Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
(04/017) Detained People in Izmir…
On April 2, 2026, 5 members of Kaldıraç Movement, Özgür University Movement, Socialist Women’s Movement were detained in house raids in Izmir. The reason for detention and names of the detainees could not be learned.
(04/018) Detained Person in Eskişehir…
It is learned that on April 2, 2026, 1 university student in Eskişehir is detained in his dormitory on the grounds of ‘provoking hatred and hostility among the public’, for the stickers on the walls about NATO summit to be held in Turkey on July 7-8, 2026. The name of the detained person could not be learned.
(04/019) Human Rights Defender and Other People on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against 6 people including Nihat Göktaş, a member of Human Rights Association (IHD), 2 of whom are arrested, on the grounds of sending money to prisoners, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 13 on April 2, 2026. The court acquitted 6 people on the charge of ‘financing an illegal organization’.
Emre Altun and Mehmet Arslan were arrested on May 9, 2025 and released on December 10, 2025. Nihat Göktaş was placed under house arrest as a judicial control measure.
(04/020) People on Trial in Istanbul
The final trial of the case against 7 people who were detained during the police intervention to the protests against the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor in Saraçhane Square in Fatih district, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 20 on April 2, 2026. The court acquitted 7 people on the charge of “violating Law No 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations”.
(04/021) Spice Bazaar Case…
On April 2, 2026, Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15 continued the retrial of the case against sociologist Pınar Selek, after the acquittal verdict was overturned in the case related to the explosion at the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü district of Istanbul on July 9, 1998 which resulted in the death of seven people and 127 people were injured. The court adjourned the trial to September 18, 2026.
The acquittal verdict given on June 8, 2006 in the case against Pınar Selek on the allegation of ‘membership of an illegal organization’ was overturned by the Criminal Chamber No 9 of the Court of Cassation and the case was retried by Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 12. On May 23, 2008, Pınar Selek was acquitted again, but the Criminal Chamber No 9 of the Court of Cassation overturned this verdict as well. The case was then reopened at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 12 and Selek was once again acquitted at the hearing held on February 9, 2011. Upon the reversal of this verdict, Pınar Selek was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment on January 24, 2013. Following the reversal of the aggravated life sentence by the 9th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, Pınar Selek was acquitted for the 4th time in the retrial held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No. 15. However, this acquittal was also overturned on June 21, 2022.
[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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[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.