after giving statements to the police.
(01/180) Municipal Employees Detained in Şırnak…
On January 29, 2026, in the Cizre district of Şırnak, police raided the municipal building, citing a banner hung on the building that read “Jin Jiyan Azadi” in protest of attacks against Kurds in Syria. After the banner was taken down, municipal employee Hasan Candoruk was detained. It was learned that three municipal employees were summoned to the District Police Headquarters to give statements. The four individuals were released after giving statements to the police on the same day.
(01/181) Individuals Arrested in Diyarbakır…
Two people detained in the Bismil district of Diyarbakır on charges of “violating Law No. 2911 on Demonstrations and Meetings” and “resisting the police” were arrested on January 28, 2026, by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred.
(01/182) Child and Other Person Detained in Kars…
On January 27, 2026, two individuals, one of whom was a child (N.A., Ayşe Avcı), were detained in the Kağızman district of Kars for sharing a video on social media showing them braiding their hair to protest attacks against Kurds in Syria. On January 28, 2026, they were released by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred, subject to judicial control.
(01/183) Individuals Detained in Iğdır…
It was learned that of the six people detained in Iğdır on January 24, 2026, on the grounds of waving a yellow-red-green flag at a wedding, two were released the same day after giving statements to the police, while four were released on January 28, 2026, by the magistrate’s court to which they were referred, subject to judicial control.
(01/184) Political Party Members Detained in Istanbul for Hanging Banners…
It was learned that on January 29, 2026, three members of the Leftist Party were detained in the Küçükçekmece district of Istanbul for hanging a banner that read, “Against Sharia, fascism, and darkness: Secular, Revolutionary, Democratic Republic.” The names of those detained are: Enis Çiçek, Şükrü Çetin, and Menekşe Alptekin.
(01/185) Trial of Human Rights Defender in Adıyaman…
The final hearing of the case against lawyer Osman Süzen, former president of the Adıyaman branch of the Human Rights Association, was held on January 29, 2026, at the Adıyaman 2nd Heavy Penal Court. The court acquitted Osman Süzen of the charge of “being a member of an organization.”
(10/186) Lawyers and Association Members on Trial in Istanbul…
11 The final hearing of the case against a total of 50 people, including 11 lawyers who are members of the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) and 38 who are members of the Association for Solidarity with Imprisoned Families (TUAD), which was closed by a Decree Law (KHK), opened at the Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court, was held on January 28, 2026.
The court sentenced 1 person (Mahmut Doğu) to 10 years in prison for the crime of “being an organization leader”; 21 people (Zübeyde Teker, Ramazan Demir, Selahattin Kaya, Hasan Elyakut, Hüseyin Boğatekin, Recep Belek, İmam Demir, Ruhşen Mahmutoğlu, Ayşe Acinikli, Ayşe Yavuz, Ayşe Gösterişlioğlu, Behçet Çiçek, Kadriye Nargili, Kandile Yeşilfidan, Cahide Temel, Hakkı Sonsuz, Raziye Öztürk, Şengül Kaçar, Mehmet Kaçar, Mehmet Halil Olçay, Nihat Daş, Abdulgafur Çeber) to prison terms ranging from 10 years and 6 months to 6 years and 3 months; 3 individuals (Şefik Çelik, Adem Çalışçı, Tamer Doğan) to prison terms ranging from 6 years to 1 year and 3 months for the crime of ‘making organization propaganda’; 1 individual (Gülistan Çelik) to 5 years in prison; and 2 individuals (Mahmut Taşdan and Mehmet Halil Olçay) to 10 months in prison and fines for the crime of “violating the Firearms Law.” The court acquitted 11 people, separated the files of 11 people, and dismissed the case against one person on the grounds that he had lost his life.
(01/187) Trial of Bar Association Executive in Istanbul…
The final hearing of the case against Istanbul Bar Association Executive Board Member Attorney Fırat Epözdemir, which was brought before the Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court, was held on January 29, 2026. The court acquitted Fırat Epözdemir of the charge of “being a member of an organization.”
Attorney Fırat Epözdemir was detained on January 23, 2025, arrested on January 25, 2025, and released at the hearing of the case on May 29, 2025.
(01/188) Trial of a Journalist in Diyarbakır…
The trial of journalist Berivan Kutlu, which began at the Diyarbakır 4th Heavy Penal Court, continued on January 29, 2026. The indictment seeks to punish the journalist for “making organization propaganda.” The court postponed the hearing until April 14, 2026.
(01/189) Trial of Mayor in Adana…
The final hearing of the case against Mehmet Yaşık, former mayor of Erentepe town in Bulanık district of Muş, opened at the Adana 11th Heavy Penal Court was held on January 28, 2026. The court sentenced Mehmet Yaşık to 6 years and 3 months in prison for the crime of “being a member of an organization.”
(01/190) Trial of Police Officer in Ankara…
The final hearing of the case against police officer O.P., who was tried at the Ankara 18th Criminal Court of First Instance for dislocating the arm of lawyer Mustafa Avcıoğlu, a member of the Halkevleri Legal Department, during a police intervention at a protest in front of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change in Ankara on October 3, 2024, was held on January 28, 2026. The court rejected the plaintiff lawyers’ request to hear witnesses and acquitted the defendant police officer of the charges of “exceeding his authority to use force” and “intentional injury.”
[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.